Scan 20
Musical Courier 1897-07-14: Vol 35 Iss 906, 1897
57 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 21. See the scan on archive.org.
1Miss Morgan. This afternoon concert was one of the most notable events of the entire series, the many notable artists, the magnificent organ and beautiful church combining to make it such. Young Mr. O'Connor, the organist of the church, is a Boston bred man, and certainly an able artist. Of course he knew his organ as none of the others did, and so got some particularly happy effects.
3Of magnificent effect, truly inspiring, was the singing of Miss Hilke. She sang Guilmant's Reverie, and in such manner that there was a spontaneous outburst of applause. Such tone volume, such fervor, such bell-like upper notes are extraordinary, and moved the audience to unusual demonstrations. Mr. William Edward Mulligan played six numbers in one group; these were Bach's Toccata in D, Schellenberg's Fantasia, Ein Feste Burg ist Unser Gott, op. 3; César Franck's Andantino, Guilmant's Reverie, Lemaigre's Capriccio and César Franck's Pièce Heroïque. one of two readings
4Of magnificent effect, truly inspiring, was the singing of Miss Hilke. She sang Guilmant's Reverie, and in such manner that there was a spontaneous outburst of applause. Such tone volume, such fervor, such bell-like upper notes are extraordinary, and moved the audience to unusual demonstrations. Mr. William Edward Mulligan played six numbers in one group; these were Bach's Toccata in D, Schellenberg's Fantasia, Ein Feste Burg ist Unser Gott, op. 3; César Franck's Andantino, Guilmant's Reverie, Lemaigre's Capriccio and César Franck's Pièce Heroique. one of two readings
6This was a pretty heavy dose for one sitting, and was certainly a mistake. Schellenberg's Ein Feste Burg was a fine performance. There was a taste in registration and coloring quite orchestral, not to speak of the fluent technic and musical abandon of the well-known organist of Saint Mark's, New York. Ein Feste Burg in a Catholic church sounded like Luther's "Here stand I; I cannot otherwise," that challenge of the Reformation period. Lemaigre's Capriccio called forth strong applause, and the Wagner-like heroic piece closed a series of uncommonly interesting organ excerpts. Much of Mr. Mulligan's playing reminds the discriminating listener of Guilmant. Mrs. Bloodgood continued the heroic strain by singing Gounod's Repentance with harp (Miss Morgan), and violin (Mr. Szag), obligato.
8Concert-Satz in C minor………………………………………Thiele
9Romanze, A flat…………………………………………………Merkel
10Intermezzo (MS., new)………………………………………Callaerts
11(Dedicated to Mr. Carl.)
12Variations on a Welsh Air (new)……………………………Carl
14These were the numbers contributed by Mr. William C. Carl, and were undoubtedly the cause of drawing the many organists for miles around to see and hear this, without question, widest known and one of the best of American organists. That he had close attention and disappointed no one was patent to all; indeed, he made his accustomed hit and must have felt this fact.
16Mr. Carl is a great organist who knows his instrument, and it responds to him only as an organ does respond to an artist who adds to a thorough knowledge of music the musical birthright accorded to so few.
18His performance of the C minor Concert-Satz, by Thiele, was a marvelous one. The work abounds in technical difficulties and Mr. Carl treated them with ease. He received a big ovation for his own work, a Variation on a Welsh Air.
20Of the vocal duet, Rossini's flowing Quis Est Homo, sung by Miss Hilke and Mrs. Bloodgood, it is impossible to speak in terms of too high praise. The union of two such voices produced, with the fine organ, an artistic delight, and the Latin words made it peculiarly appropriate to time and place. Mr. Salter was at the organ. Mr. O'Connor closed the program as printed with Lux's O Sanctissima. Miss Morgan and Mr. Carl contributed two extra numbers, the Händel. Largo and Oberthur's Loreley, for organ and harp. Both were superbly played.
22Mayor Green and Father Hughes made enthusiastic impromptu addresses. The mayor urged Binghamton as next year's convention city, and Father Hughes spoke pleasingly about the relation of the Catholic Church to music.
24After the concert a large number of those present hastened to the hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs. O. J. Fowler, who gave a reception from 5 to 7 o'clock at their home, No. 33 Arthur street, in honor of Prof. F. W. Riesberg, of New York. Miss Riesberg and Mrs. J. S. Marvin, of Buffalo, sisters of Prof. Riesberg, and Mrs. C. A. Latham, of Norwich, assisted in receiving. F. S. Titchener, W. H. Hoerner, E. R. Weeks and C. Fred Hess were the ushers, and Mrs. E. A. Matthews, Miss Madeline Haynes, Miss May Edgerton, Miss Kate Fowler and Mrs. N. M. Pierce served light refreshments, and a favored few remained for a bit of supper on the lawn, tented for the occasion. Among those present were Mayor and Mrs. George E. Green, President Gerrit Smith, Thomas Impett, of Troy, M. T. N. A. President Herbert Wilber Greene, of New York, and others more or less known or desirous of acquiring fame.
26An interesting meeting of the ladies' musical clubs was held at W. C. A. Hall. Following an earnest address of welcome by Mrs. V. A. Weld, the president of the association, the Cecilians rendered The Chimes. When the applause which followed the number had subsided Mrs. C. S. Virgil, editor of the ladies' musical club department of the Pianist and Organist, read a profitable paper, The Work of Women's Clubs and Their Influence on Musical Culture.
28Miss Maud Morgan then gave an interesting talk about the Lenox Choral Club, of New York. The paper, Federation of Clubs, in the absence of its writer, Mrs. Chandler Stow, of Rockford, Ill., was read by Miss Mabel Harding. Miss Sadie Claire Bailey, with her sweet and well trained soprano, gave a splendid rendering of Heart's Delight, while Miss Nellie Shotthaffer, of Utica, who is evidently the youngest performer at the convention, gave a delightful interpretation of the Arabian Dance, Valse Caprice and The Spinning Song.
30The session closed with an address by Miss Belle A. Mason, chairman of the music committee of the Y.W.C.A.
32The second grand evening concert saw the handsome opera house filled even fuller than the first, and the affair was in all ways a success. After the opening chorus Mr. Herbert Witherspoon, accompanied by Mr. Walter J. Hall, sang Henrion's Le Muletier, a through-and-through Spanish song, and excited universal admiration. This evening he was at his best, and later demonstrated this fact in Who is Sylvia, which was a wonderfully smooth and graceful effort, and Lehmann's Myself When Young. He got a rousing encore, and the handsome young basso made a capital appearance and scored a big hit. Miss Morgan followed in her graceful Grecian costume; she personally and her selections were equally admired.
34Miss Hilke was in fine fettle, and in Mrs. H. H. A. Beach's love song she sang like a stalwart young goddess. This impression was intensified in her couplet of songs later, where the fresh, true voice, so full of tenderest sympathy, rang forth straight to the heart. Keep both eyes on this American girl; you will need both, for her career is bound to be a grand one! Mr. Mulligan accompanied most sympathetically. Mr. William H. Sherwood was once more magnificent; he played a Chopin impromptu (op. 36) and Godard's Journey; later the Isolde Liebestod and that inspired polonaise of Liszt in E. For the first and only time in the history of this year he responded to a vociferous encore; the audience would not otherwise, and he gave a highly refined and beautifully executed interpretation of the Chopin berceuse. Mrs. Antonia H. Sawyer occupied a trying place, immediately following Mr. Sherwood, but asserted herself, and was immediately recognized as in worthy company in her singing of songs by Massenet, Rene, Mary Knight Wood, Florence Buckingham Joyce and Victor Harris. Mrs. Sawyer is a great favorite here personally and vocally, and did some of the best singing in her career on this occasion.
36An artistic effort was the group of four songs by Thomas Impett, of Troy, as follows:
37A Widow Bird Sate Mourning………………………………….Lidgley
38The Lover's Song……………………………………………..Wiggin
39Nocturne………………………………………………………..Neidlinger
40There's Nae Lark……………………………………………….Smith
42Each of these was a gem, and the tenor showed perfect vocal control and fine taste—in a word, 'twas artistic. Miss Maude E. Bancroft accompanied. The concert closed with the chorus By Babylon's Wave, by Gounod, given with spirit under the direction of Mr. Frank Beman, who used the handsome baton previously presented him by the chorus.
44The third and last day of the convention was a red-letter day, for things went with fire and gusto. Enthusiasm was in the air; the audience had been large, intelligent, appreciative; all things were entirely harmonious, and so there was an undercurrent of strong good-fellowship. The opening business meeting consumed some time. It was voted to give Mr. Walter J. Hall, the outgoing secretary-treasurer, the sum of $100 to compromise the salary owing former Secretary-Treasurer Otis R. Greene and to leave minor financial matters to the executive committee. Everybody was thanked right and left—especially Mayor George E. Green, the efficient and energetic president, the man who, with Mayor Green and Chairman Salter, succeeded in making this meeting a howling success—Dr. Gerrit Smith.
46Then there was a short talk on vocalists being musicians by Mr. Louis Arthur Russell, followed by a long, long talk on the same lines, and full of her own personal operatic experiences, by Madame Luisa Cappiani, very amusing and entertaining. The Cecilian Quartet, of Binghamton, sang Wohring's I Softly Dream, with fine taste, and then Mrs. Katherine Bloodgood again sang. I once more, quote from a friendly pen:
48"Prof. Adolf Frey played his piano concerto in C major, consisting of three movements—Allegro maestoso, andante con moto and allegro giocoso. It is a masterly work and was played in an artistic manner. He was accompanied on the second piano by Prof. N. Irving Hyatt, who played the orchestral parts. These two gentlemen are from the University of Syracuse and have already become very popular in Binghamton.
50"The Cecilians appeared again in another number, and merited the encore which they received, but they obeyed the rule and did not respond. Miss Bertha I. Howe, of Warsaw, gave three interesting numbers for violin as a closing selection."
52The Thursday afternoon session opened with a lecture recital by Mr. Ferdinand Dunkley, of Albany, with illustrations on a modern upright piano.
54One of the afternoon's most interesting features, more especially to teachers, was the lecture recital to illustrate the clavier method of piano teaching as used by Mrs. A. K. Virgil. A pupil of hers, Albert Burgemeister, played several selections on the piano in a manner which would seem to be the best praise of the method. The fact that although Mr. Burgemeister had studied the piano previously, he has pursued the Virgil method only during the past year, made the performance the more remarkable. His touch is quick and elastic.
56As an illustration of how a piece may be learned upon the clavier, Mr. Burgemeister played Pierrot et Pierrette, a piece in the last number of the Pianist and Organist, which he had never played on the piano and had never
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.