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Musical Courier 1897-07-14: Vol 35 Iss 906, 1897
93 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 9. See the scan on archive.org.
1THE MUSICAL COURIER.
3made his first appearance here, and his conception of the part of Telramund, after the finished portrayal of Mr. David Bispham, hardly met with approval. Herr Seidl conducted, and the orchestra and chorus were both deserving of high praise.
5The great event of the week from a musical point of view was the notably fine performance on Monday night of Siegfried. To that large class of music lovers who have grown to understand Wagner's treatment of the Nibelung this opera has a peculiar fascination. Hence an enthusiastic and very large audience gathered to assist at the first performance this season. From the opening bars it was evident that Herr Seidl was in his element, and as the various motives on which the score is built were heard, their recurrence in their different forms and phases yielded to the hearer a singular sensation of delight; what used to seem to us almost chaotic grew not only clear but marvellously expressive and significant. There are passages, too, which at once strike and gratify the ear, such as the Auf des Waldknaben, which accompanies Siegfried's first entrance, the chant Aus dem Waldfort in die Weltzieh'n—an example of Wagner's remarkable power of describing a sentiment in a few short phrases—which marks his rush off from the forge into the forest again. These and other fragments of melody are wonderfully rich in meaning and led to the strong desire to hear the work as often as possible under such favorab'e conditions.
7The Polish tenor sang the music of the youthful, though fearless, "Son of the Forest." Herr Lieban's Mime was a revelation in its grasp of a character which is anything but sympathetic. Mr. Edouard de Reszké took the part of Wotan and Mr. Bispham was Alberich; the latter again displaying those qualities which place him among our best dramatic singers. The beautifully pure and sweet soprano voice of Madame Saville was effective in the bird song. Madame Schumann-Heink took the part of Erda satisfactorily, and Miss Susan Strong added materially to her reputation by her intelligent conception and interpretation of the part of Brünnhilde. Herr Seidl was called before the curtain after the first act.
9The other performances the court week have been a repeat of Tristan und Isolde, Herr Seidl conducting, on the 19th; Tannhäuser on the 20th; no performance on the 22d; the State on Wednesday, and Die Walküre in German Thursday, and Tannhäuser again last night, while Siegfried will be repeated to-night.
11Miss Margaret Reid was chosen for the part of Micaela in Carmen, and made a big success on Thursday night, when the title role was taken by our well-known American singer, Mlle. Zelie de Lussan. Both in the duet with Don José and in her solo, Miss Reid sang remarkably well; indeed, in the latter she roused the audience to a high pitch of enthusiasm, and it was some minutes before the orchestra could go on with the opera.
13In her conception of this difficult aria, her phrasing and her vocalization generally were remarkably fine. Mlle. de Lussan was also in excellent voice, and we never remember to have seen her act the part better; while the Don José of Signor Alvarez was a forceful character picture. The voice of Signor Ancona in the toreador song was more telling than sympathetic. The minor parts were well taken, and the performance as a whole under the direction of M. Flon was a good one.
15On Friday evening, June 25, M. Renaud, who had made his London début at the gala performance, when he sang in the second act of Lohengrin only, as reported in last week's letter, sang the role of Wolfram. I hardly think that those who are familiar with Mr. David Bispham's portrayal of this part will care for that of M. Renaud specially. He is however, a great artist,'and justified the high reputation that had preceded his arrival here. His impersonation, if lacking in breadth, was picturesque and intelligent. One of his striking faults is the unduly lengthening out of notes that lie well for his voice. M. Dupeyron sang the music of Tannhäuser, without, however, arousing any special interest. The rest of the cast was as on similar occasions. Signor Mancinelli conducted.
17On Saturday an almost incomparable performance of Siegfried was given under Herr Seidl. Excepting that the Bird Song was given with great charm by Mlle. Engle, the cast was the same as on the previous Monday, when the work was put on for the first time this season.
19The appearance of Mme. Melba on Monday night had the effect of filling Covent Garden to overflowing, but her impersonation of the part of Marguerite calls for no comment. M. Alvarez was the Faust and Plançon took the part of Mephistopheles, M. Ancona that of Valentine, Mlle. Brazzi that of Siebel. Signor Mancinelli conducted.
21Manon was given on Tuesday night, with Mme. Frances Saville in the title role; on Wednesday Die Meistersinger, with the brothers de Reszké, David Bispham, M. Plançon, Madame Eames; while to-night the first performance of Der Evangelimann will be given under the direction of M. Flon, and in the presence of the composer.
23Herr Seidl is abroad, attending the rehearsals of Parsifal, and won't be back till the middle of next week.
25Much satisfaction is expressed on all sides that Madame Nordica has come to an understanding with M. Jean de Reszké. I understand that through a severe cold she was incapacitated from singing, and expects to leave London as soon as she is able to go to one of the watering places so that she may fully recover.
27Mr. George Holmes, who is now in Chicago, was telegraphed for to take the part of the hero in Lohengrin, last week. If he had been in London, he could have repeated the success he made last year.
29Mr. Homer Lind, who has played for the Carl Rosa Opera Company the last two years—those parts associated with the name of Mr. David Bispham, had intended to make a visit home to his native place, Washington this summer; but as he is engaged by Mr. Hedmont, the time before the rehearsals are begun would be so short, that he has gone on the Continent for a brief holiday instead.
31The Albert Hall was well filled on Thursday evening, on the occasion of the repetition of the Diamond Jubilee Festival, held under the conductorship of Mr. William Carter. The proceedings opened with God Save the Queen, followed by a Thanksgiving Anthem and a Jubilee Ode, both the composition of Mr. Carter. In neither of these works is the construction elaborate or striking, but they were both carefully interpreted by the choir, with solo parts admirably rendered by Miss Grace Oakley, Mme. Belle Cole and Mr. Iver McKay. Madame Albani got enthusiastic applause for Let the Bright Seraphim (Händel).
33Mr. Andrew Black sang Henschel's Jung Dieterich, and Miss Esther Palliser sang Francis Alletsen's song (with chorus) There's a Land, which was accompanied by the composer. Two other jubilee compositions found a place in the evening's proceedings. The first of these was a thanksgiving cantata, The Song of Jubilee (Dr. Jacob Bradford), which consisted of a setting of the late Prince Consort's Gotha chorale, and culminates in the introduction of the National Anthem. In the performance of this item the band was obviously lacking in certainty of attack and intonation; as to the composition itself, while written, doubtless, with a view to obtain originality of effect upon a stereotyped theme, it is lacking in proper development and attainment of a climax—a point of vantage so essential to the effect and lasting value of a short work of the kind.
35Lady Helen Forbes' jubilee Celebration Ode is a tuneful composition in chorale form. It is arranged for soli (soprano and contralto), chorus, orchestra and organ.
37There is no doubt that Madame Patti's name is still one to conjure with in London. Once more the colossal Albert Hall was crowded to the uppermost tier on Tuesday night to greet the diva, who opened the program seasonably by singing God Save the Queen as a solo with chorus, the latter being supplied by a small, select choir of students from the Royal College of Music. Subsequently she was heard in Una voce poco fa (Rossini), and, in response to the inevitable encore, she sang Verdrai Carino. Later on the applause which followed the Jewel Song drew forth The Last Rose of Summer. But the highest pitch of enthusiasm was reached when she gave Home, Sweet Home, and upon recall, Comin' Through the Rye.
39Other artists who assisted were Miss Ida Crossly, Edward Lloyd, Mr. Santley, Miss Adele Verne (piano), and Marix Loevensohn, 'cello.
41There have been a few other important concerts this week but none calling for notice here.
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70BOSTON, Mass., July 11, 1897.
72THROUGH the courtesy of Messrs. Pleyel, Wolff & Co., Paris, I have received the record of the concerts given in their hall during 1896. This is the fourth volume of La Musique de Chambre. The book is handsomely printed. There is a preface by Mr. Oscar Comettant, and there is an analytical study by Mr. Henry Eymieu.
74You know Mr. Comettant's manner of writing about music. A graceful, fluent author, he skims along over deep problems. Nor am I convinced readily of his accuracy in statements of fact. In this preface he prides himself on being "vieux jeu," and he has much to say in behalf of melody.
76Listen to him in the act of definition: "Music is the result that man derives from nature of awakening without the aid of reason, without calculation, spontaneously by the singing voice the sentiments which move him and are especially in the jurisdiction of this kind of manifestation: love, hope, sadness, joy, fear, boldness, enthusiasm, anger, resignation, and that kind of sadness, sweet and poetic, unknown to the ancients and born with Christianity, the kind called melancholy."
78He distinguishes music from "musical art, which is the art of combining sounds produced simultaneously and successively by the aid of several voices or instruments."
80"The music that sings in us of love, sadness, joy, &c., is always a single voice. The heart does not open itself to six or eight real parts."
82This he proves by reducing Beethoven's C minor symphony to a flute solo! "You will still have musical speech filled with divers sentiments, movement, surprise and exquisite charm."
84I do not think there is any need of tarrying longer over the graceful pages of Mr. Comettant, who plumes himself on being "vieux jeu." This phrase is often synonymous with "invincible ignorance."
86*
88Mr. Eymieu deserves more serious attention. He devotes the first pages of his Study to an appreciation of Saint-Saëns, whom he considers the greatest of French musicians, "because he is the most complete." He speaks at length of the festival concert given by Saint-Saëns June 3, 1896, quotes the verses read by the composer and the articles that appeared at the time in various journals of Paris. Furthermore there is a list of the most illustrious musicians and patrons who were in the audience, from Dubois to the Countess d'Eu. Then there are notes on the most important concerts of the season.
90It appears that Edouard Risler, the remarkable pianist, has undertaken the task of popularizing Liszt's music in France, as A. Parent is doing for Brahms. Thus Mr. Risler considers the sonata dedicated to Schumann "as a composition worthy of standing by the side of Liszt's finest orchestral compositions." He looks upon Liszt first of all as a creator, "because in his works, as in the latest compositions of Beethoven, the form varies as much as the substance; the idea is no longer the slave of form, but the form of the idea."
92Mr. Eymieu rebukes Octave Mirbeau for extolling César Franck by debasing Gounod, and he deplores the spectacle of Mr. Rodenbach abusing Benjamin Godard. He contradicts the report that Godard was a man of property. "Everybody knows that the parents of Godard lost their fortune when the composer of Tasse was an infant. The master was obliged to work during his whole life, to the
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