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Musical Courier 1897-11-03: Vol 35 Iss 922, 1897
80 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 11. See the scan on archive.org.
1the Practice Clavier at 20 Wilhelmstrasse, has this to say upon the subject of what constitutes a good piano hand:
3Next in importance to a good head is a good hand. The real truth is, the very first essential to a good hand is a good head; indeed, it generally takes two good heads, the teacher's and the pupil's, to turn out one pair of good piano hands.
5But the question evidently has reference to the hand per se. An ideal hand as to its normal form and quality is one of good size, properly proportioned, not narrow, long, light and thin, but on the contrary broad, heavy and thick. Extreme suppleness, that is, fingers with about as much back action at the metacarpal joints as forward, is worse than no back action at all.
7The muscles should be of a solid quality, at least capable of becoming quite hard when contracted; both quick action and good tone demand this.
9The fingers must not be tightly bound or webbed together, but capable of being well separated from each other. All joints acting freely, and the nerves extending to the hand must be so controllable by the will, that the fingers are capable quick action, and of being moved very slowly and steadily, and of being held perfectly still in any suspended position.
11The fingers are properly proportioned as to length when a line crossing the knuckles (first joints) on the back of the hand is nearly parallel; that is, does not incline much if any nearer the wrist as it approaches the fifth finger, and the tip of the fifth finger should reach slightly beyond the second joint of the fourth finger. The thumb when lying straight by the side of the hand should reach nearly to the second joint of the second finger, extending along at least two-thirds of the length of the first phalanx of the second finger.
13It must also have the power to reach itself out well from the metacarpal joint, at the same time keeping its first and second joints well bent and quite prominent.
15I found time to attend at least the last acts of both "Siegfried" and "Die Götterdämmerung" in the repetition of the Nibelungen Ring cycle, which was given at the Royal Opera House during the past week. The house was crowded on both evenings, despite the raised prices of admission. The cast was the same as the one described by me heretofore, with the exception of the part of Siegfried, which was taken by Kraus. I was astonished at the great improvement in voice and acting this young heroic tenor has made, but, as you have heard him in the United States last season, there is no need of my enumerating his merits. I am afraid, however, that if Kraus continues his method of giving all he has to give with full, open voice this vocal spendthrift will in a few years land where others like him have landed before, viz., he will ruin and utterly lose his voice.
17In Hamburg the ironically comic opera "Die Fromme Helene" (Pious Helen), by an anonymous composer (everybody knows that it is Adalbert von Goldschmidt), had its première last Wednesday night and met with a fiasco the like of which Pollini has not witnessed in the twenty odd years of his directorship.
19From here director Pierson and a few others, among whom was Hermann Wolff, attended and they are delighted with the work, of which they declare that it is a true musical setting of Busch's funny story and pictures. The Hamburgers, however, did not see the joke, which is said to be above the understanding of the bourgeoisie. "Die Fromme Helene" would fare better in this respect in the United States, for there is no quicker witted nation in the world than the Americans and none quicker to see a joke, but the libretto, by Miss Fannie Groeger, in closely following Wilhelm Busch's story, somewhat frivolously deals with certain subjects pertaining to the Roman Catholic religion, and hence "Die Fromme Helene" will probably never see the lights of an American stage.
21Gustav Mahler, the new director of the Vienna Court Opera, has inaugurated his régime by a crusade against the claque and this first step of his cannot be sufficiently applauded.
23Miss Leonora Jackson, the young American violinist, will shortly be heard in concert at Paris, Brussels, Aix-la-Chapelle and other important cities.
25Among the callers at the Berlin office of The Courier were Mr. A. K. Virgil, Mrs. Lindol Rudolph Myers, of Cincinnati, who is going to finish her vocal studies with Lilli Lehmann; Miss Mary Graham, of Indiana, who intends leaving Berlin for Paris for a change in her education as a violinist; Miss Minnie Dilthey, of New York, who has just signed a contract for the Kiel Opera House; Mrs. A. Sondheimer and the Misses Sondheimer, of St. Louis, Mo. (the young ladies will soon heard here at a concert of their own in their specialty of playing works for two pianos); Miss Beatrice M. Davidson, of New York, who sang for me some of the Marguerite music from "Faust" with fine musical taste, perfect intonation and a much larger voice than she displayed a couple of years ago; Mrs. Max Liebling and Miss Estelle Liebling, of New York; Miss Clara Krause, pianist; Miss Stella Lippmann and her father, from Cincinnati (the young lady plays the piano with much feeling and refined touch. She has been studying with Professor Klindworth for a season, but thinks of making a change of teachers in the near future); Mr. L. R. Lambert, of Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio, and his wife. The young man intends to finish his pianistic studies with Dr. Jedliczka and to take harmony lessons of O. B. Boise.
27O. F.
29Boston Music Notes.
30BOSTON, October 30, 1897.
32M. R. F. W. WODELL was a special guest of the Clef Club at its dinner in New York on Wednesday evening, and by invitation addressed them on the subject of "Some Views of Professional Music Life in London and America."
34Miss Aagot Lunde, who is a friend as well as a countrywoman of Mrs. Fridtjof Nansen's, will sing at Dr. Nansen's lecture in Copley Hall, Boston, November 4.
36At a concert tendered to Miss Geraldine Farrar at the Town Hall in Melrose, the following artists took part. Miss Maud Paradis, Miss Jennie Spencer, Felix Winteritz, Miss Farrar, Dr. G. R. Clark and J. C. Bartlett. Miss Farrar will go to New York for several years' study in music.
38A large choral society has been formed at Wellesley College, of sixty voices under the leadership of Sig. Augusto Rotoli, director of choral music at the New England Conservatory and at Wellesley College.
40Miss Laura Henry, a young and very talented pupil of Mr. Everett E. Truette, will give an organ recital on Wednesday evening, November 3, at the First Parish Church, Watertown. Mr. Truette will assist Miss Henry. Gustav Merkel's Sonata in D minor will be played as arranged for four hands and double pedal.
42A large audience assembled at the New England Conservatory of Music on Wednesday evening at the piano recital of Mme. Helen Hopekirk. Madame Hopekirk received rapturous applause as a reward of her effort.
44The annual meeting of the New Bedford Choral Association has just taken place, when the following officers were elected: President, Charles F. Shaw; first vice-president, Alexander McL. Goodspeed; second vice-president, Charles L. Holt; secretary, William H. Wood; treasurer, Charles S. Coombs; librarian, H. D. Waldron; assistant librarians, E. B. Hadley, A. R. Pierce; directors, A. W. Swan, Mrs. H. M. Knowlton, Walter Wood, Mrs. F. A. Milliken, Mrs. H. K. Nye, Thomas B. Akin, Mrs. D. L. Parker, Mrs. George R. Wood, George S. Fox, E. J. A. Zeiner, Alice G. Anthony, John P. Rooney, Mary K. Taber, James S. Macomber, Mrs. R. C. Ingraham, L. N. Baudoin, F. A. Milliken, William C. Hawes.
46The secretary says in his report:
48"The sixth annual music festival was held in the New Bedford Theatre, April 21, 22 and 23. The chorus works rendered were Mendelssohn's 'Elijah,' Whiting's 'Tale of the Viking,' and Bruch's 'Arminius.' Musically speaking this festival was the greatest success ever achieved by the association. Every soloist appeared and the programs were performed exactly as had been arranged. Financially the festival was a failure. Respectfully submitted,
50"L. A. BLY, Secretary."
52Treasurer Coombs reported that the festival receipts were $3,017.93; receipts from other sources, $1,264.78; total receipts, $4,282.11. The disbursements on account of bills to date, $4,242.98. Cash on hand, $39.27. The total liabilities of the association are $1,051.51. Money due the association, $289.25, leaving a total deficit of $761.90.
54The Allen P. Brown library of music in the Boston Public Library is now open to the public. In speaking of it the Boston Transcript says:
56"So urgent has become the demand for easier access to the Allen A. Brown library of music in the Public Library that the library authorities decided to open the room to the public, beginning yesterday, although the catalogue which is in preparation cannot be completed for some time.
58"The current musical periodicals, formerly kept in the periodical room, have been removed to the spacious Brown library, where they may be consulted more conveniently. The following named periodicals are to be taken: The Musical Courier, Etude, Leader, Monthly Musical Record, Music, Musical Record, Musical Standard, Musical Times, Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik, Opera Glass, Organist's Quarterly Journal, Signale, Strand Musical Magazine, Musical Age.
60"To this list will be added several foreign periodicals, as follows: Le Menestrel, Le Guide Musicale, La Gazzetta Musicale, La Rivista Musicale, Musikaliches Wochenblatt.
62"At the outset the absence of a catalogue will be a drawback, but inquirers will be given every opportunity now possible and whatever assistance can be provided by the present force of attendants.
64"During the Symphony season a collection of music and literature pertaining to each concert will be laid out on the tables for consultation. Mr. Brown hopes to be able to supply almost every number to be performed, and has already placed orders for some of the novelties on the program."
66FOR SALE—Two valuable instruments: Guarnerius violoncello, price $500; Stainer violin, price $200. Call 28 West Eighty-third street, New York.
68Carl Bernhard
69Bass-Baritone.
70Oratorio and Concert.
71Vocal Studio: 157 East 47th St., New York.
72"He sings most tastefully, and, what is more, knows how to use his voice as well as those of his pupils."—Georg Henschel.
74SEASON 1897-98.
75The Great Dutch Pianist
76SIEVEKING
77UNDER THE DIRECTION OF
78Mr. VICTOR THRANE,
7933 Union Square, NEW YORK.
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