Scan 23
Musical Courier 1897-11-03: Vol 35 Iss 922, 1897
58 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 24. See the scan on archive.org.
1feel is great, for it is the overture-fantaisie "Francesca da Rimini," surcharged with the woe, the passion of the guilty pair, who forgot that day to read their book, and so were slain, and were seen by Dante and the Shade of Virgil as their thin souls mounted in the spiral of sin and shame and in the stormy blasts of hell.
3Not as often heard as the "Romeo and Juliet," I, nevertheless, prefer it.
5The Variations "Sur un air rococo," for 'cello and orchestra, op. 33, are excellently written, very ingenious and very difficult. Op. 34 is a Scherzo-Valse for violin and orchestra, and op. 35 the concerto in D for the same instrument. This has been heard here several times. Op. 36 is the fourth symphony in F minor, a symphony that only falls short of being as great as the fifth and sixth. It is like all of his symphonies, loosely put together, but certainly more homogeneous than the last one. The first strong, sombre movement, the andantino di modo canzona, the Scherzo pizzicato ostinato and the harsh and sweeping finale are all fine imaginative mood pictures. There is the melancholy, the droning lament, the feverish burliness of the Russian poet, the Russian peasant. The Scherzo is like a winged projectile.
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9Op. 37, the only piano sonata of Tschaikowsky, deserves resurrection. Its great length, fifty pages, has kept it in the libraries of pianists. Doubtless Karl Klindworth, to whom it is dedicated, plays it. Its opening is rudely vigorous, while a counter theme in G minor is a blending of Chopin and Mendelssohn; diffuseness follows, lack of cohesiveness being the gravest fault of the work. Here, as in most of the piano music, the thought is orchestral, and is writ large for orchestra. There is more simplicity in the E minor Andante, and for a time the idiom is of the piano. The scherzo is the Tschaikowsky of the merry mood, the waggish humor. He plays jokes throughout. The finale is all hammer and tongs. In a foot note the composer humbly suggests the correct use of the pedal, knowing that color, atmosphere, perspective are the very essentials of his piano music.
11Six pieces for singing, as they call them, mark op. 38, the first being that devilish and rollicking and saturnine serenade of "Don Juan" in B minor, the text by Tolstoy. He sings to his love on the balcony. In the accents of a sinister Bravo he bids her from behind the lattice, and there is fear and cynicism in this wonderful song, so full of fire and the melancholy of a foredoomed soul. A great song, and I shall never forget the night Edouard de Reszké sang it, with its growling piano ritornello. It sounded satanic.
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15Op. 39, to pick up the arithmetical thread, is the "Piano Album for Children," and contains just two dozen little pieces fit for the soft fingers of babyhood, except where a stretch wanders in that would tax an organist's thumb. Op. 40 is another collection of pieces, twelve in all, of medium difficulty. The "Chanson Triste" is familiar. Op. 41 is a "Messe Russe" for four voices, with organ and piano; op. 42 is for violin and piano, "Souvenir d'un lieu cher"; op. 43 is the first orchestral suite, and op. 44 the second concerto for piano and orchestra in G. This latter is dedicated to Nicolas Rubinstein, and the only time I heard it played in public was at the Philharmonic festival in the Metropolitan Opera House, under Anton Seidl. Franz Rummel was the pianist, and even he, iron-handed as he is, had to make abundant cuts. The work, as I recollect it, is more closely knit in texture than the first of its form, and is more musical, more imaginative, if less brilliant and showy. It will figure on the programs of the twentieth century virtuoso. The pianists of to-day refer to it as a symphony with piano obligato.
17Op. 45 is the "Capriccio Italien," for orchestra, of which I once wrote: "It is Russian icicles melted into fantastic shapes by Neapolitan fire and terpsichorean fury." The Russian loves to dream of the South. Even Heine wrote "Ein Fichtenbaum steht einsam." Philip Hale says that there are in it "passages needlessly and ineffectively vulgar." I accept his later judgment, for when I heard the piece I was color mad, and in those days it was any color so it was red or purple. Op. 46, six vocal duos; op. 47, seven romances for voice and piano; op. 48, the Serenade, for strings; op. 49, the Overture Solennelle; op. 50 is the lovely trio in A minor for piano and strings, written to commemorate the death of Nicolas Rubinstein, who was a near friend of Tschaikowsky. It is a true elegy.
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21Op. 51 contains six piano pieces, valse, polka, minuetto, valse, romance and a valse sentimentale; op. 52 is another Russian mass for four voices, and op. 53 is the second suite for orchestra; op. 54 is another collection of songs, sixteen in number, and for youth; op. 55 is the third and most popular suite for orchestra, the theme and variations of which are heard nearly every season. The finale-polonaise of these is most brilliant; op. 56 is that tremendously difficult and long Fantasie for piano and orchestra, written for Annette Essipoff, and played here by Julia Rive-King. I forget how many bars the cadenza contains, but it is so long that the audience is apt to forget there is an orchestra. Yet the themes are fresh, the execution in Tschaikowsky's most virile vein, and if the cadenza were cut or omitted the Fantasie would certainly be heard oftener, especially as the orchestra is so eloquent and entertaining. But who will play the surgeon?
23(To be continued)
25Music at the Women's Press Club.—At the meeting of the Women's Press Club in Carnegie Hall on Saturday afternoon, October 30, an enjoyable musical program delighted the assembled guests. Miss Lucille A. Smith, a pupil of the Virgil Piano School, played selections from Grieg, Chaminade and MacDowell with good technic and some brilliancy. Mlle. Henriette Corradi sang three short numbers in a most artistic style, with perfect phrasing and sympathetic expression.
27Purdon Robinson.—After a successful season at Richfield Springs during the summer months, and an equally prosperous fall season at Utica, Mr. Purdon Robinson has returned to New York and has resumed his lessons in voice culture at his new studio in the Mendelssohn Glee Club Building. His lessons will be given in the small concert hall, where he will also hold rehearsals of his new club for women's voices. Mr. Robinson has booked several important concert engagements, one being a song recital with Lillian Blauvelt at the Brooklyn Institute.
29Sutro Sisters.
31THE exact date of the departure of the Sutro Sisters, the remarkable ensemble pianists, has not yet been fixed, but they will soon leave London to begin their American engagement under the management of R. E. Johnston & Co.
33They will appear at Philharmonic, Symphony and other orchestral concerts, and there is a great demand among the lovers of the legitimate in piano playing to hear them in some of their unique recitals. If there ever was ensemble playing the Sutro Sisters have acquired it.
35Will W. Thomas.—Mr. Will W. Thomas, of the firm of Thomas & Fellows, choir agency, Carnegie Hall, has been elected assistant director of the Apollo Club, Mr. William R. Chapman director
37Walter Henry Hall.—On next Sunday, at 4 p. m., an extra musical service will be given at St. James' P. E. Church, Seventy-first street and Madison avenue, Mr. Walter Henry Hall organist. Mr. W. Theo Van Yorx, tenor, and Mr. Will W. Thomas, basso, will be the soloists.
39Thomas & Fellows.—Thomas & Fellows, in Carnegie Hall, have a number of good out of town church positions open. Thechoir agency of Thomas & Fellows placed seven singers and an organist in desirable positions the past week. The singers are fast finding out where to go for square treatment in every way.
41A Recital at the Virgil School.—A piano and violin recital was given on Thursday, October 28, at the hall of the Virgil Piano School, 29 West Fifteenth street, which served to emphasize the excellence of the instruction to be obtained at this well-known institute. Mr. Emanuel Schmauk at the piano was assisted by a young violinist, Mr. Louis Teichman. Both artists played exceptionally well. The balance of tone suffered somewhat from the poor condition of the piano, but where there is so much to praise a word of criticism can do no harm. Mr. Theodore Troutman, the solo tenor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Brooklyn, sang smoothly and without effort. In response to an enthusiastic encore he gave a dainty little Scotch ballad, "The Young Rose," by McPherson. The following was the program:
43Sonata, F major, op. 34……………………………………………..Beethoven
44Song, The Rose………………………………………………………..Spicker
45Sonata, F major, op. 8……………………………………………..Grieg
46Song, Far Away………………………………………………………Kallilwoda
47(With violin obligato.)
48Suite, D minor, op. 44……………………………………………..Schütt
49Allegro risoluto.
51Clementine De Vere.—Mme. Clementine De Vere, who has been touring in the West, has everywhere met with phenomenal success. Crowded houses greeted her every appearance in all the large cities, and her name on a program was sufficient to insure enthusiastic plaudits. From a number of flattering notices the following are quoted:
53Madame De Vere was in excellent voice and proved herself, as so often in the past, a most accomplished vocalist. Her sustained high pianissimo is even and smooth, and her runs and shakes in the florid Donizetti aria were taken with perfect ease. After hearing her sing one can readily see how she could take the place of Madame Melba on a few hours' notice in a great operatic role—a feat accomplished by her at the Metropolitan Opera in New York last winter—Columbus Dispatch, October 16, 1897.
55Madame De Vere sang selections from the florid music in which she excels, her program numbers being the air "Thou Brilliant Bird," from Felician David's "La Perle du Bresil," and a brilliant waltz song by Signor Sapio, "The Magic of Spring." Madame was frantically recalled after each number, and was compelled to add liberally. Her voice is as clear and flexible as ever, and decidedly sympathetic. Her engagement is a fortunate thing for the people of this country, who now will have an opportunity to hear more of the most popular singers we have.—The Sentinel, Milwaukee.
57The interest of the evening centred in Mme. Clementine De Vere. Recognized as one of the few great sopranos of America, she had no difficulty in sustaining with her audience the standard they had set for her. Her selection, "The Shadow Song," from "Dinorah," was wonderfully well done, and the clear, strong voice, true as steel, filled the auditorium, and not a note was lost. Since Nordica visited Des Moines no better soprano work has been heard here than that of Madame De Vere last night. Her dramatic qualities were apparent, though there was no particular opportunity to display them and her success with the Metropolitan Opera Company last winter was easy to understand.—The Leader, Des Moines, October 29.
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