Scan 29
Musical Courier 1897-11-03: Vol 35 Iss 922, 1897
56 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 30. See the scan on archive.org.
1Komissargewsky. Mr. Bromberg's voice is of fine quality, full of warmth, and his style and interpretation are particularly adapted for opera.
3The song recital at the Lachmund Conservatory of Music was a most auspicious event, Mr. Tor Van Pyk pleasing everyone with his peculiarly sympathetic tenor voice. Miss Robinson, pianist, being ill, there was substituted first a concertante by Mozart for two violins and piano, played by Mr. Oswald Cohen, Miss Austin and Mr. Lachmund. In place of the second number Miss Glenna Baker played "Valse Lente" by Schuett, and an etude by Henselt.
5Lewis W. Armstrong, the baritone, evidently made a mighty hit when he sang for Washington Council No. 11. Peruse this:
7Mr. Lewis W. Armstrong sang for us at our concert on Monday evening, and if we could have had our way would be singing yet. It was to us a real pleasure to hear him sing, because every word is as clean and clear cut as though it was carved out of crystal; then whether his voice is sinking into the faintest whisper, or increasing in power until the whole room is filled with its vibrations, there is never the slightest indication that he is not singing with absolute ease. We look forward with pleasure to hearing him again, and advise all lovers of good music to take the first opportunity to do likewise. Very sincerely, SAMUEL H. POST, JAMES GRAY, Committee on Entertainment.
9Armstrong is a modest man, but his merit as a singer and teacher of the voice is great, and has already assured him a success. Present, and most promising Future!
11May Brown, violinist; that sounds pretty, euphonious, does it not? I first heard this excellent performer at one of the musicales at a great Richfield Springs hotel, and was attracted by her pure tone and expressive, animated style. The other day she was playing the last movement of the Bruch G minor, when visitors interrupted, and with much dash and firmness did she attack those thirds of the principal theme. She has a class at Summit, N. J., whither she hies herself weekly.
13Helene Bartenwerffer, the charming young mezzo-soprano, has returned from her European trip. While at Homberg von der Höhe she gave a concert, under the protection of Empress Frederick, earning unstinted applause. The following is from a local paper:
15"Fräulein Bartenwerffer sang Stradella's 'Pieta Signore' with noble, soulful expression, also the aria from 'Mignon.' The songstress demonstrated throughout a noble, reposeful spirit, the hall mark of the experienced artist. United with beautiful vocal organ and a clear, full-extended soprano compass is a warmth of expression too seldom found. All in all we must admit that Fräulein B. well deserves the triumphs which were hers last night. Bravo!"
17On the 16th of this month she will sing with the Bushwick Club, of Brooklyn, and next summer expects to appear as Carmen in both Homburg and Berlin, Germany.
19Victor Baillard, whose name appears in connection with the Powers' studio reception, sings "Pish-Tush" in "The Mikado" at the Astoria, also a solo part at the Musurgia concert, and next month at a Jersey City concert, which is in his charge. He comes of a well-known musical family, of French origin, his father having been organist of the P. E. Church du Saint Esprit (French), of this city, and before that of prominent Paris churches. Baillard has a truly magnificent organ, and as soloist of Christ Church, Brooklyn, is heard with increasing appreciation.
21Messrs. Thomas & Fellows, choir agency, Carnegie Hall, are doing a big business; there were twelve singers there at one time last week. They are certainly the men for the place, and The Musical Courier commends them and their bureau to all interested. They will register free of charge to January 1 all organists who are members of the American Guild of Organists.
23Madame Murio-Celli is now planning her first musical soirée, to occur end of this month, in her spacious studio-parlors in Irving place. Eleanore Broadfoot, contralto, sings; and I will be there, for when this luscious girl sings I don't want to miss it.
25Mr. Horace Kinney, accompanist for Francis Fischer Powers, has returned from a four months' stay in the country and looks forward to twenty-six hours a day, more or less, to be spent in Mr. Powers' vocal studio. Kinney is an able pianist, a ready reader, and best of all a genial gentleman, with all the phrase implies.
27Mrs. Antonia Savage Sawyer is at home Tuesdays, as in the past few years; the Montevideo, 832 Seventh avenue, corner Fifty-fourth street.
29Disappointed an Audience.
31THE Red Band of San Severo did not play at the Metropolitan Opera House last Sunday night. A good sized audience was in the theatre, and shortly after 8 o'clock, when neither Sig. Sorrentino nor his musicians had arrived, Max Hirsch, leading Carl Rosenfeld, stepped on the stage and announced that there would be no concert, owing to a disagreement between the band and its managers, the Messrs. Rosenfeld. Then Mr. Hirsch went around to the box office and added several more gray hairs to his premature supply in the effort to see that the audience got its money back. This proceeding lasted several hours and it was after 10 o'clock before the audience had been dismissed.
33The refusal of the band to play was the result of a series of disagreements which began the day after the Italians made their first appearance here. They demanded more pay and it was said that they had finally been able to come to an understanding with the Rosenfelds. This continued for a while, but last week there was more trouble, which reached its culmination late yesterday afternoon. Sig. Sorrentino, while the audience was getting its money back, was at the Normandie Hotel, across the street, and his lawyer, A. P. Astarita, gave this account of the trouble:
35"When the band arrived here," he said, "every man was to receive $2 a day. Out of this 20 cents was taken to pay for $1,200 advanced by Mr. Rosenfeld before the men left San Severo, and also an amount was deducted to pay for their new uniforms. They had been told that board could be had for 40 cents a day. Instead of that, the cheapest to be found cost $1 a day. With these deductions from their pay and the expense of living, only 20 cents a day was left to each man. Mr. Rosenfeld saw that this was outrageous. He had been paying under the old contract $142 a day for the band.
37"He volunteered to increase that to $175, which gave to each man 60 cents more. It was agreed last week that a new contract should be drawn up. It was to have been signed on Saturday, but we found that it contained a clause giving the Rosenfelds permission to cancel the contract at one week's notice. It also said that the men need not be paid if concerts were not given. In addition to that they are required to play twice a day, and that is too much. They are not able to play so frequently and they were assured by Mr. Rosenfeld abroad that only twice a week would afternoon performances be given. Instead of that they are compelled to play in one town in the afternoon and in another at night.
39"The men refused to play last night because they were not assured that the one week's notice clause would be omitted. Signor Sorrentino says that he was perfectly willing to play, but could not persuade his musicians to. The original contract, which was drawn up in Italy, was signed by Signor Sorrentino and not by the men of the band and they cannot be held under it. What will be done is not yet known."
41Carl Rosenfeld said that the failure of the band to give the concert advertised last night was wholly due to the action of the leader, who had his music and uniforms removed from the Metropolitan Opera House during the day.
43"I heard the band play in Europe," Mr. Rosenfeld said, "and engaged it for an American tour. Already we have spent $20,000 to advertise it. My contract called for $142 a night to Director Sorrentino and I pay 5 per cent. of the gross receipts to the German agent. The band costs, without the cost of the theatres, $2,800 a week. The members have to send money back to Italy to a society of which I know nothing. That is the society which founded the band several years ago, and Sorrentino, the leader, is a member of it. It was after hearing of this that we decided to make an advance in the pay of the musicians.
45"With this the band seemed more than pleased, as it more than made up for the exactation daily made by this so-called society. To formulate the contract the band met at our office last Sunday with their attorney, Mr. Astarita, who speaks Italian fluently. The terms of the contract were agreed upon, and translated in Italian to them by their attorney, and as it was Sunday, the contract was taken by their attorney to be engrossed and signed. The band left the following morning for the road, and we were to meet on Saturday for signatures, but in the meantime the terms were to be considered agreed upon, and we were to pay the increased rates.
47"We did pay accordingly, and instead of meeting on Saturday, they requested a meeting on Sunday, which we had this morning. When they came, to our surprise they made new and different terms, never before mentioned. Their legal representative, who was present, expressed his disgust with them in disregarding the second agreement, although for over one week they were playing thereunder, and accepting their increased pay. One of the new demands sprung on us to-day was that we should employ Sabatelli as an interpreter for them, and pay him and his wife, as an accompanist, $75 a week, and because we would not employ him he threatened to have the band strike.
49"We have advanced the band $1,200, of which only $200 has been paid back, and we have spent $20,000 already. Unless they play with us, and we are able to get that back, all of our money is lost."—Sun.
51No adjustment has been made in this muddle up to the hour of going to press.
53Siegmund Deutsch.—The string orchestra class, which was such a success last season under the direction of Siegmund Deutsch, will resume its meetings on November 8, and will be continued throughout the season on every Monday evening at 8 o'clock, at the studio of Mr. Deutsch at Carnegie Hall. Violinists, viola players, 'cello and double-bass players desiring to join the class should apply on November 8 at the studio of Mr. Deutsch.
55A Newark Concert.—Lulu A. Potter had charge of the concert in Association Hall, Newark, N. J., last week, when the artists were Mr. Hubert Arnold, violin; Mr. Albert Burgemeister, piano; Mr. Charles E. Gale, tenor; Mr. Thomas Bott, basso (Mrs. Bott at the piano); Miss Lulu A. Potter, soprano; Mrs. Jessie Bernd at the piano. Miss Potter sang "Where the Lindens Bloom," Buck; "When the Swallows Homeward Fly," "Memory," "Let Us Forget," Maude Valerie White; "Unless," Ethel Benningfield. The concert was a success in every way, reflecting much credit on her management.
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