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Musical Courier 1897-11-03: Vol 35 Iss 922, 1897
65 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 5. See the scan on archive.org.
1MR. CHARLES CLARK, the baritone from Chicago, who made such a big success at the Henschel concerts last spring, has booked a good many engagements for this autumn, prior to his return in December for three months in America under the direction of the Wolfsohn Musical Bureau.
3Miss Anna Williams, whose reputation as an oratorio singer is equal, perhaps, to that of anybody in England, gave her farewell concert in Albert Hall Wednesday evening. She has sung at the Hereford and Birmingham festivals this year, and, to show the faithfulness of the English critics, they all said she sang well. I must say, after hearing her in Albert Hall, I could not agree with them, unless she sang much better than she did on this farewell occasion. Her voice had that peculiar quality which gave abundant evidence of degeneration. She is wise in giving up public appearances and settling down as a teacher.
5Madame Moriani, the celebrated vocal teacher, will be in London from October 17 to 24, when she will give consultations to those who wish to have their voices mended or take lessons in voice production or singing. Madame Moriani has met with exceptional success in England and she numbers among one of her latest pupils from here Miss Kathleen Wood, daughter of the organist of Exeter Cathedral.
7Humperdinck's "Königskinder" was given on Wednesday evening at the Court Theatre, which is a small house in one of the suburbs of London, not at all popular, on account of its difficulty of access. I understand that the opera was not put on particularly well and the impression made upon the critics was not over favorable. In the first place the story does not appeal to the English people and the scenes are elaborated to such an extent that they become tiresome. No fault is found with the music itself; on the contrary, it is highly spoken of. The performance of the orchestra was inadequate. Under these circumstances it probably will not run long.
9Mr. Firangcon-Davies will appear in Berlin with the Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Singakademie, on March 5, after which he starts for America, where he is to sing at the Boston Symphony orchestral concert, March 18.
11Madame Albani has been commanded to sing before the Queen at Balmoral on the 16th, when Miss Fanny Davies will also appear.
13The first tour of Mr. Percy Harrison this season begins on Monday at Bradford. The leading artists include Madame Melba and Mme. Belle Cole.
15Mrs. Emil Behnke will shortly publish, through Messrs. Curwen & Sons, a new book, entitled "The Speaking Voice: Its Development and Preservation."
17Dr. Richter will use the low pitch at his London and provincial concerts. This is a decided step in advance. He opens his English concert tour on Monday evening, playing three times in London, and visiting many provincial towns.
19Miss Zelie de Lussan, who has long been a favorite prima donna in England, signed on Saturday a contract as one of the chief sopranos at the Opéra Comique in Paris. She will make her French début in February.
21To-morrow Mr. Vert opens the concert season proper in St. James' Hall with a miscellaneous program, supported by Miss Ella Russell, Mr. Ben Davies, Santley and other artists.
23On Wednesday afternoon the thirty-second annual season of Messrs. Boosey's London Ballad Concerts will commence in Queen's Hall. On Thursday Mme. Blanche Marchesi will give her only vocal recital this season in St. James' Hall.
25The success of little Bruno Steindel has been so great that Mr. Robert Newman has engaged him for a concert in Queen's Hall October 26. Miss Clara Butt will appear as vocalist. Mr. Newman's subscription concerts in Queen's Hall end this evening. To-morrow night he takes his benefit. These concerts, which he inaugurated three years ago, have passed all precedent, and we may look at them now as an established institution in English musical life. The orchestra has proved an exceptionally good one, and the orchestral items in the program have received, as a rule, more place from the audience than vocalists or solo instrumentalists. The Wagner music has been so appreciated, as will be seen from my comments elsewhere, that festivals of Wagner music have been given to the exclusion of other works originally intended for production this season.
27The Highbury Philharmonic Society, conducted by Mr. G. H. Betjeman, announces for the coming season Dvorák's "Spectre Bride," Weber's "Preciosa," "The Messiah," and Berlioz's "Faust." Somervell's cantata, "Power of Sound," and Walthew's "Ode to a Nightingale" will be produced for the first time in London, as also a scene by Miss Clarice Mallard, entitled "Daybreak."
29It was rumored yesterday that Mr. Ben Davies had accepted an engagement in America, to be taken early in November. I have been unable to verify the report.
31Mr. David Bispham returned to England to take part in the Birmingham Festival. The fogs in the Channel delayed the arrival of the steamer and he was unable to attend any except the final rehearsal. His work at the festival, however, has pleased the English critics more than ever. He was commanded last week to go to Balmoral, where he sang before the Queen eight or ten songs of Schumann and Schubert, Brahms and others. He was the recipient of a handsome present from Her Majesty. Mr. Bispham gave a recital in Manchester of the songs contained in a book which he has lately edited for Forsyth Brothers. He has been extremely busy otherwise and sails for his winter's work at once in America.
33A large audience attended the first Crystal Palace Saturday concerts last Saturday. The orchestra has been reorganized, as the woodwind and the principal strings left when the management announced they would require the services of these men both afternoon and evening, thus precluding other engagements in London. Mr. Manns can be congratulated, however, upon securing very good talent, taking into consideration that the orchestra was practically new, that is to say, it had not had an opportunity of arriving at a good ensemble. The concert opened with an excellent reading of Beethoven's "Benvenuto Cellini" overture. Afterward the principal 'cellist, Mr. Jacques Renard, played Saint-Saëns' concerto in A, No. 1, with remarkable facility of execution and purity of tone. Much interest centred in the appearance of the little seven-year-old pianist, Bruno Steindel, who played two preludes of Bach, in which he was even more successful than in Beethoven's concerto in G. Mme. Clara Samuell was the vocalist.
35Eugen d'Albert will commence his provincial tour at Brighton on the 23d of this month, and will visit most of the principal towns in the United Kingdom, besides appearing at the Crystal Palace, the Monday and Saturday popular concerts, &c.
37Mlle. Pauline Joran sang last week at the Choral Union, Aberdeen, and is engaged as principal soprano at one of the Halle concerts next month. We hope to see Miss Joran soon again on the operatic stage, as she certainly has abundant qualifications for that.
39OPERAT At COVENT GARDEN. one of two readings
40OPERAT AT COVENT GARDEN. one of two readings
42Mr. Maurice Grau has been in London the past few days, and further arrangements by the syndicate have been made for the next grand opera, which opens May 9. Among the engagements already announced are Madame Brema, Madame Heglon, of the Paris Opéra, Herr Rooy, the baritone, who won distinction at Bayreuth last summer; and it is practically settled that Madame Eames, Madame Calvé, Mr. Van Dyk, Alvarez, the de Reszkés, Renaud and Reichmann will return. Madame Nordica possibly may be a member of the company, and negotiations are in progress with Madame Melba; but it is stated that she will not appear in opera until next season.
44Considerable interest is centred in the production next Tuesday evening of the new opera, "Diarmid," founded on the old Scottish legend. The libretto is by the Marquis of Lorne and the music by Hamish McCunn. I understand that this is the first of a series to be written on Scotch legends.
46The Carl Rosa performances at Covent Garden the past week have not been of sufficient merit to call for extended notice. Mr. Geo. W. Fergusson sang no less than six times for the company in eight days, appearing in various parts. Perhaps the most successful were Escamillo and Telramund. The orchestra still continues to be inefficient, and in the more difficult works far from satisfactory results were attained. Mr. Barron Berthald sang Don José on Wednesday at short notice, winning great success in this character, which is so widely different from Tannhäuser or Siegfried.
48On Thursday evening Mr. Whitney Mockridge was cast for Sir Walter in "Die Meistersinger," but owing to indisposition he was unable to carry the role through, and Mr. Barron Berthald very kindly consented to go on and complete the performance. Owing to his having so many other roles to do this season he had not prepared this part in English, so that he had to sing it in German. He made his entry at the beginning of the second scene in Act II., and although he had not thought of the score since he sang it two years ago with Damrosch, he remembered it perfectly and won an overwhelming success, the prize song arousing the greatest enthusiasm so far this season.
50Mr. Lloyd d'Aubigné sang Romeo, and strengthened the favorable impression made by him in his début as Faust. Mr. Whitney Mockridge sang Faust Saturday afternoon, which served as his début at Covent Garden. His singing was artistic, both in the "Salve Dimora" and in concerted work, the audience heartily applauding after the former. Mme. Duma, as Marguerite, gave an individual reading of the part, which was consistent and effective. The choruses are very good, and sustained the reputation of the company for good ensemble. In the performance of "Lohengrin" Saturday evening, Miss Elandi scored a success in the part of Elsa. Due contrast was given to this by the Ortrud of Mlle. Rosa Olitzka. Mr. Brozel, as Lohengrin, was not at all satisfactory. He treats the character on the ultra-Italian dramatic lines, rather than those indicated by the Bayreuth master. His voice, too, is becoming impaired, and if he continues to sing with this company at the high pitch he will seriously injure his reputation.
52On Monday evening Miss Elandi and Mr. Lloyd d'Aubigné played the principal parts in "Cavalleria," each scoring a success. Mr. Brozel, in Leoncavallo's work, "I Pagliacci," was much more at home than as Lohengrin, and here his dramatic talent showed to decided advantage. Miss Alice Estey made an acceptable Nedda. Mlle. Dorée sang Carmen Wednesday evening, but as I was unable to be present I cannot say what success she had.
54THE PROMENADE CONCERTS.
56The so-called Wagner "Festival" in Queen's Hall has greatly relieved the work of the music critic. We arbitators in matters musical, and austere judges of composer and performer alike, we who deal out with exemplary justice either fame or oblivion, have from the elevation of our regal rostrum looked down and smiled on the Wagner festival at the Queen's Hall. At this feast I found the viands varied, the visitors voracious, and the votaries vociferous. I trust Mr. Newman also found the venture victorious. But what a relief it will be to hear an orchestral concert without the "Ride of Valkyries," or the introduction to Act III. of "Lohengrin," or the overture to "Tannhäuser!"
58The singers have been many and of varying merit. The three who stand apart from all the others are Miss Ella Russell, Miss Ada Crossley and Mr. Watkin-Mills. I must confess, however, that I was not much taken with Miss Russell's singing of the "Death Song" from "Tristan." Of course she sang well; she could not do otherwise; but still the impression I got was that she was not at her ease in this number. It felt as if the rhythm of the vocal and orchestral parts did not coincide. In these later Wagner works it is more incumbent on the singer to follow the conductor than for the conductor to take his tempi from the singer. As well might the clarinet or violin elect to set its own pace as for the singer to do so in music so complicated and interwoven with counterthemes. I must say, however, that I have never yet heard a satisfactory performance of this scene on the concert stage, unless as a purely orchestral number, when a much better balance of tone and unanimity of rhythm can be secured.
60Miss Ada Crossley's selection was the seldom heard "Spirit Song," by "good old Father Haydn," and for her excellent singing of this she was tumultuously recalled. Mr. Watkin-Mills' magnificent voice and breadth of style make him an ideal interpreter of compositions demanding sustained power and dignity, qualities which made his performance of the Beethoven excerpt on Tuesday evening so satisfactory. Miss Alice Esty gave a charming exposition of the "Jewel Song" from "Faust."
62The old favorites, Mr. Johannes Wolff and Mr. W. H. Squire, contributed to the enjoyment of the Saturday evening audience. On Tuesday evening a very clever girl, Mlle. Elsa Ruegger, played the violoncello in a most creditable manner. Her bowing was good, her execution neat and in tune, and her technic really prodigious for a child. Her style and phrasing were intelligent. It was only in the smallness of her tone that she showed her youth and her as yet unformed muscles.
64On Saturday evening a noteworthy event was the production of Mr. Percy Pitt's concertino for clarinet and orchestra. Not only does this composition display the composer's well-known contrapuntal skill, but it proves him to be the possessor of the genuine virtuosity instinct of grasping and expressing the utmost capabilities of the instrument for which he happens to write. It also convinces the listener that the melodic gift and sense of purely musical beauty are at Mr. Pitt's disposal when he chooses to turn his back for a time on the complexities
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