Scan 29
Musical Courier 1897-11-24: Vol 35 Iss 925, 1897
112 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1her voice added charm. I was unable to attend her lecture on the 18th, when the subject was "Popular Music and Court Masque," and Miss Jenny Corea, soprano, assisted.
3* * *
5The program of the fifth Symphony concert last night in Music Hall, Mr. Paur conductor, was as follows:
7Symphony No. 46 in D major (K. 504)………………………..Mozart
8Concerto in A minor, op. 17………………………………….Paderewski
9Suite in D major, op. 89………………………………………Dvorák
10Overture, Part du Diable………………………………………Auber
12This concert was to me dull. The symphony has more than historical interest, but the orchestra did not play it with sufficient care. Academic beauty demands faultless academic technic. However, you may rate Mozart in the list of great composers; you must admit that his works require absolute finish in the performance. Modern symphonic poems and rhapsodies, full of thunder and guns and all that, admit of dropped notes and occasional roughness in outburst, but a symphony or a chamber piece by Mozart is a sensitive plant, that does not brook coarse touch.
14The suite of Dvorák is delightful as a rule on account of its spontaneity and almost thoughtless beauty. I often wonder whether Dvorák would not be greater to-day if he had never become a contributor to English music festivals or hunted in this country for the mare's nests of "American folk tunes." But by this hunt he has furnished some of my colleagues with columns of copy, so I suppose it was all for the best.
16The more I hear of Paderewski's music the less I like it and the deeper is my conviction of its insincerity. Such is the authority of the Polish pianist that when he plays his own pieces you are persuaded that he really has something to say. His hypnotic power works this spell. But when you hear the concerto played by a pianist of less personal magnetism you are able to judge of the work in a state of comparative coolness.
18Now Mr. Jonás, who made his first appearance in Boston last night, is a pianist of indisputable talent. He plays with an authority that is the more convincing on account of his modesty. After hearing him in this concerto I should say that elegance was his distinguishing characteristic; but I should like to hear him in compositions of a more intimate nature, and I hope he will be persuaded to give a recital here. He may well plume himself on his reception last night, for there was warm appreciation of his worth.
20* * *
22I am glad to say that Miss Stein will sing at the Symphony concert next Saturday. Mr. MacDowell will follow her, and Mr. Kneisel will the week after play Mr. Strube's violin concerto, which he performed for the first time at the last Worcester Festival.
24What is the true reason of Mr. Ysaye's non-appearance at a Symphony concert here this season? There are many rumors.
26PHILIP HALE.
28Miss Jessie Shay.
30A CONCERT of more than usual interest is announced for Wednesday, December 8, when Miss Jessie Shay, a pianist who has made great success in Germany and Scandinavia—an American, by the way, strange to say—will give a concert, with an orchestra under the direction of Sam Franko, in Chickering Hall.
32Miss Shay is not only gifted with extraordinary technical facility, but has become an artist on the piano, which makes her readings and performances of deep interest to American students.
34GUILMANT,
35The Great French Organist.
36In America December, January and February.
37Address THE WOLFSON MUSICAL BUREAU,
38131 East 17th Street, NEW YORK.
40EVAN WILLIAMS,
41TENOR.
42Oratorio and Concert.
43For Terms, Dates, &c., address
44Wolfsohn's Musical Bureau,
45131 East 17th Street,
46NEW YORK.
48BREITKOPF & HÄRTEL,
49Music Dealers and Importers.
50Oldest Established Music Publishing House.
51Founded 1719 in Leipzig.
52NEW YORK BRANCH: 11 East 16th St.,
53Between Union Square and Fifth Avenue.
55GEORGE LEON MOORE,
56TENOR.
57Oratorio, Concert and Song Recitals.
58For Terms, Dates, &c., address
59H. M. HIRSCHBERG,
60IMPRESARIO,
6136 West 15th St., New York.
63THE MUSICAL COURIER.
65Brooklyn
67BROOKLYN OFFICE THE MUSICAL COURIER,
68539 FULTON STREET, November 22, 1897. one of two readings
69539 FULTON STREET. November 22, 1897. one of two readings
71THE Brooklyn Daily Eagle, in a well written editorial in its Sunday issue, gives rise to a question in which there is much room for deep and serious thought, which may open many avenues for improvement along lines which need improvement sadly.
73The question under discussion is whether the Brooklyn Institute, providing the money to pay the artists for concerts given, should not have the privilege of dictating to the artists what shall be the numbers presented. The impracticability of this scheme was demonstrated at the chamber music concert given a couple of weeks ago, where it was this very attempt which ruined all approach to enjoyment. There is one thing to be considered and that is this: An artist (if he is an artist and the Institute is not expected to furnish anything else) has the desire to do that in public which he knows he does the best. This he knows, but the Brooklyn Institute does not. No artist, however great he may be, is running around with all the literature of his particular instrument in his head, and if there are any practical musicians at the head of the department they surely must know this.
75Program-making is also to be taken into consideration; this the artist understands, and again the heads of the Brooklyn Institute do not. Why should they? How could they? In order to understand this art they would have to know the character, the length, the coloring, the classification of every composition, orchestral, chamber, vocal and instrumental, that has ever been written. Surely Mr. Paur knows his organization's possibilities better than the heads of the Brooklyn Institute do; so does Mr. Kneisel. Mr. Bispham, Mr. Henschel know what songs lie within their range, and if a secret must be divulged this is their success. These men know before they open their mouths how their songs will be received, they have already delighted and educated hundreds of audiences, and this continual repetition is what makes their flawless interpretations so valuable.
77The article in question further claims that the people know the songs, and to educate them it should be the duty of the Institute or the artists to give unknown compositions. Who are to be educated? The people? Why not the thousands of young singers, who, hearing Mr. Bispham's phrasing to-night, Mr. Henschel's next week, and Mr. Heinrich's the week after, will learn what can only be learned from hearing such people in the same selection and hearing them within short intervals.
79Now to deal with the presentation of new compositions by the chamber music or orchestral organizations. I heartily agree with this proposition, but I fear from a different standpoint to what might be expected.
81I think of the thousands of quartets, quintets and every sort of music that each one of these dead composers has written. How they would turn in their graves if they knew that all of these were to be unearthed. The good works have lived, that is why they are well known. To imagine that everything that Schubert, Schumann, et al., have written is good, is to be afflicted with hero worship in its most malignant form. Musicians know this. It is only those people who cannot judge a composition, but must take it on trust, owing to the reputation of the composer, who believe that everything that bears the name of the dead masters is a masterpiece. It is not so.
83They wrote some very good things and some very bad ones. Just as the men who live to-day are doing. But to-day the composers are guilty of the crime of living and the little weaknesses are heralded about and the compositions torn to shreds and never a mention made of the good that stands side by side with the weak.
85Composers are starving to-day in their garrets just as they starved in those good old days that you read about, only it is not a physical starvation; it is worse. They are starving for recognition and thereby for just criticism, which would make their work better and broader.
87Here is an opportunity for education and assistance which the Brooklyn Institute should not overlook. Here is an opportunity for presenting new works where there would be living, tangible educational results. Here is an opportunity to further the cause of music and to be a benefactor to all interested, and to extend a helping hand where now so many are struggling along the stony path of art, hopeless, helpless, ambitionless, tired of receiving a stone instead of a crust of bread, tired of asking for the crust of bread.
89A step in this direction would advance true art materially, for it would keep out the "quacks" to a certain extent, that is if it were done in all honesty and with regard to actual merit instead of a "pull."
91At the present time every man who writes a miserable little love song to impossible harmonies is as great a composer as he who has written on the most scholarly lines. Isn't it about time that if the Brooklyn Institute wants to further music and educational results it should look into these things?
93At last we are to have a presentation of the entire "Hiawatha Symphony," by August Walther. Mr. Walther is a musician of whom I have spoken often and with much respect for his talent. He has written a great deal of chamber music, and we have heard parts of the symphony through the Seidl Society, which will present the work in its entirety at the next concert, on December 9. This has already aroused very much interest, and the probability is that it will attract a large audience. The soloist will be Mme. Julie Rivé-King, who will be received royally, coming as she does after the triumphant and successful tour which she has just completed with Seidl. Mrs. King will play three parts of the Rubinstein D minor piano concerto. The rest of the program is essentially a Seidl program, including:
95Overture, Tannhäuser………………………………………Wagner
96Dream music from Hänsel und Gretel…………………….Humperdinck
97Largo from New World Symphony………………………..Dvorák
98Dreams…………………………………………………….Wagner
100Before me lies the first copy of a charming little musicians' birthday book, entitled "Musical Messages." It has been compiled and arranged by Miss Rebekah Crawford and published by the Schirmer house. It is out just in time for the holiday trade, and will make a useful and attractive little gift for all those interested in the chronology of musicians. It is arranged with a view to naming one musician on each day in the year, and this may account for some of the lesser stars being in and out of the book.
102Mme. CELLINI, Professor of Singing to H. R. H. the Princess of Wales…
103Voice Production, Voice Mending and the Esthetics of Singing taught. All the repertoires, classic and modern. Opening for a few serious American pupils.
10457 Seymour St., Portman Square, London, W.
106Mrs. ELIZABETH NORTHRUP
107Oratorio, Concert and Musicales.
108ADDRESS: LEADING AGENTS—MUSICAL COURIER.
109Personal address:
110338 West 56th St.
111NEW YORK.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.