Scan 24
Musical Courier 1898-01-05: Vol 36 Iss 931, 1898
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1vanished from our piano recitals, but some of his original compositions are worthy of praise, and are too little known. Take the original etudes, or his excellent tarantelle in C minor, all gems in their way—why are they so seldom heard? I think a little more Thalberg and a little less Liszt would benefit our young students of the piano, who have to use the wrist and forearm inordinately in modern compositions and neglect the fine aesthetic beauties of a pure and singing finger touch.
3Carl Tausig represents the very opposite pole in "pianism" to Thalberg; he was fire and flame incarnate, he united all the digital excellencies of the aristocratic Thalberg, including his supreme and classic calm to a temperament that, like a comet, traversed artistic Europe and fired it with enthusiastic ideals. If Carl Tausig had only possessed the creative gift in any proportion to his genius for reproduction he would have been a giant composer. As a pianist he has never had his equal. With Liszt's fire and Bülow's intellectuality he nevertheless transcended them both in the possession of a subtle something that defied analysis. We see it in his fugitive compositions that revel on technical heights hitherto unscaled. Tausig had a force, a virility combined with a mental insight that made him peer of all pianists. It is acknowledged by all who heard him that his technic outshone all others; he had the whispering and crystalline pianissimo of Joseffy, the liquidity of Thalberg's touch, with the resistless power of a Rubinstein.
5He literally killed himself playing the piano; his vivid nature felt so keenly in reproducing the beautiful and glorious thoughts of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin, and, like a sabre that was too keen for its own scabbard, he wore himself out from nervous exhaustion. Tausig was many sided, and the philosophical bent of his mind may be seen in the few fragments of original music he has vouchsafed us. Take a Thalberg operatic fantaisie and a paraphrase of Tausig's, say of "Tristan und Isolde," and compare them; then one can readily gauge the vast strides piano music has taken. Touch pure and singing was the Thalbergian ideal. Touch dramatic, full of variety, is the Tausig ideal. One is vocal, the other instrumental, and both seem to fulfill their ideals. Tausig had a hundred touches; from a feathery murmur to an explosive crash he commanded the entire orchestra of contrasts. Thalberg was the cultivated gentleman of the drawing room, elegiac, but one who never felt profoundly (glance at his etude on repeated notes). Elegant always, jocose never. Tausig was a child of the nineteenth century, full of its ideals, its aimless strivings, its restlessness, its unfaith and desperately skeptical tone. If he had only lived he would have left an imprint on our modern musical life as deep as Franz Liszt, whose pupil he was. Richard Wagner was his god and he strove much for him and his mighty creations.
7***
9Some day I hope to make an extended study of Tausig and his compositions. Scant justice has been accorded him by biographers. Louis Ehlert wrote enthusiastically; so did Wietzmann, but the best story yet told of his personality is by De Lenz, the author of "Les Trois Styles de Beethoven."
11Jessie Shay.
13Miss Jessie Shay, pianist, will play at a concert at Fishkill on January 17.
15Xaver Scharwenka's Removal.
17After consultation with Steinway & Sons Prof. Xaver Scharwenka has relinquished his studio in the Steinway Building, and will henceforth be found at the Scharwenka Conservatory of Music exclusively.
19Marie Barna.
21THE dignified beauty of Marie Barna is evident to any one who looks at the picture on the front page of this week's MUSICAL COURIER. It speaks for itself. It is one of the many elements which have contributed to her advancement. But it is one of the lesser elements. Valuable as an attractive appearance may be, it is less worthy of note than intelligence and the qualities that result from education. Thousands who have seen Marie Barna in this country and abroad consider that, apart from any question of her attractive appearance and musical merit, she honors the profession she has chosen. Like many others among the American girls who have adopted a musical career, she aids in elevating the general tone of the musical profession, both socially and intellectually.
23By birth and training Mme. Barna has been endowed with certain advantages which have helped her greatly in meeting the exacting and unceasing demands of a musical career. Her father was Judge Barnard, of California, and her education was gained mainly at Mills College, Oakland. Those who know anything of the educational institutions at Oakland and San Francisco know how favorably they compare with similar institutions in the East and know, too, that the training received in these Western colleges well equips an apt student to meet successfully the problems of life. Madame Barna's stage presence indicates the advantages of a good education. Her movements and her words bespeak her superior intelligence, her poetic nature and her will power.
25During her recent appearance in operatic roles in Philadelphia she quickly conquered the nervousness incident to her operatic début in this country, and proved equal to the dramatic requirements of the exacting parts she sang. And her comprehension of the minor essentials to good interpretation was not less evident than her grasp of the larger meaning of the Wagnerian heroines she portrayed. She proved beyond doubt her possibilities as a Wagnerian soprano.
27So far as America is concerned Mme. Barna's appearance in Philadelphia may be regarded as the present apex of a pyramid of musical successes. Her singing in this country had been mainly confined before to concerts and festivals. She began preparing for her future work when quite young, only eighteen, and at that time was warmly praised by Adelina Patti, who advised her to study for opera. This end she steadily kept in view through all her arduous early studies, and while she was singing in Boston churches and in Canadian concerts and in the many New England festivals where her services were asked for. Nor did she forget her operatic aims when she received appreciation for her singing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Cecilia, of Boston, the Apollo Club of Boston, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Mendelssohn Quintet Club, and during her tour with Sousa.
29But not until 1894 did she begin to extend her studies in the way she had desired. Then she studied for some time in Paris with Sbriglia. In the spring of 1896 Sir Augustus Harris engaged her for three seasons at Covent Garden, but the engagement was not fulfilled owing to his death. She did not therefore remain idle. During the winter she sang in opera in Italy, her Elsa in "Lohengrin" and Mimi in Puccini's opera "La Bohème" being highly commended. At her last appearance as Mimi the audience recalled her eleven times.
31Among the special compliments paid her by composers abroad, the young soprano especially values Puccini's gift of a handsomely bound copy of the opera "La Bohème," and a part of the original manuscript.
33As only a singer of dramatic force can adequately interpret the roles of modern Italian opera, it is not necessary to point out the special musicianly qualities of Marie Barna. Her poetic temperament is evinced in the artistic touches with which she colors the strong outlines of her roles; her temperament enables her to imbue the love scenes with passionate fervor and the tragic scenes with gloomy force. But these advantages and qualities which have been mentioned—education, attractiveness, temperament, poetic feeling—would be of little worth in an operatic career without the great desideratum, a suitable voice. This, it is generally acknowledged, Marie Barna has. A pure, resonant voice, flexible enough for ornamental singing and rich enough to express a deep emotion.
35She has such control over it, moreover, that her tones are sure and she uses it with a fine reserve which is somewhat unusual, but which makes her strong declamatory passages all the more effective. As an American born and bred, as a student whose aims are noble, and as a sincere, refined and highly gifted artist Mme. Barna should be more warmly welcomed by Americans than ever before. For the promise of her early career is being fulfilled, and she bids fair to become the bright particular star among American operatic singers.
37Concerning her recent appearance in the roles of Brünnhilde, Sieglinde and Venus, many appreciative press notices have been written. A few of them are selected for publication as giving more distinctive impressions of her in these several roles than can be easily set forth in a brief general sketch:
39As to the Brünnhilde of the evening, Madame Barna is to be congratulated, although she was exceedingly nervous owing to the recent acquisition of the role on her part. She, however, sang with surprising dramatic force, and disclosed a soprano voice of great purity of tone, which was not in the least hard, even in the shrill exclamations called for in this exacting music, and which also gave every evidence of flexibility and a warmth of color which made the expression of love emotion particularly enjoyable. Trained in the modern school of the dramatic Italians, Puccini, Mascagni and Leoncavallo, Madame Barna has an artistic equipment that does not halt at trifles. Her Brünnhilde was, therefore, an effort that was an artistic thing in itself and full of rich promise.—Philadelphia Press, December 7, 1897.
41The highest interest of the representation was concentrated in the American début of Mme. Marie Barna, who sang a Wagner part for the first time in German. As Brünnhilde she showed that she possesses a highly cultivated, resonant, dramatic soprano voice, and that her studies in the art of singing have borne good fruit. If we take into consideration the nervousness, in consequence of a first appearance in a new role and in a new country, her début was very successful. After the opening phrase "Heil dir Sonne" a momentary uncertainty vanished, and the rest of her performance to the end was highly artistic. At the conclusion she was repeatedly called and overwhelmed with flowers.—Correspondence of the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung, December 7, 1897.
43Seldom has any Siegfried awakened a more beautiful Valkyre. She made an exquisite picture as she begged Siegfried to leave her and go his way. At first Madame Barna's voice sounded as if it were hardly powerful enough to cope with the orchestra, but it was only for a short time, and she sang the final duet magnificently. * * * The promise is a fair one for the future.—Philadelphia Public Ledger, December 7, 1897.
45Madame Barna, as Venus, revealed to the full the notable beauty of her sweet soprano, and to a degree to admit of no question concerning her high artistic status. Her pleading with Tannhäuser was deliciously and dramatically sung.—Philadelphia Record.
47Madame Barna achieved a striking and complete success as Venus, a character in which she was seen and heard to great advantage.—Philadelphia Ledger.
49Mme. Marie Barna was the star.
50Her Sieglinde was a most intelligent and able rendition. She sang the music, and avoided, as much as possible, forcing her voice.
51In the beautiful duet with Siegmund Madame Barna was particularly effective.
52And in the scene with her lover and brother, in Act Second, where she is bewildered, exhausted, Madame Barna sang and acted ably.
53On more than one occasion her tones rang out clear and strong, and with a dramatic force that convinced me of her ability to sing such roles as Valentine in "Les Huguenots."
54Madame Barna has a fine stage presence; she is graceful, refined, earnest.—Sunday Item.
56The Sieglinde of Barna gave that artist an opportunity for the display of more finished work than she has yet done. Her voice tones were rich and expressive, and her notes were always clear and certain.—Philadelphia Inquirer.
58Scarcely less fine was the Sieglinde of Madame Barna, which was impressive at all points.—Evening Telegraph.
60A truly gratifying feature of the afternoon was Madame Barna's artistic treatment of Sieglinde. It was by far the
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