Scan 27
Musical Courier 1898-01-05: Vol 36 Iss 931, 1898
53 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 28. See the scan on archive.org.
1Mrs. Knapp's Musicale.
3Mrs. Joseph F. Knapp's splendid apartments, which include the smaller ball room of the Hotel Savoy as part of the suite, and which serves now as a music salon, was the scene last Tuesday of a most enjoyable musicale, the participating artists being all pupils of Francis Fischer Powers. No one realizes what this means unless these so-called "pupils" have been heard; they are in reality young singers from o'er all the land whose vocal acquirements have been gained of Mr. Powers, himself a fine singer, and not exclusively a teacher.
5Mrs. Knapp herself is well known as a composer; who does not know that popular young folks' hymn, "Blessed Assurance?" That is hers. Her "Ring Again the Christmas Bells," a stirring carol (sung Christmas day at Rutgers Presbyterian Church by 200 children), published in 1884 in Harper's Young People, and "Angels Roll the Rock Away," for Easter, are both much sung. Her most ambitious work, however, is "The Prince of Peace," a cantata, which was brought out in 1884 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, with a chorus of 750 voices, Thomas' Orchestra and Mrs. Ella Earle Toedt, soprano; Miss Emily Winant, alto, and other soloists, under the direction of C. Mortimer Wisker, the performance netting the M. E. Church Home several thousand dollars.
7This digression merely serves to indicate Mrs. Knapp's interest in and love of music. On the occasion now under discussion the program was performed entirely by these young artists: Marcella Powell, Mrs. Stanley Gardyne Stewart, Messrs. Franklyn Van Rensselaer Bunn, Herbert Miller, John Fredericks, Percy Stevens, Victor Baillard, Harry Arnold, pianist, assisting, and Mr. Riesberg, accompanist.
9Of these Marcella Powell shall be first mentioned, inasmuch as her qualities are of such superiority. She has a high soprano voice of remarkable sweetness and purity, and her singing of these songs:
11Valse from Romeo and Juliette…………………Gounod
12Elsa's Invocation, Lohengrin…………………..Wagner
13May Morning………………………………….Deuza
15was most enjoyable. Not a little of this sweet singer's success is because of personality, for she is indeed good to look upon.
17Mrs. Stewart's singing was likewise much appreciated—she was a vision of loveliness. Mr. Bunn's high tenor shone to advantage in these songs:
19A Love Song………………………………….Beach
20Thou'rt Like Unto a Flower…………………….Liszt
21I'll Sing Thee Songs of Arabi…………………Clay
22The Dream………………………………………Rubinstein
24As his special merits are discussed in another part of this paper (Powers-Mannes musicale), further mention need not here be made.
26Victor Baillard again quite distinguished himself in his group of songs; "Soupir," Bemberg; "The Sweetest Flower," Van der Stucken; and "Phyllis the Fair," by Dossert. Herbert Miller sang with most sympathetic voice: "Secret Greetings," Von Fielitz; "Anatbema," Von Fielitz; "Serenade" (Don Juan), by Tschaikowsky. He will be heard with interest at the next Powers-Mannes musicale.
28The listeners were especially appreciative of John Fredericks, who sang "Ah non credea" ("Mignon"), Thomas, and "Then You'll Remember Me" ("Bohemian Girl"), Balfe.
30Finally the tall youth who looks as if he was not out of his teens, Percy Stevens, deserves special mention, for his is an astonishing voice of true basso profundo color; he sang "Hybras the Cretan" with much fire, raising a salvo of applause.
32Beside these numbers there were duets ("Oh, That We Two Were Maying," Henschel; "Night Hymn at Sea," Goring Thomas; "Gondoliera," Henschel), and several quartets, sung by this "Big Four," as Powers calls them, the Messrs. Bunn, McCarthy, Miller and Stevens. F. W. Riesberg played the accompaniments.
34Bloodgood in Pittsburg.
36The well-known contralto Katherine Bloodgood sang "The Messiah" on December 31 in Pittsburg, with the Mozart Society. She sang in Toronto on New Year's Day.
38Leon Rains as Pogner.
40E. Leon Rains, the young American basso, appeared as Pogner in "Die Meistersinger" at the Academy of Music, Philadelphia, last week, with the Damrosch-Ellis Opera Company, and made a very favorable impression.
42Two Lankow Pupils Sing for Charity.
44Mrs. Edna Stern-Hirshfield and S. P. Veron sang January 1 at the big entertainment of the Ladies' Fuel and Aid Society in the Lexington Opera House duos by Götz and Campana, and scored the artistic hit of the evening.
46The Baton Club Resumes Rehearsals.
48The Baton Club will resume rehearsals for the next concert (which will occur in February) this week, Saturday evening, January 8, at 8 o'clock, in the chapel of the "Old First" Presbyterian Church, Fifth avenue and Eleventh street. Mr. Carl will conduct the rehearsal and new members can apply at that time or the following Saturday evening.
50Eleanore Meredith.
52Mme. Eleanore Meredith, the soprano, has recently returned from a most successful tour in the West. Her oratorio work in Denver was pronounced the most satisfactory singing of any soprano who has visited Denver in some time. She will probably return there for another concert. Mme. Meredith was similarly received in Oberlin, Omaha, and at every other point where she was heard.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.