Scan 13
Musical Courier 1898-04-27: Vol 36 Iss 947, 1898
140 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 14. See the scan on archive.org.
1music. I wish that he might hear Mr. Loeffler's "La Mort de Tintagiles."
3* * *
5I wonder whether this Debussy is the same man as the De Bussy that took the Prix de Rome in 1884. At any rate he is probably Claude A. Debussy, whose music was found by Maurice Kufferath "terribly fatiguing on account of the excessive accumulation of the most refined and artificial harmonies" when it was played at the Exposition de la Libre Esthétique in 1894. There was a string quartet in G minor. "At times you would think you were in the famous Rue du Cairo at the Paris Exhibition of '89. * * * A hallucination rather than a dream? A work? We do not know. Perhaps—but after the manner of the neo-Japanese painters of Montmartre and its Belgian suburb."
7Then there was a species of cantata, Rosetti's "Blessed Damozel," for soli, chorus and orchestra. There were poems by Baudelaire set as songs. They were called "prose lyriques"—"read, two melodies, in which the piano and the voice pursue chromatic figures with intervals so near each other or so far apart that you are pained by the absence of tonality. It reminds you of the duet from 'The Puritans,' sung by Lablache and Tamburini" (Kufferath says "Rubini and Lablache," but it was a slip of the pen), "with the interval of a semitone instead of a third." And he suspect Dubussy of a disease of the auditory nerve. Then there was also an orchestral illustration of Mallerme's "L'Après-midi d'un faune." I should like to hear Dubussy's opera."
9* * *
11The program of the twenty-third Symphony concert was as follows:
13Fantastic Symphony……………………………Berlioz
14Piano Concerto, No. 3………………………….Litolff
15Overture, Euryanthe……………………………Weber
17Mrs. Mélanie Wienzkowska made her first appearance in Boston at a Kneisel concert, March 8, 1897, when she played with Messrs. Kneisel and Schroeder Schumann's Trio in F major. She appeared last night for the first time at a Symphony concert. I wish for her own sake that she had chosen some other concerto, for outside of the scherzo there is little in the work that has now even the semblance of life. Yet there is a curious story attached to the concerto. It was written in Amsterdam in 1846. At the beginning of that year Litolff went to England to arrange family matters—to procure a separation from his wife, who had not lived with him for several years. The parents of the young woman lured him to London, where an action of law was brought against him, and he was condemned to pay a large sum. Litolff did not have the money, and he was imprisoned for debt. After a few months he escaped to Holland, where he was most successful as pianist and composer. And as a tribute of gratitude he chose the Dutch national anthem for the subject of the finale of this concerto. The finale was omitted last night.
19The concerto was first played here by Jaell in 1846. I remember Fanny Bloomfield-Zeisler playing it in 1889, the first season conducted by Mr. Nikisch. Lord, what a swollen, puffed-up thing, with tawdry ornamentation, the first movement is! It has the substance of a paper bag. The andante is too sweet for anything, and when the horn begins to sob the solo beer drinkers no longer rattle glasses. The scherzo gives more opportunity to the pianist.
21Mrs. Wienzkowska has well disciplined fingers, a clear, agreeable touch. She plays with musical intelligence and with an air of good breeding that may well be called elegance.
23The symphony was played effectively. To me the feature of the performance was that wondrous nightmare, the "March to the Scaffold," such a march as might have been marched by strange spirits in the City of Dreadful Night.
25* * *
27Pupils of Charles R. Adams appeared April 21 in excerpts from operas at the Bijou Theatre. The performance was unusually good, and the interest was more than idle curiosity. Miss Driver sang the mad scene from "Lucia" with more than mere accuracy. Mrs. Orcutt showed true dramatic intensity as Aida, and Miss Marcia Craft sang her part in the duet from "Lohengrin" extremely well. Mrs. Plank as Amneris, Miss Wellington as Martha and Miss Nickerson as Nancy also gave pleasure. The orchestra, made up of Symphony men, was conducted by Mr. Zach.
29* * *
31Mr. Apthorp, in his lecture on "Musical Criticism," April 14, claimed—and the claim was not arrogant—that the critic is also an interpreter, and even in some cases a creator. I do not believe that Mr. Apthorp ever read two dialogues by Oscar Wilde, for I am under the impression that he does not care much for modern English literature; that he is saving something for his old age that he may then read that which has escaped the dustbin of Time.
33Of course the old cry is "Why should the artist be troubled by the shrill clamor of criticism? Why should those who cannot create take upon themselves to estimate the value of creative work?"
35A composer who is praised does not utter this cry. But he that is treated roughly, as he thinks—or even with lukewarm eulogy—repeats Disraeli's sneer, which, by the way, was borrowed for Lothair, and in some cases, as in this town, he annihilates the critic by calling him a eunuch—which is not a gentlemanly procedure, especially as the statement is seldom strictly accurate. "By the Ilyssus, there was no Higginbotham." See how more polite is the language of Arnold.
37* * *
39Now listen to Wilde a moment.
41"It is the critical faculty that invents fresh forms. The tendency of creation is to repeat itself. It is to the critical instinct that we owe each new school that springs up, each new mold that art finds ready to its hand.
43"Anybody can make history. Only a great man can write it.
45"The critic deals with materials that others have, as it were, purified for him, and to which imaginative form and color have been already added. Nay, more; I would say that the highest criticism, being the purest form of personal impression, is in its way more creative than creation, as it has least reference to any standard external to itself, and is, in fact, its own reason for existing, and as the Greeks would put it, in itself, and to itself, an end.
47"I am always amused by the silly vanity of those writers and artists of our day who seem to imagine that the primary function of the critic is to chatter about their second-rate work. * * * It is for him that pictures are painted, books written, and marble hewn into form. His sole aim is to chronicle his own impressions. * * *
49"For the highest criticism deals with art, not as expressive, but as impressive, purely.
51"The highest criticism is more creative than creation, and the primary aim of the critic is to see the object as in itself it really is not. To the critic the work of art is simply a suggestion for a new work of his own, that need not necessarily bear any obvious resemblance to the thing it criticises."
53* * *
55Surely these sentences, paradoxical as they may seem, are heavy with truth, and they are firmly in line with Mr. Apthorp's propositions.
57PHILIP HALE.
59Soiree by Veron.
61S. P. Veron, the basso cantate, gives a soirée musicale to-night at the Waldorf-Astoria.
63Stella Hadden-Alexander,
64…PIANIST…
65Address 145 West 66th Street, New York,
66Lakeside (Lake Erie), Ohio, July 14th-August 19th. The Henry Wolfsohn Musical Bureau, 131 East 17th Street, New York.
68WILLIAM EDWARD Recitals, Organ Openings, Musicales.
69MULLIGAN,
70Solo Organist and Pianist.
715 WEST 18TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY.
73ELLISON VAN HOOSE,
74PRIMO-TENORE
75Damrosch & Ellis Grand Opera Company.
76For Concerts and Festivals address
77L. M. RUBEN, 489 Fifth Avenue, NEW YORK.
79Questions to Myer.
80ITHACA, N. Y., April 18, 1898.
81Mr. E. J. Myer, 32 E. 23d St., N. Y. City:
83DEAR SIR: Having received two circulars advertising your book "Position and Action in Singing," I would like to ask you how it is possible to harmonize the following statements taken from the same and yet claim that the book contains a clear statement of the only correct method of voice cultivation?
85First statement—The method of teaching and study is based upon the fundamental principles of the "Old Italian School" as set forth, &c.
87Second statement—The old Italians made singers. * * * They sought by direct local effort, &c. This work teaches directly to the opposite.
89Third statement—The nearest approach to the "Old Italian School" of any educational work I have ever met with.—Charles Lunn, England.
91Now, which of these is right? If your method is the "Old Italian School" that is based on direct local effort, how can you teach directly the opposite? or if you advocate the opposite, what right have you to call it the "Old Italian School"?
93Evidently there is something wrong somewhere.
95Yours truly,
96ADOLF DAHM-PETERSEN.
98Maude E. Richards.
100The Buffalo Times in its review of the recent Sängerbund concert, says:
102Miss Maude E. Richards, of Rochester, was the soloist, and her beautiful contralto voice was heard to advantage in three numbers. She made a very favorable impression, and was recalled after each number.
104A New Instrument.
106The San Francisco Chronicle says:
108There has been discovered among the Ute Indians of Colorado a sort of clarinet which has a sweeter and more plaintive tone than any of our orchestral instruments. The effect of its sound, wafted up the mountains from the Indian villages, is described as being magical.
110New York College of Music.
112The students' concert, which was given on Wednesday evening, April 20 at the New York College of Music (Alex. Lambert director), was a very successful affair, and most creditable to all concerned. Exceptionally good work was done by Master Harry Graboff, pupil of Alexander Lambert; Mr. Segal, pupil of Henry Lambert; Miss Hush and Miss Johanna Bacharach, pupils of Miss Caroline Montefiore.
114Those taking part were Miss Emily Gehlert, Frederick W. Rothery, Richard Cornell, Blanche Weill, Elaine Ingersoll, Sylvia Wollman, Walter Pollak, Mr. Segal, Julie Young, Sara Rothschild, Florence Beall Hush, Johanna Bacharach, Leo Flatow and Master Harry Graboff.
116The Eppinger Conservatory of Music.
118Samuel Eppinger desires to inform the readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER that another pupils' musical will be given at the Conservatory about the middle of May, at which a number of novelties, both vocal and instrumental, will be performed.
120Mr. Eppinger also informs us that the Conservatory will be open all summer, when a course will be given in all the departments of music. This course comprises vocal instruction in all its branches. Piano (Leschetizky and Virgil methods), violin, 'cello, and all other string instruments, all reed and brass instruments will be taught.
122Teachers and students from out of town who desire to perfect themselves in the playing of chamber music, or ensemble playing of any kind, will have an excellent opportunity of so doing at this Conservatory, where a staff of eighteen competent teachers can be selected from.
124LEOPOLD GODOWSKY,
125THE GREAT RUSSIAN PIANIST,
126Address for engagements
127CHICAGO CONSERVATORY
128Auditorium Building, Chicago.
130CORINNE MOORE-LAWSON,
131SOPRANO.
132Address: The La Rochelle, 57 W. 75th St., New York City.
133Western Representative:
134Mrs. Geo. Benedict Carpenter, Sticaway Hall, Chicago.
136CLARENCE EDDY.
137ORGAN CONCERTS.
138BERNHARD ULRICH, Manager, CHICAGO, ILL.
139240 ROSCOE STREET.
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