Scan 32
Musical Courier 1898-05-18: Vol 36 Iss 950, 1898
104 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.
1PERSONALS.
3Sparks in Princeton, Ind.
4A musical lecture concert with this title was given by Professor and Mrs. Alex. S. Thompson, of Lincoln, Ill., University recently in Princeton, Ind. It is spoken of as "pleasing to the most critical." The same lecture was also given in Danville, Ill., April 21, and Mattoon, Ill., April 23.
6Walter Henry Hall.
7The organist W. H. Hall, who presides at St. James' Church, Madison avenue, will give a special Ascension Day service Thursday, May 19. Soloists: Theodore Van Yorx and W. W. Thomas. The regular choir and organ music will be supplemented by trumpets, trombones and drums.
9Schmauk, Organist and Composer.
10Among recent church music numbers given at the E. L. Church, Holy Trinity, are these: "Create in Me a Clean Heart," Freylinghausen; "Thy Hallowed Presence," Carter; "Lead, Kindly Light," Reed; "Cantate Domino," Crow; "Send Out Thy Light," Gounod; "Lord, Thy Mercy Streameth," Rubinstein, and the soprano solo, "Jerusalem, Thou That Killest," Mendelssohn, and bass solo, "The Evening Prayer," Costa, sung by Mrs. Weston Niles and B. L. Fenner, respectively. Mr. Schmauk's own compositions also appear frequently on the church programs.
12Riesberg Pupils.
13Misses Estelle Stewart and Faith Dorsey, of Atlanta, Ga., who have been studying with F. W. Riesberg since last September, have returned to their homes in the South, having made excellent progress. Notably was this the case in the study of harmony, they having thoroughly completed Jadassohn's Manual. Mr. Riesberg has been very busy as accompanist this season, acting in that capacity at the Powers-Mannes musicales, Murio-Celli soirées, Chickering matinees, Knapp-Savoy musicales, Ogden-Crane concert, Pappenheim, Scherley and other miscellaneous concerts. After the State Association meeting at Binghamton Mr. Riesberg and his family will go as usual to his place at Cooperstown, N. Y., for the summer, where he will have his third annual summer school.
15Binghamton Choral Club.
16The third and final concert of the Choral Club series took place last Thursday evening at the First Congregational Church, in Binghamton. There was a large attendance, and the audience enjoyed for the first time in that city Goring Thomas' "The Swan and The Skylark." The soloists were Shannah Cummings, Adele Lacie Baldwin, Evan Williams and Joseph Baernstein.
18The Binghamton Chronicle says in its notice of this concert:
19It is a well deserved compliment to the chorus and its excellent conductor, Mr. Hoerner, to say that to those acquainted with the difficulties and close harmony of this work the splendid manner of its production made it appear as if only child's play, so smoothly and simply was it sung. In the concerted "Filled with that Sound" the chorus work was most admirably done.
21Our correspondent in Binghamton telegraphed us at the close of the concert:
22"Choral Club concert 'Swan and Skylark' big success. Evan Williams, Shannah Cummings, Adele Lacie Baldwin and Joseph S. Baernstein all in fine fettle."
24Madame Maconda.
25Thick as leaves in Vallambrosa. This is rather a poetic comparison, but it does not seem too poetic when applied to the words of praise which hover about Mme. Charlotte Maconda. She herself inspires poetic feeling, and her voice arouses a desire to give her poetic appreciation. Although loveliness of nature is a powerful aid to success, loveliness of voice is undoubtedly the most powerful element, since it brings what most singers value more highly than poetic appreciation, and that is concert engagements—plain, practical proofs of public interest. Madame Maconda's appearance at the Albany festival is noted in another column. Her appearance at the Springfield festival aroused equal interest, according to the following:
26The afternoon concert was characterized by daintiness and introduced something of brilliant virtuosity. The two soloists, Miss Maconda and Mr. Schulz, aroused great enthusiasm by their brilliant displays of technic.—Springfield Republican, May 7.
28Miss Maconda's work was also worthy of praise. The part was suited to the broad quality of her voice, which is a clear and powerful one, and her interpretation was satisfying both in the more tender dialogues with the king, the simple dignity of her words to Offerus, and the more dramatic episodes which come later.—Springfield Times-Union, May 7.
30In both Albany and Springfield she sang in Parker's "St. Christopher." She is already engaged for the Maine Festival, one of the important among musical events, and for several notable events next season. May 13 she sang in Detroit; May 20 she will appear in Lock Haven, and the 23d in Paterson, N. J.
32Frederic Mariner's May Recitals.
33A large and select audience greeted C. Virgil Gordon, the pianist of the evening, at Mr. Mariner's second recital of the May series, and, while discriminating in applause, yet showed plainly how enjoyable was the young artist's achievements at this his first attempt at giving an entire recital. The Händel "Capriccio," the opening number, displayed at once the fact that Mr. Gordon was master of the fine Steinway grand, and inspired confidence in his ability—a confidence which subsequent numbers justified.
35In direct contrast was this romantic little study by Jensen called "Longing," and it was played with such delicate sentiment as to prove that Mr. Gordon has a goodly share of musical feeling.
37For displaying to advantage his power in heavy chord work Mr. Gordon had excellent opportunities in the Grieg "Humoresque," the Saint-Saëns "Mazurka" and the Schumann "Novellette," with which he ended his program. All were played with meritorious breadth of tone, and credit in general should be given to the beautiful quality of tone produced in all his heavy chord and octave work. This tone seems to be a special feature of Virgil training. Two pleasing selections, "Ballet Mignon," by Wachs, and "Valse Lente," by Dolmetsch, received hearty applause. The most artistic performance of all, however, was that of the Haberber's "Une Fleur Printaniere," a dainty bit, played in a dainty and finished manner.
39Mr. Gordon, it may be noted, is a resident of Philadelphia, and has been coming to Mr. Mariner only the past season, during which time he has not only acquired technical skill, but has applied it to some nineteen compositions, all thoroughly memorized.
41Miss Ellen Fletcher ably assisted Mr. Gordon by singing her several numbers artistically, receiving hearty applause, to which she responded with an encore. A beautiful soprano voice, combined with a charming stage presence, indicate a promising future for Miss Fletcher.
43William Armstrong in the West.
44From Tacoma to Oakland William Armstrong, the well-known lecturer and critic, has been heard with the greatest success. He has accepted a return engagement, when his lecture on American composers and compositions will be given with the assistance of the Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Fritz Scheel.
46Mr. Armstrong has also been engaged to deliver his new lecture, "The Artistic Temperament," at the Congress of Musicians, at Omaha Exposition.
48The following from the San Francisco Examiner is apropos of William Armstrong's lectures out West:
49The eminent music critic of the Chicago Tribune, William Armstrong, has been spending a week or so among us, making friends and admirers of all who have had the good fortune to meet him and become acquainted with his charming personality. He is seemingly more familiar with all the great living artists in the world of music than anyone who has previously visited San Francisco, and has embodied in lecture form his reminiscences and impressions of these interesting people. He only lectured once while here, in Oakland, May 2. Several of his San Francisco conferees crossed the bay to attend, and were abundantly repaid by the great entertainment afforded. Mr. Armstrong has recently returned from England, where, besides lecturing before the Royal Society, he made quite a visit to Madame Patti at Craig-y-nos Castle, of which he told the Oaklanders. His style is humorous and witty, his knowledge extensive and his method of imparting it very entertaining.
51His Oakland lecture was supplemented by a neat little concert by Mrs. Alfred Abbey, soprano; J. W. Metcalf, pianist, and Llewellyn Hewes, violinist.
53Mr. Armstrong promises to return next season and, in connection with Scheel's Orchestra, appear in San Francisco.
55Becker Lecture Musicale.
56The subject of Gustav L. Becker's lecture musicale on Saturday morning at 70 West Ninety-fifth street was "Cuban Music," a topic clearly in line with the times. The program was introduced by Chopin's "Revolutionary Etude," after which Mrs. Becker talked of the characteristics distinguishing Cuban music from Spanish; the complicated character of the rhythms, due to extraordinary syncopations that produce an effect of extreme irregularity; the originality and vigor of many Cuban melodies, and their rapid changes from minor to major. She spoke also of the "Punto Cubano," a brief folksong, sometimes of not more than eight or sixteen measures, often ending in the dominant. One of these was played.
58Mr. Hubert de Blanck, formerly director of the Havana Conservatory, expelled from Cuba in 1896, after being held in a dungeon without trial, for alleged conspiracy, played his own paraphrase of the Cuban "Hymno Bayames" and a gavotte of his own composition. Mr. Becker and his pupils played Cuban dances by Ignacio Cervantes, of Havana, and his "Cuban Serenade." Miss Maria Gonzalez, a brilliant young Cuban soprano, sang "La Niña Paucha," and at the close of the program Chaminade's "L'Été" and a song by Korbay. The program ended with a two piano, eight hand arrangement of "America."
60There will be but one more of these musicales for this season, on May 28.
62Carl Bernhard's Recital.
63The vocal recital which Mr. Bernhard gave very recently in Chamber Music Hall afforded an agreeable opportunity for hearing his rich, bass baritone voice and tasteful delivery in a number of well chosen songs.
65Mr. Bernhard opened the program with that stirring aria "The Tambour Major." It was sung with spirit and was received with approval, but the most satisfactory numbers, considering Mr. Bernhard's natural style and sentiment, were the group of Schubert songs. These, especially the "Erlkönig," lingered in the ears of those who listened as lyrically worthy of the master who composed them.
67Miss Bertha Bose, soprano, a pupil of Mr. Bernhard, gave her songs with so much grace and intelligence that she received an encore, which she answered by singing "Der Lenz" (still in manuscript), by Grunewald. Henry Ern, who played several violin solos, was compelled to respond to an encore after Vieuxtemps' "Reverie." Frank E. Ward accompanied.
69Sousa Sunday Concert.
70Sousa's popularity, his band's dash and spirit and technical skill, the excellent programs which he arranges so as to instruct and amuse without wearying an audience, are all familiar features of the Sousa concerts. Generally speaking, that of Sunday evening matched its predecessors.
72To particularize briefly, the Tannhäuser' overture, in instrumentation by Sousa, proved a gorgeous piece of coloring and was so well played and conducted as to prove preferable to some orchestral performances of the same overture; certainly to some given by the Symphony Society. The "Ballet Music" displayed some dainty instrumental effects not usually to be looked for even in Sousa's Band, and the soloists pleased the audience, particularly Miss Hoyle, who gave the Gypsy Music by Sarasate with fire and brilliancy.
74As usual at recent concerts the audience rose when the "Star Spangled Banner" was played and a chorus of voices added to the effect.
76Burton's "Hiawatha."
77The Yonkers Choral Society, with its conductor, the composer of the above work, on Monday evening invaded Chickering Hall. Some thirty members of the Seidl Orchestra assisted, and in the foreground sat the four soloists of the occasion, Miss Mary H. Mansfield, Miss Mae Cressy, Leonard E. Auty and J. Stanford Brown.
79This paper last week, after the Yonkers performance, contained a critical estimate of the ambitious work, a credit to the composer, albeit lacking in variety, and especially monotonous in the orchestral accompaniment. As before, the "Italian Dance" made a hit, the chorus sang with enthusiasm under the clear and intelligent beat of the conductor-composer, and so an interesting evening was the result.
81Miss Mae Cressy, the contralto (a Clodio pupil), and Leonard E. Auty, tenor, shared the vocal honors of the occasion. The former's voice is expressively sweet, her personality winning.
83The soprano, Miss Mary Mansfield, sang with the musical intelligence and full volume of tone which have usually commanded interest in her work. She is serious by nature and finds her best effects in compositions which demand dignity rather than gayety. An audience of fair size was present.
85M. OVIDE MUSIN,
86Professor-in-Chief of the Superior Class of Violin,
87Liège, Belgium, Royal Musical Conservatory.
89By contract with the Belgian Government Mr. Musin has, annually, six months' leave of absence, which he proposes to utilize by establishing in New York a
91Virtuoso School of Violin,
92based upon the Liège System.
94Celebrated exponents of that system are:
95WIENIAWSKI, LEONARD, MARSICK, CÉSAR THOMSON, YSAYE.
97The Ovide Musin Virtuoso School of Violin, of New York, will be open from August 1 to February 1. one of two readings
98The Ovide Musin Virtuoso School of Violin, one of two readings
99of New York, will be open from August 1 to February 1. one of two readings
100Mr. Musin will occupy his official position at Liège from February 1 to August 1.
101(no line here) one of two readings
103New York address: Steinway Hall.
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