Scan 16
Musical Courier 1898-06-01: Vol 36 Iss 952, 1898
76 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 17. See the scan on archive.org.
1as an art has not yet reached San Francisco, for too many singers permit themselves to be accompanied by people who do not even know that accompaniment is an art in itself."
3A capital portrait of Mrs. Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler adorns the title page of the issue of THE MUSICAL COURIER of May 4. The London and Berlin letters are very readable. News from San Francisco and vicinity occupies a prominent place of more than a page. An editorial article on Madame Melba's recent appearance in San Francisco seems to one a little harsh. The fact that in the singing-lesson scene in the "Barber of Seville" Madame Melba accompanied herself in the introduced numbers is criticised as being "the depth of depravity in the misapplication of what was originally intended to be art." It is interesting reading to us Californians who saw and heard her do it.—Elizabeth Westgate, in Alameda Argus.
5Discouraging.
7From Albany
9"How blessings brighten as they take their flight."
11WE are forcibly reminded of the truth of the above by a rumor relative to the Albany Musical Association which has lately reached us. Investigation proves the existence of certain cold facts which ought to be known and appreciated by all Albanians who are jealous of the fair fame of their beloved city. For seven years the present association has served the public, giving each year works from the most notable composers, both ancient and modern. This chorus has steadily progressed in ability to understand and give the masterpieces under consideration, until it has attained a reputation second to none in the country. During all these years the active members (who constitute the chorus) have regularly paid their membership dues and all expenses for music, leaving the associate members to provide, if the main, for the public performances. The present season, though one of the most successful from an artistic standpoint, has proved, financially, that unless a much larger guarantee fund can be secured than was available for '97-'98, it will not be advisable or prudent, from a business standpoint, to keep the association alive. Owing to the diminished number of associate members, this season has closed with a deficit, and the board of directors will not assume the responsibilities of the future without an adequate financial backing. one of two readings
12WE are forcibly reminded of the truth of the above by a rumor relative to the Albany Musical Association which has lately reached us. Investigation proves the existence of certain cold facts which ought to be known and appreciated by all Albanians who are jealous of the fair fame of their beloved city. For seven years the present association has served the public, giving each year works from the most notable composers, both ancient and modern. This chorus has steadily progressed in ability to understand and give the masterpieces under consideration, until it has attained a reputation second to none in the country. During all these years the active members (who constitute the chorus) have regularly paid their membership dues and all expenses for music, leaving the associate members to provide, in the main, for the public performances. The present season, though one of the most successful from an artistic standpoint, has proved, financially, that unless a much larger guarantee fund can be secured than was available for '97-'98, it will not be advisable or prudent, from a business standpoint, to keep the association alive. Owing to the diminished number of associate members, this season has closed with a deficit, and the board of directors will not assume the responsibilities of the future without an adequate financial backing. one of two readings
14Four hundred associate members are needed, and the directors must know within two weeks whether this number will certainly subscribe. It remains for the people of Albany to settle the question. It is not a matter of putting money into the pockets of the directors, but of keeping alive and active an organization which has been a strong and efficient factor in building up and maintaining at a high level the musical taste of the city. Not only has it thus largely aided in directly elevating the musical standard, but has indirectly been an influence for good, and by creating a love for the best in one art has aroused desires for increased knowledge in other directions.
16I know it will be said by some: "We care nothing for music; why should we pay for it?" If these same good people will say "We care nothing for self improvement, nothing for that which refines the feelings, nothing for that which works for the good of the city," I will give them credit for consistency. But they would not take any such stand, for they are public spirited and proud of anything that redounds to the honor of Albany; only when it comes to supporting an organization whose aims and desires are for improvement in this branch of science they stand aloof and say: "Let those who want to sing pay for it." It is to be hoped that this spirit will no longer prevail and also that the feeling of indifference which has so long held control will give place to that of practical interest and regard for the future welfare and life of this valuable institution of our city. As we said above, it must be settled in two weeks, for the question of "to be or not to be" will be determined definitely on the evening of June 2, and other plans for the coming season will be formulated, or the splendid chorus, which it has required years to create, will be disbanded and the Musical Association will be a thing of the past.
18J. E. SHERWOOD.
20Arthur J. Hubbard, of Boston.
22AT Association Hall on the evening of May 25 occurred a vocal recital by pupils of Arthur J. Hubbard, assisted by Karlo Ondricek, violinist. The program was one that might have taxed the powers of professional artists to have sung, all the music being of a high order, as may be seen by the program below.
24Violin solo, Legende, Mazurka,………….Wieniawski
25Karlo Ondricek.
26Dove Song (Marriage of Figaro)………….Mozart
27Miss Ruby Cutter.
28Angel's Song…………………………….Mascheroni
29Chas. S. Hill.
30Ave Maria, violin obligato………………..Raff
31Miss Jennie Paine.
32The Loreley…………………………….Liszt one of two readings
33The Loreley……………………………..Liszt one of two readings
34Miss Zella Cole.
35Prologue (Pagliacci)……………………..Leoncavallo
36Fred. L. Benjamin.
37Ave Maria, violin obligato………………..Mascheroni
38Miss Margaret Roche.
39Hear Ye Israel (Elijah)…………………..Mendelssohn
40Miss Hattie Goddard.
41Duce di tanti eroi (Maometto Secondo)……Rossini
42L. Williard Flint.
43Dreams………………………………….Wagner
44Eurydice…………………………………Gluck
45Ah fors' e lui (Traviata)…………………Verdi
46Miss Ruby Cutter.
47Cujus Animam (Stabat Mater)………………Rossini
48Michael Dwyer.
49O cieli azzurri (Aida)……………………Verdi
50Miss Hattie Goddard.
51Quintet, Meistersingers……………………Wagner
52Miss Adelaide Maxim, Miss Helen Day, Chas. S. Hill, John Dyer, William W. Nye.
54Mrs. Hubbard was the accompanist and she was loud in praise of the fine instrument—a Mason & Hamlin grand—that she played upon.
56This concert has been pronounced by all who heard it a most remarkable success in every respect. Everything without exception went just right and many present said it was "the best recital they ever heard." Mr. Hubbard has reason to feel proud of the success of his pupils, for the compliments showered upon them were equally for pupil and teacher. The individuality of each singer had been carefully preserved, a noticeable fact that caused many remarks of the difference between the results obtained by Mr. Hubbard and of other teachers whose pupils have been heard in public, while the well developed and perfectly poised voices, the intelligent and artistic interpretations, the faultless execution, were equally matters of comment and praise. Seven out of the ten singers who appeared have had no other teacher but Mr. Hubbard, who took the raw material and brought it up to its present state of perfection. The young ladies received special praise for the fullness as well as brilliancy of their tone and faultless execution. Recalls were made in every instance.
58Mr. Hubbard works faithfully and conscientiously with his pupils, but in a quiet way that does not always discover to the outside world the class of work he is doing. But results show, and such a recital as the one of Wednesday evening gives the musician and critic an opportunity of judging. That the work was of a high order of excellence was the unanimous verdict.
60Dr. Joseph Dutra, who was expected to have sung, was prevented by illness. He has a fine tenor voice and sings in the Union Church, Worcester, where Mr. Hubbard is basso and director of the music.
62THE GREAT TRIUMPH
63OF
64Bloomfield-Zeisler in England.
66FROM former quotations of the London press and the London Musical Courier it was readily seen that Madame Bloomfield-Zeisler made a great impression in that city with her playing at the Philharmonic, but it appears that it was a veritable triumph, as can be seen in the following passages and paragraphs from additional critical authorities, who are seldom as enthusiastic as in this instance:
68The individual musicianship of the members of the Philharmonic band is very high, but the collective results which they achieve are often most disappointing. This remark does not apply to the renderings of the Brahms symphony or Mr. Corder's work, which were both most meritorious, nor yet to the accompaniments of Mr. Stanford's songs, which were excellently played under the composer's direction. But it is justified by the unyielding, unsympathetic and domineering manner in which the orchestra acquitted itself in Rubinstein's D minor concerto, in which Mrs. Bloomfield-Zeisler chose to make her début. This remarkable artist was throughout a great deal of the concerto engaged in an unequal conflict with the band, and as her physical force is not on a par with her fiery spirit, she had little chance, save in the slow movement, of enabling the audience to form a true estimate of her abilities. It is only fair to say that the band supported her far better in the scherzo from Litolff's concerto, a piece of glorified musical-box music, which she played with crystalline clearness of touch and unaltering grip of the rhythm.
70Madame Bloomfield-Zeisler had not long to wait for an opportunity of completely justifying her Continental and American reputation. Her recital at St. James' Hall on Saturday afternoon revealed a union of qualities which place her in the front rank of living pianists of either sex. She has a wonderful pair of hands—her playing of the great "spread chords" in Chopin's Nocturne in C (op. 48) I have never heard surpassed—keen intelligence, an intrepid attack, a sense of rhythm altogether exceptional in a female executant, and at the same time deep poetic feeling and exquisite delicacy of expression. Even in sensational pieces, such as Rubinstein's transcription of Beethoven's "Turkish March," she never deviates into extravagance. Her performance of Schumann's "Etudes Symphoniques," though frequently at variance from Schumannesque traditions, was invariably distinguished, suggestive and sympathetic. But her chief triumphs were won in a group of pieces by Chopin, given with an intimate appreciation of the spirit of exotic romance of which Chopin was the chief hierophant in music, an unerring instinct in the use of the tempo rubato, and exquisite delicacy of touch. An advocate diaboli might complain that Madame Bloomfield-Zeisler is over-addicted to transcriptions and that her prelatory modulations are too elaborate, but these are at worst venial faults in a delightful and exhilarating artist.—London World, May 4. one of two readings
71Madame Bloomfield-Zeisler had not long to wait for an opportunity of completely justifying her Continental and American reputation. Her recital at St. James' Hall on Saturday afternoon revealed a union of qualities which place her in the front rank of living pianists of either sex. She has a wonderful pair of hands—her playing of the great "spread chords" in Chopin's Nocturne in C (op. 48) I have never heard surpassed—keen intelligence, an intrepid attack, a sense of rhythm altogether exceptional in a female executant, and at the same time deep poetic feeling and exquisite delicacy of expression. Even in sensational pieces, such as Rubinstein's transcription of Beethoven's "Turkish March," she never deviates into extravagance. Her performance of Schumann's "Etudes Symphoniques," though frequently at variance from Schumannesque traditions, was invariably distinguished, suggestive and sympathetic. But her chief triumphs were won in a group of pieces by Chopin, given with an intimate appreciation of the spirit of exotic romance of which Chopin was the chief hierophant in music, an unerring instinct in the use of the tempo rubato, and exquisite delicacy of touch. An advocate diabolus might complain that Madame Bloomfield-Zeisler is over-addicted to transcriptions and that her prelatory modulations are too elaborate, but these are at worst venial faults in a delightful and exhilarating artist.—London World, May 4. one of two readings
73At St. James' Hall Mrs. Bloomfield-Zeisler, in her piano recital, more than justified the favorable impression formed of her at last Thursday's Philharmonic concert. She presented a comprehensive and well diversified program, containing Tausig's arrangement of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Schumann's Etude Symphoniques, besides a number of pieces by Chopin, Moszkowski, and Liszt transcriptions. In the smaller pieces, such as the Chopin Nocturne in C, the Valse in D flat and the Scherzo, op. 20, her delicacy of touch and general refinement was beyond reproach. The Liszt arrangement of Schubert's "Hark! Hark! the Lark," and certain portions of the Schumann Etudes were beautifully rendered. At the close of the recital the audience were so enthusiastic in their applause that she played very exquisitely Chopin's delicious Berceuse as an encore.—London Morning, May 2.
75At St. James' Hall Mrs. Bloomfield-Zeisler gave her first piano recital with complete success, with Schumann's "Etudes Symphoniques" as the principal work. Her performance here and elsewhere was quite superb. Her touch, tone and technic are one and all very highly finished, and her rendering of the above-mentioned work
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