Scan 30
Musical Courier 1898-06-01: Vol 36 Iss 952, 1898
86 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 31. See the scan on archive.org.
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1Catharine Elma Hall, ably accompanied by Mme. Anna Freiss. Francis S. Moore was the organist and Herbert L. Waterous the basso.
3The chorus has been weeks in training under the able direction of H. W. Fairbanks, and every Sunday school in the county contributed its best vocal talent.
5One of the really important events of the season is the competitive examination of the pupils of the Chicago Musical College, which is held each year at about the same time, and which occurred to-day at Steinway Hall. The examination consumes the whole week, and one day is scarcely long enough for the competition, although the most capable pupils are selected in advance. The pupils who were recipients of medals this year were:
7Post-Graduating Class—Marshall Field prize, diamond medal for best pianist, Arthur Rech; college prize, gold medal for second best pianist, Alma Anderson; college prize, gold medal for third best pianist, Maud Jones; college prize, gold medal for fourth best pianist, Evelyn Wiedling; college prize, gold medal for excellence in composition.
9Graduating Class—W. W. Kimball prize, diamond medal for best pianist, George Shapiro; college prize, gold medal for second best pianist, Arthur Granquist; college prize, gold medal for third best pianist, Frances Peickert.
11Teacher's Certificate Class—Dr. F. Ziegfeld prize, diamond medal for best pianist, Bernhard Nierman; college prize, gold medal for second best pianist, Edith Kellogg; college prize, gold medal for third best pianist, Belle Gilkey.
13Seventh Grade—Alexander H. Revell prize, diamond medal for best pianist, Lillie Priesmeyer; Hans von Schiller prize, gold medal for second best pianist, Julius Marks; college prize, silver medals for eight next best pianists, Ama Olsen, Cora Goodman, Mary Short, Lillian Cohan, Amy Hafdalin, Lydia Burton, Violet Mack, Lillian Johnson; Dr. Louis Falk prize, gold medal for best student in harmony.
15Sixth Grade—College prize, gold medal, Margaret Ahern; college prize, gold medal, Hazel Campbell; college prize, silver medals for six next best pianists, Sarah Thorn, Florence Suit, Blessed Herbeson, Edith Corette, Wahneta Swain, Lulu Shoemaker.
17Violin Department—Rev. Dr. H. W. Thomas prize, diamond medal for best violinist, Lewis Blackman; Bernhard Listemann prize, gold medal for second best violinist, Ebba Hjertstedt; college prize, gold medal for third best violinist, William Hofman.
19Vocal Department—Hon. Frederick S. Fish prize, diamond medal for best singer, Grace Nelson; Wm. Castle prize, gold medal for second best singer, Emma Swasey; college prize, gold medal for third best singer, Mabel Sharp.
21FLORENCE FRENCH.
23J. H. McKinley.
25An evidence of American good taste in music is the constant appreciation bestowed upon J. H. McKinley. From the time he first began modestly and conscientiously to mount the ladder of musical fame he has not wavered nor fallen below his own high standard. Therefore the words of cordial appreciation bestowed upon him seem but due tributes to one whose qualities as a man are no less attractive than his qualities as an artist:
27One of the most noted tenors in the country, and by far the best that has ever visited this city. At his début before a Burlington audience he was given a perfect ovation. He has a magnificent voice well handled; his treatment is broad and intelligent, and his singing is marked particularly by dramatic expression. He is in fact a most admirable artist. He has a prepossessing stage presence, exceptional vocal powers and a refined style. He should be heard in "Samson and Delilah" this evening by everyone who desires to hear one of the most celebrated tenors in the country.—Burlington (Vt.) Free Press, May 20, 1898.
29J. H. McKinley, the tenor of the festival, gave us an idea of what a great tenor is like. His clear, ringing voice sings the top notes with a degree of skill and endurance truly wonderful. No more trying selection could have been given him than the difficult aria "Lend Me Your Aid," from "La Reine de Saba." A voice possessing the most penetrating strength, yet the sweetness of a bell, and one that seems to create an echo from the artist's skill to hold a high note, belongs to Mr. McKinley. As an encore he sang the beautiful little gem of modern ballads, "Last Night I was Dreaming."—Burlington (Vt.) News, May 20, 1898.
31CINCINNATI
32MAY FESTIVAL.
34CINCINNATI, MAY 28, 1898.
36THE Thirteenth Cincinnati May Musical Festival has come and gone. Results may now be weighed fairly and adequately. The raison d'etre of the festival, the chorus, did the best work in many years. In fact, taking the Beethoven Mass and the "Olaf Trygvasson" as tests, it was perhaps the most satisfactory work in the history of the Festival Association, which on this occasion celebrated its (silver jubilee) twenty-fifth anniversary. The soloists as a cluster did not represent on the average the high and brilliant talent of former years, although most of them were conscientious artists, well fitted for the task to which they had been assigned. The Thomas Orchestra requires no comment. Under the baton of Mr. Thomas it is a well-nigh perfect organization. Critics may differ as to some of his readings; they all must admire his qualities as a disciplinarian, conductor and musician. His first violins are a wonderful body of performers, and their principal, L. Kramer, is in his line an artist of the first water. The woodwind, too, is exceptionally mellow and beautiful. The weak spot lies in the brass, which is sometimes rough and uneven.
38The programs were the usual exhibitions of Mr. Thomas' constructive talent. There was an unusual number of interesting orchestral novelties. Financially the festival will have perhaps a small deficit. The board of directors attribute a diminution in the average attendance to the prevailing war feeling. As they have a reserve fund of nearly $25,000 to fall back upon they do not feel at all worried about giving the next two years hence. From a choral standpoint the festival was so pronounced a success that it looks likely the board of directors will continue the present arrangement of a consolidation between the Festival Chorus and Apollo Club. Theodore Thomas, too, will likely be again selected as the director of the next festival just as soon as the annual meeting of the association takes place.
40The festival was opened on Tuesday night, May 24, in Music Hall, with "The Damnation of Faust," by Berlioz, the soloists being as follows: Marguerite, Miss Macintyre; Faust, Ben Davies; Mephistopheles, David Bispham; Brander, Joseph S. Baerstein. This concert struck the keynote of the work of the chorus for the week. There were at previous festivals criticisms adverse to the chorus, generally exaggerated and prompted by unworthy motives, but the chorus at the very outset showed its mettle and stood upon a plane of dignity and honor where it might show defiance against attack. Nothing, however, is perfect, and on that score it might not be difficult to find fault with even the best of work and effort, but the Festival Chorus succeeded in renewing its youth and prestige and encircling its jubilee crown with a lining of sterling silver. The cohesiveness of the chorus was remarkable—the forces sang as though they had been welded together into one homogeneous mass. Such an ensemble was thoroughly enjoyable. But it was in the quality of musical tone and genuine expression that the chorus won special distinction. There were no rough edges—but the work had roundness and finish. Some passages had about them the charm and delicacy of poetry. The measures and shading blended at times in a perfect tone picture. A critic should never be a rhapsodist, but local pride is excusable when it speaks in the strongest terms of chorus work that compels recognition and admiration from the most exacting.
42The Cincinnati Festival Chorus again came to the front as a potent educational factor, setting the pace for the highest of standards.
44But the climax of the chorus work was reached in the final scene of Marguerite's glorification, closing Berlioz's dramatic legend. The addition of the chorus of boys' voices, required by the composer, had a charmingly refreshing effect. The boys were from the Third Intermediate School and had been well trained for their task by Professor Zeinz. The devotion and tenderness with which this beautiful finale of the epilogue was interpreted left a decided impression. It was the realization of the beauties of choral music, which sometimes reminds man that he is near to heaven. The attack of the chorus throughout "The Damnation of Faust" was generally sure and spirited, and the various parts of the work were well molded and fitted together.
46Miss Macintyre, who was advertised as the principal soloist of the festival, did not reach expectations. Her voice is a combination of the lyric and dramatic, but it is weak and unreliable in the middle register. She seems to have the greatest difficulty in keeping true to the pitch.
48Ben Davies, with whom festival audiences have become quite familiar, sustained himself the thorough, well-proportioned artist that he proves himself to be in everything he undertakes. He is the plain, dignified singer and interpreter of the English school, who overdoes nothing and aims to reach nature's expression of art. He had a trying part, and did it well. His singing of the opening number of the third part was full of tenderness, and in the Invocation of the third part he reached some dramatic intensity.
50Mr. Bispham, as Mephistopheles, did himself full justice. His interpretative art asserted itself in all the detail of his work. Not the possessor of a great voice, after such great wear as it has had, he has the consummate art to use it in such a way as to meet certain limited demands. He expresses something in everything he does. His conception was an ideal one—his interpretation often rose to dramatic fervor.
52Mr. Baerstein as Brander left an excellent impression. He sings with the unassuming dignity and straightforwardness of a thorough artist. His voice material seems to be abundant. He gave Brander's song in the second part with spirit and intelligent reading.
54The success of "The Damnation of Faust" was largely owing to the superb playing of the orchestra, Mr. Thomas conducting with unusual tact and energy.
56The second concert, Wednesday afternoon, May 25, for orchestra and soloists, presented the following program:
58Symphony, G minor (Koechel 550)………….Mozart
59Recitative and Aria, Jephtha, Waft Her Angels….Händel one of two readings
60Recitative and Aria, Jephtha, Waft Her Angels…Händel one of two readings
61Overture, Coriolanus………………………..Beethoven one of two readings
62Overture, Coriolanus…………………….Beethoven one of two readings
63The Three Gypsies……………………………Liszt one of two readings
64The Three Gypsies………………………..Liszt one of two readings
65Violin Obligato by L. Kramer.
66Mrs. Josephine S. Jacoby.
67Tone Poem, Thus Spake Zarathustra……..Rich. Strauss one of two readings
68Tone Poem, Thus Spake Zarathustra…….Rich. Strauss one of two readings
69Werbelieder (Trial Songs), Die Meistersinger….Wagner
70Ben Davies.
71Symphonic Poem, Les Eolides…………………César Franck one of two readings
72Symphonic Poem, Les Eolides……………..César Franck one of two readings
73Aria, Der Hirt auf dem Felsen………………..Schubert one of two readings
74Aria, Der Hirt auf dem Felsen…………..Schubert one of two readings
75Clarinet Obligato by J. Shreurs.
76Mrs. Corinne Moore Lawson.
77Invitation to the Dance……………………….Weber one of two readings
78Invitation to the Dance……………………Weber one of two readings
79Orchestration by Felix Weingartner.
81Strauss is one of the most advanced thinkers of the present generation, and the boldness of his innovations in the use and piling up of themes and their abnormal development must be left to the criticism of some future day, when musicians shall have received a deeper knowledge of the mysticism that may be allowed in the forms of musical expression. As it is, the work has about it a fascinating novelty—and if the harmonies are at times appallingly strange, and the conventional rules are daringly offended against, with a persistency and consistency that excite admiration, there are scenes in his tone poem which are developed with marvelous talent and which leave an irresistible impression. The orchestra succeeded in bringing out all the details of this novelty to their full value.
83The Franck novelty was given an interpretation that satisfied the demands of art. But the orchestra appeared to even better advantage in the opening number—in the old classic which is always new—the Mozart Symphony, G minor.
85Mr. Thomas possesses the faculty of knowing how to interpret the old masters. He imparts to them a flavor that is unique—not composite and redolent of the works of the modern school. In this respect his interpretative power is convincing. The genuine Mozartian spirit prevailed—calm, unruffled and yet inspiring. The andante
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