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Musical Courier 1898-06-15: Vol 36 Iss 954, 1898
95 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 29. See the scan on archive.org.
1my old and highly esteemed friend, John E. Hall, of THE MUSICAL COURIER.
3Mrs. Henry Asher and her talented daughter, Miss Meta Asher, from San Francisco, must be added to the list. These ladies were on their way to Paris. Miss Minnie Dilthey, opera singer, from New York, also called.
5You see I am kept pretty busy even during the musical saison morte.
7O. F.
9Mme. Anna Louise Musin.
11OVIDE MUSIN, the famous violinist, and now professor of the superior violin class at the Royal Conservatory, Liège, Belgium, is not the only one by the name of Musin who receives the attention of the best critics. His wife, who is an American, is also an artist, and she and her husband together win golden opinions. Whoever recalls the exquisite delicacy and skill of Musin's playing and who remembers his wife will recognize the justice of the following able criticism, written by a leading journalist of Liège. It appears in La Meuse:
13Mr. Musin is accompanied by his wife, Anna Louise Musin, an American lady of great ability. She is of the type of vocalist known as the chanteuse legere, which combines a fine technic with perfect enunciation and vocalization. Her voice is pure and has a range rarely met with in other singers, rising without apparent effort to the top of the scale. Madame Musin is known in the United States as the "American Nightingale," and she really seems to possess all the purity and sweetness of the nightingale's song. Her first number on the program was the air from the "Magic Flute," in which she reached the difficult high F with scarcely any effort. With the same lack of effort Madame Musin overcame the most trying parts of her repertory—Proch's "Variations" and the air from "Perle du Bresil." As a final number she sang Arto's "Variations," with violin obligato, the latter being played by Mr. Musin. This latter piece was a genuine triumph, loud acclamations, frantic recalls and a shower of wreaths and flowers being the means by which the audience showed its appreciation. The American Consul at Liège, who had come with his family to witness the introduction of his compatriote to the artistic world of the city, roused by the enthusiasm of the audience, rose, and advancing toward the stage, presented the singer with a rose, which he had carried in his buttonhole. This simple flower, given by the representative of a great nation, was looked upon by the audience as a decoration won on the battlefield.
15Name of the Teacher.
17THE following letter dated New York, June 2, has been received:
18Editors The Musical Courier:
19Will you kindly inform me through your valuable columns the name of the teacher at the New York College of Music who is training the voices of Miss Hoffman and Miss Lockwood?
20Upon application some time ago after hearing a few others whose names I cannot recall just now I received a catalogue with the names of all the teachers.
21It is evident that there are several methods taught in that institution, and as the above mentioned pupils are so far superior to any heard there before I would like to know that particular teacher.
22Cordially,
23GERTRUDE LINDHURST.
24That particular teacher is Caroline Montefiore. She does not advertise in this paper, but we believe she resides at the Hotel Grenoble, opposite Carnegie Music Hall.
26Off to Europe.
28The pianist Miss Marie von Hammer sailed on the Britannic last Wednesday for Europe. She will play at various concerts in England in conjunction with David Bispham, who will make a specialty of introducing Miss Von Hammer's songs, accompanied by the composer herself.
30Sheehan's Pirates.
32The Buffalo (N. Y.) performance of "Pirates of Penzance" was quite a success. William J. Sheehan, the conductor, worked hard, and so there was a smooth performance. Said the News, after the first of the two performances, on May 27:
34The "Pirates of Penzance," as rendered by the Buffalo Opera Company at Concert Hall last night, was a neat and spirited performance. The opera was given for the Volunteer Relief Fund, and was appreciated to the fullest extent as combining excellence of presentation with an object worthy of general support.
36The hall should be filled to-night with people who appreciate good singing and delight in an opera that has so many points for effective work. There was little to be found fault in the action of the opera, for everything passed off as if professionals had command of the stage.
38Among those who took part last night in the cast were Mrs. Bessie Guard, Miss Annie Watkins, Miss May Tobin, Miss W. Moore, Gilbert Penn, W. S. Clark, Mrs. R. S. Fowler, Albert Lisette, Floyd A. Drake, F. J. Parke. William J. Sheehan is the musical director.
40PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL OF VOCAL SCIENCE.
41Open to all students of singing. Special courses for teachers. For circular and full particulars address FRANK HOTCHKISS OSBORN, 1306 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
42Summer Term: Asbury Park, N. J.
44An Interview with Gericke.
46OUR Vienna correspondent, always on the alert for news of interest, sends the following interview with Mr. Gericke, who returns from Europe to his old post as conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra:
48"It gratifies me exceedingly to be again elected to my old post in Boston, which I look upon as my second home. I received several communications looking to offers for New York, but I accepted by preference the position in Boston, where I was engaged so pleasantly for so many years.
50"I have received a large number of letters from old American friends, whose expressions of interest, sympathy and appreciation I must say have most agreeably surprised me, as they convince me that I still hold a place in their esteem. I have watched with interest the work of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and am pleased to see what an advanced position it has maintained under the leadership of such men as Nikisch and Paur, whom I have the honor to succeed."
52In speaking of THE COURIER Mr. Gericke remarked the advanced conditions of this paper and spoke often and pleasantly of his friendly relations with Otto Floersheim in Berlin.
54Continuing to dwell upon the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra Mr. Gericke said in reply to a question from our correspondent:
56"Yes, I found the Boston orchestra in 1884 in a good condition. It was a mixed orchestra of Americans and foreigners. When I took up my first position there Mr. Higginson and I agreed it to be most desirable for the preservation of the good reputation and established skill of the orchestra to give it as permanent a character as possible. As the season was only six months in Boston it became a matter of considerable discussion and thought on our part how we might prevent the members from becoming scattered and out of practice in the intervening months. This was effected by starting a tour of concerts out of Boston, which proved an excellent means of maintaining order, keeping up rehearsals and also keeping the members together. When the comic opera house in Paris burned down we secured a first flutist and oboist and other first-class men, including Mr. Kneisl, from the Vienna Conservatory, as "concert meister." These men added greatly to the ability and progress of the orchestra.
58"I always took care that the best compositions of the best American composers should be represented as often as possible on our programs."
60When our correspondent dwelt upon the energetic campaign now being led by THE COURIER and other musicians for American music and and musicians, Mr. Gericke replied:
62"I am now spending the interval of time before I sail in looking up programs. I am searching, of course, for novelties ("novitaten"), new music, and I shall take the greatest interest in giving the American composers a good place on our programs."
64Mr. Gericke acknowledged with pleasure Mr. MacDowell's growth as a composer; spoke also most pleasantly of his acquaintance with Mr. Chadwick, and showed some admirable programs of his concerts which Mr. Chadwick had sent to him, with an excellent photograph. Mr. Gericke dwelt with apparent pleasure on his friendly relations with these and other American musicians, and referred frequently to his most kindly recollections of Boston and Boston people, especially those who co-operated with him at the time of his first engagement with the Philharmonic Orchestra.
66F.
68Willow Grove Music.
70BROOKE'S MARINE BAND.
72PHILADELPHIA in summer without Willow Grove Park would be "Hamlet" with Hamlet left out, or the dumpling without the apple. Willow Grove music adds the spicy musical savor which is needed to balance the efforts of Philadelphians to be steadily and starchy serene and dignified during the heated summer days. Many of the very best Philadelphia families do not get away until July and August; the majority, with their pleasant homes, people of the great middle class, the standbys of civilization, do not go away at all; the American 'Arry and his 'Arriet do no go far—not much farther than Willow Grove and along the Wissahickon. All these and many more find a deal of musical pleasure there, too.
74Brooke's Chicago Marine Band is the attraction this year and a big attraction, too. He has fifty-two men with him and naturally procures better effects than with a smaller number. The band, which is known throughout the West and South as one of the greatest popular music bands in this country, is now emphasizing its superior technical skill and its admirable playing of classical music in a series of well arranged programs. They are engaged for 228 concerts this summer. The attendance is more than satisfactory. On Monday, May 30, so I happened to learn, the crowd numbered 54,000—more than any day excepting L. A. W. day of last year, which is not counted as a park day. The general opinion seems to be that the season will be most successful.
76Wagner music, the test of proficiency, has awakened many to a realizing sense of the band's ability, and the concert of Friday, June 3, brought out many favorable comments from critics and musicians. The Philadelphia Item, which published extended criticism, refers particularly to the clarinets:
78The extremely difficult passages which the strings of an orchestra play in this overture were played by the clarinets of Mr. Brooke's band marvelously well, sustaining their well-known reputation of being the best reed family to be found in any of the American bands.
80The voicing and phrasing were excellent, and the refined softness many times closely resembled the effects of strings, a pleasing feature which impresses everybody who is more than a casual listener at these concerts.
82The brasses and horns are also commented upon:
84Mr. Brooke's brasses are unusually fine and subdued, yet forceful in all that requires heroic volume, their massive ensemble rising to all that Wagnerian sublimity of tone with an attack and precision that are inspiring. The horns are very fine, as was shown particularly in "Walter's Preisleid," from "Der Meistersinger," and the fine quality of the euphonium was to be observed in the "Evening Star," from "Tannhäuser."
86Mr. Brooke himself is a magnetic leader, and with his experience of the past three years—having given more than 100 concerts every spring and 100 every fall, en tour, and having played for successive winter seasons in Chicago and at various expositions—will no doubt become one of the most noted among the band leaders of whom America is justly proud. A popular band, which can also play good classical music, is an important element in general musical culture.
88A Great Violin Maker Dead.
90IN the death of H. H. Heskett, of Minneapolis, Minn., the world loses one of the greatest modern violin makers. He had been in poor health for some time, but had been so much better this last winter that it was a great surprise to his family and his friends when, May 14, he unexpectedly passed away, death resulting from a hemorrhage. He was only fifty-eight years old.
92Mr. Heskett was a mechanical genius of the first order, excelling in several branches. But it is as a violin maker he will live as long as his master creations shall exist to ravish with their tone the ears of musical people here and in other countries. Every detail was a study with him and one cannot pick a flaw in any of his work, from the scroll down to the most unimportant part of it.
94If we can give preference to any detail of his work it must be to the varnish, which is just as limpid and transparent as the best Cremonese, and it has more beautiful coloring and "fire" than any I have ever seen. But his supreme excellence is his tone. In company with several other musicians it was my pleasure about a year ago to hear a new Guarneri copy of his compared with one of the finest Cremona violins in the world, and we all agreed that the new violin was fully equal to the old violin in every respect and surpassed it on the two lower strings. By the way, that Guarneri is now my property! Another of his Guarneri copies has greatly distinguished itself. It is the property of a good amateur of Minneapolis. On the occasion of a visit to the city by the renowned virtuoso Remenyi, the owner of the Guarneri brought his instrument to show him. Remenyi was so thoroughly enraptured by it that he begged to borrow it. He kept it for two years, and during that time used it exclusively in his concerts, declaring it to be the best violin in the world. The owner had quite a time in getting him to part with it again. And it may be apropos to mention that Remenyi
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