Scan 34
Musical Courier 1898-10-17: Vol 37 Iss 971, 1898
102 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 35. See the scan on archive.org.
1COULD anything be more of an argument against yielding to the temptation of a large salary for vaudeville than the following clipping from a San Francisco paper concerning Jeanne Franko, who never played in New York without enjoying the approbation of the most dignified critics:
3"Mlle. Franko's violin playing, the two Paolis with their bag punching, football dog, the biograph and the Sankey brothers contribute their share to the pleasure. The last are acrobats, boyish and limber," &c.
5Imagine what the friends of Camilla Urso, who will soon come to the Orpheum, will feel to see her sandwiched in between dancing monkeys and human flies. This is the most pitiful fall of art America has yet seen, and where can the blame be placed if not at the door of the people who will not give their patronage in the right way or place. The subject has been editorially treated in these columns in such a manner that there is nothing left to be said except that such a deplorable condition is a heartache to all connected with musical life.
7On Wednesday afternoon Pierre Douillet gave a piano recital at Sherman Clay Hall to a fair sized audience.
9Douillet gave his program in a clear, straightforward manner, with more success in the Chopin and Liszt than in the opus 53 of Beethoven, the second movement of which was by far the best work done on that sonata. Douillet's climaxes, which were well defined in Chopin and Liszt, were absent in the Beethoven, and the octaves would have been more satisfactory had the glissando effect not been attempted. The Schubert Impromptu was delightfully played.
11This program was given:
12Sonata, op. 53 (Aurora)………………………..Beethoven
13Allegro Vivacissimo……………………………Scarlatti
14Impromptu A flat……………………………….Schubert
15Scherzo, op. 19…………………………………Tschaikowski
16Nocturne, D flat………………………………..Chopin
17Etude, G flat…………………………………..Chopin
18Polonaise, A flat……………………………….Chopin
19Barcarolle (arranged by Douillet)………………Delibes
20Habanera (arranged by Douillet)……………….Bizet
21Spinning Song…………………………………..Wagner-Liszt
22Venezia e Napoli, Tarantelle……………………Liszt
24On Thursday afternoon a concert was given at the Baldwin Theatre for the purpose of presenting to San Francisco a young singer, Miss Poddie Ross, who is here on a social visit. It is too bad that Miss Ross' success was interfered with by advertising, which stated that she was superior to Melba and Nordica. Notwithstanding the fact that Miss Ross has enough charm by herself to interest an audience, it were better to let people forget Melba and Nordica than to force them into comparison, in which Miss Ross was sure to suffer.
26Miss Ross has a delightfully clear, birdlike quality in the upper register, which, coupled with her really marvelous agility and flexibility, makes her very attractive to an audience which will be satisfied with the coloratura only. The timbre and coloring of the medium and lower register are not rich and full, and the test of all musical intelligence and ability is the recitative, which she, with hordes of others, interpreted merely as an introductory remark rather than a dramatic episode too forcible to be represented in flowing melody.
28Miss Ross was assisted by an orchestra and Hugo Mansfeldt, pianist. It would have been much more satisfactory to have seen Marquardt at the baton than in the position of concertmaster, for Louis Von der Mehden is not experienced enough to carry authority into his work, and through no other fault than that he has had no opportunity. Mansfeldt was pre-eminently the success of the afternoon. As a technician he is well nigh impeccable, and had he not been hampered with the insecurity of the orchestral accompaniment, of which each instrument seemed to be tuned in a different key, the Liszt concerto would have been more commanding. In his work and in his group of soli he showed the hand of the master as well as the greatest delicacy of technic. He should be heard oftener than he is.
30Miss Ross' numbers were: "Ah, Fors' e lui," "Traviata"; aria from Mozart's "Il Re Pastore," scena and legende from "Lakmé," and Mansfeldt's were: Liszt, concerto in E flat, with orchestra; Valse Caprice, Tausig; Notturno in F, Schumann, and Campanella, Liszt.
32There were flowers and encores galore.
34The last meeting of the Chaminade Club was held at the usual place of meeting last Thursday, and represented in a certain sense the last meeting of the Chaminade Club, as it very sensibly will change the name to the San Francisco Musical Club. The fallacy of naming a club for any individual, dead or alive, is very evident, for it should mean exclusive devotion to the works of that one person or the name carries no meaning. Hence the decision to change. The following work was done in a very interesting manner:
36Paper, "Schubert,"………………………………….Mrs. Maude A. Smith. one of two readings
37Piano, Impromptu in B flat………………………..Schubert one of two readings
38Vocal, Selected…………………………………….Schubert one of two readings
39Vocal, My Sweet Repose………………………….Schubert one of two readings
40Paper, "Schubert,"…………………………………….Mrs. Maude A. Smith. one of two readings
41Piano, Impromptu in B flat………………………….Schubert one of two readings
42Vocal, Selected………………………………………Schubert one of two readings
43Piano, Soirée de Vienne, No. 4…………………..Schubert-Liszt one of two readings
44Vocal, My Sweet Repose……………………………Schubert one of two readings
45Piano and violin, Sonate, op. 137, No. 1………….Schubert
46Piano, Marche Militaire………………………….Schubert-Tausig one of two readings
47Piano, Marche Militaire……………………………Schubert-Tausig one of two readings
48Ladies' Quartet, Serenade………………………..Schubert one of two readings
49Ladies' Quartet, Serenade………………………….Schubert one of two readings
50Miss Amy C. Hickox, Miss Mai Mead Galloway, Mrs. Frank Wasley, Miss Georgie W. Cope.
52The next meeting will be an open session, when a program of women's work will be presented.
54On Thursday night Hother Wisner gave his concert, which had been anticipated for some time. In addition to his own highly satisfactory work, he seemed to realize the importance of surrounding himself with the proper assistance, which contributed no small amount of pleasure to his audience.
56In his violin numbers Wisner showed distinctly the careful study which he has undergone, and technically he was able to cope with every difficulty that presented itself. The two numbers of greatest importance were Joachim's Hungarian Concerto and Schumann's A minor Sonata, in which he was admirably supported by Fleishman, whose manly, artistic playing and interpretation made Wisner's success unalloyed. Fleishman was not less successful in the solo which he gave. He is a powerful pianist and uses the keyboard to express intelligence and feeling.
58Mrs. Alfred Abbey, whose singing always is most pleasing to me, was exceptionally enjoyable upon this occasion. The timbre of her voice is so rich and warm throughout, and the vibrant quality makes it so vital, that her hearers may rejoice in the cultivation that she has had and the use that she makes of her gifts. Her enunciation, too, is admirable. In mentioning her course of study I omitted to say that she studied for over a year with Crepaux, to whom she is indebted for very much of the resonance of her voice, as well as the finish of her style.
60Mrs. Wisner sang a number of Schubert and one of Oscar Weil's and gave evidence of an intensely musical nature, capable of presenting these German gems delightfully.
62On Monday an hour of song was spent with Edward Xavier Rölker and two of his pupils, Mrs. Pierre Douillet and Miss Harriette Simons.
64Rölker's own numbers were doubly interesting, in so far as they contained two dainty and beautiful songs by a couple of San Francisco's composers, who are to be congratulated upon the feeling and interesting presentation given them by Rölker, whose singing was enjoyable and intelligent throughout. Rölker has given to his pupils much of what characterizes his own work, i.e., pure enunciation and a good mezzo voce, although the berceuse of Godard, which he gave as an encore, could have stood even a lighter voice. Mrs. Douillet shows what is being attempted with her voice, and many times succeeds in overcoming a strident, harsh quality.
66What will take more hard work will be to correct the defective ear, as shown by the persistence to flat, but she has in her favor power and resonance.
68Miss Simons has a charming voice and a musical nature, which makes her interesting and enjoyable, notwithstanding the fact that her voice is a small one, which, under Rölker's training, shows the tendency to grow.
70"The Norse Maid's Lament" and Bizet's "Pastorale" were daintily given, but the aria of "Lucia" was too ambitious for the present, and although musically Miss Simons is advanced to that point, vocally she is not.
72This was the program given:
73Recit. and Aria, Stradella………………………..Flowtow
74Oriental Song…………………………………….P. Douillet (San Francisco)
75Ever with Thee………………………………….J. Raff one of two readings
76Ever with Thee…………………………………..J. Raff one of two readings
77Der Zeisig………………………………………..Wittich one of two readings
78Der Zeisig…………………………………………Wittich one of two readings
79An der Linden…………………………………….Jensen
80Frühlingsnacht……………………………………Heschker
81Norse Maid's Lament…………………………….Biszet one of two readings
82Pastorale…………………………………………..Biszet one of two readings
83Harriette M. Simons. one of two readings
84La Zingara………………………………………..Donizetti one of two readings
85Night Song………………………………………..J. Parrot one of two readings
86Norse Maid's Lament……………………………..Bizet one of two readings
87Pastorale…………………………………………..Harriette M. Simons. one of two readings
88La Zingara…………………………………………Donizetti one of two readings
89Night Song…………………………………………J. Parrot one of two readings
90Slumber Song…………………………………….MacDowell
91In the Lovely Month of May…………………….Boissiere
92Mrs. Pierre Douillet.
93Schwebe Mond (dedicated to E. X. Rölker)……..Fr. Zech, Jr. (San Francisco)
94Somewhere (dedicated to E. X. Rölker)..Ph. Scharwenka
95Romanze, Postillon de Lonjumeau…………………Adams
96Edward Xavier Rölker.
97Recit. and Aria, Lucia………………………….Donizetti one of two readings
98Recit. and Aria, Lucia……………………………Donizetti one of two readings
99Harriette M. Simons.
101On Saturday afternoon a large crowd of people filled the beautiful parlors of the Hamlin School, and listened to a fine program furnished by the following talent: Mrs. Al-
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