Scan 42
Musical Courier 1898-10-17: Vol 37 Iss 971, 1898
71 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 43. See the scan on archive.org.
1tent energy, he has won the right to stand beside men who have come to the front in the church, the press or the political arena. Though ready to resent a wrong, he is still more glad to acknowledge a kindness. That he has achieved much in the past no one will deny; that he is working hard at present is evident; that in the future he will accomplish far more is certain, for before the Canadian musician there lies a great and glorious destiny."
3Among her notes Miss Hamilton has this: "Another Canadian who should claim the attention of artistic circles is W. J. Thorold (a stalwart supporter of Miss Julia Arthur's company), for, after graduating at McMaster University, he became associated with the dramatic department at the Toronto Conservatory of Music. Then he went to England and France for Massey's Magazine, and wrote a series of interviews with Hall Caine, Gilbert Parker, George du Maurier, Anthony Hope and other novelists. Having acted in 'The Sign of the Cross' and 'Seats of the Mighty,' and also been associated with James O'Neil, his dramatic career has been somewhat varied."—The Globe, Toronto, Thursday, October 13, 1898.
5Mrs. Hallam McLewee.
7For eleven years this contralto with the wonderful range has been a member of Dudley Buck's Holy Trinity Episcopal choir in Brooklyn, certainly a record of which she may be proud. There is some prospect of her being again heard in public this season. As a short-skirted young girl she made a lasting impression at the Saratoga meeting of the New York State Music Teachers Association ten years ago, and as a member of the Ideal Concert Company for two years she added to her reputation.
9Miss Shannah Cummings.
11This favorite concert and oratorio soprano expects to be heard frequently this season. Her work has received the unstinted praise of the music critics, and her services are in constant demand. Last August she sang in Portland, Ore., and was brilliantly successful. This is the way the Portland Oregonian spoke of her:
13Shannah Cummings' first number, an aria from "Faust," by Spohr, showed her to possess a pure soprano of remarkable compass, exquisite sweetness, great flexibility and wonderful sympathetic quality. Combined with this was a simple and winning personality that at once won the hearts of her audience, who demonstrated their appreciative admiration by a most enthusiastic recall. * * *
15This was followed by Shannah Cummings' final numbers, a group of three very beautiful songs by MacDowell, Nevin and Klein, all of which were rendered with so much grace and tender feeling as to show unmistakably the true artist, who loses herself in her work. This utter absence of self-consciousness, this note of sincerity and simple earnestness make Shannah Cummings' greatest charm.
17Louis Koemmenich.
19It is hardly necessary to add "of Brooklyn" to the above caption, so well-known is the young conductor, composer and teacher. His chief society, the Sängerbund, will give "Der Feuerreiter," for mixed chorus and orchestra, by the Vienna composer, Aug. Wolff, at the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, on December 12; also the male chorus, "The Emigrants," by Gevaert. "Urlicht," which is the fourth movement from Mahler's Second Symphony, for alto solo and orchestra, will be sung by Mrs. Jacoby—altogether an evening of novelties, as may be seen. Last week the operetta "First Love," by Holländer, was given at the Sängerbund's own hall, and on November 5, the Grütli Verein, another of Koemmenich's societies, will present the operetta "A Trip to Switzerland," by Tschirch. What with these societies, and his many New York and Brooklyn pupils, Mr. Koemmenich has in his short residence in America accomplished wonders. An energetic and ambitious young man, a constant seeker for novelties, and for fresh American-born talent, he certainly has a future as well as happy present.
21Mme. SCHOEN-RENÉ,
22Viardot-Garcia Method,
23Musical Director of the UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION,
24Minneapolis, Minn.
26Certificate of recommendation from Mme. Viardot, dated Paris, July 19, 1898, subject to inspection.
28Becker's "Ratbold."
30The one act opera, "Ratbold," by R. Becker, first produced in Dresden, last March, met with success at Cologne.
32Theatrical Thunder.
34A new thunder machine was invented by Meyerbeer. One day in passing a house in process of demolition he was struck by the sound produced by the stones falling down a wooden chute. He got a similar chute built in the theatre and obtained some cannon balls from the Minister of War. The new machine was complete, and exists today in the Grand Opera of Paris.
36Rubinstein.
38A committee in Moscow is intending to erect a school on the Wychwotinzy property of the late Anton Rubinstein in memory of the deceased composer. It is to be called the Rubinstein Memorial School, and is to be open to natives and strangers. Great attention will be paid to choral singing and music in general. The committee have 11,000 rubles in hand, and hope to lay the first stone on November 20, the anniversary of Rubinstein's death in 1894.
40Brescia Exhibition.
42At the late festival at Brescia there was a special exhibition of musical instruments. Among them were a viola, a violin and a viola di gamba of Gospardo de Salo, two contrabassos of Maggini, a viola d'amore, dated 1500, a violin and a violoncello of Nicolas Amati, a violin of Ceruti, a violoncello of the eighteenth century, an ancient mandolin, a violin of Storiani, violin and 'cello of Rugger, &c. The autographs were numerous, and comprised specimens by the violinists Paganini, Ch. de Beriot, Sivori, Bazzini, Rolla, Bonesi, Vieuxtemps; singers, Negrini, Grivelli, Donzelli, Duprez, Frezzolini, Fraschini, Rubini, la Pasta, la Malibran, Tamberlick, Lablache, Tiberini, Gazzaniga-Malaspina; composers, Bach, Haydn, Paisiello, Beethoven, Rossini, Weber, Aubert, Donizetti, Schumann, Meyerbeer, Mercadante, Raff, Verdi, Gounod, Bizet, Bishoff, Angeleri Gordigiani, &c.
44Mozart's Violins.
46Mozart, when a child, was presented with a little violin on which he began his music without any guide but himself. This violin, which he called his butter-fiddle, came into the possession of Ludwig Paar, Ambassador at Rome, in 1876, and his son sent it in 1896 to the Mozart Museum, at Salzburg. He possessed another violin, an instrument by Jacob Stainer. Both violins, after Mozart's death, passed into the hands of his sister, and were sold to Leopold Tressler, who resold them to Adalbert Lenk. In 1841, when Lenk became professor at the Mozarteum he collected evidences as to their authenticity. After his death the Stainer concert violin passed into the possession of his son Franz, now capellmeister at Gries. This violin is described in the documents as follows: "The concert violin of Mozart is of grand form, very carefully made, very good wood and color, with a characteristic rather dark varnish, very well preserved, on the model of Nicolas Amati, whose pupil the maker was; beautiful, elegant, well constructed, free from defects. It bears inside the maker's name 'Jakobus Stainer, in Absom, prope Oenipontum anno 1659.'"
48The report that this instrument had been sold to a London amateur is false; it still remains in the possession of the Lenk family.
50Italian Novelties.
52Tessaro has rewritten his opera "Giovanni Huss." It was originally composed in 1885, but reconstructed in 1882, with the introduction of two principal motives, a Hussite drinking song and a Hussite hymn. The style is said to have a tendency to Meyerbeerism with the new forms of Wagnerism.
54A new opera, 'Il Galeotto,' text from 'La Morte Civile,' has been composed by Frontini, author of 'La Malia.' An Italian theatre will produce for the first time 'La Borgesina,' a lyric comedy in four acts, by Augusto Machado, the text based on 'Le Lion Amoureux' of Soulie. Sonzogno has acquired the opera "Stella," by De Nardis, and it will be produced in Milan and Paris during the winter.
56Foreign Opera Company Ends.
58"CARMEN," announced to be sung last night at the Casino by the Royal Italian Opera Company, was not presented, nor is it likely that the company will again be heard at the Casino or anywhere else. It was booked for a three weeks' engagement, but the business last week was very poor. When the audience arrived at the theatre last night it was told that no performance would be given and the deadheads were cast out into Broadway.
60Two accounts of the affair were given. They differed in detail, but seemed to show that another "angel" had given up his job. One of the members of the company said that salaries were two weeks in arrears. He said that the singers were perfectly willing to appear if they could receive some assurance that their salaries would be paid. T. Blair, of Cincinnati, was the financial backer of the organization. The singer said that the treasurer of the company had returned to-day from a visit to Mr. Blair with the information that he was "done," and had lost all the money he proposed to lose. On the strength of that information the company refused to appear.
62W. V. Thompson, who represents Mr. Blair with the company, said that all the singers in the organization were willing to appear with the exception of two, who were not in the cast last night. He says that all the singers would have appeared but for the machinations of these two, who persuaded them not to sing unless their salaries were immediately paid. He said that the performers would have received their salaries.
64This is supposed to wind up the career of the company in this country. It came from Milan to the City of Mexico a year and a half ago, and after playing a successful season there traveled through the United States last year, first as the Del Conte, later as the Bagetto, and became the Royal Italian Opera Company when it appeared last May at Wallack's Theatre. The tour through the country was as a whole prosperous, although business here was poor. It was said last night that the company would disband and the singers return to Italy.
66The management of the theatre was making efforts last night to secure an attraction with which to open the theatre next Monday. The house will be dark for the rest of this week.—Sun.
68Jessie Shay Plays.
70To-morrow (Thursday) evening Miss Shay is to play at the New York College of Music, appearing both as solo pianist and in the piano part of Grieg's Sonate for piano and violin, op. 8. Her friends and admirers are sure to turn out in force.
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