Scan 7
Musical Courier 1898-10-17: Vol 37 Iss 971, 1898
72 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 8. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1MUSIC IN CANADA
3THE MUSICAL COURIER, 86 GLEN ROAD, ROSEDALE, TORONTO, October 19, 1888.
5"In my opinion a musician's real work only begins when he has reached what is called perfection; that is, a point beyond which he has nothing apparently to learn."—MENDELSSOHN.
7WHAT of the Mendelssohn Choir? Where is it? When shall it again be heard?
9These questions may well be asked by people who, during the past few years, listened in Massey Hall, Toronto, to the concerts given by this excellent chorus under the able direction of A. S. Vogt, its conductor. If Mendelssohn were living he, too, might make anxious inquiries regarding the matter. For, when thousands of music lovers thronged to hear the choir, when in contrapuntal stateliness the psalms of Mendelssohn rang out in all their grandeur; when the singers responded to the baton of their magnetic leader as readily as a violin quivers under its master's bow, the "real work" of A. S. Vogt had, in truth, only begun. He had come remarkably near to that point which "is called perfection."
11There is a peculiar satisfaction in writing about the brilliant career of Mr. Vogt, for he is himself a critic, his nom de plume being "Moderato." From week to week the columns of Saturday Night, a paper which is an acquisition not only to this city, but to Canadians at large, contain generous accounts of the achievements of Mr. Vogt's fellow musicians.
13This gentleman gained his first organ appointment at the early age of twelve years. When sixteen he became organist of the First Methodist Church, of St. Thomas, Canada, a place which has reason to hold him in the highest esteem. The years 1881 and 1882 he spent in Boston, at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied the organ under Dunham, and the piano and theory with Buckingham and Stephen Emory respectively. From 1885 to 1888 he worked at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Leipzig, Germany. In Leipzig and in Boston, in fact wherever he has been, Mr. Vogt has met with eminent success. In 1888 Jarvis Street Baptist Church, Toronto, was so fortunate as to secure him as organist and choirmaster, and as a result the choir of this church is to-day noted especially for its singing of motets by Gounod, Mendelssohn, Sullivan and others. Among composers in the United States whose works form part of its repertory are Buck, Shelley, Horatio Parker, Woodman, Gerrit Smith and Hawley. And here it may safely be said that if any composer in the United States has a composition of merit which deserves to be known in Canada there is no better person to whom to submit it than Mr. Vogt. It will be remembered that during the World's Fair in Chicago this gentleman was heard as solo organist.
15While he is associated professionally with Moulton College, Mrs. Neville's School, St. Margaret's College and Havergal Hall, he has also been busily occupied at the Toronto Conservatory of Music with a large class of organ and a still more extensive class of piano pupils. Of the art of piano teaching he makes a specialty. Among his best pupils are Miss Jessie Perry, Miss Janes, W. H. Hewlett, Mr. Bertram, Mrs. Nasseau Eagen, Miss Florence Brown and a great many others, including Miss Burke, of Moulton College.
17Thus far these remarks have been confined to Mr. Vogt as a musician. As a man he is sincere, energetic and courteous, three qualifications which, combined with his musical ability, make him wonderfully popular in this community. In teaching music privately he is benefiting individuals. In conducting the Mendelssohn Choir he was doing a nobler work. It has been said, "Music is designed for the masses; it is one of the principal means outside of Christianity of refining the masses." For the sake of the public then, if for no other reason, the Mendelssohn Choir should without further loss of time be reorganized.
19The Toronto Conservatory of Music is now in the twelfth season of its work of artistic musical culture. Having been founded in 1886, it is the pioneer institution of its kind in the country, and has now become one of the largest and most completely equipped music school on this continent. The achievements of the Toronto Conservatory of Music in its steadily expanding educational systems and developments have been in the highest degree successful and creditable. The thorough and artistic character of its work is abundantly manifested by the large number of positions as teachers and performers now occupied by conservatory graduates and undergraduates, and particularly by the proportion of students who attend the institution to be trained for the profession of music teaching.
21The Conservatory is affiliated with both Trinity and Toronto universities and gives special attention to the preparation of students for university examinations leading to the degrees of Mus. Bach. and Mus. Doc.
23The faculty, which includes experienced specialists in the various departments, is one of undoubted strength and eminence. The educational standard is of a high order, as is evidenced by the fact that those passing successfully the critical examinations of the conservatory and receiving its theory diploma are exempted from taking the first two examinations at Trinity and Toronto universities for the Mus. Bac. degree. Public confidence in the institution has so extended that the attendance reached nearly one thousand last year. These pupils came from the following Provinces and States: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Manitoba, Alberta, Northwest Territories, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, District of Columbia and the Bahama Islands. The number who completed their course and graduated, the year ending June 29, 1888, was forty. Free and partial scholarships to the value of $1,600 were awarded and a large number of gold and silver medals were presented, one of the latter being given by His Excellency the Governor-General. It is gratifying to learn that, for the encouragement of studious pupils, similar medals and scholarships are being offered this season. One of the greatest acquisitions at this institution is a fine large pipe organ.
25As has already been stated in The Musical Courier, the Conservatory has made arrangements for conducting local examinations at various points throughout the Province of Ontario and in other parts of Canada, as necessity may arise, the standard of these examinations being similar to the standard of those held in Toronto.
27* * *
29So much for the conservatory. But what of the man who founded it, who saw, long ago, the possibility of it, and the need for it? Whenever a great work has to be accomplished, be that work what it may, there is usually one person who must bear the burden of it from the beginning.
31Edward Fisher, director of the Toronto Conservatory of Music, is not only a gifted musician; he possesses characteristics and qualifications which do not always fall to the lot of members of his profession. He has a rare capacity for educational development, a fact which the people of this country realize and acknowledge. Like A. S. Vogt, he has prepared a very large number of students to face the world on the strength of their musical attainments. For some years he conducted a flourishing choral society in this city, and he is well known as the organist and choirmaster of St. Andrew's Church. Of his many pupils accounts will appear in subsequent letters. An attempt is made here to speak of his work simply as a musical director of the Toronto Conservatory of Music, in which position he is developing, in the life of this community, such things as time will never eradicate.
33* * *
35It is to be hoped that the marriage of Stewart Houston to Miss Beverley Robinson, which took place in St. George's Church last Saturday afternoon will not deprive the Canadian concert stage of one of its leading and pleasantest personalities as well as of a voice remarkable for its quality and beauty. During her three seasons in Canada, which succeeded her professional career in London, Miss Beverley Robinson has well fulfilled all the bright prospects which her success abroad promised, and her friends at home prophesied for her. It is probable that "Madame Beverley Robinson," as, it is said, she will hereafter be known to the musical world, will be heard in New York and Boston this coming season, where her hearers will find that she possesses a voice of remarkably fine quality, and that the distinguishing features of her method are purity of finish and great refinement of style. The vocalist is a personal friend of the clever English song composer, Maude Valerie White. This lady wrote several of her songs for Miss Beverley Robinson, whom Miss White considered the best exponent of her work. Stewart Houston, who is a cultured and accomplished gentleman, has been prominent as the secretary of several well-known public enterprises, and he is able to appreciate to the fullest extent the artistic talents of Madame Beverley Robinson.
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39Among pianists who have studied under W. O. Forsyth, the Canadian composer and piano instructor referred to in last week's letter, the following should be mentioned: Miss Millie Eveson, Walter H. Coles (organist Church of the Redeemer), Mrs. Stanley Adams (Winnipeg), Misses Abbie M. Helmar, Rubina Preston (just returned from study abroad) and Gwendolyn Roberts; G. W. Coppin (a blind pianist), Cecil Carl Forsyth (a brother of the in-
41FEILDING ROSSELLE
42DRAMATIC CONTRALTO.
43Oratorio, Festivals, Concerts, Recitals.
44Address care Musical Courier, New York.
46PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL OF VOCAL SCIENCE.
47Singing in all its branches. Scientific tone production. Special Department for Teachers. Courses in Vocal Physiology and Anatomy. Classes and Private Lessons. Circulars.
48FRANK HOTCHKISS OSBORN, Principal, 1206 Walnut St.
50Pennsylvania Conservatory of Music,
511616 North 17th Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
52MUSIC IN ALL BRANCHES—
53Instrumental and Vocal, Technical and Theoretical.
54Catalogues mailed upon application.
55VIVIAN INGLE, Director.
57H. W. GREENE VOCAL STUDIOS,
58487 Fifth Avenue,
59NEW YORK.
61LOUIS V. SAAR
62"A most excellent teacher of Musical Theory."—T. Rheinberger.
63Classes for Harmony, Counterpoint, Orchestration resumed October 1.
64Applications to be sent to STEINWAY HALL.
66STELLA HADDEN-ALEXANDER,
67PIANIST.
68Piano Instruction.
69Studio: 7 West 65th Street, New York.
70WOLFSON MUSICAL BUREAU,
71131 EAST 17TH STREET, NEW YORK.
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