Scan 33
Musical Courier 1899-11-29: Vol 39 Iss 1028, 1899
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1The Hambourg Recitals.
3MARK HAMBOURG, the octave thunderbolt, gave two piano recitals at Mendelssohn Hall last week. The program Wednesday afternoon was this:
5Gavotte and Variations, A minor…………………….J. P. Rameau
6Faschingschwank………………………………….Schumann
7Allegro. Romance. Scherzino. Intermezzo. Finale.
8Nocturne, E major………………………………….Chopin
9Deux Etudes…………………………………………Chopin
10Polonaise, B flat…………………………………….Chopin
11Ballade………………………………………………..Grieg
12Humoresque…………………………………………..Tchaikowsky
13Ave Maria……………………………………………..Henselt
14Kiss Waltz…………………………………………….Strauss-Schütt
15Gavotte Moderne…………………………………….Hambourg
16Etude, C major………………………………………Rubinstein
18A healthy, unaffected touch, a mechanism fluent rather than supple, and a perfectly simple musical interpretation characterized the young man's playing on this occasion. The Rameau exhibited his clear, sparkling scales, and there was naught to condemn in the first movement of the Schumann Carneval Pranks. The Romance was hardly tender—it is a love sigh arrested midway in the bustle and color of this animated tone picture—but the Scherzino, the highly characteristic Intermezzo and rushing Finale were excellently interpreted. Hambourg's tone was not lacking in richness in the E major Nocturne, which was read in a frank, youthful fashion without a trace of arrière-pensée. The studies, naturally enough, were remarkable exhibitions of agility, especially the G flat, the ending of which was very brilliant. The Polonaise was probably heard for the first time in public here. Certainly this generation of concert goers have not seen it on a program before. Composed in 1828, it was published posthumously as op. 71. It is in the key of B flat, and musically is very shallow, although brilliant and dashing. The involuted passage work, serpentine progressions, belong to Chopin's first period, when doubtless he was affected by Weber. Weber's Polacca in E, his E flat minor Polonaise and his A flat Sonata appeared in 1810, 1819, 1816 and 1821. But after all Chopin is present, though it is the ornament loving and not the poetic composer.
20The G minor Ballade of Grieg, his best specimen of composing, was played with ease, though with a certain color monotony, partly the fault of the composer, who sticks too closely to his tonic key. Hambourg avoids middle nuances, and so at times his play is of a sameness. His own Gavotte is built on a good model, particularly in the musette. The staccato study of Rubinstein was tremendous. The composer himself never took it at such a tempo. Its clearness and sustained power recalled the palmy days of Eugen d'Albert. Hambourg had to give the Chopin Berceuse for encore.
22Thursday afternoon he presented the following scheme:
24Prelude and Fugue………………………………….Bach-d'Albert
25Sonata Appassionata……………………………….Beethoven
26Melodie………………………………………………..Gluck-Sgambati
27Capriccio…………………………………………….Scarlatti
28Tempo di Ballo………………………………………Scarlatti
29Paganini Variations…………………………………Brahms
30Six Etudes……………………………………………Chopin
31Nocturne, G major………………………………….Rubinstein
32A Midsummer Night's Dream………………………..Mendelssohn
34There was a larger attendance, proving that the remarkable performances of the youthful hero are attracting the attention of the piano loving public. Josef Hofmann last played the Bach-d'Albert D major Prelude and Fugue here. Hambourg gave it a broad, vigorous, sane interpretation. For the heights and depths of the F minor Sonata of Beethoven he is not yet ripe. There were good points in the first movement, the variations wer rather chilly, while the last movement was a tour de force. The brace of Scarlatti pieces were capitaly played; breezy, jolly, eighteenth century music it is. The Paganini variations were absolutely startling. Book two was given, and the sixth, eighth, tenth, eleventh, thirteenth and last variations were astounding exhibitions of slashing bravura. It was in the Rosenthalian vein of virtuosity, and one wonders where this youth will end. Some of the Chopin studies were open to criticism. The "Butterfly" in G flat was delivered with a singularly light wrist, but the speed of the D flat in sixths and the C minor op. 25 resulted unfavorable in clearness. Altogether it was a highly successful recital. Hambourg has "arrived" in New York.
36The Dannreuther Quartet.
38THE Dannreuther Quartet inaugurated its fourteenth season with the first of a series of subscription concerts given at Sherry's on Tuesday evening.
40This quartet, headed by Gustav Dannreuther, has been long and favorably recognized by lovers of chamber music and has earned the hearty support of the public in its continued efforts for the cultivation of a general taste for the refined forms of music.
42The subscription audience was of course both friendly and appreciative and paid close attention to the interesting program.
44Comparatively novel features were an Andantino in B flat, by a Russian composer named Kopyloro, and a piano Quartet in C minor, by Gabriel Fauré.
46The Andantino was a specimen of a kind of musical joke with which the Russian composers delight to regale themselves, and is an anagram written on the name Belaieff (B-la-f). The composition was artistically given, and proved to be as pleasant to the ear as it was ingenious in construction.
48The best work of the evening was undoubtedly displayed in the Fauré Quartet, which closed the program, in which Aimé Lachaume assisted at the piano with complete sympathy and skill. The opening and closing allegros were given with a vigor and dash, indicating that this work is not for a quartet of musicians who demand simple piano parts for their practice.
50Miss Belle Newport contributed two German songs, and was well received.
52Quartet, op. 59, No. 2, E minor……………………..Beethoven
53Der Wanderer………………………………………Schubert
54Frühlingsnacht………………………………………Schumann
55Andantino, op. 7, B flat major (on the name B la f)…..Kopyloro
56Meerfahrt…………………………………………….Hauptmann
57Nachtgesang………………………………………….Hauptmann
58Quartet, op. 15, C minor, piano, violin, viola and 'cello…..Fauré
59Aimé Lachaume, pianist.
60Miss Belle Newport, alto.
62The Evening Post of the 22d inst., in commenting upon the concert, says: "While the Kneisel Quartet is doubtless a joy forever, it is not true, as many amateurs seem to fancy, that Boston supplies all the good chamber music that New York gets."
64Woodruff Pupil.
66Luella Phillips is the name of a pupil of Miss Estelle Woodruff, whose specialty, sight reading, has made her name familiar. Miss Phillips is a professional elocutionist, and has given but little consideration to her voice, a natural contralto of much range and power. She sang "O, Rest in the Lord" recently, and made a distinctly favorable impression. Miss Woodruff's method in sight reading will soon be published, it being now in the printer's hands, and she reports to THE MUSICAL COURIER that there is already a large demand for it, with many cash orders in advance.
68Harry Paterson Hopkins.
70Mr. Hopkins, the composer (a Dvorák pupil) and organist, is officiating this week at the organ of Rutgers Presbyterian Church in the absence of the regular organist, F. W. Riesberg, in Buffalo, and the reputation which has preceded him is fully justified.
72His piano piece "Nymphalin," from his op. 8, "Lyric Sketches," is a most graceful and effective piece, published by Breitkopf & Härtel. "Elfentanz" is another excellent piano piece from the same.
74Emmanuel Wad.
76EMANUEL WAD, who is to be introduced to the New York public at the next Sunday evening concert in Carnegie Hall, is a Dane. His father, a distinguished minister of the gospel, twice decorated by the King of Denmark, was of an old Danish family, while his mother, a highly gifted woman, traced her ancestry back to the emigrated French nobility from the time of the Huguenots.
78Mr. Wad at an early age showed a strong musical mind. His father kept him strictly to his school studies.
80He performed when a child several times in public. After graduating from the Latin school he went to Copenhagen. At the Conservatory of Copenhagen he was taught by Gade, Hartmann and Winding.
82As an example of his quickness in learning, he once played a Bach Fugue for five parts without notes which he had memorized from the music without ever having played or even heard it. After his final examination at the conservatory he went to Vienna, where he studied with Leschetizky. While studying in Vienna he made his début with the Grün Insel Society.
84Having returned to Copenhagen he opened his studio for a large class of pupils, and besides took part in a large number of concerts and played before the King and the Queen of Denmark. At one performance the Prince of Denmark himself went to the piano and asked for an encore. A special honor was showed Mr. Wad when the great Johan Svendsen, the chapelmaster, had him to play the Paderewski Concerto in the Royal Theatre, the final piano performance since Von Bülow appeared.
86The great pianist, Madame Essipoff, whom he entertained while giving concerts in Copenhagen, was anxious for him to go to Russia, and was just arranging to introduce him when he was asked to go to Baltimore and take the place at the Peabody Conservatory.
88It is thought in wide circles that Mr. Wad's teaching has been very effective in spreading the love of good music and making the great mastery understood.
90His repertory includes innumerable pieces from Scarlatti and Bach up to modern music, all of which he plays from memory.
92In addition to his classes at the Peabody Institute he has a large private class.
94W. C. Carl in Philadelphia.
96Lovers of fine music were amply rewarded by attending the two organ recitals which were given last week at the Philadelphia Exposition by W. C. Carl, one of America's foremost organists.
98Commenting upon the concerts the Philadelphia Evening Telegraph of the 22d inst. says:
100"Many eminent concert organists have performed in the auditorium of the National Export Exposition since the opening of the exhibition. Few, however, scored a success to compare with the reception accorded William C. Carl when this afternoon that celebrated musician rendered a program exceptionally choice as regards selection and execution. Mr. Carl unquestionably stands in the front rank of American organists. His playing of Guilman's 'Caprice' in B flat proved a spirited conception, rivaled only by Mr. Carl's technic. He did equally well with the 'Etude Dans le Style Ancien,' by De Bricqueville, and this composition, for the pedals alone, aroused the critical interest of a number of well-known musicians present."
102The Bach Singers of New York.
104Theodor Bjorksten's new society has begun rehearsal, and, planning two concerts this season—the first with Mme. Schumann-Heink as soloist. There are some fine voices in this society, which is limited in numbers, every singer being a soloist. Something unique may be looked for.
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