Scan 29
Musical Courier 1900-11-28: Vol 41 Iss 1079, 1900
99 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 30. See the scan on archive.org.
1MUSIC IN BROOKLYN.
3CONDUCTORS who hope to find a review of the compositions marked "new" should limit the number of unfamiliar works to be presented at one concert. One brain can hardly be expected to listen, then digest, at one sitting five new compositions. The conductor can hardly expect the critic to share his enthusiasm, for the former has the latter at a disadvantage. The conductor has studied in the works and rehearsed them with his singers and orchestra and thus may have discovered merits which the critic at the first hearing is unable to appreciate. At the recent concert of the New York Arion, conductor Lorenz introduced no fewer than six new compositions, and Mr. Koemmenich, at a recent concert of the Brooklyn Saengerbund, put five new works upon his program. As a conductor Koemmenich makes a handsome and graceful figure, and at the concert which his Brooklyn society gave at the Academy of Music he displayed his wonted zeal in leading his singers and the orchestra. The unfamiliar choral works heard at the concert were: "Es ist ein Traumlicht über dir," by Rudolph Lassel; "Deutsche Sänger am Missouri," "Abschied," by Louis V. Saar, and "Gretula," by Robert Schwalm. The Saar and Schwalm compositions have appealing qualities such as are well suited to male choruses, and both at the concert were received with marked demonstrations. Saar was in the audience and as Koemmenich raised his baton to lead his singers in the Saar composition, the conductor and composer exchanged sympathetic glances.
5"Deutsche Sänger am Missouri" is an elaborate work. The composer, Ernst Heuser, dedicated the score to the Brooklyn Saengerbund and its conductor. The composition is written for maennerchor, with orchestral and organ accompaniment, and solos for tenor, baritone and bass. The work has a climax, and Koemmenich succeeded in giving this with telling effects. As themes of German folk-songs and at least one from the Austrian national anthem are embodied in the score, it is not difficult to understand why the composer chose in its title "Deutsche Sänger am Missouri."
7The orchestra, which Koemmenich found unwieldy at times, played one new work, by Carl Kleemann, "Lustspiel" overture. Such compositions are well enough, but they will not arouse undue excitement in the musical world. The orchestra also played the "Oberon" overture, but hardly in the style that the music demands.
9The best features of the concert were the singing of the Kaiser's prize song, "Das Deutsche Lied," the performance of the "Hungarian Fantasie," by Leopold Winkler, and the singing by Mme. Christine Schultze-Wichmann.
11The last time Leopold Winkler played the popular Liszt composition on Long Island territory was under the baton of Anton Seidl. Since then the artist has matured into a virtuoso worthy to be ranked with some of the great pianists of the times. His Liszt playing is free from tricks and claptrap. He never pounds the piano, but plays with sincerity and with a flawless technic. The audience received him with enthusiasm, and after repeated recalls compelled him to give an encore, and for this he played the Chopin Etude, op. 25, revealing all the poetry and peculiar touches required of Chopin interpreters.
13Mme. Schultze-Wichmann sang with the orchestra "Dich Theure Halle," from "Tannhäuser," and, while the singer made a favorable impression, the rarely sympathetic quality of her voice is better suited to Lieder. The soprano sang again with the Ladies' Chorus of the Saengerbund, Max Bruch's "Flight Into Egypt." In this number the soprano solos were heard to excellent advantage.
15Max Bruch's cantata, "Fair Ellen," was performed as the closing number of the concert, the Saengerbund being assisted by the Ladies' Chorus, Mme. Schultze-Wichmann and Hermann Springer sustaining the soprano and baritone solos.
17The incidental solos at the presentation of the "German Singers at the Missouri" were sung by William Bartels, C. Boden and Theodore Wendling, all members of the Saengerbund. Hermann Springer, who sang the baritone solo at the presentation of "Fair Ellen," was also heard during the evening in aria from "The North Star." This singer's voice is agreeable, but his style painfully amateurish. The program for the concert was by far too long—a common fault of concerts in Brooklyn.
19Subjoined are the opinions of the critics of Winkler's performance at the concert:
21Herr Leopold Winkler's playing of a Hungarian Fantasie by Liszt, assisted by the full orchestra, probably aroused the greatest enthusiasm of the evening. The artist was fortunate in his instrument, which was one of such remarkable sweetness and power as to arouse comment among the auditors. Herr Winkler's work was brilliant in character and met with such a storm of applause that he was compelled, after three appearances, to submit to an encore.—Brooklyn Eagle, November 20, 1900.
23Leopold Winkler scored one of the biggest personal successes of the evening. His piano solo, Liszt's Hungarian Fantasie, was received with salvos of applause, and though he came out and bowed several times his audience was not satisfied until he had given an encore.—Brooklyn Times.
25Now, there remains one number to review, the brilliant number of the evening, the solo by the artist Leopold Winkler. He played Liszt's Hungarian Fantasie. As his fingers glided over the keyboard it appeared as if he fairly coaxed the magnetic tones out of the instrument. His brilliant performance was received with endless acclaim, and he added a Chopin etude to advantage.—Staats Zeitung.
27Pianist Leopold Winkler played the Liszt Hungarian Fantasie with brilliant technic and delightful tone production.—New York Morgen Journal.
29Those popular and gifted singers, Evan Williams and Gwilym Miles, gave a recital at Association Hall last Wednesday evening under the auspices of the Brooklyn Institute. Avice Boxall, harpist, assisted the singers in presenting a charming program, which was in part a repetition of the recital which Messrs. Williams and Miles gave a fortnight ago at Mendelssohn Hall, Manhattan, and reviewed last week in THE MUSICAL COURIER. The tenor and baritone opened their concert in Brooklyn with a duet by Hildach, "The Passage Bird's Farewell." As solos Miles sang "Where the Tisza's Torrents" (a Hungarian folk song), by Korbay; "Lovely Cradle of My Dreaming," Schumann; "Archibald Douglas," by Loewe, and a Welsh song. Williams' solos included the cycle of six songs by Beethoven—"To the Distant Beloved," the aria from Weber's "Oberon," From Boyhood Trained on Battlefields," and a number of Welsh songs. Besides accompanying Messrs. Williams and Miles upon the harp in the Welsh songs, Miss Boxall played as harp solos, "Reverie," by John Thomas, and the familiar Welsh airs, "The Bells of Aberdovey" and "Men of Harloch." To close the concert Messrs. Williams and Miles sang "The Crucifix," by Faure, and in this number again revealed a perfect blending of two noble voices. The Institute audience was most cordial to both singers, for both are favorites with Brooklynites, their frequent appearance there increasing their popularity. The piano accompaniments for the singers were played by Luckstone.
31The reviewer of "Music in Brooklyn" received the following letter last week:
33My Dear:—I note in THE MUSICAL COURIER received yesterday a statement made that Leo Lieberman sang "Adelaide" in the Chamber Music Concert in English by request of those in charge of the concert. Mr. Lieberman expressed a preference for singing the words in English, and he was permitted to do so. The experiment was not a success. Very respectfully yours,
35Brooklyn, November 23, 1900. FRANKLIN W. HOOPER.
37Professor Hooper is the director of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences. He is an able man and earnest worker, but, unfortunately, is unable to cope with the mismanagement and bungling of the music department. The reviewer was informed that Mr. Lieberman was requested to sing "Adelaide" in English, because the members, or very few of them, understand German, and, besides, as the informant declared, "We get too much German, too much French and too much Hungarian, and not enough English." However it may be, Mr. Lieberman should not have been permitted to sing a pronouncedly German work in English. This is the criticism the reviewer made in last week's paper:
39Mr. Lieberman is a young singer of decided promise, but Beethoven's "Adelaide" is beyond him now. That he was forced to sing an amusing English translation of the text was unfortunate for him. As both the composer and the poet of the cantata "Adelaide" were Germans, those responsible might have waived the desire for an English presentation.
41Had a competent committee heard Lieberman at the rehearsal, he would not have sung the work at all, much less an awful English translation of it. There are Beethoven songs within the present artistic equipment of the young tenor, and some of these can be sung in English too. Like an old Chinese puzzle, the music department of the Institute is not so hard to fathom as it on the surface may appear to be. What some of the members of the various committees do not know about music would fill a huge volume.
43A musical audience assembled last Wednesday evening at Wissner Hall for the joint recital given by the pupils of Alexander Rihm and Henry Schradieck. The following program was presented:
45Sonata, No. 11, for piano and violin, D minor, op. 21………..Gade
46The Misses Sibyl Heerdt and Meta Eilers.
47Piano solo, first movement from G major Concerto, op. 98…Beethoven
48Allegro moderato.
49Miss Augusta Horle.
50Violin solo, Seventh Concert, G major, op. 76………….De Beriot
51Miss Edith Roberts.
52Piano solo, first movement from C minor Concerto, op. 185…..Raff
53Allegro.
54Miss Louise Manning.
55Overture, Mignon………………………………………A. Thomas
56Arranged for two pianos, four performers, by Maria Isambert.
57The Misses S. Heerdt, A. Horle, L. Manning and M. Gissel.
59At the second faculty concert at the Klingenberg College of Music and School of Elocution Mr. and Mrs. Klingenberg and other teachers in the school appeared in the following program:
60Piano, violin and 'cello………………………………….Jadassohn
61Allegro from Trio in E minor.
62Vocal, Aria with 'cello obligato…………………………..Bach one of two readings
63Vocal, Aria with 'cello obligato………………………..Bach one of two readings
64Violin, Airs Russes………………………………………Wieniawski
65Piano—
66Norwegian Bridal Procession…………………………..Grieg
67Album Leaf……………………………………………..Fiqué
68Dance Caprice……………………………………………Fiqué
69Vocal—
70Humor…………………………………………………….Wallnoefer
71No Thoughts Perplexing……………………………….Wallnoefer
73Telephone Call: 659 MADISON SQUARE.
75LOUDON G. CHARLTON, Mgr., CONCERT-DIRECTION GOTTSCHALK,
77PRESENTS FOR SEASON 1900-1901:
79GODOWSKY, . . . Pianist
80VOIGT, . . . Soprano
81OVERSTREET, . . . Basso
82PRESTON, . . . Contralto
83VAN DEN HENDE, . 'Celliste
85HAROLD BAUER, . Pianist
86WM. H. RIEGER, . Tenor
87LOTTA MILLS, . . Pianiste
88MADELINE SCHILLER, Pianiste
89RICHARD ARNOLD STRING SEXTETTE.
91MACONDA, . . . Soprano
92SIEMENS, . . . Pianiste
93LACHAUME, . . Composer
94JESSIE SHAY, . . Pianiste
96Through relations established with all other agents, this office can furnish any high class Artists whether under direction or not. Tour of all the above Artists now rapidly booking.
98ADDRESS: Revillon Building, 13 and 15 West 28th Street, between Broadway and Fifth Ave., NEW YORK.
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