Scan 34
Musical Courier 1900-11-28: Vol 41 Iss 1079, 1900
70 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 35. See the scan on archive.org.
1MUSIC GOSSIP
2OF GOTHAM.
4NEW YORK, November 26, 1900.
6DETHIER, of St. Francis Xavier's R. C. Church gave last week two recitals of church music, the chief one on St. Cecilia's Day—appropriate, indeed!—the other, two days preceding, with the scheme of the music so laid out, to quote from the program:
8One of the objects of this recital is to illustrate modern organ music, especially such as is based on liturgical or sacred themes. It is natural that the organist should often seek inspiration for his voluntaries in the themes of the liturgy; nothing is more calculated to give unity to the service, nor can anything else lend a more ready support or give more prominence to the liturgy, which must be the chief purpose of all instrumental music in the church. It is not expected, however, that this method should be adopted exclusively. It will contribute to greater variety and originality if the organist at times allows his fancy a wider scope, not only in the treatment, but also in the choice of his themes. The program contains interesting examples of both manners. All the vocal pieces at this recital, with the exception of the last number, are in the modern style. This is in answer to a request made to us by many who have heard us illustrate the diatonic à capella style of the sixteenth century on former occasions. In the last Regulations on Church Music, issued by the Holy Father in 1894, it is said that the chromatic style of modern masters is also truly worthy of the house of God.
10The entire affair was on the broadest lines, and the performance on the part of Organist Dethier simply stupendous. I doubt if there is an organist in New York capable of what he does. The Solemn Benediction was something for eye and ear, for the non-Catholic indeed a spectacle, with the 100 candles on the altar, the procession of acolytes and priests, the brilliant blaze of electric lights, as one group after another was turned on, the deep-toned organ, so worthily handled during this—indeed, I felt as if I had been in another world on emerging.
12The organ numbers were all of great difficulty to anyone but to Dethier, who played with everything, and the choir, with the added four voices of St. Ignatius Loyola's, quite covered themselves with glory, singing with breadth and effectiveness.
14Congratulations to Organist Gaston M. Dethier, and thanks to Father John B. Young, S. J., for the lucid and interesting program annotation.
16The last Clef Club dinner and meeting, held at the Lorraine, Fifth avenue and Forty-fifth street, proved one of the best ever held—perhaps the best, Secretary Tubbs says, and he ought to know.
18At this meeting some new members were elected, as follows: Reginald Barrett, Wm. C. Lee, F. W. Riesberg, Elmer L. Stivers and B. C. Unsdel. Rev. Dr. Charles Cuthbert Hall, of Union Seminary was the special guest of the evening, speaking on "Some Old-Fashioned Doubts About New-Fashioned Choirs." The point the reverend gentleman made in the course of his talk, though interspersed with many a mot and witty story, was that choir music should have the trinity of reality, simplicity, sacredness, else it is not worshipful. He told many a story of vulgarity in the choir loft, both in the singing and at the organ, of blasphemous singers whom he had unwillingly overheard, of eighteen-minute Te Deums, followed by twelve-minute Offertories, of organists who always played as if they wanted to say, "Well, here I am; watch me," and also of careless preachers. In the course of the talk he alluded with much appreciation to R. Huntington Woodman, who was in charge of the music at his church, and later someone said that if all organists had such a minister as Dr. Hall vitally interested in the music, then there would be more Woodmans. There is a probability of the talk being published, in which event THE MUSICAL COURIER may be depended on to make it further known in musical circles. To give a hint even of its practical, many-sided application is impossible in brief space—enough that all organists and singers present found food for thought; that the talk itself was in simple, unaffected, straightforward fashion, and should be preserved in print.
20He was followed by President Carl G. Schmidt, who has just been appointed organist of St. Paul's M. E. Church, on West End avenue; H. W. Greene, Dr. H. R. Palmer, F. H. Tubbs, Clement R. Gale, Mr. Harris, John Tagg, L. A. Russell, and from all one heard experiences interesting in the extreme. Especially was Tagg's talk witty, and later he made a motion to make Dr. Hall an honorary member of the club. This was amended by Mr. Russell, in compliance with constitutional requirement, and Dr. Hall will, at the next meeting, be elected—the first time in the history of the organization. Five minutes after the members were departing an out of town guest of the evening came rushing back to his companions, reporting he had been suddenly "surrounded" by two females, who got into his vest pocket and abstracted his money—and that right on the street, at 11 p. m., near Fifth avenue!
22J. Warren Andrews gave his second organ recital last Wednesday at the Church of the Divine Paternity, Seventy-sixth street and Central Park West, at 4, with this program:
23Organ, Concerto in D minor, No. 1 (Boosey Ed.)………….Händel
24Assyrian March……………………………………………..Botting
25Mr. Andrews.
26Organ, Toccata in F, Book 3, No. 2…………………….J. S. Bach
27Miss Coolidge.
28Tenor solo, Recitative, And God Created Man, and air, In Native Worth (Creation)……………………………Haydn
29Mr. Finel.
30Organ, Pastoral-Sonate, op. 88……………………………Rheinberger
31Pastoral. Intermezzo. Fugue.
32Miss Coolidge.
33Tenor solo, Where'er You Walk……………………………Händel
34Mr. Finel.
35Organ—
36Scherzo in C minor (new)…………………………………Quef
37Theme Varie, Nous Consacrons Tout à Marie (new)…….Marty
38Toccata in G……………………………………………….Dubois
39Mr. Andrews.
41Miss Coolidge, who played two important organ numbers, is a pupil of Mr. Andrews, and Mr. Finel is a tenor from the West, who is said to sing very well. I had other duties and could not attend. The next recital occurs today, Wednesday, same time and place, with the new basso of the R. C. Cathedral, Percy Hemus, soloist; Alfred Willard, organ pupil, also playing.
43The second Powers-Alexander evening musicale will be given in Carnegie Hall on Tuesday evening, December 4 next. These musicales are always delightful affairs and serve to introduce to a critical assemblage the advanced pupils of both Mrs. Alexander and Mr. Powers. Mrs. Alexander's brightest pupils will play at the coming function, and Mr. Powers tells me that Mrs. Clifford Elizabeth Williams, Miss Genevieve Brady, Miss Mary Welling, Miss Daisy Palmiter (soprano), Miss Martha Stark (contralto), Geo. Seymour Lenox, Alexander Howell (tenors) and W. N. Searles, Jr. (basso), are to sing. So I am looking forward to the event with impatience, knowing that such a program insures a musical treat.
45Madame Totten's concert of a fortnight ago, at Tottenville, S. I., was a successful affair, she wrote me, and this is further confirmed by the following press excerpt:
46There was a large audience at the Knights of Pythias Hall, Tottenville, on Thursday evening to greet Mme. Abbie Totten, the popular soprano soloist of Manhattan. Madame Totten, by the way, was a former resident of Tottenville, and the people of that place should be pleased to see that one of their number has made such a complete success in the musical field.
48Madame Totten was in excellent voice, and her selections were charmingly rendered, while the soloist's pleasing appearance gave an added charm to her songs.
49The concert was a musical treat, and people from Westfield, the North Shore and Perth Amboy were present.
51William Edward Mulligan's third organ recital at the Fifth Avenue Collegiate Church, Forty-eighth street, found gathered a still larger assemblage of interested listeners, the fame of the organ and the player being the magnet. It is a beautiful new instrument, with all manner of modern improvements—indeed, the mechanism alone is enough to appal the ordinary organist.
52This, however, is exactly what Mulligan is not. His control of the technic of the instrument is masterly. If any one thing is lacking it is detail finish.
53His principal numbers were the Dubois "Messe de Mariage," Salomé Offertory, op. 8, and the big Bach Toccata in D, and his playing of all these was worth going miles to hear. Miss Miller and Max Karger assisted.
54The fourth and last organ recital occurs Friday, December 7, 4:30 p. m.
56S. Froehlich's violin pupils are known as a credit to themselves and their teacher. Notably is this the case with Miss Henry, who has studied faithfully for some years, and has been mentioned in these columns as a girl of grit and talent. She played at a concert at Commonwealth Hall, East Orange, November 16, these violin solos: "Rhapsodie Hongroise," Hauser; "Reverie," Vieuxtemps, well known as being difficult things, and one who was there says she did them extremely well.
58Professor Mayerhofer's Yonkers lecture-recitals at his studio are attracting attention, the appended giving an idea of their plan:
59"The first of a series of lecture-recitals was given on Saturday evening at Edward Mayerhofer's piano studios, 15 North Broadway. There was a goodly number of student listeners, and the lecture was pleasing and instructive.
60"Assisted by Miss Florence Huntington, piano; Paul Hamburger, violin, and Miss Ada Cutting, analytical reading, Mr. Mayerhofer gave an interesting description for the purpose of giving a basis for students playing these masterpieces with greater and more intelligent expression."
62William R. Squire, the tenor, who made such a hit at the Troy Vocal Society concert recently, and is the solo tenor at the Church of the Divine Paternity, will on the coming Sabbath evening sing by special request a Swiss solo, in the native German, the music and talk of the evening relating to Switzerland.
64Miss Lily Ott, the soprano, is out with a handsome circular (how could it be otherwise with her picture on the front page?) announcing her readiness to enter the musical arena, and adding some very complimentary press notices. Among them is this:
65Miss Lily Ott is a handsome soprano, who sings German as well as English. She sang "Still Wie Die Nacht," by Carl Bohm, and was prevailed upon to sing an encore after her second number.—Lancaster Press, September 1, 1900.
67Miss Bisbee sends invitations to her monthly musical evenings, in which advanced pupils will participate, to occur on Friday evenings, December 7, January 4, February 1 and March 7, at her Carnegie Hall studio.
69Miss Elsie A. C. Vandervoort, alto, has resumed singing at Rutgers Presbyterian Church and the synagogue. She is a young artist of promise. F. W. RIESBERG.
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