Scan 6
Musical Courier 1900-11-28: Vol 41 Iss 1079, 1900
125 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 7. See the scan on archive.org.
1Charles W. Clark.
2Song Recital.
4WITHOUT perseverance no student can hope to reach the top in any profession, but the perseverance of twenty earnest individuals rolled into one will not create a singer, unless the aspirant has a voice. It is all very well for certain teachers to boast of what they have done in the way of making singers of pupils who had very little, if any, voice at the beginning.
6That somewhat undefinable, undescribable part of the human voice, the quality, is a gift direct from the gods, and the one who has it not can never hope to become a great singer. But for the singer who is naturally endowed with a beautiful sympathetic organ, the road reaching to success is made easy, for all hearts are touched by singing from such a voice.
8Charles W. Clark, the baritone singer from Chicago, who gave a recital at Mendelssohn Hall last Thursday afternoon, proved a happy illustration of the truth of the foregoing remarks.
10Clark possesses one of those naturally beautiful voices, vibrant, sympathetic, and of wide range. While instruction undoubtedly was necessary to make an artist out of him, he never would succeed in moving an audience as he did last Thursday without that God-like gift—a vocal organ of almost flawless quality. After hearing Mr. Clark sing a program of twenty songs, covering a considerable range of composers, the writer could only detect one fault in Mr. Clark's vocal method, and that was a slight tendency to force his upper notes. But his beautiful legato singing in the medium and lower registers more than atoned for the occasional forcing of the upper notes. Throughout the recital Mr. Clark sang with rare taste and musical feeling, and particularly delightful was his clear enunciation of the German text in the Schubert and Schumann songs. He sang the favorites in the "Dichterliebe" series of Schumann with the true poetic insight that is demanded in Germany. Although a previous number of THE MUSICAL COURIER contained the program of the Clark recital, it is well worth while to reproduce it here:
12Liebesbotschaft …………………………………………………….Schubert
13Aufenthalt ………………………………………………………..Schubert
14Ihr Bild ………………………………………………………..Schubert
15Das Fisermädchen ……………………………………………..Schubert
16Am Meer ………………………………………………………..Schubert
17Die Rose, Die Lilie …………………………………………….Schubert
18Wenn ich in Deine Augen seh ……………………………….Schubert
19Ich Grolle Nicht …………………………………………………Schubert
20Ein Jüngling Liebt ein Mädchen ……………………………..Schubert
21Aus Meinen Tränen Spriessen ……………………………….Schubert
22Am Leuchtenden Sommermorgen ……………………………Schubert
23Die Alten Bösen Lieder ………………………………………Schubert
24Vision Fugitive …………………………………………………Massenet
25Wooing ………………………………………………………..Hermann
26Gipsy Serenade ……………………………………………….Hermann
27In the Balmy Night …………………………………………..Tchaikowsky
28If You Become a Nun, Dear …………………………………Lucas
29When We Two Parted ……………………………………….Lucas
30The Three Comrades ……………………………………….Hans Hermann
31Oh, Mistress Mine …………………………………………..De Koven
32Love Is a Bubble …………………………………………….Allitsen
33Danny Deever …………………………………………………Damrosch
35To "Aufenthalt," that beautiful song of Schubert's, Clark imparted the grace and depth of a great artist.
37Next to the Lieder of Schubert and Schumann, Clark made an impression with Massenet's "Vision Fugitive." This was sung in the broad, dramatic style. The Tchaikowsky song was feltingly delivered, and in the songs of less gifted composers the singer succeeded admirably in revealing their best points. These very modern composers should feel very grateful to an artist like Clark who has the courage to put their songs on a program with Schumann and Schubert. Altogether, the afternoon was one of rare pleasure to music lovers, and there were many of these present.
39Following are some criticisms from the New York daily papers on the recital:
41Charles W. Clark, a Chicago baritone, gave a song recital yesterday afternoon at Mendelssohn Hall. * * * Let us hasten to say, then, that the gentleman from Chicago, who is not a stranger within our gates, is welcome. He has sung to us before, and no doubt he will do so again.
43He was first heard here in a performance of "The Messiah" by the People's Choral Union, at the Metropolitan Opera House, on January 15, 1898, when he was praised in this paper for his fine, manly voice, his good phrasing, and his clear enunciation. Yesterday he gave us our first opportunity to hear him in a recital of songs, and the impression left on the minds of his hearers must have been a pleasant one. He was heard in songs by Schumann (selected from the "Dichterliebe"), Massenet, Reinhold, Hermann, Lucas, De Koven, Damrosch, Tchaikowsky and others. Again his excellent voice won attention, and he commanded praise for his careful enunciation of the text, his generally judicious phrasing and his earnestness. He made a particularly good impression with his singing of "Ich grolle nicht," while in Massenet's "Vision Fugitive" he sang with elegance of style and warmth of expression. His work is not altogether free from vocal faults, but where the natural quality of the voice is so fine, and the singer so much in love with his work, some good results are sure to be forthcoming. The audience was one of good size, and its applause was quick.—New York Times.
45Charles W. Clark, a baritone from Chicago, gave a song recital in Mendelssohn Hall yesterday afternoon. His program was largely devoted to the "lieder" of Schubert and Schumann. There were besides songs by R. Hermann, Tchaikowsky, Lucas, Hans Hermann, De Koven, Allitsen and Walter Damrosch. Mr. Clark also included Massenet's air, "Vision Fugitive." The newcomer is a man of good presence and the possessor of a beautiful voice of range and resonance. He has taste, musical feeling, and his schooling has been most strenuous. * * * He was happy in the Schubert and Schumann songs; also in Massenet's pretty air. For one thing he must be praised—his enunciation is clarity itself. "Am Meer," "Ich grolle nicht," "Die Bösen Lieder" were well done and with an understandable German accent.—New York Sun.
47His voice is ample in quantity, even and fine in quality, free in utterance, and possessed of capacity for all the modulations which are required by the exacting field which he has chosen.—New York Tribune.
49Taken altogether, Mr. Clark made a favorable and artistic impression. His voice is wholesome and powerful, of remarkable compass, and his tone production free from elementary faults.—Staats Zeitung.
51Mr. Clark was fortunate in his accompanist, Mrs. E. N. Lapham. Her playing throughout the recital was remarkable for its sympathetic and musical taste.
53These criticisms are from the evening newspapers:
55Mendelssohn Hall was the scene yesterday afternoon and evening of two concerts which call for a few words of comment. In the afternoon Charles W. Clark, a baritone from Chicago, gave a song recital, at which he sang a number of songs by German, French, Russian and American composers. His voice is fresh, resonant, of agreeable timbre, and his schooling and enunciation leaves little to be desired, while the catholicity of taste in the make-up of the program must be commended.—Evening Post.
57Charles W. Clark, a baritone from Chicago, who has been heard here in choral music, appeared alone at Mendelssohn Hall yesterday afternoon in a recital of songs. Now, when a short, stout man sings twenty-four songs, mostly love songs, in rapid succession, the result might be, and has been more than once, simply maddening. When Mr. Clark sang, however, it was not so. He has an expressive voice of fine quality, and only after forcing does it show hoarseness or false intonation that must follow such treatment. Moreover, his program was a sort of composite of Bispham and Van Rooy, and in the songs of these two popular baritones the Westerner was not found wanting. Mr. Clark displayed just feeling for the beauties of five Schubert songs and seven from Schumann's "Dichterliebe" series. His enunciation was clearness itself in so spiritedly a bit as "Ein Jüngling Liebt ein Mädchen," while the familiar "Ich Grolle Nicht" was sung with appealing power. There was a Gallic elegance of sentiment in Massenet's "Vision Fugitive." The audience, being human, delighted most in such parlor songs as a capital "Gipsy Serenade," by Reinhold Hermann; Tchaikowsky's "In the Balmy Night," Lucas' "If You Become a Nun, Dear," and Allitsen's "Love Is a Bubble." Finally, Walter Damrosch's "Danny Deever" was dramatically done.—Evening Sun.
59CHICAGO ADVERTISEMENTS.
61MINNIE CRUDUP VESEY, MEZZO CONTRALTO
62CONCERTS, RECITALS, VOCAL TEACHER, COACHING.
63Address HANNAH & HAMLIN, 523 Fine Arts Building, CHICAGO.
65MARY WOOD CHASE, PIANO VIRTUOSA.
66For Terms, Dates, &c., address HANNAH & HAMLIN Managers,
67522 and 523 Fine Arts Building, CHICAGO.
68Personal address: 3031 Prairie Avenue.
70EARL R. DRAKE, VIOLIN VIRTUOSO.
71Teacher.
72Studio: Kimball Hall, Chicago.
74GRACE BUCK, MEZZO SOPRANO.
753031 Prairie avenue, Chicago, Ill.
77MARY PECK THOMSON, SOPRANO,
78620 Fine Arts Building, CHICAGO.
80VICTOR GARWOOD,
81Kimball Hall, Chicago.
83MUSICAL KINDERGARTEN
84BY FANNIE CHURCH PARSONS.
85For full information concerning normal instruction or children's class work, address
86MRS. PARSONS' NORMAL TRAINING SCHOOL,
87Handel Hall, CHICAGO, ILL.
89AMERICAN CONSERVATORY,
90JOHN J. HATTSTAEDT, Director.
91ALL BRANCHES OF MUSIC, DRAMATIC ART.
92John J. Hattstaedt, Victor Garwood, Allen Louis Brown, William Middel-Schulte, Organ; Jan Van Gordt, Violin, Adolph Weidig, Composition; Jan Kalac, Violoncello, and thirty other superior instructors.
93Kimball Building, 243 Wabash Avenue, CHICAGO.
94243 Wabash Avenue, care of American Conservatory.
96Mrs. THEODORE WORCESTER, Planist.
97Pupil of LEOPOLD GODOWSKY.
98Concerts, Recitals and Salon Musicales. Recitals from Russian Composers.
99ADDRESS: 1402 Auditorium Tower, CHICAGO.
101HARRISON M. WILD, CONCERT ORGANIST.
102Studio 6, 241 Wabash Ave., CHICAGO.
103Piano and Organ Instruction.
105CAROLYN LOUISE WILLARD, CONCERT PIANIST. Instruction.
106Pupil of Ernst Jedliczka, Bloomfield-Zeisler.
107For terms and dates address 404 Lake Avenue, Chicago.
109D. A. CLIPPINGER, The Art of Singing, Conductor.
110410 Kimball Hall, Chicago, Ill.
112Gottschalk Lyric School.
113A number of scholarships awarded to talented applicants in every Department of the School. Applications not received after September 1.
114Fall Term opens Monday, September 10.
115L. G. Gottschalk, Director.
116KIMBALL HALL, 243-253 Wabash Avenue, CHICAGO.
118R. CAPOUL CUTTRISS WARDE, SINGING MASTER.
119The teacher of many prominent artists now before the public. Send for list.
120STUDIO: No. 911 Cable Building, Cor. Jackson and Wabash, CHICAGO.
122The Brilliant … Violinist
123LORRAINE DE L'ARCHET.
124Exclusive Direction: FRANK CHESIRE NIXON, 724 Kimball Hall, CHICAGO.
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