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Musical Courier 1901-01-23: Vol 42 Iss 1087, 1901
72 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1her class, there are scores of amateurs who have been or are being taught by her. Her forceful personality impresses itself on her pupils in a most helpful way and they in turn are loyal adherents of hers. She gives her whole soul with her lessons and withholds nothing. She cannot take all the pupils that offer themselves. Such teachers rarely can.
3Ovide Musin.
5M. OVIDE MUSIN has been giving successful orchestral concerts in Liege, Belgium, and will give two violin recitals in Paris, one this month and one in February. The order of "Nicham Ifikar" has been bestowed upon him by the Bey of Tunis. His pupils are so numerous that nearly all his time is occupied, but he still finds opportunities for public appearances. We append the following:
7The Liege correspondent of the Guide Musical, of Brussels, confirms in just and praiseworthy terms the good news that Ovide Musin, the celebrated violinist, has accepted the position as director of the Amateur Orchestra, and the choice of this master presages a series of remarkable concerts, for which several soloists of renown are already engaged.
9We learn with pleasure that by the proposition of Mr. Crozier, consul of France, and by the demand of the president of the French Association, Ovide Musin, the celebrated Liege violin virtuoso, has received from the Government of the French Republic the decoration of Commander of the Order of Nicham Ifikar, of which he had been officer for a number of years past. Our hearty congratulations to the new commander.—Journal de Liege, November, 1900.
11Mr. Wolff had the happy idea to secure the participation of Ovide Musin, the celebrated Liege violinist, and this artist drew to the theatre all those whom Maestriche counts among her passionate admirers of the art. For many it was a new attraction, it being so long since Ovide Musin had been heard, and he was royally fêted. It is rarely one hears an artist who unites with such perfection all the numerous qualities which make a grand virtuoso. The tone was of an astonishing purity and sweetness, the phrasing marvelous, the feeling magnetic, and, above all, the technic dazzling and the mechanism wonderful.
13After that we had the pleasure to make acquaintance with Madame Musin, who carried off also her share of the success. She knew how to charm her public and was warmly applauded. We have especially admired the excellent manner and pronunciation with which she sang both in French and German. How many cantatrices can do as much?—La Meuse, December 23.
15Fisk Song Recital at Nashville.
17KATHERINE FISK, the contralto, has been most successful on her Western and Southern circuit. Last Wednesday morning she gave a recital at Philharmonic Hall, Nashville, Tenn., under fashionable auspices, and, as the Nashville Banner reports, before "an audience that taxed the capacity of the room to its utmost." Following are additional extracts from the criticism published in the Banner:
19Mrs. Fisk's voice is a contralto of a pure rich tone, with all the strength and freshness of youth and with an unusually high register. Her method is productive of delightful results and the apparent ease and delicacy with which she takes the high notes show a splendid control. Notwithstanding the program was composed of sixteen selections of widely varying compositions, her singing was at all times expressive of genuine feeling and skillful training.
21Electa Gifford.
23THE news regarding the conduct of the well-known singer, Electa Gifford, in her relation to the management of the New Orleans opera, which attempted to serve a notice upon her, which was in itself unjust, has already been published. The result has been rather electric on the people of New Orleans, for out of sympathy with the artist the society people have arranged a concert on a grand scale, full reports of which will be published later.
25Miss Gifford will also sing in Toledo, Ohio, on March 4, and later in a concert in Detroit. The city of Toledo is the home of Miss Gifford, and large preparations have been made to make the concert of more than usual importance.
27Henry Holden Huss.
29HENRY HOLDEN HUSS has reason to feel gratified at the welcome reception given to his new concerto in B major at a recent Philharmonic concert. These metropolitan press notices tell the story:
31Henry Holden Huss, whose "Cleopatra's Death" was performed by the Philharmonic Society in 1898, was again brought forward on Saturday night, this time with his B major Concerto, the piano part of which he himself played in a brilliant and inspiring manner, and which, no doubt, will also be in the repertory of Miss Aus der Ohe, to whom it is dedicated. It is a piece that calls for the highest executive ability, and it shows Mr. Huss at his best as a composer. Though it has some good themes, the melodic interest is on the whole subordinate to the harmonic, as in most of our modern music. Harmony is still a largely unexplored field, full of fascination, and Mr. Huss has contributed his share toward its exploration. His orchestration, too, is rich, sometimes gorgeous, while his treatment of the piano is eminently idiomatic. The audience was sincerely enthusiastic over Mr. Huss's work, and compelled him to add a short piece as an extra. How much better it is thus to bring out a meritorious novelty than to harp forever on a few German or Russian piano concertos!—Evening Post, December 24, 1900.
33The third public rehearsal of the Philharmonic Society was given in Carnegie Hall yesterday afternoon. One-half the program was devoted to Weber and Beethoven—and was sleep provoking; the other landed its hearers into the very stress and turmoils of the latter nineteenth century; no one thought of repose when Tschaikowsky and Henry Holden Huss were being played. one of two readings
34The third public rehearsal of the Philharmonic Society was given in Carnegie Hall yesterday afternoon. One-half the program was devoted to Weber and Beethoven—and was sleep provoking; the other landed its hearers into the very stress and turmoils of the latter nineteenth century; no one thought of repose when Tchaikowsky and Henry Holden Huss were being played. one of two readings
36Henry Holden Huss played his own B major piano Concerto for the first time in this city. It was produced under Mr. Paur's direction in Boston, just six years ago. It is large in scope, full of harmonic surprises, ingeniously constructed, and scored effectively. The piano part is sometimes too aggressively brilliant, with its flock of octaves and chordal passages; and it contains several episodes of charm and power. The opening is in design very broad and sonorous; the finale breathless in its rush.
38Mr. Huss plays the piano in an extremely polished fashion, but he has not the muscular frame for such a tornadic whirl as this movement. The score has been revised several times, and in the Schirmer edition as it now stands printed there was a cut of sixty-two measures made in the working out section of the finale. There is much learning in it all, and more than one mood that is poetic. Further, concision might be undertaken without any defacement of the Concerto's logical structure. Perhaps the piano indulges in too many monologues; the cadenza, however, in the first allegro is necessary for the precise comprehension of the thematic development. Mr. Huss was recalled several times and consented to play a graceful encore piece, probably something of his own.—The Sun, December 22, 1900.
40The "Oberon" overture, the "Pastoral Symphony," a new piano concerto by Henry Holden Huss, of this city, and Tschaikowsky's stunning fantaisie, "Francesca da Rimini," such was the offering of the Philharmonic at their third public rehearsal. * * * Mr. Huss's concerto had never been played here. Several years ago it was played in Boston, since which time it has been copiously edited, and yesterday's performance was the first in its revised form. It is a dignified and serious work, with many brilliant passages for the solo instrument. We liked particularly the last movement, which is in parts very stirring; but it requires a virtuoso to reveal all that is in it, and Mr. Huss, while a good pianist, lays no claim, we believe, to virtuosity. His work was cordially received and he was compelled to play an encore. * * *—Commercial Advertiser, December 22, 1900. one of two readings
41The "Oberon" overture, the "Pastoral Symphony," a new piano concerto by Henry Holden Huss, of this city, and Tchaikowsky's stunning fantaisie, "Francesca da Rimini," such was the offering of the Philharmonic at their third public rehearsal. * * * Mr. Huss's concerto had never been played here. Several years ago it was played in Boston, since which time it has been copiously edited, and yesterday's performance was the first in its revised form. It is a dignified and serious work, with many brilliant passages for the solo instrument. We liked particularly the last movement, which is in parts very stirring; but it requires a virtuoso to reveal all that is in it, and Mr. Huss, while a good pianist, lays no claim, we believe, to virtuosity. His work was cordially received and he was compelled to play an encore. * * *—Commercial Advertiser, December 22, 1900. one of two readings
43The third number of the program was the piano Concerto in B major of Henry Holden Huss, concerning which so much has been said in this journal. * * *
45Nearly seven years ago, when it had its first performance at Boston, then, as yesterday, under the direction of Mr. Paur, the Tribune discussed it in a dispatch and printed an abbreviation for piano solo of its most pleasing portion—the slow movement, a romance. * * * The tribute of approbation which he won yesterday was a most flattering one, and accepting it in the character of performer as well as composer, he added a short cantabile.—New York Tribune, December 22, 1900.
47* * * The Philharmonic Society did a graceful act in giving a hearing to the piano concerto of Mr. Huss. * * * The work deserved a hearing at the hands of the representative musical organization of the composer's home city. * * * He is one of those whose writings are dignified, whose efforts are in the direction of modernity, without forgetfulness of the true functions of music, and who has the technics of the art of composition well in hand. His Concerto is a work of no small interest, and the piano part ought to be grateful to soloists because of its prominence and its numerous unaccompanied passages.
49It might be made very effective in the hands of a virtuoso, but this Mr. Huss, a good pianist, who played the solo piano part yesterday, certainly is not. It is a musically, well made work, with pregnant thematic matter and skill in the treatment of it. The composer was heartily applauded yesterday.—New York Times, December 22, 1900.
51A New Temple Choir for Brooklyn.
53IN the short space of five weeks, or, to be exact, since December 14, E. M. Bowman has gathered, individually tested and organized, over fifty good, fresh voices as a choir for the Central Baptist Church, Marcy avenue and South Fifth street, Brooklyn. Such rapid progress has been made in training them and wheeling them into line that on Sunday, January 20, they made their first public appearance, singing anthems, responses and hymns at both morning and evening services in a highly creditable style. The pastor, Rev. F. E. Taylor, and his people were greatly pleased at this remarkable achievement, and not a few expressed astonishment. The new choir expects to grow to about seventy-five voices. It is organized on the plan of the Baptist Temple Choir, which Mr. Bowman founded and still conducts, and will be led on Sundays by a deputy organist, Wm. E. Harriett. Singers desiring to join should see Mr. Bowman at the church any Thursday evening at 7:30.
55AMERICAN METHOD OF SINGING.
57Copyrighted by the Discoverer,
58Mary M. Shedd, Chicago, Ill.
60Mary M. Shedd, Teacher of the Science of Singing.
62Through this science every acceptable voice is developed into the same tones with which Patti, De Reszke and other great artists were born. Every pupil from three to sixty years of age can learn to sing with perfect tone, with even quality and great volume.
64Miss Shedd will instruct only those who enter her school with the purpose of remaining until their singing is above criticism the world over. Terms from $1,000 to $5,000, according to possibilities of the voice. The latter will be determined beyond all doubt at the testing.
66The American method science of changing voices from unnatural to natural tone, either in speech or singing, has nothing whatever to do with any other method, which, regardless of name, are positively worthless. Among the thousands of vocal teachers and their thousands of pupils, we have but ten artists in the world, which is positive proof that no one has ever been taught a system. We occasionally hear of some great voice that has been discovered. Why discovered instead of being taught, if there is anything of value in any method? Those who study the American method soon realize that the following terms are useless: "Voice placing," "position of palate," "radical tones," "French E," "tones to the front," "smiling," "use of mirrors," "position of lips," "dark tone," "white tone," "covered tones," "over tones," "psycho-vowel" and the utterly ridiculous idea of acquiring correct tone by "thinking." This American method will develop voices into tones that for purity and power have never been surpassed, and seldom heard. The natural force has never been known, even by our great artists. There are no authorized teachers of the "American method" outside of the Chicago studio, as only those under my constant guiding can be recommended. Investigation solicited.
68MARY M. SHEDD,
69Steinway Hall, Chicago.
71In a letter of recommendation, the late Geo. W. Lyon, of Lyon & Healy, said: "Mary M. Shedd will be the greatest voice teacher the world has ever known by reason of her appreciation of pure tone, which enables her to detect and remove faults in which she surpasses anyone that I have ever known. On account of her wonderful knowledge of pure tone I do not hesitate to say that some day teachers of the piano, violin and other instruments will seek a recommend from Miss Shedd, as any uncertainty in foundation work becomes apparent to her at once. Miss Shedd has often astonished me by her just criticism of cornet and flute players, her acute ear detecting the incorrect breathing, made obvious by the uncertainty of execution and lack of even power."
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