Scan 13
Musical Courier 1901-11-27: Vol 43 Iss 1131, 1901
107 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 14. See the scan on archive.org.
1MUSIC IN BROOKLYN.
3Ethics and Singing Societies.
5GERMAN musical circles in New York have been stirred over the announcement that Arthur Claassen is about to resign the conductorship of the United Singers of Brooklyn. As some forty societies belong to this union of singers, it is a matter of some importance when the conductor resigns. Men in their prime do not usually withdraw from the things they like. When they do it is safe to assume that something unusual has happened. Ten days ago a concert was given at the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the benefit of the German Hospital of Brooklyn, under the auspices of the United Singers of Brooklyn. Over 4,000 men belong to the United Singers, and as it was not possible to ask them all to sing at the concert, selections were made from most of the societies. For several years a feud has existed between Mr. Claassen and Mr. Koemmenich, the conductor of the Saengerbund. Besides being the conductor of the United Singers, Mr. Claassen is also the conductor of the Brooklyn Arion, the leading singing society of the borough and one of the first in the ranks of the United Singers. Now the members of the Arion and Saengerbund are, as might be expected, loyal to their respective conductors. But we hardly believe that the members of the Brooklyn Saengerbund are alone responsible for the open and shameful insult offered to Mr. Claassen on the night of the hospital concert.
7According to the arrangement of the program the United Singers were to sing the opening and closing numbers. The Staats Zeitung reported that only 220 singers presented themselves for the opening song, and for the closing piece the number of singers appearing upon the stage dwindled to the members of the Arion Society and one dozen other men. After reading this lamentable condition of affairs we have reached the conclusion that the men composing the United Singers of Brooklyn are more in need of ethical teaching than they are of musical instruction. The insult to Conductor Claassen is without parallel, and he did the only dignified thing in resigning his place as conductor. Bad manners in public merit stern rebuke. We trust the lesson administered by Mr. Claassen will strike home, and that other boorish, ill-mannered and vulgar people of high and low degree in musical life may learn something from his act. A public insult such as he received is one no high-minded man can condone. The United Singers will learn to their sorrow that Mr. Claassen was more important to them than they are to him. We have had our disagreements with Mr. Claassen, but we recognize him as an excellent choral conductor. It is reported also that Mr. Claassen's individual society, the Arion, will withdraw from the United Singers of Brooklyn. The plain facts are the Brooklyn Arion should long ago have withdrawn. Let this society come out and be independent, like the New York Liederkranz and the New York Arion, of the petty jealousies, wrangling, greasy, noisy, beer drinking saengerfests. After all, these "fests" have accomplished very little for the advancement of music in the United States.
9As the artists all volunteered for the concert in aid of the German Hospital, criticism is out of place. Hans Kronold, 'cellist; Mrs. Marie Rappold, soprano; Miss Fannie Levy, pianist, were the soloists of the evening.
11The illness of Mr. Kneisel caused the postponement of the Institute concert on Wednesday night at which Miss Helen Niebuhrl was to have been the vocal soloist. one of two readings
12The illness of Mr. Kneisel caused the postponement of the Institute concert on Wednesday night at which Miss Helen Niebuhrr was to have been the vocal soloist. one of two readings
14Dudley Buck, the organist and choirmaster of Holy Trinity Church, conductor of the Brooklyn Apollo Club, and one of America's best known composers, will sail for Europe to-morrow. Mr. Buck was the guest of honor last week at a musicale given by General and Mrs. McLewee, of 319 Washington avenue. A good program was contributed by the hostess, who is the contralto soloist at Holy Trinity; Miss Maud Kennedy, soprano; Hugh Williams, baritone; Henry S. Brown, basso, and F. W. Riesberg, accompanist.
16The Amateur Musical Club gave its first concert of the season at the Pierrepont Assembly Rooms, Monday afternoon, November 18. Herbert Witherspoon, basso, and Miss Ethel Fitzhugh, pianist, were the soloists. In its report of the concert the Brooklyn Eagle referred thus to the singing of Mr. Witherspoon:
18Mr. Witherspoon's voice was admirably adapted to the group of ballads, which he rendered very effectively. They included "Ich Trage Meine Minne" (Richard Strauss), "Was I Not Thine?" (Chadwick), "Had a Horse," Hungarian melody (Korbay); "Soupir" (Bemberg), "Viens, Mon Bien Aimé" (Chamindae); "Remember-Forgot" (Van der Stucken), "Memory" (Edna R. Park), "Corry-meela" (Irish), Willeby.
20Mr. Witherspoon, however, is not a "tenor," as the Eagle reporter stated in his (or her) report.
22A concert was given at Packer Institute last Thursday afternoon by Mr. and Mrs. David Mannes and Emilio de Gogorza, for the benefit of the Brooklyn Hospital.
24The faculty of the Klingenfeld College of Music and School of Elocution gave a successful musicale last Tuesday night (November 19), Miss Cornelia van Etten, whom Mrs. Klingenfeld recently engaged as assistant vocal teacher, made her first appearance at the musicale. Miss Van Etten sang delightfully the "Jewel Song," from "Faust"; Paul Listermann, the violin soloist, played like the real artist he is. Henry Gaines Hawn gave some fine recitations, and other numbers were given by Arthur Vernon Bunker, the mandolin teacher; Carl Wilk, the zither teacher, and Mrs. A. M. Calkins, teacher of elocution. Members of the Woman's Republican League were the guests of honor.
26Dr. Henry G. Hanchett has arranged the following programs for the remaining lectures in the present course:
28NOVEMBER 25—LECTURE BY DR. HANCHETT.
29Subject: "The Sonority of the Older and the Newer Music."
30Musical Illustrations.
31Sonata in F, No. 19, op. 49, No. 1 (Allegro)………………Mozart
32Sonata in F minor, op. 2, No. 1 (Allegro)………………Beethoven
33Sonata in F minor, op. 57 (Allegro Assai)………………Beethoven
34Organ Fantaisie in G minor……………………………Bach-Liszt
35Military March…………………………………………..Schubert-Tausig
36Lohengrin's Reproof to Elsa……………………………Wagner-Liszt
37Polonaise in A flat, op. 53……………………………Chopin
39DECEMBER 2—EVENING, AT 8:15 O'CLOCK—LECTURE BY DR. HANCHETT.
40Subject: "The Tone Colors of Classic and Modern Composers."
41Musical Illustrations.
42Military Symphony (in part)…………………………..Haydn
43The Maxwell Orchestra.
45Allah………………………………………………………..Chadwick
46O, Had I Jubal's Lyre………………………………..Händel one of two readings
47O, Had I Jubal's Lyre…………………………………Händel one of two readings
48Peer Gynt Music (in part)…………………………….Grieg
49The Maxwell Orchestra.
50Gypsy John……………………………………………..Clay
51Mr. Andrews.
52Largo from Sonata, op. 2, No. 2……………………..Beethoven
53Scherzo from Sonata, op. 41………………………….Schumann
54Barcarolle in G major…………………………………Rubinstein
55Spinning Song…………………………………………..Wagner-Liszt
56Dr. Hanchett.
57Calm as the Night………………………………………Goetze
58Miss At Lee and Mr. Andrews.
59Leonore March…………………………………………Raff
60The Maxwell Orchestra.
62Dr. John Cornelius Griggs, who gave the second lecture in the course on Monday afternoon, November 18, devoted the time allotted to him in an instructive talk on "The Faust Music." The musical selections given by the lecturer were:
63La Damnation de Faust, Legende Dramatique…………….Berlioz
64Faust………………………………………………………Gounod
65Mefistofele……………………………………………..Boito
66Scenen aus Goethe's Faust…………………………..Schumann
67The King of Thule………………………………………Liszt
68Mephisto Waltz, from Lenau's Faust…………………..Liszt
70These lectures by Drs. Hanchett and Griggs are given in the Assembly Hall of Adelphi College, under the joint auspices of the college and the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences.
72This evening (Wednesday) in Association Hall, the Institute will give the third in its series of song and violin recitals. The artists announced are Miss Electa Gifford, soprano; Mme. Isabel Bouton, contralto; John Young, tenor; Robert Hosea, baritone, assisted by Karl Grienauer, 'cello. Isidore Luckstone at the piano. We published the program last week.
74The Brooklyn Saengerbund gave a concert at its clubhouse last Sunday night, presenting this program:
75Ouverture, Entführung aus dem Serail……………………Mozart
76Albumblatt……………………………………………..Wagner
77Das Hers am Rhein…………………………………….Hill
78Herr Heinrich Bartels.
79Schlummerlied, a. d. Serenade, op. 72…………………Hofmann
80Gavotte, a. d. Serenade, op. 72………………………..Hofmann
81Streich-Orchester.
82Grand Duo Concertant über Motive aus Rossini's William Tell…………………………………………..DeBeriot-Osborn
83Violin, Herr Carl H. Tollesen; clavier, Herr M. M. Herzberg.
84Ouverture, Die weisse Dame…………………………..Boieldien
85Lohengrin Phantaisie………………………………….Wagner one of two readings
86Lohengrin Phantaisie…………………………………Wagner one of two readings
87Der Troubadour…………………………………………Koemmenich. one of two readings
88Der Troubadour……………………………………….Koemmenich. one of two readings
89Vagantländchen…………………………………………Koemmenich one of two readings
90Vagantländchen………………………………………..Koemmenich one of two readings
91Herr Heinrich Bartels.
92Walzer, Wiener Blut…………………………………..Strauss
94After the New Year the Institute will give four Saturday afternoon orchestral concerts for young people. The dates are January 11, February 15, March 8 and April 5. Augusta Cottlow, the pianist, will be the soloist at the second concert. She will play the Grieg Concerto.
96NEW SONGS BY WETZLER.—Two books of songs (five songs, op. 2, and the "Children's Songs"), by H. H. Wetzler, are just being published in Germany, and may be obtained by applying to G. Schirmer, or Novello, Ewer & Co. These songs were sung with greatest success in London and New York by Milka Ternina and David Bispham, and are now found upon the programs of many prominent singers in Germany.
98Daniel Frohman and Hugo Gorlitz beg to announce the American Tour, Season 1901-1902, of Jan Kubelik
99THE BOHEMIAN VIOLINIST.
100OPENING CONCERTS:
101Monday Evening, Dec. 2.
102With Paur Symphony Orchestra and JESSIE SHAY, Pianist.
103Saturday Afternoon, Dec. 7.
104Recital (with JESSIE SHAY), RUD. FRIML, accompanist.
105Address Daly's Theatre, New York. H. G. SNOW, Representative.
106WISSNER PIANO USED.
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