Scan 5
Musical Courier 1901-11-27: Vol 43 Iss 1131, 1901
28 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 6. See the scan on archive.org.
1hear the town. And a very musical town it is, under the leadership of a finely cultured musician named Oscar Meister. We opened our ears wide, we people who talk of "art centres," "homes of music" and the like. There is an art centre and a home of music wherever there are some talent, serious endeavor, untiring industry and a leading spirit to guide the way.
3A number of difficult choral works, large and small, from Stobäus (1580-1646) to Max Bruch, proved that the Kattowitz Club has created a healthy musical atmosphere of its own. Every piece was done with intelligence, taste, accuracy and finish. Meister is a meister indeed in the drilling and leading of a choral body.
5If every small town in Germany can boast of such a chorus I shall take two weeks off to think out the musical future of Germany. "To her belongs the future," said James Huneker in these pages a few weeks ago. I wonder if he has heard the Kattowitz Singverein?
7They had Berlin soloists at their concerts, and distinguished ones, too—Professor Joachim and Ossip Gabrilowitsch. Joachim played a Barcarolle, by Spohr, and "Tambourin," by Leclair! That is one of the privileges of fame, to inflict such a program on a cultured audience. Young Gabrilowitsch was more dignified. He chose the Händel-Brahms Variations, and played them superbly. Gabrilowitsch is growing broader in style. His performance was masterful and convincing.
9Etelka Freund is a pianist of power. She was powerful in Beethoven's "Les Adieux" Sonata, op. 81a, she was powerful in Brahms' two books of variations on one inoffensive theme of Paganini, and she was powerful in Busoni's tasteless version of a Bach Toccata and Fugue. I could not stay for Schumann's "Davidsbinderl" dances, but I'm sure Miss Freund must have been powerful in that. Withal, the young lady has unusual talent, and if she will forget Carreño for a time, and imitate—let us say Clothilde Kleeberg—Miss Freund will possibly strike the happy medium and find herself on the road to the pianistic Par-nassus.
11Miss Marie Geselschap dared us with a Sabbath matinee. She is a bold pianist in more ways than one. Her program was almost a challenge. It started off with eight preludes, op. 31, by C. V. Alkan, the man who wrote the studies recommended by Hans von Bülow, and continued with a well worked out ballade, op. 94, by Philipp Scharwenka; a pretty waltz, op. 54, by Dvorák; "Papillons," very trashy, by Ole Olsen; three pieces, melodious, by P. Juon; a lachrymose elegy, by Busoni, and finally, for a finish, Liszt's two legends of St. Francis. Miss Geselschap played exceedingly well, but she pedaled badly. Her program was more extraordinary than her performance. However, it takes bravery to break away from tradition, and I admire her for it.
13The Philharmonic Chorus, under the leadership of its tried and trusted conductor, Siegfried Ochs, gave a glorious performance of Bach's great B minor Mass. That was one of the few occasions when a critic felt himself totally disarmed. The grandiose work had been prepared with the utmost care, and every detail was worked out to perfection without in any way marring the unity of the whole. The technical difficulties of the mass were under such absolute control that nothing interfered with one's complete absorption in the spirit of this most marvelous composition. The soloists? I heard none. I heard Bach's B minor Mass.
15Of song recitals there have been many. Space begins to grow valuable, so merely as a matter of record I shall run cursorily through a list of the doughty vocalists. Raimund von Zur-Mühlen (Beethoven Hall) has a large following here, and his annual concerts are crowded. He is an interesting artist, but lays more stress on the interpretation of a song than on beauty or variety of vocalization. And he forces his voice—a common fault in Germany. Maria Spies, of Dresden, is an alto, who has some voice but no vocal art. Her concert (Singakademie) was too soon by at least one year. Arthur van Eweyk, an American (Bechstein Hall), is a painstaking singer, with goodly vocal gifts. Even if not always strictly artistic, he never fails to win applause. Agnes Leydecker is an artist of rare ability. She has unusual vocal powers, and knows full well how to use them. Charm of delivery and abundance of temperament, too. What more is necessary? Jeanne Golz and Hjalmar Arlberg (Singakademie), solos and duets. Miss Golz was too nervous. Mr. Arlberg has a sweet voice of the parlor type, and is a blonde, pretty man. Dr. Mannreich (Beethoven Hall) suffers from excess of sentiment. Magda and Franz Henri von Dulong (Beethoven Hall) suffer from too many zealous friends, although they sing well. Thea von Redwitz should do her practicing at home. Eugen Brieger should give up his entirely. Ludwig Strakosch is one of the loudest singers that ever came to Berlin. Max Rothenbücher (Singakademie) should recite less and sing more. A noble record. Where are the competent German singers?
17The position of "third" conductor is vacant at our Royal Opera. Candidates are being tried for it. One of them, Edmund von Strauss (Bremen Opera), directed "Lohengrin" last week, and made a highly favorable impression. He has confidence, tact and knowledge. It was no easy matter for a novice to lead on that evening, as the singers seemed to be suffering from frog in the head or sunstroke. A worse performance I never heard anywhere. It was a feat for Strauss not to become "rattled."
19At a church concert I heard Miss Gertrude Smith, an American, do some exceedingly interesting organ playing. She possesses musical intelligence of a high order, rare taste in registration, and firm rhythm, qualities that are indispensable in connection with really artistic performances on this most difficult of all instruments. She knows well how to handle her feet—curious paradox! Clearness of pedaling and accuracy of voice leading marked all her performances. Max Gulka, of New York, played at this concert two movements from Bach's G minor Violin Sonata. Mr. Gulka has a reliable technic, firm command of his bow, and a large tone that lends itself admirably to variety of color.
21Marquis de Souza, that fat baritone buffoon who made such a picturesque fiasco in America, is singing at our leading variety hall here, the Wintergarten. They advertise his salary, an enormous figure per week. No one believes it, not even he.
23Just as I am about to close this budget, there come wonderful reports from Moscow of Moriz Rosenthal's sensational success there. The papers speak of it as the greatest triumph ever achieved in Russia by any pianist. But details must keep until next week or I'll lose this steamer.
25Berlin Gossip.
27The breach between Munich and Bayreuth is assuming a less threatening aspect. The new Prince Regent Theatre had invited the tenor Bertram and the soprano Von Miltenburg (Vienna) to participate in the Munich perform-
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