Scan 11
Musical Courier 1901-12-25: Vol 43 Iss 1135, 1901
65 lines. Read by computer on 25 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 12. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1MILAN
3The Musical Courier will be found on sale hereafter at the music house of Carisch & Jänichen, in the Corso Vittorio Emanuele No. 2, which is near the Duomo and the Galleria.
5CORSO VENEZIA 65, MILAN, ITALY,
6November 28, 1901.
8PREMIERE OF "CHOPIN."
10At the Teatro Lirico Internazionale, of Signor Edoardo Sonzogno, assembled last Monday evening, November 25, the largest audience of the season thus far, to greet and welcome the new opera "Chopin," so long expected. The première of this work attracted an audience immense in numbers, anxiously expectant and curious in complexion, yet cool, discriminating in judgment; fully prepared to receive, but not so ready to believe; an audience at once passive, neutral, negative to a certain extent and critical to a degree. As the opera advanced, however, all this changed, and the public grew warm and enthusiastic long before the close.
12The opera "Chopin" is in four acts, and composed by Giacomo Orefici, based upon original music of Frederic Chopin; the story or libretto is written in beautiful verse by Angiolo Orvieto.
14To be perfectly frank and candid about this new opera of Chopin's music—I must say that I prefer the music as written by Chopin for the piano. While Chopin's music is singable—indeed very singable—extremely melodious and harmonious, it is more pianistic (to my mind) than it is vocal—not a melody with piano music, but a melody in the piano music—so essentially and peculiarly a part of the piano itself that it cannot be separated from that instrument and be distributed among instruments of different character and color, without being injured and losing its natural, its peculiar charm; this I venture to say from the viewpoints of both singer and pianist.
16Chopin's delicate fancies, thoughts and sentiments were all expressed by means of the piano—not by sounds of the human, living voice. Schubert, I should say, found expression more natural through the singing voice, and used it as his exponent, as the vehicle for conveying his feelings, warm and sympathetic.
18Many times have I thought that I should be glad to find some of Chopin's lovely melodies, with words underlying, that might be used in song, and at last I was delighted to know that there was to be a text, as well as a pretext, for singing "Chopin."
20But after hearing the opera twice I return a second time to my first conviction, namely, that Chopin's music has its home in the piano and there breathes its best life. All his music, so beautiful, sweet, dreamy, meditative; so caressing, insinuating, alluring, suggestive, seductive, passionate; so melancholy, sentimental, romantic, heroic, pathetic, poetic and fascinating; exquisite, ravishingly beautiful music of Chopin—call it anything and everything your liking or imagination may picture—but not vocally dramatic, operatic or theatrical!
22Nor was Chopin's personality one to lend itself to stage heroism. His character was too modest and retiring—his life too dainty and fastidious. He would shun and shrink from the dazzling, glaring sunlight of publicity and notoriety into the twilight—the shaded lamp and subdued light of privacy and intimate friendship.
24Even so his music recoils from the staring, public, promiscuous gaze and treatment over the footlights of the theatre, fleeing to a haven of safety behind the silken folds of my lady fair at the piano, whose dainty, velvety fingers can caress and coax from the ivory keys the marvelous Chopin beauties—this in the natural atmosphere, the perfume of flowers, toned and subdued, softened light and fashionable company; or rather the society of aesthetic, refined, receptive and responsive souls. My instinctive feeling against this sort of thing is strong—bordering on aversion, repugnance—with an undefined idea, or notion perhaps, that it is bad taste; aesthetically wrong and almost a sacrilegious act to thus drag Chopin from where he belongs to where he doesn't.
26To make my position, my instinctive feeling against the idea of treating Chopin and his music in this manner more clear, let the reader fancy a drama, entitled, say, "Byron," constructed of Byron's various poems—written on divers occasions, at different times, upon various subjects and for many purposes—all brought together and used to depict a few incidents or an episode in the poet's life; or take Heine or Shelley, using their poems and lyrics for the same purpose and in like manner; or perhaps better still, imagine Shakespeare as a drama of himself—a play in which every expression, every line and phrase, sentences and whole scenes are taken from his "Hamlet," "Much Ado About Nothing," "Romeo and Juliet," "The Tempest," "Midsummer Night's Dream," "King Lear," and from nearly all the great bard had ever written—including his sonnets—all arranged in order to tell a bit of his life story. Would it not be quite natural, I ask, that you should prefer your beloved poets to be let alone and their works to remain integral? However, it is possible that I am unduly sensitive on the subject and that many others will not agree with me.
28The fact that the opera "Chopin" is attracting large audiences to the Teatro Lirico does not prove my position wrong in the least—very naturally a new opera would excite expectation and curiosity; that it is all the most beautiful music imaginable I need not emphasize; but the Italians are not a piano playing nation, and therefore not so familiar with Chopin's music as are, for instance, New Yorkers, accustomed to the Vladimir de Pachmann recitals of these charming tone poems. Many, perhaps most of the auditors, do not realize the feast of rich delicacies set before them—a banquet in four great courses of many delicious dishes, all "desserts," as it were—but they listen to the opera more in the sense of its being, simply, a new work of many beauties and without experiencing sentiments of the nature I have endeavored, though somewhat lamely, to describe. Being, therefore, less familiar with the music of Chopin, it follows that they are not so likely to be over or super sensitive about the subject.
30That the music, every note of it, is good and beautiful we know. And that Orefici has done his part of the work well is also true. As a musician of talent, of patience and skill he deserves recognition and much credit. His work showed much experience and considerable technical ability, as well as taste in the choice of material.
32The story underlying the music of "Chopin" is told by Orvieto in a simple manner, but beautifully and poetically.
34Here is the cast of characters and the interpreters:
35Federico Chopin………….G. Borgatti (tenor).
36Flora…………………Cesira Ferrani (soprano).
37Stella…………………L. Beltrami (soprano).
38Elio…………………R. Angelini-Fornari (baritone).
39Il Frate……………….E. Brancaleoni (basso).
40Grazia—and other children beloved by Flora—Skaters—Polish country men and women—Fishermen of Majorca, &c.
41Conductor………………Giovanni Zuccani.
43The first act opens in Chopin's native land at Warsaw in the year 1826 at Christmas-tide; it is a night by moonlight—a wintry scene with snow covered trees and skating. Chopin, brown haired and curly, is seen there clad in a brown velvet frock coat, with cap and close fitting trousers to match, and high topped boots. His sister Stella and his friend Elio are with him. In the background is seen a chorus of men and women sporting themselves in skating, and later in singing. Chopin already appears afflicted with melancholy and ill health—the beginning of consumption showing itself in slight coughing. one of two readings
44The first act opens in Chopin's native land at Warsaw in the year 1826 at Christmas-tide; it is a night by moonlight—a wintry scene with snow covered trees and skating. Chopin, brown haired and curly, is seen there clad in a brown velvet frock coat, with cap and close fitting trousers to match, and high topped boots. His sister Stella and his friend Elio are with him. In the background is seen a chorus of men and women disporting themselves in skating, and later in singing. Chopin already appears afflicted with melancholy and ill health—the beginning of consumption showing itself in slight coughing. one of two readings
46The overture consisted of Polish airs (Mazurka rhythm) found in the Grand Fantaisie, op. 13, and was rather short. The first singing in this scene is by Elio, followed by Chopin, on themes from the Fantaisie, op. 13, and the Sonata in B minor, op. 58, after which the melancholy youth sings the melody of the Nocturne, op. 15, No. 1 (E flat), and then enters the Polacca Fantaisie, op. 61—the same key and movement being maintained—and passes on to the Nocturne, op. 55, No. 2, where he is joined by his friend Elio, taking up the Nocturne, op. 15, No. 1, for a short distance, and then passing to and ending in the Fantaisie, op. 13. Here Chopin sings the Mazurka melodies, op. 56, No. 2; op. 7, No. 3; op. 50, No. 1; again op. 56, No. 2, and op. 7, No. 3; and finishing with op. 41, No. 1. The chorus at this point—skating part of the time—singing in vivace tempo Mazurka, op. 56, No. 2, the composer Orefici here ably combining the imitations among the voices; and above this chorus friend Elio sings to Chopin, using the Mazurka air and passing to Mazurka, op. 6. No. 3. The chorus here dances or skates through the Mazurkas, op. 30, Nos. 2 and 3, singing loudly, and yet louder into Mazurkas, op. 56, No. 2, and op. 41, No. 3; thence to Etude, op. 10, No. 7; Mazurka, op. 41, No. 3; Grand Fantaisie, op. 13; Mazurka, op. 56, No. 2; Mazurka, op. 17, No. 1; Nocturne, op. 15, No. 3; Mazurka, op. 56, No. 2—when Chopin is heard singing softly the Nocturne, op. 9, No. 1, and which then is succeeded, instrumentally, by parts from the Barcarolle, op. 60; the Polacca, op. 44, and the Fantaisie, op. 13, preluding Stella's beginning of a duet with her brother Federico, he joining her on Etudes, Nos. 2 and 3 (from the "Method of Methods"), and continuing together in the exquisite Berceuse, op. 57. Stella then goes on alone in the Etude, op. 25, No. 10, but soon Chopin takes up the melody and passes on to the Prelude, op. 28, No. 21, which he sings to the end. Here he is met by the chorus singing joyously the themes and melodies of the Mazurkas, op. 68, No. 3. and op. 56, No. 1; above which the voice of Chopin is heard sadly. The chorus continues on the "Krakowiak," op. 14, joined by Stella and relieved later by Chopin in the Mazurka, op. 33, No. 4. Chopin continues with Nocturne, op. 9, No. 2, and is joined by his sister Stella on reaching Mazurka, op. 68, No. 3, once more; but after a few steps he is left alone to proceed to Mazurka, op. 6. No. 3, accompanied by the chorus, however. This first act is closed by the chorus with a part of Mazurka, op. 41, No. 3.
48After the duet in this act there was much applause, with three curtain calls at the end for the tenor Borgatti.
50Act II. plays and sings in Paris, or, more truthfully.
52New York College of Music,
53128-130 East 58th Street.
54ALEXANDER LAMBERT, Director.
55Private Instruction in Piano, Singing, Violin, 'Cello and all branches of music, by a faculty unsurpassed for its excellence.
56SPECIAL DEPARTMENT FOR BEGINNERS.
57All instrumental and vocal students receive free instruction in harmony, counterpoint, vocal sight reading, ensemble playing and free admission to concerts, lectures, etc., etc.
58Students received daily. Catalog sent on application.
60GLENN HALL
61TENOR.
62Address:
63CHAS. R. BAKER, Fine Arts Building,
64for Kimball Hall, Chicago.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.