Scan 25
Musical Courier 1902-01-01: Vol 44 Iss 1136, 1902
32 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026. Printed page 26. See the scan on archive.org.
1PARIS, DECEMBER 20, 1901
3At the Lamoureux concert last Sunday the chronological order of the performances of Beethoven's symphonies brought us to the Eighth, in A. This work, so full of joy and gaiety, carrying one, as Wagner said, "across the torrents and oceans of life," was played with the fire and brilliancy one is accustomed to by the admirable orchestra conducted by Chevillard. A novelty—given, I am told, for the first time at these concerts—was the triple Concerto by Beethoven, for piano, violin and 'cello. I have heard this work only on one other occasion, when it was performed in England by Charles Hallé, Piatti and Joachim—the last artist being the only surviving one of the trio. Without yielding to anyone in admiration for Beethoven, the work has always appeared to me to be somewhat tedious and pedantic. I suppose the reason for its resurrection last Sunday was the chance of hearing three such excellent artists together as those to whom its performance was intrusted, viz., Mlle. Thérèse Chaigneau, Messrs. Hermann and Becker. These three virtuosi played with a perfection of ensemble rarely heard, the exquisite touch and clean, distinct execution of Mlle. Chaigneau in the piano part being most enjoyable, as well as the immediate effacement when the two other instruments came into prominence. A "Prelude Religieuse," by Paul Lacombe, and the "Ride of the Walkyries" completed the concert.
5Pursuing his plan of placing a symphony by a native composer with one by a foreigner of the same period, Colonne gave us the poetic Symphony of Schumann, No. 1, in B flat, and that of Ed. Lalo in G minor. The former work, the first orchestral composition of Schumann, shows traces of the influence of Mendelssohn; it is said that on the original manuscript are to be found corrections in the handwriting of this composer. Ed. Risler played Mozart's Concerto in C minor with a purity of style and modesty which showed how completely he entered into the composer's intention. The cadenza to this concerto was by Reynaldo Hahn; very long and very brilliant, but scarcely in keeping with the work itself. The novelty was a "Poème Symphonique," by Gabriel Pierné, for piano and orchestra, which seemed to me to be very labored and lacking in inspiration, besides being at times so heavily scored for the orchestra as to make the piano inaudible in many passages, and to completely lose its individuality. The Symphony in G, by Lalo, met with great success. The work merits it. Lalo was, I believe, for a long time a viola player in a string quartet, and his compositions met with but a cold reception until the performance of the opera "Le Roi d'Ys" brought him into great prominence and subsequent fame. This symphony contains much that was written originally for an opera never performed called "Fiesque." The reception given to the symphony on Sunday last was so enthusiastic that a repetition is promised for the next concert. The "Funeral March" from "Die Götterdämmerung" ended the program.
7Faithful to its promise of bringing to Paris the most celebrated of chamber music players and singers, we heard the Hermann Quartet from Frankfort at the New Philharmonic Society's latest concert. If Brahms is not known and appreciated at these concerts it certainly is not the fault of the different artists engaged, as each quartet seems to make it a point of honor to give as its first number a work by this composer. The Quartet in E flat, by Beethoven, was also on the program; it was played with great refinement and finish, and rapturously applauded by the audience. Frederic Lamond was again the solo pianist, and appeared to great advantage in the Schumann Fantasie in C, although at times he did not seem to me to produce the exact effect he was aiming at; this is probably due to the instrument on which he played. Hermann, the first violin of the Frankfort quartet, was announced to play the Concerto by Spohr, No. 6. I believe—at all events, the one written in the style of a vocal scena—an admirable and tuneful work, very much neglected by violinists at present in favor of more pretentious and less meritorious works. The violin solo really played was an Andante by Spohr, very beautifully executed and most warmly received.
9There is nothing new to chronicle at the Opéra or the Opéra Comique. At the first house Wagner's "Siegfried" is to be produced to-night, with Jean de Reszké in the title part; at the latter "Grisélidis," by Massenet, appears to be popular, as it is given three times a week. A revival of "Le Domino Noir" is promised very shortly, and on March 15 the production of "Circe," a new opera comique by the brothers Hillelacher, is announced. Mme. Sibyl Sanderson is, I believe, engaged to sing the role of Circe, thus adding another of those courtesans of history the lyric presentation of which—Thais, Phryne, Circe—she seems to have made a sort of specialty. The Paris Figaro is responsible for the rumor that next winter Sanderson will devote herself to operette.
11Under the heading of "Failure of the Schools of Singing," in one of the Paris journals, was given a long interview held with Victor Maurel on the subject of teaching singing at the Paris Conservatoire. "The decadence of the art of singing is the decay of art in general, and which was never more apparent than at the present moment. Why is it that 100 years ago the lyric art was at its highest? Were the great exponents of the bel canto exceptionally gifted by nature? Not at all. But the professors of that epoch found themselves before a task and duty, of which they acquitted themselves faithfully. What has happened since then? While the lyric art, from Gluck to Wagner, has seen a great evolution, the teaching of singing has remained stationary, and it is exactly this inertia which is the cause of its present inefficiency. I do not speak," continued Maurel, "of so-called teachers who have been at one time choristers in small operetta theatres, or ex-valets to singers en vogue, and who for payment are willing to break any voice intrusted to them. I speak of the actual teaching at the Conservatoire. The instruction there is nothing; it is even harmful. One may have sung all one's life and be incompetent as a teacher of singing. There are about forty vocal pupils received at the Conservatoire every year. In ten years that would make 400. Now, tell me, out of this number how many of them are before the public worthy of being called real artists? and yet surely out of all these there must have been a certain number with sufficient voice and ability. What has become of them? where are they?"
13There is a great deal more in the same strain, but all intended to prove—which I am not aware anyone disputes—the pupils of the Conservatoire become singers. This is all very well in its way, and to a certain extent justifiable, but does Maurel indicate any practical way by which the existing state of things may be remedied? I do not think so. In the present day, singers begin by singing certain parts in operas which require a fairly good voice and some knowledge of singing. As years go on, when the voice is worn, they turn to the more declamatory roles, and lay stress on what they call the psychological presentment of the character. After this many of them become teachers. Maurel is himself exactly in this position. He has given conferences in Paris, London and Milan, and written several works all deploring the decadence in the art of singing. But he has never exhibited his practical knowledge of the subject by ever showing the public one single pupil whom he has formed himself. Faure, who, besides being an excellent singer, was a good musician and deep thinker, deplored the appointment of ex-singers as professors at the Conservatoire, for which vocation they had made no previous studies, and pointed out that the greatest number of distinguished singers had always been formed by those teachers who had made a special study of the subject, but had not appeared in public as executants. Maurel has not shown that he himself possesses the practical knowledge, the absence of which he so deplores in others.
15As a result of the article in the Figaro there occurred a violent altercation between Maurel and Dubois, the director of the Conservatoire, at an accidental meeting between the two at the Opéra Comique. Mr. Dubois is said to have bitterly reproached Maurel with the injustice of his attacks. "Less than any one," said he, "have you a right to set yourself against an institution, seeing that your own success proves the value of the teaching you received there, and you ought to be the very last to try and bring discredit on it." It is true that Maurel was a pupil of the Conservatoire, he having studied there with Vauthrot, but as he once told me, some years ago, it took him ten years to forget all the teaching he received there. Still that proves he must have been taught a great deal.
17An amusing incident happened last Sunday at the Opéra Comique. The work was "La Dame Blanche," and just as the tenor had begun his cavatina, at the words, "Déjà la nuit s'annonce" the lights went out completely. Luckily no disturbance occurred, as the defect was quickly remedied and the performance continued.
19Jan Kubelik
20An Overwhelming Success.
21MORE THAN 26,000 PEOPLE
22Attend the First Eleven Concerts.
24"If ever there were a soul speaking out from the body of a violin, it is when Kubelik plays."—Boston Transcript.
25"Approached the miraculous."—World.
26"His playing of the Bach air was alone sufficient as something set apart by Divine Gift, not only marvelous talent but extraordinary genius."—H. E. Krehbiel, in Tribune.
28"Kubelik is wonderful, brilliant, dashing, astonishing."—N. Y. Times.
29"Almost unearthly beauty of tone."—N. Y. Tribune.
31Management of DANIEL FROHMAN and HUGO GORLITZ.
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