Scan 27
Musical Courier 1902-01-01: Vol 44 Iss 1136, 1902
63 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 28. See the scan on archive.org.
1THE MUSICAL COURIER.
3THE BERTHOLDT,
4128 MARYLAND AVENUE, S. W.,
5WASHINGTON, December 28, 1901.
7Happy Washington!
9IN Washington there are no music critics who write articles about "Woman in Music," or "Woman as a Musical Composer," or "Women and Ants: Their Habits and Their Respective Positions in the Animal Kingdom." It is unfortunate for you who live in New York that you are obliged to read discussions on the woman question. None of our Washington papers publish any woman's page at all, and there are no sex discussions.
11It goes without saying that we have no women here who write articles on "Man," or "Man and the Workings of His Intellect." I believe there are no women anywhere who write articles upon these subjects or who publish a "Man's Page" in their papers. Women have too much regard for their fathers and brothers to hold them up ridicule in print or to analyze them and speculate about them as if they were so many beetles. And also the Washington men and the majority of our admirable American gentlemen have too much reverence and respect for their mothers, their sisters, wives or sweethearts, to discuss their peculiarities, their shortcomings or their shortcomings in cold type. What difference does it make anyway whether the mother of a family is a musical composer or not, and of what interest is it to the world?
13The abnormal music critic who writes upon such foolish questions must have run out of topics about which to write and clearly needs to renew his brain material. His mother was a good mother, let us hope. He inherited many of his talents from her, and she in all likelihood devoted all of the time she might have spent in composing to teaching him how to talk and walk, and how to keep his clothes clean. She probably helped him with his reading and spelling lessons, too, so that he could grow up and write powerful articles about "The Inferiority of the Brain of Woman." And maybe she darned his stockings occasionally. All of this time she should have been working out exercises in counterpoint and fugue. It was a mistake to spend any of her time in educating such a person as this future music critic.
15Now that he has grown to man's estate, he uses these powers inherited from her in the graceful occupation of dissecting and analyzing her mental processes in public prints.
17Oh, well, of course it's not very decent or gentlemanly; and of course, too, it's not very lofty to write speculative papers on "Woman: How Does It Happen that She is so Inferior to Me?" But, after all, there is no cloud without a silver lining. There is cause for congratulation, may for deep seated joy, in the reflection that however it may be in France or Germany, there is very little of this Bunthorneish sort of intellectual exercise in America. In fact, what there is of it is confined almost entirely to musical writers.
19Mrs. Jasper Dean McFall is the author of a novel idea which she is working out with much elaboration and detail, and with no small amount of labor. It is the giving of a song recital in which the program shall be entirely devoted to compositions by Washington writers. Mrs. McFall is receiving the hearty co-operation of the music publishers, who are anxious that their publications should find a place on her program. Everything which is sent in, so long as it is by a Washingtonian, receives careful attention and consideration. The songs are to be sung by Mr. McFall and his pupils, and some good instrumentalists will assist by rendering one or more local compositions not belonging to the vocal class. In selecting the pieces for the program many good compositions will of necessity be omitted, from lack of suitable voices (either in style or quality) for their proper interpretation; but composers whose songs are considered may feel sure of fair treatment and unbiased opinion.
21Anton Kaspar has been so thoroughly "engaged" at all times since his return from Europe that it has been impossible to see him. Last Friday, however, he was able to spare a few moments in which to answer some of my questions. He was enthusiastic over Guillaume Remy, his Paris teacher, with whom he studied repertory and the French style of bowing. Mr. Kaspar, while abroad, discovered a new violin genius, whom he prophesies will be as great as Kubelik. His name is Kocian, and Mr. Kaspar desires to go on record at this time as having predicted the future success of this youth. Mr. Kaspar, Alice E. Burbage and one or two other prominent musicians, will play at an important musicale at the home of Mrs. James Lowndes.
23On December 17, H. H. Freeman gave a pleasing organ recital at St. Mark's Pro-Cathedral. He was assisted by Master Thomas Dobson, soprano, and Anita Cluss, harpist. Mr. Freeman's playing at all times conveyed the impression that he was in thorough command of his instrument. If one were hypercritical it might be said that he accelerated the tempo somewhat in the Mendelssohn Fugue in G minor, op. 37, No. 2, which, together with the Concert Overture in C minor, by Hollins, formed two of the most delightful numbers on his program. The harp and organ are an effective combination, although the arrangement of the Godard Berceuse from "Jocelyn" for those two instruments was inferior to that of the other duets on the program. The organ recital was one of the most enjoyable I have heard this season.
25On the same evening Mrs. Susanne Oldberg gave a musicale at the Washington Club. Her musicales might be called picture concerts. Society is to be seen there and the handsome toilets form an attractive feature. Mrs. Oldberg is the composer of two songs, which will be reviewed here shortly.
27Archibald Olmstead gave a studio recital on the 16th. He was assisted by Mrs. Alice Kraft Benson, a soprano, who is rapidly coming to the front. Mrs. Benson and Mr. Olmstead will give two joint recitals at the Washington Club in January.
29Miss Mary A. Cryder sang at the home of Miss Molly Elliot Seawell, the authoress, last Sunday. She was accompanied by Mr. Olmstead.
31On the same day, the Washington Saengerbund gave an interesting program, which I will send you next week.
33BERENICE THOMPSON.
35POPULAR FAREWELL RECITAL
36BY JOSEF HOFMANN.
38A T Carnegie Hall on Sunday afternoon Josef Hofmann played the following program, the occasion of his farewell recital:
40Thirty-two Variations……………………………………………..Beethoven
41Chor der Derwische (Aus Die Ruinen von Athen),………………………………….Beethoven-Saint-Saëns
42Frühlingslied………………………………………………………..Mendelssohn
43Spinnerlied………………………………………………………..Mendelssohn
44Marche Hongroise…………………………………………………Schubert-Liszt
45Nocturne, F sharp minor………………………………………..Chopin
46Valse, C sharp minor…………………………………………..Chopin
47Valse, D flat major……………………………………………….Chopin
48Polonaise, A flat major…………………………………………Chopin
49Melodie, F major…………………………………………………Rubinstein
50Jongleur………………………………………………………..Moszkowski
51Caprice Espagnol……………………………………………….Moszkowski
52Overture, Tannhäuser…………………………………………Wagner
54The pianist was in very good playing spirits and showed a great deal of temperament in his work. The Beethoven Variations—scarcely a piece for a Sunday afternoon audience—went glibly enough. But in the Saint-Saëns' version of the Dervish crew Hofmann built up a very effective and nicely calculated climax, which set in high relief some of the player's emotional qualities.
56The two Mendelssohn numbers started the applause, which did not subside until Hofmann had repeated both. This he did with as much grace and complacency as though he enjoyed playing them all over again. The Schubert-Liszt "Marche Hongroise" completed the first part of the program. Liszt, with a cunning ear for the opportunities of the virtuoso, has belabored this original composition with such an artillery of octaves and passage work that it sounds fearfully top heavy. Of course its difficulties offered no barrier to Hofmann, who worked out the intricate parts to a nicety. For an encore he played the "Etincelles" and that with unusual lightness and crispness.
58The Chopin group went sanely—no overdose of feminine emotion and yet enough nuance and rubato to keep the reading in character with the composer's intention. In the A flat Polonaise he kept a firm grip on this runaway epic and managed his climaxes with surety. The swift octave work in the left hand never for a moment clouded the melodic outline and the crescendo worked up beautifully.
60The audience was huge and much interested. Still it discriminated in its applause, and once having discriminated it insisted in no uncertain manner until it had been answered. Hofmann's popularity has certainly grown with this season's work and for the very logical reason that his work is proportionately exactly so much better than it was last year. He is a player who, when the maturity of emotion is added to the technic of youth, will rank among the great ones of the piano.
62DE MOSS, THIERS, HEMUS, AT ROSEVILLE.—This trio of first-class artists sang at Roseville Avenue Presbyterian Church the last Sabbath in the old year, and, notwithstanding the downpour of rain, a large congregation assembled.
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