Scan 16
Musical Courier 1902-01-29: Vol 44 Iss 1140, 1902
95 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026. Printed page 17. See the scan on archive.org.
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1ST. LOUIS.
3THE ODEON,
4St. Louis, January 18, 1902.
6TO indulge in a brief resumé of the events which have transpired the past two months is to revert to four splendid concerts given by the Choral Symphony Society.
8Comparisons are denied me as a newcomer, but I am told that the chorus this year excels in merit any of past history. Certainly in the Verdi Requiem and Bach's "Christmas Oratorio" most impressive and edifying effects were accomplished. The chorus work was not only good, but uniformly so.
10Mr. Ernst is not the orchestral conductor of two years ago. He was then a most culpable distraction. So flagrant were his idiosyncrasies of manner and bearing that one's sensibilities were aggravated and bruised into an aggressive resentment, which tenaciously tinged one's musical viewpoint. The Choral Symphony now presents in Mr. Ernst a conductor of genial and quite unobtrusive elegance, of convincing force and vigor. Mr. Ernst makes effective most of the excellent material afforded him.
12Verdi's Requiem, the work chosen for the opening concert, would have been remarkable if but for one feature, the perfect work of the contralto, Jessie Ringen.
14Miss Ringen has an exquisite stage presence. I know of no woman who has ever so charmed me by her personality and as an artist she is superb. And the joy and the pity of it is that Miss Ringen sings merely because it pleases her. As regards intent and purpose she is an amateur.
16Campanari, at his happiest, inspired his listeners with a most pleasurable, if somewhat frantic enthusiasm, at the second concert, the program of which was otherwise as exclusively as it was satisfactorily orchestral.
18The Bach "Christmas Oratorio" was a daring innovation, which it is to be hoped will become a yearly venture. Eventually the subscribers as a whole will come to know an appreciation and delectation, which, in the first presentation of the work, must have been a luxury possible only to the few initiated and disciplined.
20At the last, a symphony concert, Fritz Kreisler created a furore. Approval in orchestra and audience became rampant. The violinist's tone is deliciously luscious and sweet, and his arts and charms are so legitimately of interpretation and high art, that virtuosity is scarce even as a last consideration.
22Mr. Ernst affords the soloists a sympathetic orchestral support, which must seem little less than inspiration to them. Beethoven's Second Symphony featured this program. It was splendidly interpreted, and found cordial appreciation.
24The Thomas Orchestra is giving a series of eight concerts at the Odeon. The patronage has been substantially encouraging, and it is the fond hope of many that the management will deem it judicious to present with the orchestra, at some one of the concerts, a pianist.
26The first concert of the Apollo Club is a fait accompli. These concerts are in several respects remarkable. Private they are dubbed, and with literal justice, for they are society's nearest and dearest, being exclusively subscription affairs, with an eager and imposing waiting list of aspirants. The smartest and most representative audience of the season is in attendance at these affairs, which are not so much concerts as functions. The atmosphere is mundane and prosperous to a degree. And this is apropos of the visiting artists, too; for the Apollo, which purposes to patronize only novelties, and with a sometimes distressing disregard of value received, luxuriates in the reputation of paying the most exorbitant artist fees of any organization in the country.
28There is an active membership of seventy-two, and a pleasing and distinguishing feature of the work is the insistence of Alfred Robyn, the conductor, that the club sing entirely from memory. This engenders a very unique and impressive ensemble. The club sings very well, indeed, the most enthusing effect being made in a delectable arrangement by Mori of Mascagni's Intermezzo. "The Cossack," by Moniuszko, by virtue of Mr. Robyn's startlingly individual conception of spurted effects in accent and shading was unfortunately an occasion for discreet but defined diversion. Gregory Hast, the London tenor, was distinguished largely by the incompatibility of his artistic capabilities and his market value as discerned by his astute impresario.
30E. R. Kroeger is giving a series of six analytical piano recitals at the Odeon lecture hall Saturday mornings. The opening one occurred on the 11th, when the program included Bach's Fugue in E major, "Sonata Pathétique," of Beethoven, and Chopin's G minor Ballade. An analysis of each was given, after which the composition was played. Any one cognizant of Mr. Kroeger's scholarly attainments and comprehensive and liberal musicianship will readily recognize the splendid opportunities afforded the students and teachers in these recitals. Mr. Kroeger is also giving at Forest Park University a series of lectures treating of the Nibelungen music dramas.
32Josef Hofmann, erstwhile infant phenomenon, gave last night at the Odeon the first of two piano recitals to an audience which in warm and ready response made good numerical deficits. Hofmann, as a young man, has not the exterior attractiveness that was his as a lad. Seven or eight years ago, when I last heard him in Vienna, he was most magnetic in his personality, his cheeks were so rosy, his nose was so absurd in its humorously heavenward proclivities, and he was coyly cordial in his shyly friendly attitude toward his hearers. It was all, probably, the charm of youth, for one finds in him to-day a very unassuming manikin, devoid of mannerisms, prosily conventional and most wretchedly and defiantly tailored.
34Pianistically, Hofmann is delightful. In style he is irreproachable; in detail, aesthetic. Cardiacally he has yet to mature, as the "Nachtstück," the second movement of the "Appassionata," and Schubert's Impromptu all instanced. The Haydn "Variations" were exquisite in their quaint simplicity of charm—an ideal interpretation. A Schubert "Soirée de Vienne," versioned I fancy by Liszt, unexpectedly exonerated the program of its somewhat stereotyped form. This is a recital number as unhackneyed as it is stunningly effective; wild enthusiasm prevailed and an unknown encore was conceded, presumably of the Hofmann muse.
36The Ballade savored rather more of Hofmann than of time honored Chopin traditions, especially in the close. It was all very interesting. Ballade, Prelude and Valse. The Liszt "Gnimenreigen" and Moszkowski "Jongleur" were vociferously redemanded, and the Liszt "Tannhäuser Overture" evoked an ovation.
38Hofmann makes the most charming piano effects; he has a delightful touch and technic; his sense of proportion is a joy, his detail is at all times elegant and rounted, and he is ever the musician and never the virtuoso.
40More anon concerning musical people and conditions.
42LILLIAN APEL-EMERY.
44Luigi von Kunits.—Luigi von Kunits will be soloist at the meeting of the Schubert Club at Grand Rapids, Mich., on the evening of April 9.
46THE ONLY "LESCHETIZKY" SCHOOL OF PIANO PLAYING IN AMERICA.
48Named after PROF. THEO. LESCHETIZKY, of Vienna, by his special permission.
50Mme. DE WIENZKOWSKA, DIRECTRESS AND FOUNDER.
52CARNEGIE HALL. Address Communications: 147 W. Eighty-second St., NEW YORK CITY.
54LESCHETIZKY—"Mme. Wienzkowska's success as a piano virtuosa and teacher is eminent."
55FADERKOWSKI—"Mme. Wienzkowska is a finished pianiste and possesses an extraordinary ability of communicating to others a complete knowledge of her art."
56HANS RICHTER—"I consider you an artist of finest esprit and taste, and a representative of a most solid school."
58GEO. W. JENKINS, TENOR.
60Sole Management of
62REMINGTON SQUIRE, 125 East 24th Street, New York.
64Schumann-Heink and Burmeister's "The Sisters."
66AFTER the great success which Madame Schumann-Heink achieved at the last Philharmonic concert with Richard Burmeister's new composition "The Sisters," dramatic tone-poem for contralto and orchestra, the great singer decided to sing it in important orchestral concerts for which she is engaged during this season, among others in Cincinnati with Frank van der Stucken, and in Chicago with Theodore Thomas.
68The verdict of the New York daily papers about Burmeister's composition has been a strictly divided one. Madame Schumann-Heink asserts that seldom a work of this kind—a musical drama à miniature on the concert stage—has excited and stirred her up as much as this one did. This certainly could be heard and seen plainly at the initial performance, into which she infused all her soul and magnificent art. And the members of the Philharmonic Orchestra were not less enthusiastic in accompanying the singer.
70Madame Schumann-Heink acquired the right of the first performances of Burmeister's work also for Germany after her return to that country.
72Glenn Hall in Toledo and Philadelphia.
74GLENN HALL'S recent success in Toledo and Philadelphia inspired the following press comments:
76The soloist who appeared with the Eurydice Club last evening was Glenn Hall, who came heralded as a fine tenor. He is all of that, and it is unfortunate that his first appearance here should have been accompanied by such a severe cold that it had to be apologized for publicly.
78Such an announcement is usually rather a damper, but the audience seemed to take the view that the worse cold a man had the more he ought to sing, and kept up a claque after each group of songs that brought a response from the obliging sufferer.
80If overuse of his voice in Toledo should be his undoing for the season, we can proudly point to our part in his finish. After faithfully giving every song in the list, he added Foote's "I'm Wearin' Away," and Dvorák's "Als die Alte Mutter," besides the old song, "Believe Me if All Those Endearing Young Charms," and notwithstanding the veil over his voice, his method, style and expression carried him triumphantly over the hard spots. It was a pleasure to hear again Schubert's "Serenade," so long neglected, while "Donna Varrei Morir" and "Bonjour Suzanne" were most artistic and satisfactory.—Toledo Bee, January 9, 1902.
82Glenn Hall, of Chicago, was most enthusiastically received, and, although he was suffering from a severe cold, sang his many numbers in a way that delighted his audience. He was compelled to respond to a number of encores. Mr. Hall's repertory was heavily drawn upon, his selections including songs by Tchaikowsky, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Margaret Lang, Maud White, Tosti and Pessard.—Toledo Blade, January 9, 1902.
84Glenn Hall, of Chicago, was heard in a delightful recital on Monday evening, his numbers running over a wide range, from selections from Tchaikowsky's "Eugen Onegin" and the famous German lieder composers to our own MacDowell. Mr. Hall is young and possesses a true tenor voice, rich in timbre and virile in effect. His engagements in oratorio and concert prove a growing appreciation, and his repertory is already very large.—Philadelphia Press, January 5, 1902.
86Glenn Hall, the tenor soloist at the Eurydice Club concert last evening, had a dreadful cold, but he sang over it in such a manner as to thoroughly charm the audience present. He has the rare gift of singing ballads exquisitely, and he gave several in excellent form. It was exceedingly unfortunate that Mr. Hall made his first visit to Toledo at such a disadvantage to himself, but Toledans will give him a warm welcome upon his return, which, it is hoped, will be an event of the near future. He received a veritable storm of applause at the close of his numbers, and his exceptionally pleasing personality, the charm of a spontaneous frankness and the seriousness of the true artist, made him delightful in the presentation of his songs. He has a voice the quality of which is remarkably pure and clear, and every number given was thoroughly enjoyable.—Toledo Times, January 9, 1902.
88Mme. Charlotte MACONDA
90JUST RETURNED FROM AN IMMENSELY SUCCESSFUL TRANSCONTINENTAL RECITAL TOUR.
92Oratorio, Festival, Concert and Recital Engagements now Booking.
94Sole…. Management, LOUDON G. CHARLTON, Carnegie Hall, NEW YORK.
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