Scan 11
Musical Courier 1902-02-19: Vol 44 Iss 1143, 1902
49 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026. Printed page 12. See the scan on archive.org.
1VIENNA, JANUARY 23, 1902.
3WE have been sitting at the feet of Gamaliel for one week, but have been unable to satisfy our desire for ascertaining in order to afford the readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER the opportunity of learning just what the sage thinks of G. Mahler's Fourth Symphony. The critics have finally made up their minds to deliver their weighty opinions to an expectant public. The Tagblatt published a feuilleton, with an illustrious signature. It was admirably written. But his verdict—rather tentative. What are the erudites afraid of? Posterity or only Herr Gustav Mahler, Kaiser Königlich Hof Opera Dirigent? The feuilleton contains an allegorical sketch or epitome of the symphony; the composer himself disclaims all program intentions. Nevertheless, it is charming to be entertained with tales of Love driving shadowy horses, of sylphs and dancers and fairy children, while graphic descriptions of scenes from darker regions carry with them their own gloomy interests.
5Not having been distinctly told just what to believe of the first performance, Vienna massed to the second on Monday, January 20. The Grosser Musik Verein Saal was crowded and enthusiastic when the Viennese idol stepped forth to greet his adorers. The first number on the program was his "Klagende Lied," for solo voices, chorus and orchestra. Singers from the opera and the orchestra were forwarded for the occasion, so that the patrons of the Hof Opera were forced to content themselves with an evening of ballet, to the accompaniment of substitutes. The "Klagende Lied" is founded on the weird story of a wicked king who kills his brother and marries the latter's bereaved betrothed. A strolling musician finds (many years later) a bone of the murdered man and makes of it a flute on which he plays at the court of the unholy monarch. But the little instrument tells the gruesome tale, and death and destruction follow. In writing his "Klagende Lied" Mahler has occasionally forgotten what he had read in the scores of other composers. In those moments he has arisen high. Indeed, there are heroic climaxes in the work, and we feel, notwithstanding the Fourth Symphony and other crimes, that the depth and the originality of Mahler, the conductor, have their true counterpart in the work of Mahler, the composer. Shall he go unpunished? The paternity of many of his themes and effects is shamelessly evident. The most rabid Wagnerite would cry a halt. Shall nothing or almost nothing but ever weakening solutions of "Walküre" "Tristan," "Siegfried" be served to us again?
7In the "Klagende Lied" fragments of the "Walküre" prelude the sword motive. Brunhilde's cry, the Ride, the Potion Scene ("Tristan") Siegfried riotously seek one another, like Indians fighting for neutral ground that they may smoke a pipe of peace.
9The instrumentation is sometimes peculiar and resembles that of the G major Symphony. From the extremities of the orchestral register piccolo and bass tuba strive to meet. Though the presence of no intervening instrument exists to prevent this union or an approach, they fail to accomplish it. They cannot get any nearer to each other, and then failure is at the same time piteous and maddening. What are these new intervals invented by Herr Mahler? For harshness and a non-resolving quality they never have been and we hope never will be rivaled. The other day a young musician naively observed that if Mahler would only eliminate the ugliness from his compositions there would be something to them. To anyone who has heard the Fourth Symphony and the "Klagende Lied" the remark is so pregnant with truth as to have seemed worthy of quotation. Like lambs being led to the slaughter, and gaily, the singers wore their sacrificial ribbons. They must have known what was expected of them, and surely they had rehearsed, though how such a thing could have been sung more than once by any human voice without serious permanent injury passes the feeble understanding of the laymen.
11As at its first performance the G major Symphony was differently received by different sections, or shall we say factions, of the audience. Some persons shrieked for joy and stamped their feet; others indignantly went to sleep; others still smiled superiorly; others looked on apologetically, as if they hoped, but were not quite sure, that they themselves had not lost consciousness or the use of reason.
13The Fourth Mahler Symphony cannot be looked upon as an indisposition as long the Kaiser Königlich Hof Opera musicians as willingly earn their salaries and pensions by playing it as any other music, and while the audiences are not tied down to their seats and listening is not necessarily fatal to life or sanity. Mahler, as has been frequently repeated, is undoubtedly a great director, but his stage presence is peculiar. His manners even more so. When he has had as much applause as he thinks good for himself he taps loudly on the desk and compels silence in the house.
15On January 14 the Hungarian violinist Arthur Hartmann gave a concert in the Kleiner Musikverein Saal. He played with excellent technic and fine musical feeling the Wieniawski D minor Concerto. It is a matter of sincere regret that the young artist was obliged to limit his abandon to the requirements of an insufficient, unelastic piano accompaniment. His virtuosity evidently demands the broader scope which the sustaining of an orchestra alone can give. Nevertheless, he played the Wieniawski in such a way as to prove conclusively that he has much in reserve. The Bach numbers for violin solo further demonstrated it. Mr. Hartmann played them à la virtuoso, but more than this, with deep feeling and an admirable leading of the voices. His repose in these pieces showed that he has full command of his resources. There was a slight change at the end of the program. Instead of Halvorsen's "Chant de Veslemy," as announced, Mr. Hartmann played the Romance of Svendsen, which he declaimed with dramatic force.
17The young Hungarian was well received, and responded with several encores. The results of the first concert have warranted announcing a second, which will occur on Wednesday, the 28th.
19On Sunday, the 19th, Sauer played the "Emperor" Concerto with the Gesellschaft's Orchestra, under the direction of Ferdinand Löwe. The concert was unusually well attended, the audience enthusiastic, Sauer in heroic mood. Indeed, it was not the Sauer of the recital some weeks back, but the Sauer of the celebrated American tour, the Sauer of the G major Beethoven Sonata and other memorable performances. His reading of the "Emperor" was simply gigantic, although some might quarrel with his rather abrupt changes of tempo. Possibly these did slightly mar the general effect, but presumably Sauer has a right to his own taste in the matter. The poor little Bösendorfer grand sighed and groaned under the immensity of the task imposed on it, but bravely gave out its fullest sonority under the touch of the master. It is indubitably true that Sauer's pianissimos are a thing to revel in joy over. His scales and passage playing would glorify even a Czerny study!
21The Singverein gave a capella a Bach motet, "Fear Not," and "Vineta" and "Beherzigung" of Brahms. Then, with full orchestra accompaniment, the Brahms "Shicksalslied." These were all well given, though the first sopranos are rather too predominating—a thing all the more disagreeable as they have a tendency to flatten.
23Sauer's book, "Meine Welt," is still exciting considerable interest in Vienna. In our humble opinion it is worth all the stir it is creating, and more, and some local writers who are cudgeling their brains and unconsciously advertising the book by their labored witticisms are doing a good work, for which—may they be rewarded!
25Little Miss Geyer's phenomenal success has induced Mr. Rosé, who is managing her appearance in Vienna, to announce another concert. If she again fills the Grosser Saal, as she did on both preceding occasions, it will be the third time within a few weeks, an unusual record here.
27The Leschetizky class held the first of their bi-monthly semi-public performances on Wednesday, January 22. A number of pieces by ancient, but many more by contemporary, composers were played, some indifferently, some acceptably, some very well. But the interest centred on the darling of the class, the wonder-boy of eight, who has already composed, even for orchestra, who modulates and improvises much better than his classmates three times his age, and who, though his feet do not reach the pedals, and little hands barely grasp an octave, plays Chopin nocturnes like an artist, which he certainly is, and Bach fugues and inventions à la virtuose. Miecio Horsyowski cannot remember a time in his short life when he did not play. Of course, he has absolute pitch and a magnificent sense of rhythm, and an abnormal finger facility, and a concentration of mind and purpose that many a grown man might envy; but he has more than and above all this, an innate love of and reverence for beauty. And he knows where to find the lovely goddess and how to make her seen of others. It is impossible to look at this child and not recognize genius of a high order, a genius which breaks forth even in his healthy, childish games. The little prodigy will give a concert some time in February.
29Other events of interest in the near future are d'Albert's second recital, the evening of Strauss songs and on January 28 Martinus Sieveking concert, with orchestra.
31G. S. L.
33AMY MURRAY.—Miss Amy Murray, the Scottish recital singer, has returned from her Western tour and is now filling engagements in New York State. Following are some extracts of recent reports of her recitals:
34The charming personality of Miss Murray, her full, rich voice, and her theme, all combine to enthrall even the most careless listener. Her bits of song, enhanced by gesture and facial expression, gave one a glimpse of that land of song and romance.—Daily News, Benton Harbor, Mich.
36It was Bethune's "O Sing to Me the Auld Scots Sangs." The words are familiar, but the effect was the gift of the singer. The value of a ballad or folksong depends on the personality of the one who sings it. There is an elusive quality, not taught in the schools, because it measures the heartbeats of a people, breathing their joys and sorrows, the glories of the past, the aspirations of the future. Miss Murray has this quality in very high degree.—Oswego (N. Y.) Daily Palladium.
38Miss Murray's February dates include Goshen, N. Y., February 6; Warwick, N. Y., February 7; St. Mark's Students' Club (New York city), February 8. The Kosmos Club, of Brooklyn, at home of Mrs. Lyon, 170 New York avenue, on February 11.
40MR. LOUDON G. CHARLTON, CARNEGIE HALL, NEW YORK, HAS THE HONOR TO ANNOUNCE THE CELEBRATED DUTCH PIANIST: EDUARD ZELDENRUST
42"A pianist of excellent parts—a poetically minded musician."
43H. E. KREHBIEL, in New York Tribune, January 8, 1902.
45"A pianist of force, authority and strongly developed individuality."
46F. N. R. MARTINEZ, in New York World, January 8, 1902.
48BALDWIN PIANO USED.
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