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Musical Courier 1902-03-26: Vol 44 Iss 1148, 1902
70 lines. Read by computer on 25 September 2026. Printed page 11. See the scan on archive.org.
1BERENICE AGNEW'S LONDON SUCCESS.
3It is always gratifying to chronicle the success abroad of our American song birds, and particularly so when this success is the result of well directed, intelligent study. London papers of recent date are united in their enthusiastic comment on the concert given by Miss Agnew in St. James' Hall, and on the brilliant future which awaits this combination of youth, beautiful voice and brains.
5Miss Agnew is a native of Ohio, later living in Pittsburgh, the past five years spent in preparation for a professional career. Three of these were passed in New York with Mme. Mary H. Skinner, who thoroughly taught her the principles of voice production, and she has just gone to London after two years' study with Bouhy and coaching with Valdejo. Miss Agnew is related directly to the well-known Scottish family of that name, her ancestors having held the post of sheriffs of Galloway, and through the marriage of Margaret Kennedy with Sir Patrick Agnew, the eighth hereditary sheriff, the Agnews have a double royal descent, on the one side from King James II. of Scotland and on the other from King Henry VII. of England.
7Miss Agnew is a conscientious artist, singing in four languages, and M. Bouhy has urged her to take up an operatic career. She has also had instruction from the well-known coach of Breval, Alvarez, and others, namely M. Barthelmy; has sung at several special musicales held in French salons, and was the first to introduce to Paris Madame Lehmann's "Daisy Chain." For this the Figaro gave her high praise. Indicating in some degree the success of this singer at her London concert, we reproduce the following from leading London papers:
9Miss Berenice Agnew, the new dramatic soprano, has a voice of phenomenal range. She has been trained for opera by Bouhy, two years in Paris, also with the opera coach, Valdejo; while Barthelmy has been her master for French diction.—The Daily Express.
11Two clever people made their first appearance at St. James' Hall last night. The one, Miss Berenice Agnew, is a dramatic soprano, who should attain distinction as an opera singer; the other, Osborne Hunter, is a baritone of delightful purity and finished style.
13Few singers of Miss Agnew's calibre possess the beauty of her vocal tone, allied to such intensity. Her facility and strength were well displayed by an air from Gounod's "Queen of Sheba," and her range and emotional power were apparent in Schumann's "I Chide Thee Not" and Liszt's "Lorelei."—Daily Express.
15Miss Berenice Agnew has a mezzo-soprano voice of wide range, very rich in the middle register, and she knows how to produce it properly. Her singing of the Gounod aria was notable for ease of execution and attractiveness of style. In Schubert's "Du bist die Ruh" and two songs by Schumann, the taste and skill displayed were undeniable. Three songs, small but melodious, by American composers, were also in Miss Agnew's program.—The Illustrated Dramatic News.
17Successful first appearances were made by Miss Berenice Agnew and Osborne Hunter, whose joint recital at St. James' Hall was attended by many members of the American colony. Miss Agnew's voice is a rich mezzo-soprano, of large compass and well under control. She is a really intelligent singer, and should achieve a good position. Her songs included Gounod's "Plus grand," Liszt's "Lorelei" and Schumann's "Wenn ich in deine Augen" and "Ich grolle nicht." Of these the first and last were given with remarkable beauty of voice and warmth of expression.—Lady's Pictorial.
19America, so rich in beautiful voices, has sent us Miss Agnew, another sweet young singer. With the warm applause she earned one might well have transcribed Caesar's famous phrase, "Sic came, sang and conquered." She introduced herself with the air from "Queen of Sheba," a good test piece for a soprano leggiero in regard to quantity as well as quality of voice. For here almost two octaves are necessary, as well as an even voice from low C to high B. Miss Agnew, therefore, was able to show the smooth, liquid, lyric timbre of her organ and her good training. That this soft and velvety voice is capable of deep passion was proved in the "Ich grolle nicht," with the brilliant high A in it. The lovely "Lorelei" of Liszt is another of those compositions which only young and perfectly fresh voices may touch without harming them, especially in the original high key in which Miss Agnew sang it. "Du bist die Ruh" went well, and was much applauded; also "Mood," by Rogers; "Allah," by Chadwick, and "La morte de Jeanne d'Arc." The concert ended with Henschel's lovely duet, "O, That We Two Were Maying," by Miss A. and Mr. Hunter. We congratulate Miss Agnew on her successful debut before a critical London audience. She has the advantage over some of our latest débutantes from foreign lands in that she has a method and style of her own.—London Musical Courier.
21Miss Agnew has a fine mezzo-soprano voice of large compass, and uses it with skill and discretion. An attractive rendering of "Plus grand dans son obscurité," from Gounod's "Reine de Saba," established her in favor, and her singing of Liszt and Schumann songs was guided by ability and intelligence. Later on she interpreted some melodious songs by the American composers, Rogers and Chadwick, with remarkable charm.—The Daily Telegraph.
23Miss Agnew, who comes from Pittsburgh, Pa., U. S. A., has not before appeared on this concert platform. Her success was instant. She has all the qualities that go to make a real artist, a splendid voice, mezzo-soprano in quality, but of large compass, liquid and sympathetic, which she manages with admirable method; her singing is marked by style, good taste and temperament. The Gounod aria at once established her in popular favor. Liszt's "Lorelei," Schubert's "Du bist die Ruh" and Schumann's "Wenn ich in deine Augen seh" and "Ich grolle nicht" were admirable.—London Musical News.
25A very successful début was made on Friday last by Miss Berenice Agnew, a young American mezzo-soprano, who gave a concert in St. James' Hall. Miss Agnew had the advantage for the last two years of instruction in voice production with the famous teacher, Jacques Bouhy, of Paris, who considers her an exceptionally gifted artist, and has urged her to pursue an operatic career. At her recital last week the only operatic air in which the lady elected to be heard was "Plus grand dans son obscurité," from Gounod's "La Reine de Saba," but in this she proved herself the possessor of a bright and agreeable voice of considerable range, and which has been very well cultivated. The aria was delivered both with vocal charm and artistic perception, and subsequently in a selection of German songs she deepened the favorable impression she had created. Liszt's "Die Lorelei" was sung in very creditable and intelligent fashion; Schubert's "Du bist die Ruh," Schumann's "Wenn ich in deine Augen seh" and "Ich grolle nicht" were also delivered with versatility of style and practised art, and the lady also sang songs in English and French with marked favor.—The Queen, London.
27E. PRESSON MILLER RECITAL.
29THE second of the series of musicales by the pupils of E. Presson Miller, at his studios, Carnegie Hall, was given on Wednesday afternoon, March 19, by Miss Mary Frances Kirby, soprano, assisted by M. James Brines, tenor. Following is the program:
31Una voce poco fa (Il Barbiere di Siviglia)………………..Rossini
32Ich Liebe Dich…………………………………………..Mildenberg
33Obstination……………………………………………..Fontenailles
34Donna, vorrei morir………………………………….Tosti
35In the Woods (Old French)…………………………….Bizet
36Love the Pedlar…………………………………………German
37Under the Rose…………………………………………Arms Fisher
38Songs of Arabi…………………………………………Clay
39A Memory……………………………………………..Park
40The Bluebell and Bumble Bee………………………….E. Presson Miller
41Molly's Eyes…………………………………………..Hawley
42Love…………………………………………………….Park
43Voci di Primavera………………………………………Strauss
44L'Addio……………………………………………….Nicolai
45Miss Kirby and Mr. Brines.
47Miss Kirby won the favor of her audience at once by her beautiful voice and the ease and skill displayed in the use of it. She excels in colorature, and both the Rossini Aria and Strauss Waltz were brilliantly sung, particularly the latter, which called forth enthusiastic applause. The smaller songs were also charmingly rendered, the singer adding not a little to their effectiveness by her unaffected manner and distinct articulation.
49Mr. Brines was in fine voice and sang exceptionally well. This young artist is steadily advancing in his art, and his fine tenor voice is intelligently used. He was particularly effective in "Songs of Arabi" and "Molly's Eyes," although the fervor of "Ich Liebe Dich" and dramatic power of "Donna, vorrei morir" won instant recognition. The duet made a pleasant ending to a thoroughly enjoyable program.
51A BOSTON TEACHER'S PROGRESS.
53Mrs. Etta Edwards' New Studios.
55"EXCELSIOR" is the motto of Mrs. Etta Edwards, the well-known teacher of voice, whose home is in Boston.
57Mrs. Edwards is a teacher who is never content with things as they are, yet whose unrest is never discontent. Her way is what may be called "illuminated," that is, there is clearly marked out in her mind what ought to be and what must be of the best musical education. One of the youngest teachers in the vocal field, she is already one of the fullest in experiences, in action, in new devices for presenting old truths and in original and interesting movements toward the ideal in music study.
59Passing the excellence in voice production, which speaks for itself in her singers, and is recognized by authority, each season shows new ways of overcoming faults, new plans for encouraging study of matters musical, outside of actual voice building, and above all the importance of fundamental work.
61She has her pupils studying piano, harmony, languages, physical culture, declamation and sight reading, and some new plans are being formulated which will delight and benefit the girls when set in motion.
63Success is always looking for such people. Mrs. Edwards has been driven out of her old studio in Steinert Hall by Success and by Progress. Increase of pupils, of work, and activities of all sorts, made enlargement imperative. With characteristic energy and enterprise, in the very midst of her season's work, she rented and moved into the best studios in Steinert Hall, two spacious communicating front rooms on the fifth floor, commanding an outlook of the Common and the Capitol and a perspective that is inspiring.
65The actual study room is secluded from all noise or movement. The outer room is a reception and waiting room, and wide double doors of communication make the studios complete for soirées, matinees and reunions of all sorts. The coloring is in an artistic combination of dark green, red and black. The furniture is oak in dark colors. Portraits of musicians, of pupils, illustrations of operatic scenes and musical subjects cover the walls, and music cases have been made to order for the care and convenience of musical literature. Needless to say that THE MUSICAL COURIER, as mirror of musical movement and opinion, lies ever on the centre table.
67The third of Mrs. Edwards' pupil concerts of the season was given at Steinert Hall on Saturday, March 8. These concerts are honest and frank expositions of the actual work of the schoolroom, no singer making more than one appearance in the series. This third circle of students showed in technic and tone the evidence of a master hand in training seen in those more advanced. It is the habit to say of Mrs. Edwards' school: "She has such luck in getting hold of good voices." Those who know the voices when they come know better that it is the manner of working with them which renders them beautiful and musical and attractive even in early stages.
69Mrs. Edwards has some excellent ideas on diction in early tone making and on the judgment of vocal values, which are original and valuable as coming from her experience. They will be given later.
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