Scan 39
Musical Courier 1902-03-26: Vol 44 Iss 1148, 1902
102 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 40. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1Plunket Greene's Second Recital.
3PLUNKET GREENE at his second recital in Mendelssohn Hall on Monday afternoon, March 31, will sing a new cycle of Irish songs by C. V. Stanford. There will also be a group of songs by the Hungarian composer Korbay, and songs of the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The program was published in THE MUSICAL COURIER last week.
5FISK IN CALIFORNIA.
6Distinguished Contralto Scores Brilliant Triumphs in San Francisco.
8MME. KATHARINE FISK, who has made many and notable successes in Europe as well as all the principal Eastern cities in the country, is now for the first time singing on the Pacific Coast. In four recitals at San Francisco the eminent contralto has been accorded a series of ovations, and her rare art, beautiful voice and attractive personality have won genuine enthusiasm and cordial praise from the critics, as may be seen from the appended clippings:
10Just before Madame Nordica left San Francisco she said that no one could afford to miss hearing her confére, Katharine Fisk. That indorsement was a pleasant sort of introduction for the famous contralto, quite new to California. After hearing her last evening it is easy to understand Madame Nordica's cordial enthusiasm. one of two readings
11Just before Madame Nordica left San Francisco she said that no one could afford to miss hearing her conférence, Katharine Fisk. That indorsement was a pleasant sort of introduction for the famous contralto, quite new to California. After hearing her last evening it is easy to understand Madame Nordica's cordial enthusiasm. one of two readings
13At the conclusion of Mrs. Fisk's first program one felt as refreshed as at the close of a long walk on a fresh spring day. Not since Scalchi's palmy days has such a contralto been heard in this city. Mrs. Fisk's voice combines Trebelli's power and Scalchi's appealing sympathy. It expresses, at her sweet will, all phases of emotion; it charms equally with Chadwick's dainty "Dandelion" or with the magnificent arias from "Samson et Delila." Mrs. Fisk's art is perfect; her singing is irresistible.
15One need not expect to sit through a Fisk recital and not have the lights grow misty, but just as sure as that is the laugh which saves the tear. There was probably not a dry eye in that big company when Mrs. Fisk finished Ethelbert Nevin's "Oh, That We Two Were Maying." This exquisite composition carried her voice to its mellowest depths. Immediately after that came Chadwick's tidbit, "The Dandelion"; then Gaynor's "Slumber Boat," and the Thomas "Japanese Love Song," and with them the audience was out again in the sunshine. This group of songs concluded with "The Gardener and the Rose," by Emil A. Bruguiere, of this city.
17The three arias from "Samson et Delila" attested the fact that Mrs. Fisk is a great as well as a delightful artist, and her velvet voice brought out the intense emotions of the sentiment and the rare beauty of the music.
19On the whole, there has not been so interesting a concert in this city for many a day. Mrs. Fisk is as captivating personally as she is artistically.—San Francisco Chronicle, March 12, 1902.
21The song recital given by Mrs. Katharine Fisk, the renowned contralto, last night, proved to be a treat, the scope and pleasure of which were a surprise even to those who had anticipated much. Mrs. Fisk has a thorough equipment for delightful vocal work, a voice full, rich and eloquent, artistic training, the power of dramatic and emotional expression and a magnetic, attractive personality.
23She began her program with Seebich's serious composition, "Lungi del Caro Beni." The Brahms, Schubert and Holländers songs were also of weight. Their severity is a test of power admirably met by Mrs. Fisk. She sang with a reserve and studied care that promised much for the more florid numbers. Lalo's "L'Esclave" and Fentonaille's "Obstination" brought out Mrs. Fisk's art of expression, the grace and poetry that is in her and much individuality of shading.
25The songs in English were the greatest delight to her audience, because every syllable was distinct. Rarely does a singer enunciate with such crystal clearness as Mrs. Fisk; the words fall like dewdrops from her lips, pure and lovely. She sang a variety of familiar things, all touched by her originality and the full, glowing quality of her voice. The whole evening's enjoyment was concentrated, however, into three great arias from "Samson and Delilah," by Saint-Saëns. Her forte is surely dramatic musical expression. Her contralto, with its range of sympathy and throbbing church tones, is best fitted to express the combination of action and passion found in the more strenuous kind of opera music.—San Francisco Bulletin, March 12, 1902.
27Mrs. Fisk has the happiness to be a singer who can sing. She is one of the most roundly gifted vocalists that have been heard here, with every kind of competence for her art. With a deep, smooth, rich and exquisitely used voice, strong dramatic temperament and large intelligence, the singer presents a program of amazing variety with an altogether exceptional satisfaction to her audience. She phrases beautifully and delightfully. Her enunciation is a model of the art, and she has style—lots of it.—San Francisco Call, March 12, 1902.
29POWELL IN POLAND.
31THE following paragraph appeared in the Brooklyn Eagle:
33"Alma Webster-Powell, the Brooklyn soprano, has been singing in Warsaw and has received the following notice from the Warsaw Kurjer:
35Pianista kompozytor p. Eugeniusz de Pirani oprocz towarzyszenia p. Webster-Powell, odegral sam caly szereg utworow Bacha, Chopina i swoich. W grze jego jak i w utworach znac muzyka wykszal-conego w doskonalej szkole. Technike posiada p. Pirani wysoko rozwineta, w samej jednak grze widnieje jakas chwilejnicosc rytmiczna, pewien niepokoj, wpływający na nierównosc tempa.
37"Mrs. Powell's voice and enunciation must both be singularly good."
39Our Warsaw correspondent sends us this interesting item about Alma Webster-Powell's success in that city:
41Pann, Alma Webster-Powell una Americanka supranksa zt en szkole aria Mozartowski nypłowski neda purinski vocalenski por Schitowski withi upplausenski grossky.
43We agree with the above statement.
45Blauvelt a Versatile Singer.
47SOMETHING over a week ago Mme. Lillian Blauvelt sang at an afternoon concert "Dich theure Halle," from Wagner's "Tannhäuser," and "Elsa's Dream," from "Lohengrin." The same evening she sang "The Valse," from Gounod's "Romeo and Juliette," and the Bolero from Verdi's "Sicilian Vespers." How many of the foreign singers can equal Madame Blauvelt's versatility? Madame Blauvelt is an American.
49Correspondence.
51NASHVILLE.
52Nashville, Tenn., March 18, 1902.
54ONE of the most delightful recitals given before the Philharmonic Society this season was that of Leon Marx on the afternoon of February 10. His program was a varied one, and contained many novelties as well as other numbers that usually appear on a violin recital program.
56The clubs have held their regular meetings, presenting good programs.
58The Amateur Musical Club, of which Mrs. M. S. Lebeck is president, gave a delightful Schubert-Schumann program at their last meeting, each number being given with splendid execution and taste.
60The Philharmonic Society gave a most pleasing club recital before a large and appreciative audience.
62It was one of unusual variety, embracing a song cycle, "Summertime," by Landon Ronald, sung by Justin Thatcher, tenor, and a musical idyll of Liza Lehmann's, which was rendered by Mrs. Carrie Smith McClure, soprano, and Justin Thatcher.
64In the former Mr. Thatcher did some wonderful tone coloring, and more than sustained his reputation for beautiful quality of voice.
66His work in the Lehmann cycle was very artistic, as was also Mrs. McClure's. Other features of the program were a group of songs sung by Mrs. McClure, two movements of an Arensky concerto played by Miss Mary Lyles McClure, the orchestral part by Miss Deseunkes and the Andante Cantabile (Tchaikowsky), by the Philharmonic String Orchestra, with J. H. Guest as conductor. Miss Snow, Miss Deseunkes, Mr. Miller and Mr. Guest added strength to the program by their pleasing accompaniments.
68Miss Katharine Stewart, one of Nashville's rising young singers, gave a recital before a large audience and received a most cordial reception. She was ably assisted by J. H. Guest, violinist.
70Of all the musical attractions that have come to Nashville this season none have captured the general public and the musical loving people as did Ellery with his Italian band.
72They came almost unheralded, but left with all Nashville at their feet, winning their way through merit alone, and their music did more in an educational sense than anything of the kind ever heard in the city.
74Nashville is justly proud of its great institution of learning, Vanderbilt University, so that it was not surprising that they gave the Glee and Instrumental clubs a great ovation at their annual concert, on the evening of March 14. The theatre was specially decorated in their honor with a great profusion of old gold and black, the college colors, the program a very attractive one, altogether an evening long to be remembered. With the opening of spring comes a long list of unusually fine musical attractions. These, however, shall be mentioned in the next letter.
76CLEVELAND.
77Cleveland, Ohio, March 20, 1902.
79A FEATURE in the musical development of Cleveland, whose importance cannot yet be estimated, is the Sunday afternoon popular concerts, under the management of a citizens' committee, of whom the moving spirit is Conrad Mizer, a man who knows and loves the common people.
81That there is a demand for these concerts is evident from the fact that the Grays' Armory, Cleveland's inadequate apology for a music hall, cannot begin to contain those who seek admittance. That the supply can meet the demand is proved by the merit of the programs given by the forty-five musicians who constitute the orchestra. These men are playing at the various theatres and elsewhere during the week, but are glad to make common cause on Sunday and help foster the love of music among the masses.
83The first plan of having a different conductor from week to week has, happily, been abandoned, and now Johann Beck and Emil King, both able conductors, serve alternately.
85Last Sunday's program presented creditable compositions of three Cleveland composers, Anton Kraussich, Josef Narovec and Charles G. Sommer. The Serenade of Titl for flute and French horn was excellently played by Carl Bernthaler and Fritz Fischer. William A. Willett, of the Chicago Auditorium Conservatory, delighted the audience by singing "Gloria," by Buzzi Peccia, and the "Yeoman's Wedding Song."
87This Cleveland Grand Orchestra but foreshadows that permanent organization which will soon be inevitable.
89Paderewski's recital of March 12 was eagerly enjoyed by such an assemblage as always greets him here. Among the out of town people the Oberlin contingent was particularly large.
91A very popular evening in the Temple course was given by Sibyl Stammis, soprano; H. Evan Williams, tenor; Gwilym Miles, baritone, and Minnetta Henneberger, accompanist.
93Everyone here knows and enjoys Mr. Miles in the songs of varied character which his repertory includes, but best of all in his ballads of a quaintly humorous or rollicking type.
95Mr. Williams, in contrast, charms with his lyrics, using a very effective sotto voce on occasional high tones.
97During Mr. Williams' stay here he gave a recital at Beckwith Church, where he used to sing when Cleveland was his home. William B. Colson, organist, assisted as soloist and accompanist.
99Kubelik's third recital occurred Sunday night, March 16, at the Opera House. The more favorable environment made his playing even more magnetic than before.
101The Philharmonic Quartet ended their series of chamber music evenings March 18. The Mozart A major quintet for clarinet and strings, a famous and most beautiful composition, was a decided novelty, not having been
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