Scan 18
Musical Courier 1902-08-20: Vol 45 Iss 1169, 1902
52 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 19. See the scan on archive.org.
1MUSIC IN HOLLAND.
2THE HAGUE, AUGUST 5, 1902.
3IV.
4THE competition of the choral societies at The Hague and the musical festival at Nymegen belong to the past. Many persons assisted at both and were none the worse for it. Under existing circumstances one can stand much and even enjoy himself. That the singing of male choirs, though ever so good, soon engenders monotony, there cannot be any difference of opinion, and the trouble becomes greater when several choirs choose the same music, as is generally the case on such occasions. Now the reader may imagine what it must be to hear in one day and an evening twenty-seven choirs, each singing two pieces, and for a crowning effect the three first choirs rivaling with each other. Still, such is human nature. As the battle proceeded people got more and more interested. Amsterdam won the chief honors and next came The Hague; both had the same director, Mr. Presburg, a young man with all the qualities of an old general and a real good musician. Both societies won the battle with works of Belgian composers, Riga and Radoux, that of Radoux (director of the Conservatorium of Liège) being specially fine and well written for male voices.
6At Nymegen it was another affair. Here there was no danger of being bored by sameness, but of being saturated by music—music, instrumental and vocal, music for the chamber, for the church, for the stage. As I wrote in a former letter, the opera of the deceased Martinus Bowman, "The Meilief of Gulpen," was performed, but without scenery, costumes or acting. In so far the effect could not be what the composer and the poet wished for. Musically the opera was acceptable, the principal parts and even the accessory ones being in good hands—all of which they were not when the opera was staged by the Dutch Opera of Amsterdam.
8For the rest let me mention the principal new features of the festival. They were a hymn for tenor, text by Novalis, composed by Dr. Diepenbrock, beautifully sung by Mr. Tyssen (who also sustained the chief part in Bowman's opera), and a ballad for violin with orchestra, by Peter van Anrooy, specially written for this occasion, and which my daughter, Miss Annie de Jong, had the pleasure to play for the very first time, the young composer himself directing the orchestra. Both names may be new to American readers, but I expect and hope they will hear more both of Diepenbrock and van Anrooy, of whom we expect much. The former has already written a "Te Deum" that made quite a sensation when it was performed at Amsterdam.
10Johann Strauss and his band have passed through Holland without making a great impression. One gets a little tired, methinks, of dance rhythms when one gets nothing else. At Scheveningen the Philharmonic Orchestra, of Berlin, has produced a very neat little "Rondino," for wind instruments, by Beethoven (a posthumous work), and a big symphony by Hans Huber, the finale being a set of variations inspired by pictures of Huber's countryman, the famous painter Arnold Böcklin. This is a new way of appealing to the imagination of the hearer, and it may be that Huber will find followers. At all events Huber is a man of great accomplishments, and there is something of the freshness of the Swiss mountain air in his music. Mr. Rebicek is soon to give us a Dutch concert, in which we shall hear for the first time a new work (inspired by Ossian) by Koeberg, a young composer of great promise.
12It is likely we shall hear next winter the new opera of Jan Blocken, of Antwerp, "The Bride of the Sea" (maybe in Dutch and French); "Les Barbares," by Saint-Saëns, and "Messaline," by De Lara. Hollman and Johannes Wolff are said to be bent on a journey to South Africa and Java.
13(no line here) one of two readings
15Dr. J. de Jong.
17DANIEL FROHMAN'S RETURN.
18Arrangements for Gabrilowitsch, the Russian Pianist.
19DANIEL FROHMAN arrived on the St. Louis on Sunday after an absence of ten weeks in England, France and Germany. Most of his arrangements on the other side were in connection with the new Lyceum for next season.
21With Gabrilowitsch, the young Russian pianist, Mr. Frohman's musical star, he attended the Wagner performance at Bayreuth.
23Mr. Gabrilowitsch opens his American tour at the Worcester (Mass.) festival, October 2, which, with the exception of Cincinnati, is the most important musical festival given in this country. He was compelled to change his plans abroad in order to get here at this early date, and is the first pianist ever starred or made the most prominent feature at a Worcester festival. He will appear with an orchestra of sixty Boston Symphony players.
25"I find on my arrival here," said Mr. Frohman, "that the forty appearances which I had contracted for have nearly all been booked. Consequently I have cabled Gabrilowitsch asking that he extend the engagement.
27"October 31 and November 1 he opens the season for the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, the same organization for which he played at their inaugural concert two years ago. He appears at the first concert of the New Washington Symphony Orchestra; also with Victor Herbert's Pittsburg Orchestra in Pittsburg, Cleveland and other cities; with the Thomas Orchestra in Chicago, and the Symphony Orchestra in Cincinnati; also orchestral concerts in St. Louis, Boston, Brooklyn, Toronto, Newark, Hartford and other cities, and a series of concerts with the Kneisel Quartet. In addition, he is booked with twelve of the principal musical clubs of the country, besides recitals in all the larger cities. In New York he will be heard in several orchestral concerts, at private recitals, and a series of special recitals at Carnegie Hall, together with some Sunday concerts; also with the Kneisel Quartet.
29"I have arranged with Alfred Bouvier, of San Francisco, for a Pacific Coast engagement of twelve concerts early in the season, and there will be a short Southern engagement in the spring, the tour closing probably with a trip in conjunction with a well known musical organization through the country.
31"Kubelik I saw quite often in London, where he is still the rage, especially for drawing room or private recitals. There is nothing in the stories of his having speculated or lost his money, and I have arranged for his return next season, beginning in October, 1903."
33NOTICE.
34Musicians and people interested in musical affairs who are going to Europe can have all their mail sent, care of this office, and it will be forwarded to them. Musical people generally, who are visiting New York, or who are here temporarily, can have all of their mail addressed to them, care of this office, where it will be kept until they call for it, or redirected, as requested.
36Obituary.
37Benton Tipton.
38D. R. BENTON TIPTON, the organist and choir director of the Cathedral of All Saints at Albany, N. Y., died last week. The deceased was born and educated in England. Before going to Albany Dr. Tipton had filled positions in Denver, Col; Philadelphia, Pa., and Baltimore, Md. The funeral was held from All Saints, Albany, last Friday and the remains were interred in the Rural Cemetery, near the city. During the services at the cathedral Dr. Tipton's favorite hymn, "The Radiant Morn," was sung. William L. Widdemen, the assistant choirmaster, presided at the organ. The organ in All Saints, one of the finest in the State, was secured through Dr. Tipton's efforts.
40Sarah E. Vogel.
41Miss Sarah E. Vogel, a Pittsburg singer and member of a musical family prominent in Western Pennsylvania, died at her home in Pittsburg last Saturday night after a lingering illness. About a year ago, while filling a professional engagement in Memphis, Tenn., Miss Vogel became ill and she never recovered her health. Landolin Vogel, her father (deceased), and her two brothers, John and Joseph, the latter also deceased, were organists. Her sister Agnes was a vocalist of local note before her marriage. Miss Vogel, who was twenty-eight years old, was educated in Pittsburg and Philadelphia and spent some two years abroad in study.
43Scherhey Pupils Sing for Charity.
44MRS. LOUISE SCHERHEY, the talented wife of M. J. Scherhey, and Miss Holdsworth, another pupil of Mr. Scherhey, sang at a concert Monday evening, August 11, given at the Mansion House, White Lake, Sullivan County, N. Y. The concert was for the benefit of a destitute family living in the village, and for this worthy purpose the sum of $169.50 was realized. Other talent assisted the Scherhey pupils. The order of the program follows: Piano solo, Miss Green; lullaby, Miss Schnackenberg; recitation, Miss Kirwin; song, Mr. Germain; duet, Miss Holdsworth and Mrs. Scherhey; song, Mr. Quinn; recitation, Miss King; song, Miss Koehler; piano solo, Miss Wier; aria, Mrs. Scherhey; recitation, Ernest Warde.
46Mary MÜNCHHOFF
47Prima Donna Soprano
48"Mary Münchhoff is on the concert stage what Patti was on the operatic stage."—Cologne Volks Zeitung.
49First American Tour Begins October, 1902
50SOLE MANAGEMENT:
51HENRY WOLFSOHN, 131 East 17th Street, New York.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.