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Musical Courier 1903-01-28: Vol 46 Iss 1192, 1903
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1AN ARTISTIC COUPLE.
3FROM time to time there have been chronicled in these columns short paragraphs concerning the musical doings of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Butler. Readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER know that Mr. Butler is one of the best violinists in Chicago, and that Mrs. Butler has no superior there as a coloratura soprano. Beginning modestly in the Western metropolis, without shrill advertising methods, Mr. and Mrs. Butler quickly gathered around them a large circle of friends and admirers, and solely by virtue of artistic merit and conscientious endeavor the young couple soon became potent factors in Chicago's busy musical life. This is a feat not all too frequently accomplished, for the good violinists and singers of Chicago are legion.
5Mr. and Mrs. Butler can safely credit much of their success to their versatility. Realizing that the American musician who would succeed must be able not only to perform, but also to show others how to perform, the Butlers at once opened a studio and began to teach. They had the advantage of sound European training and experience, and thus their pedagogical work immediately assumed more than average significance.
7Mr. Butler was a pupil of Joachim and Halir in Berlin. Mrs. Butler was a pupil of Nicklass-Kempner and Etelka Gerster in Berlin.
9As a violinist Mr. Butler distinguishes himself from the rank and file through his impeccable technic, his graceful bowing, his temperament, his smooth tone and his unfailing musicianship. Mrs. Butler understands the art of mastering all kinds of vocal problems. A coloratura singer by accident, for whom trills, staccati and rapid passages have no terrors, Mrs. Butler is easily able to sing the dramatic soprano arias and to give recitals of Italian or German songs. She sings with her head as well as with her throat. Nothing is left to chance. She is a fully equipped artist.
11Mr. Butler is now one of the leading violin teachers at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, and Mrs. Butler has a large class of pupils in her studio at the Fine Arts Building. Both of these artists have been unusually busy in concert this season, and by way of corroborative testimony we append below several clippings from recent press notices received by the Butlers. This sort of impartial evidence speaks for itself:
13HERBERT BUTLER.
15Mr. Butler's numbers were greeted with the enthusiasm they deserved. Mr. Butler's reading of the Wieniawski Concerto convinced his audience of his really great talent and his broad and thorough training. He proved himself especially in the last movement of the concerto to be a thorough master of technic. In Chopin's beautiful op. 27, No. 2, Mr. Butler proved that he could make his instrument speak in sweet and tender accents as well as strong, and in the Laub-Wilhelmj Polonaise his distinguishing facility of execution shone pre-eminent.—St. Paul (Minn.) Dispatch.
17Herbert Butler opened the concert with a successful performance of Wieniawski's Concerto. For his second appearance he played the great Bach "Chaconne," whose unaccompanied majesty is a severe test of the resources of the player. Mr. Butler played it magnificently, not slurring a phrase or omitting a difficulty; and pleased the audience to the extent of a recall, to which he responded with another characteristic Bach number.—Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch.
19Herbert Butler, the violinist, proved himself a veritable wizard with the bow. Nothing more sympathetic and lovely than his tone can be imagined, and he plays with a taste and feeling that are as rare as they are enjoyable.—Denver News.
21Mr. Butler's playing was characterized by broadness and ease of execution, an exquisite depth and mellowness of tone and the grasp and interpretation of a thorough artist. He played the Wieniawski Concerto, a Romanza by Brockway and the Laub-Wilhelmj Polonaise, and displayed in these varied numbers perfect command of his instrument, coupled with deep feeling and finished musicianship.—Milwaukee Sentinel.
23Of the violinist nothing but words of praise can be said. He proved himself a true artist, his playing being characterized by broadness and ease of execution and exquisite depth and mellowness of tone. The audience expressed their appreciation of his efforts in no uncertain manner, and he was compelled to respond to the enthusiastic applause.—Pittsburg (Pa.) Press.
25Mr. Butler is a man of fine talent, his beautiful, large tone and striking technic being remarkable features of his playing. The "Zigeunerweisen" was twice encored.—Philadelphia (Pa.) News.
27MRS. BUTLER.
29Mrs. Herbert Butler's program included Bemberg's "Nymphs and Fauns," David's "Pearl of Brézil" aria, Del' Acqua's "Villanelle," Schumann and Schubert songs. The program was exquisitely given, the rare sweetness and charm of the lady's voice having an added quality in a warmth that enlists the heart while satisfying the critical faculty. Her voice, a pure, high soprano, with fluent technic developed, is wonderful in volume and range. She showed high dramatic force and intensity, as well as superb vocalization.—Rock Island Union.
31Mrs. Herbert Butler sang with infinite ease and with a pure, birdlike quality that captivated her auditors. Her opening number, "The Pearl of Brézil" aria, was given with beautiful finish. The runs and trills were clearcut. The climax at the finish was of great force and the hearty applause that followed brought the singer back again.—Sioux City Tribune.
33Mrs. Butler was a great surprise. She has a voice of great strength, clearness and sweetness, and it was displayed to advantage in a varied program.—Moline (Ill.) Journal.
35Mrs. Butler was a gratification and a delight to hrr auditors. Her voice is well poised, true in intonation and dulcet in the upper registers. It strikes smooth and well controlled. Mrs. Butler's colorature work is excellent.—Omaha Bee.
37Mrs. Herbert Butler's sweet, clear voice greatly delighted the audience. It is strong and under perfect control. In the aria by Rossini the trills and staccato runs were beautiful. But while her voice is strong and clear in coloratura, it is no less sweet and full of sentiment in the lyric, and Mrs. Butler charmed the audience with several German ballads.—Omaha World-Herald.
39LAMBERT PUPILS IN CONCERT.
41THE large auditorium in Carnegie Hall was crowded Thursday night of last week with music lovers and students of music who assembled to aid the scholarship fund of the New York College of Music. Six advanced pupils of the director, Alexander Lambert, played piano numbers, accompanied by an orchestra. They were Miss Bertha Jacobsen, Miss Marion Luyster, Miss Mercedes O'Leary, Miss Elsa Breidt, Miss Augusta Zuckerman and Miss Josephine Hartman.
43Here is the interesting program:
45Prelude to Act III, Meistersinger……………………………Wagner
46Concertstück ………………………………………………………..Reinecke
47Miss Bertha Jacobsen.
48Rondo from E minor Concerto……………………………Chopin
49Miss Marion Luyster.
50Concerto, A minor (first movement)…………………….Grieg
51Miss Mercedes O'Leary.
52Andante Cantabile……………………………………………..Tschaikowsky
53Gavotte ………………………………………………………..Bach
54Scherzo from B flat minor Concerto…………………….Scharwenka
55Miss Elsa Breidt.
56Presto from G minor Concerto……………………………Saint-Saëns
57Miss Augusta Zuckerman.
58Concerto, B flat minor (first movement)…………………Tschaikowsky
59Miss Josephine Hartman.
61Two of these performers, Miss O'Leary and Miss Hartman, are young women, while the other are girls whose ages range from fifteen to seventeen. It was very clever of Mr. Lambert to have these children perform the quick movements from the concertos, for, as musicians all know, the andantes and slow parts require soul and musical perception that can only come with maturity. All of the players showed good technic, and in this respect greatest skill was exhibited by Miss Jacobsen, Miss Zuckerman and Miss Hartman. Miss Leary's playing was distinguished for poise, Miss Breidt's for touch, and Miss Luyster's for grace.
63The orchestral accompaniments were rather timidly performed. The young pianists were recalled many times. Miss Zuckerman had to respond seven times before the applause after her number subsided.
65Kocian at the Metropolitan.
67SINCE Kocian's last appearance at the Metropolitan Opera House he has performed in Montreal, Cincinnati, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis, besides at the homes of William C. Whitney and George J. Gould, in New York. For the Sunday concert on February 1, at the Metropolitan Opera House, Mr. Kocian has chosen the following program:
69Concerto, with orchestra (in the Hungarian style)………..Joachim
70Canzonetta ………………………………………………………..D'Ambrosio
71Romance ………………………………………………………..Svensden
72Scherzo Tarantelle……………………………………………..Wieniawski
74S. C. BENNETT'S PUPILS.
76S. C. BENNETT gave a vocal recital with several of his pupils in his studio at Carnegie Hall Tuesday afternoon, January 20. Those who sang were Misses Litta E. Mabie, Olga Gilbert, Edna Shecht, Florence Hands, M. Vernon Stiles and Fred W. Cousins. Miss Niana McKenna accompanied, and also played two numbers. Mr. Bennett has a large class of pupils this season.
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