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Musical Courier 1903-07-01: Vol 47 Iss 1214, 1903
50 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026. Printed page 29. See the scan on archive.org.
1and renounces love to get the power which a ring formed from the gold will bring him; he, too, is cheated of his gold by a god; the Rhinedaughters grieve at their loss, the gods give up their treasure and a rainbow bridge is built to Valhalla, where the gods cross.
3The scenes of "Die Walküre," "Siegfried," and "Götterdämmerung" followed, each illustrated with music and stereopticon, the slumber motive of Brunhilde and the death of the gods eliciting applause. The gold passes from the hand of the god to that of warrior Siegfried, thence to Brunhilde, and the play ends with Valhalla in flames and a renunciation for the higher good. The theatre was an ocean of fire.
5The play of "Parsifal" was then presented and the spiritual and ethical mission of the masterpiece emphasized. The marvelous prelude embodies prayer, faith and the eucharist, and then the sanctuary of the Grail is entered. "Parsifal" is "Siegfried" developed. The enchanted garden is shown to be an illusion and the play closes, leaving the lesson impressed upon the audience that the lesson of love is to uplift and redeem. "Wagner does not solve the question of life," said Mrs. Rhodes; "he simply states it."
7After the festival is over the audience is carried through the streets of Bayreuth to Villa Wahnfried, and a picture of Wagner's home life presented. The lecture closes with a description of Wagner's resting place, illustrated by a picture of the marble slab which covers the great poet-musician.—The Worcester (Mass.) Telegram.
9Taking up Wagner's operas, Mrs. Rhodes discussed with notable intelligence "Das Rheingold," "Die Walküre," "Siegfried," "Die Götterdämmerung" and "Parsifal." Of the above "Die Walküre," "Siegfried" and "Götterdämmerung" constitute the composer's greatest work, the so called "Trilogie," three chapters of one story each for separate evenings. "Das Rheingold" is the preface to these three, wherein the events occur whose far reaching consequences are developed in the subsequent evenings. The four works constitute the "Ring of the Nibelungen."
11Mrs. Rhodes has a charming delivery, which added not a little to the attractiveness of her lecture. The instrumental expositions of the motifs by Adolf Glose were given with much artistic feeling and were received with appreciative applause. The evening was one of rare enjoyment to the audience.—The Norwich (Conn.) Evening Record.
13In her lecture Mrs. Rhodes has omitted all that is apt to prove wearisome and retained all that is picturesque and interesting. She has the happy faculty of being instructive without appearing didactic, and at the close of her remarks leaves upon the mind a picture that is distinct, edifying and refreshing. If there were any prejudices in the minds of her auditors against the composer or his masterpieces when she began, they were removed before she had finished. She held up the beautiful side of the man and his works and illustrated the nobility of the themes in such a manner that new interest and new love were created for Wagner, even in the hearts of those who have felt an admiration for him.
15Wagner had his enemies. He was greater than his age, and in his life there is a poetry of sentiment and nobility of purpose which added to the tranquility of a career that in earlier years was disturbed with reverses through the efforts of those who purposely misunderstood him. Mrs. Rhodes followed the life of the composer to the events that have been responsible for the beautiful works which are part of the world's musical riches today.
17She has accumulated a rare collection of illustrations, which add to the force and understanding of the subject, and the entertainment has its climax in the graphic reproduction of the scenes and incidents at the Bayreuth Festival. A remarkable feature of the entertainment was the musical illustrations by Adolf Glose, the concert pianist. In the wonderful review new character is given to "Lohengrin," "Die Meistersinger" and other Wagnerian productions, and has a fitting climax in the story of the Trilogy and of the Grail. It was a rich, elegant and novel review, and interpreted the meaning, music and scenes of the operas of the great poet-musician, for whom mad King Louis of Bavaria had such a liking.—The Salt Lake Herald.
19Mrs. Charles W. Rhodes, of New York, in her lecture on the music festivals which annually draw music lovers from all parts of the world to the little old Franconian city on the Red Main, was illustrated both by views and musical examples, and furnished an unusually pleasing means of giving the members of the federation a delightful evening. Mrs. Rhodes played the part of an intelligent guide, first through the ideas underlying the Wagner epics, and then later through the music dramas. She made clear the metaphysical purpose which dominates the Wagner plays, and which binds them, from "Tannhäuser" to "Parsifal," closely together. In a musical way Mrs. Rhodes made illustrative use of some of the more important motives like the "Slumber Song" of "Die Walküre," the funeral march of "Die Götterdämmerung," and the Grail music of "Parsifal"; but her lecture was devoted more particularly to the "Ring" and "Parsifal." She made her story lucid to her audience by avoiding high flights, and it was all done so simply and naturally, her voice was so well pitched, clear and far reaching, the lantern slides were so exquisite, and her grasp of her subject so complete, that no better or more thoroughly enjoyable lecture on Wagner has ever been heard here, nor was a musical exposition listened to by so large and attentive an audience.—The Los Angeles Herald.
21Mrs. Charles W. Rhodes gave an interesting lecture last night at the Alhambra, aided with stereopticon views, on Wagner and "Der Ring des Nibelungen." The lecturer traced the events in the life of the great composer, showed him in exile, his return to Germany under the patronage of the young Ludwig, and finally his banishment from Munich. She then, with the aid of the views, gave a graphic description of Bayreuth and its festival. The lecture was entertaining, and those who have a knowledge of Wagner through his music will be certainly well pleased at the clear insight into his life. Mrs. Rhodes showed that Wagner, when he undertook his work, had a higher motive than the production of music. In fact, he wished to be poet and musical historian of the earlier Germany. The lecture will be repeated on Monday, March 30; Wednesday, April 1, and Saturday, April 4.—The San Francisco Evening Post.
23The first fall meeting of the Contemporary was held yesterday afternoon in Association Hall. Mrs. Charles W. Rhodes lectured on the masterpieces of Wagner. The lecture was thoroughly artistic, and Mrs. Rhodes' presentation of "Nibelungen Ring" and "Parsifal" displayed a full knowledge of these wonderful creations of the greatest tone master the world has ever known.
25The story of the "Parsifal" was told with all its religious fervor. This recital was accompanied by a mellow musical accompaniment. The exposition of "Nibelungen Ring" was with force, and Wagner has more lovers in Trenton today than ever before.—The Trenton (N. J.) Times.
27"WAGNER AND THE BAYREUTH FESTIVAL."
29Before a large and distinguished audience in the Astor Gallery of the Waldorf-Astoria Mrs. Charles W. Rhodes delivered, last Friday evening, her superbly illustrated lecture on "Wagner and the Bayreuth Festival." The lecturer was assisted in the musical illustrations by Barron Berthold, tenor, and Adolf Glose, pianist. A thousand and one books have been written on Wagner, and probably in all of them there is some reference to the Bayreuth festival. But as thousands of Wagner lovers have not visited and may never visit Bayreuth, Mrs. Rhodes' lecture field will prove a vast one. Even those who have attended a festival at the Bavarian Mecca will find the lecture a source of delightful instruction, for Mrs. Rhodes' analysis of Wagner's life and works has subtlety and a gracious, indefinable charm. Her delivery is excellent and her speaking voice most sympathetic. The pictures, and there are 120 of these, are masterpieces of beautiful coloring. All that has made the history of Wagner and his music dramas are depicted in chronological order on the canvas.
31Mr. Glose, the pianist, was entitled to high praise, for in his accompanying and in the performance of excerpts from the "Ring" and from "Parsifal" he infused warmth and made the climaxes, which helped to create the illusion.
33Were we to name over the pictures thrown upon the canvas we could not begin to give our readers the story of their beauty. Some of the most beautiful were the figures of Siegfried and the principal scenes from "Parsifal." The scenes in Switzerland, where Wagner lived in exile for a time, were remarkable examples of exquisite coloring. Having visited Bayreuth many times, Mrs. Rhodes has absorbed the spirit of Wagner and his works, and she is enabled to tell the story as few lecturers can tell it. She takes the higher and more exalted view of Wagner and his theories, and her manner of explaining these theories is eloquent.—The Musical Courier, February 5, 1902.
35A Hinrichs Pupil.
37MARGARET WITT, soprano, sang "Martha" last week at Terrace Garden with great success. Her teacher, Gustav Hinrichs, says she sang with credit to him, and everyone informed on operatic matters knows how severe a critic he is. Miss Witt has a clear and flexible voice, ingratiating appearance, and uses her voice well, thanks to the Hinrichs education.
39Harry M. Field and His Pupils.
41A CONCERT the numbers of which were performed by some of the advanced pupils of Harry M. Field, the well known pianist from Toronto, was given in the hall of the Leipsic Künstlerhaus on Wednesday, June 10. The program, which was a very interesting one, included the old masters and also the modern and more brilliant style of composition. Mr. Kitchen, of Hamilton, Canada, performed Bach's Gigue from the B flat major Partita, Scarlatti's Presto in D minor and Raff's Rigaudon with a clean touch, technic and good style. The same performer also contributed two compositions of Liszt, Etude Ricordanza and Melodies Polonaises, the latter being a particularly artistic performance. Mr. Turner, of Auckland, New Zealand, showed real ability in his playing of Mendelssohn's "Spinnerlied" and two preludes of Chopin (C sharp minor and F minor). Sinding's "Frühlingsrauschen" was played by Miss Blanchard, a Canadian from Winnipeg, who shows a clean technic and musical taste.
43A most poetic composition of Sapellnikoff, the not very well known "Pensée à Schumann," was beautifully played by Madame Littoff, of Moscow. The same performer also contributed Moszkowski's "Etincelles." Liszt's second "Liebestraum" was delightfully played by Fräulein Burgheim, of Leipsic. Mendelssohn's "Lied ohne Worte" in E major and Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C sharp minor received artistic treatment at the hands of Mr. Lowther, of Winchester, England. A musical treat was the performance of "Lesginka," from Rubinstein's opera "The Demon," arranged for piano by Siloti, by Miss Wakeman, of Birmingham, England. Fräulein Bajohr, of Leipsic, gave a most finished performance of the beautiful Chopin Variations in B flat, Schütz's "Au Ruisseau," Schubert's lively song, "Wohin?" arranged by Liszt. She also played Gounod's "Faust Waltzes," arranged by Liszt, in brilliant style and was much applauded. The evening was an undoubted success, and Mr. Field deserves great credit for his very capable work. All the pupils showed promise of fine technical development, excellent pedaling, musical tone and touch, and enthusiasm for the work in hand. Mr. Field is justified in taking a very rosy view of the future, and his work as a teacher should insure him a place in the first rank of modern piano instructors.
45Purse for Director Kapp.
47THE Arion Singing Society, of Jersey City, presented the musical director, Carl Kapp, with a well filled purse at a meeting held Tuesday evening, June 23, at Arion Hall, on Hutton street, Jersey City Heights. At the recent Saengerfest in Baltimore the Jersey City Arion won the second prize in the second class. The present to Mr. Kapp was in recognition of his services. Mr. Kapp says the Jersey City Arion will enter the first class competition at the next Saengerfest, to be held in Newark, N. J., in 1906.
49OPPORTUNITY FOR ORGAN STUDENT—Mr. Lacey Baker, Mus. B., Fellow of the Royal Academy, Italy, organist and choirmaster of Calvary Church, New York, will have in the fall a vacancy in his house for a resident pupil who will be taught organ, piano, composition, choir training, singing and all that is necessary for a successful musical career; a position will be found for him when proficient; a charming home life and unexcelled opportunity for advancement; terms, $100 a month inclusive. Address 113 East Nineteenth street (off Gramercy Park), New York city.
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