Scan 4
Musical Courier 1904-04-20: Vol 48 Iss 1256, 1904
44 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1LUITPOLD ST. 24.
2BERLIN, W.
3APRIL 3, 1904.
5It is a curious fact that, whereas the regular ten subscription concerts and public rehearsals of the Philharmonic Orchestra under Nikisch, invariably draw large audiences, the "extra concert" (given later for the benefit of the pension fund of the orchestra) is always poorly attended. The same orchestra plays and the same conductor leads, and the program last Monday certainly was an interesting one. Nikisch's tour de force, Tchaikowsky's "Pathetic" Symphony, was the chief attraction, although Max Schillings' music to Wildenbruch's "Hexenlied" and Schumann's overture to "Manfred" were also down for performance.
7The Schillings work, one of the most successful novelties of the season, was conducted by the composer. The poem is a strong and characteristic piece of work, and it was admirably declaimed by Ludwig Willner, whose elemental dramatic power is most impressive. I liked the poem better than the music, yet the latter shows some puissant touches, and as an example of modern "program music," with its brilliant coloring and effective instrumentation, it is far from being uninteresting.
9Nikisch's reading of Tchaikowsky's masterpiece was a performance long to be remembered. It were not possible to excel him in the fervor and tonal beauty of the first movement, and in the vigor and intensity of his climaxes in the march. And then the adagio lamentoso, with its mournful forebodings. What an impressive movement, and how it was played by Nikisch! Both he and the orchestra were tendered an ovation.
11Georg Schneevoigt, conductor of the Symphony Orchestra in Riga, Russia, a Finn by birth, has been touring as a virtuoso conductor in Germany. At a recent Kaim concert in Munich he created a sensation and was hailed as a "second Weingartner," some reports going even so far as to pronounce him greater than Weingartner.
13If I am not mistaken, this is the same Schneevoigt who appeared in Berlin some five years ago as a 'cello virtuoso. He made a great success at that time, but the career of a conductor seems to be more alluring to him than that of a 'cellist. At least not much has been heard about him recently as a 'cellist, whereas the conductor Schneevoigt is continually attracting attention. At his recent Berlin début with the baton (March 26) his success was instantaneous and pronounced. His leading of Richard Strauss' "Tod und Verklärung," and of Tchaikowsky's "Romeo and Juliet" overture revealed Schneevoigt as a conductor of strong personality, sure firm beat, sound musicianship and exceptional temperament. The man seems to be a human volcano, yet he does not waste his ammunition; he does not fire at random, but conserves his forces. When he gives rein, however, to his fancy, as he did in the famous powerful crescendo of the Strauss symphonic poem, the effect is tremendous.
15The Philharmonic Orchestra began the program rather listlessly, but the players soon awoke to a realization of the fact that a master hand was guiding them, with a marked individuality back of it. Then the orchestra warmed to its work and played as it rarely does on ordinary occasions.
17In color, in dynamics, in the working out of details in the various solo episodes, and in the massed effects of the whole orchestra Schneevoigt's reading was a masterful and a memorable performance, of the kind which Berlin hears all too rarely. A conductor who can do what Schneevoigt did with so little rehearsing as the Philharmonic Orchestra vouchsafes, is a big man with the baton, a thorough musician, a potent personality, and an inspired one.
19At a recent Philharmonic "Pop" I heard Joseph Malkin, first 'cellist of the orchestra, play the Davidoff A minor concerto. Malkin is a 'cellist of the first rank. He has a beautiful tone, full of subtle charm and of penetrating carrying power, never robust, yet round and satisfying, and shot through with lovely mezzotints. Malkin also has a brilliant and finished technic, which enabled him to do the difficult passages (and, above all, the cadenza) of the Davidoff first movement with great clearness and most polished execution. His intonation was perfect even in the dreaded double stops. Malkin has temperament, too, and a warmth and musical intelligence that bespeak the true artist. Of the younger generation of 'cellists he is certainly one of the first. The Davidoff concerto is an interesting work for the performer. Although very difficult, it "lies well" and sounds well. It requires great fleetness and certainty of the left hand and a facile bow, all of which Malkin has in a high degree.
21Matja von Niessen-Stone sang at Beethoven Hall songs by Brahms, Loewe and others. Her voice shows the unmistakable signs of wear, but in the middle register it is still sympathetic and penetrating. The high notes cause her too much effort to make them enjoyable. She sings with taste and expression and was warmly applauded.
23Paris Chambers, the American cornetist, gave his second concert Wednesday evening, assisted by Céleste Chop-Groenevelt, pianist; Gretchen Schlemüller, violin, and L. Plass, trombone player, of the Royal Opera. Chambers played a fantasy of his own, Schubert's "Ave Maria," Schumann's "Träumerei" and the "Miserere" from Verdi's "Il Trovatore," in which he played the part of Leonora, and the trombone, behind the scenes, that of Manrico.
25Chambers enhanced the splendid impression which he made at his first concert. He produced a tone of singular purity and sweetness and at the same time of great power and intensity. The cornet is limited to a range of two and a half octaves theoretically, but Chambers knows no such limitation. He produces five octaves. The cornet is also limited as a medium for expression, yet in that regard, too, Chambers seems to know no ordinary boundaries. His technical command is remarkable. He executes difficult runs and floriture with the ease and skill of a coloratura singer. Astounding is his low pedal F, also his trill on the highest notes. He was enthusiastically applauded and encored.
27Céleste Chop-Groenevelt, the American pianist, contributed the "Sixth" rhapsody by Liszt and the Schubert-Liszt "Military March." She is an admirable pianist, with faultless technic, a delicate touch, an interesting conception and a pleasing personality.
29The trombone player, too, produced a good tone, and he played in perfect tune. He used the regulation slide trombone. A movement from a trombone concerto by Ferdinand David proved uninteresting music, but it served to show off the player's tone and his skill as an executant.
31Eugen d'Albert gave his farewell recital at the Philharmonie before a crowded house. He played well known works by himself, Beethoven, Schumann and Schubert. The Beethoven sonata, op. 111, was given with great clarity and plasticity. A big performance was the Schumann fantasy. Schumann, it is true, will stand a great deal more of sentiment than D'Albert gave, but the little giant played with such clan and with such an intellectual grasp that the sentiment was not so much missed.
33D'Albert, as he himself has publicly proclaimed, attaches little importance to technic, and his own is, in consequence, often faulty. It has not the certainty, clearness and exquisite finish of the D'Albert of former years. In other pianists, and especially in debutants, technical shortcomings are severely criticised. Nowadays a finished technic is almost compulsory, and the young artist who does not possess it is in a bad way as far as a public career goes. Why, then, should a rusty technic be pardoned in a D'Albert? Such superb interpretation, such deep musical understanding and such a deplorable technical equipment! There is no reason why D'Albert should not practice if he aspires to honors as a public player. The real masters of technic, Godowsky and Rosenthal, never neglect their practice, and the results are at all times apparent in their playing.
35Alexander Heinemann gave a concert at Beethoven Hall, at which he sang songs by Mendelssohn, Brahms, Lazarus, Kaun, Schivers, Loewe and Ertel. Heinemann has a beautiful and powerful baritone voice, which he handles with much skill. He sings with taste and with a great deal of feeling. His interpretation of Loewe's ballade, "Die Lauer," was vivid and almost thrilling. Mendelssohn's "Leise Zieht Durch Mein Gemüth" was also exquisitely given, as was Hugo Kaun's "Rother Mohn." A piece of great interest and of unusual physiognomy was Dr. Paul Ertel's "Wahlfahrt nach Kevlaar," for voice, string quartet and reed organ. In musical contents, in workmanship, and in the harmonious blending of the instruments with the voice the composition showed skillful musicianship and melodic invention. Ertel, who is editor of the Deutsche Musiker Zeitung and also one of the critics of the Berlin Lokal Anzeiger, has written some large symphonic works. His "Marie Stuart," which has been played here by the Philharmonic Orchestra, is a composition of marked originality and power, and a masterpiece of instrumentation. Ertel is fond of the reed organ. A new piece of his, an "Ave Maria" for violin and organ, has been played this season in many German cities with unusual success.
37On Good Friday, Bach's "Passion Music According to St. John" was given by the Singakademie under Georg Schumann. It was an impressive performance.
39Anton Hekking played the 'cello at the Belle Alliance Theatre "Good Friday" concert and won another triumph with his magnificent tone, perfect intonation and technic! finish. Hekking is truly "genial" in the German sense of the term. Like Ysaye, the Dutch 'cellist combines so many great qualities in his playing that there remains little to be desired and nothing to be criticised.
41Frau Knupfer-Eghi, of the Royal Opera, sang with excellent effect. She has a sympathetic, well trained voice, a fine technic and a pleasing delivery. Some very bad orchestral playing was also heard at the Good Friday concert.
43A pianist who, in the shape of repertory, is far out of the rut usually followed by pianists played at Bechstein Hall Thursday. This was Fritz Cortolezis, whose program consisted wholly of excerpts from "Parsifal" and "Tristan and Isolde." In America you are accustomed to hear lectures on Wagner with illustrations of the score on
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