Scan 5
Musical Courier 1905-03-08: Vol 50 Iss 1302, 1905
31 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 6. See the scan on archive.org.
1the smaller forms of composition. There are individual moods in the songs, and the accompaniments reveal general musical knowledge and some interesting characteristics. They were ably sung by the two vocalists.
3At the fifth and last concert of the Philharmonic Trio was heard Liszt's own arrangement for trio of his ninth rhapsody, called "Pester Carnival." This adapting of his own piano work to trio was a peculiar thing for Liszt to do, but the arrangement shows esprit and clever knowledge of the powers and limitations of the three instruments, and as a curiosity its performance in this form is justified. The work was admirably rendered by the three artists, as were also Haydn and Volkman trios, and the Brahms A major sonata for violin and piano. one of two readings
4At the fifth and last concert of the Philharmonic Trio was heard Liszt's own arrangement for trio of his ninth rhapsody, called "Pester Carnival." This adapting of his own piano work to trio was a peculiar thing for Liszt to do, but the arrangement shows esprit and clever knowledge of the powers and limitations of the three instruments, and as a curiosity its performance in this form is justified. The work was admirably rendered by the three artists, as were also Haydn and Volkmann trios, and the Brahms A major sonata for violin and piano. one of two readings
6The Concert Direction Jules Sachs had bad luck with the last Elite concert, as of the four artists originally engaged only one, Frau Selma Nicklass-Kempner, actually took part. The others, Jan Kubelik, Ottilie Metzger-Froitzheim and Saul Liebling, the head of the Concert Agency Sachs, and a distinguished pianist, were all prevented from assisting by illness. However, the substitutes secured were good ones, being Xaver Scharwenka in place of Liebling, Alexander Petschnikoff for Kubelik, and Emanuel Reicher, the famous actor, instead of Metzger-Froitzheim. These were compensations with which the public seemed well satisfied, for it appeared in large numbers and applauded heartily.
8Francesco d'Andrade, the celebrated Portuguese baritone, was also engaged. He was in splendid form, and his rich, resonant voice was perfectly even throughout its entire range and was alike effective in tender and emotional as well as in the stirring dramatic tones. His delivery was noble and impassioned. In fact D'Andrade's vocal and dramatic art is the height of refinement and perfection, and although his real field is the opera—he enjoys the reputation of being the greatest Don Juan on the stage—yet his concert singing is no less enjoyable than his operatic work.
10Petschnikoff played Vieuxtemps' "Fantasia Appassionata" and pieces by Glazounow and Tschaikowsky. He played with the beautiful, luscious tone for which he is so well known, with technical finish, with great warmth, and with a smooth, polished style that made the rather empty Vieuxtemps music thoroughly enjoyable. There is poetry in Petschnikoff's conception and his tone goes to the heart.
12Frau Nicklass-Kempner sang with esprit and temperament, and with all the charm and refinement of conception that have made her famous as an interpretative artist. Time deals kindly with her. Her voice sounded as soft and fresh as of yore, her pianissimo in the upper tones being especially delightful, while her middle and lower registers yielded easily to all the many colored moods of her conception.
14Of Scharwenka I wrote above in connection with the pianists, and Reicher, with his masterful, dramatic recitations, was admirable. All of the artists were stormily applauded.
16A brilliant social and musical affair was the concert for the benefit of American Club and charity work in Berlin, given in the Künstlerhaus on Monday evening. The artists who gave their services were the vocalists Katherine Wright, contralto; Mrs. J. O. Hannah, soprano; George Hamlin, tenor; Gwilym Miles, baritone, and the pianist, Frank La Forge. They were heard both in solo numbers and in Liza Lehmann's musical setting of "Omar Khayyam," called "In a Persian Garden."
18The success of the whole evening was such as to stir both the enthusiasm and pride of the large and fashionable audience. Mrs. Hannah's artistic work, the deep fervor which always marks Mrs. Wright's singing, and the thorough musicianly qualities which have made George Hamlin one of our foremost American tenors, united with Miles' dramatic ardor of expression to make the whole production thoroughly enjoyable. In chorus the four artists were particularly effective, and they gave "In a Persian Garden" with a splendid abandon, well suited to the matchless revolt of thought and glowing color of expression that characterize the Oriental poem. The solo work of the song cycle was also rendered in excellent style, the work of Hamlin and Miles being especially fine. In fact, the work as a whole was given admirably on this its first performance in Berlin.
20The other numbers of the program consisted of excellent solos by the performing artists, among which far from the least creditable was the playing of the twelfth Liszt rhapsody by Frank La Forge, who also accompanied all the vocal work with technical finish and sympathy of expression. In this part of the program Mrs. Hannah gave a fine performance of "Dich Theure Halle," while Mrs. Wright gave a deeply touching rendering of "Shadows," and Miles again showed his dramatic proclivities in the "I Pagliacci" prologue and his encore, "Danny Deever." Hamlin also gave a masterly, impassioned reading of Strauss and Dvorák songs, for which he was compelled to respond with an encore, "My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose." This he sang with a spontaneity, a free outpouring of true feeling that brought down the house. Altogether the colony and most of all the arrangement committee (which consisted of Rev. Dr. Dickey, Miss MacElwee, Mrs. Derrick and Miss Hunt), are to be congratulated upon the complete success of this American concert.
22Gustave Hollaender celebrated on the 15th his fiftieth birthday, and at the same time his tenth anniversary as director of the Stern Conservatory. This interesting double celebration took place in Beethoven Hall before the entire faculty of the school, the pupils, prominent representatives of the press, and many of Berlin's leading musicians. Professor Taubert, the oldest instructor of the institution, made a speech giving a brief account of Professor Hollaender's career and the great work done by him at the Stern Conservatory. Then the best known and most popular of Hollaender's compositions were performed by the conservatory orchestra under the direction of Alexander von Fielitz and Gottlieb Noren. Madame Nicklass-Kempner, the head of the vocal department of the school, sang four songs; Max Modern and Harold Eisenberg played violin solos, and four young girls rendered the well known "Spinnerlied" for string quartet.
24When Professor Hollaender became a director of the Stern Conservatory ten years ago it had 200 pupils. Through his genial management it has expanded and improved to a remarkable degree, and today it numbers some 1,200 pupils and seventy teachers, and may justly lay claim to being the foremost school of music in Germany. Professor Hollaender has just the combination of artistic and administrative abilities to make him an ideal director. He is a violinist of reputation, a composer of renown, a good orchestra conductor, an excellent ensemble performer—in short, an all round, thorough musician. Personally he is very popular and much beloved by teachers as well as pupils. His record at the Stern Conservatory during these ten years is certainly one of which he may be proud.
26At the next "Elite" concert of the Concert Direction Jules Sachs the chief attractions will be Lilli Lehmann and Moriz Rosenthal. At his fifth Berlin concert Rosenthal received remarkable criticisms—criticisms such as seldom fall to the lot of the reproductive artist in Berlin. For instance, that conservative paper the Neue Preussische Kreuz-Zeitung writes: "At Moriz Rosenthal's concert in the Philharmonie on Wednesday evening the applause reached awe inspiring dimensions, and his playing was awe inspiring, too. We have heard the concertos by Chopin and Liszt often enough, as we thought, at least, but with Rosenthal's performance of them we find that we never had heard them before, so proudly, so surpassingly grand, so enchanting was his playing. He leaves all other virtuosos behind. This was true especially in the Liszt concerto, which he played like a poetic and brilliant improvisation. None but such a double nature, which combines, like his, the greatest technician and 'Feuerkopf' that ever lived with the thinking and warm blooded musician, can produce such an effect. The crescendo he worked up in the last movement until the very end took our breath away, and the stormy applause was a relief. The Schumann 'Symphonic Etudes' he played with masterly art of interpretation, painting a charming picture of each variation, and yet with consummate skill making of them all a unified whole. The hair raising, thrice powerful climax in the last variation is only one of the many incomprehensibilities that Rosenthal offers his public."
28The National Zeitung, the Kleines Journal, and other papers write in the same vein. The National Zeitung makes an interesting comparison between Rosenthal and Sarasate, saying that Rosenthal, formerly the phenomenal technician, has become the deep and serious musician, whereas Sarasate (who played the evening following Rosenthal's concert) has remained the technician only.
30Jan Kubelik has been suffering with a severe attack of the influenza, and his health is so much impaired that he has been compelled to cancel all his engagements and go to the Riviera to recuperate.
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