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Musical Courier 1905-11-29: Vol 51 Iss 1340, 1905
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1THE MUSICAL COURIER.
3significance, in their bearing upon the development of violin playing. They were a "Kinderlied and Romanze," by David, a minuet for violin alone, by Alard, and an etude called "La Basque," by de Beriot. In my opinion, the first movement of the C major concerto would have represented de Beriot much more advantageously. The Alard number is a clever and effective piece of polyphonic writing for violin alone.
5Flesch's other program numbers were the first movement of Viotti's nineteenth, and the adagio from Mozart's third concerto, the C major Beethoven romance, the slow movement and finale from Spohr's E minor concerto, No. 7, two Paganini caprices, the same composer's fantasy, for the C string alone on a theme from Rossini's "Moses," and the Ernst F sharp minor concerto. Flesch has arranged the Paganini caprices in his own fashion; that is to say, he has made them much more difficult than even the great Nicolo himself. In the E major caprice No. 9, called "La Chasse," he plays the theme the second time in double harmonics, and wonderfully well he did it. All of the runs in this same caprice he plays in double octaves. By combining the first part of caprice No. 22 with the second part of No. 18, he has made an octave study difficult enough to satisfy the most formidable violin technician. He plays the whole thing in double or fingered octaves; and, indeed, in this particular branch of technic Flesch is unexcelled, nay, one might almost say unrivalled. In the Ernst concerto he also revealed great virtuosity in other directions.
7Flesch's most satisfying performance from the musical point of view was the Spohr concerto. As was to be expected, his greatest success with the public was won in the Paganini numbers. The performance of these called forth a perfect hurricane of applause.
9S. Kussewitsky, the famous contra-bass soloist of Moscow, was to have played here on Friday evening, but, like Aino Ackté, owing to the great revulsion in Russia, he was prevented from coming. This was a great disappointment, as his concert had been awaited with keen interest. Kussewitsky is said to be a second Bottesini. However, his concert has not been put off for good, but only postponed, and he will appear here at a later date.
11Lilli Lehmann was in splendid voice on Friday evening, when she gave the first of her series of four "Liederabende" in the large hall of the Philharmonie. Her program was strictly classical, consisting of Bach's "Kommissser Tod," and "Willst du dein Herz mir schenken?", two old songs by G. C. Strattner, written at the beginning of the eighteenth century, and called "Der an Abend Danksende," and "Die Seele vor der Himmelsür," further, a pastorelle by Haydn, of Najade's song from Gluck's "Armid," and two Beethoven numbers, to wit, "Ah perfido," and "Adelaide." It was a program well calculated to show off Mme. Lehmann's purity and grandeur of style. She was at her best in the two Beethoven songs. Here her consummate vocal art, retained, in spite of her age, to a remarkable degree, was a delight to hear, and here, too, she sang with great dramatic intensity.
13The Philharmonic Trio, composed of Anton Witek, violin, Vita Gerhardt, piano, and Joseph Malkin, 'cello, gave the first of its series of seven concerts in the small hall of the Philharmonie on the same evening, at a later hour. These three artists lately celebrated triumphs in London and now they have come back to pluck fresh laurels on their native shores. They played as ensemble pieces last evening the big Tchaikowsky trio in A minor and the Schubert E flat piano quartet, in which they had the assistance of F. Kingler, first viola of the Philharmonic Orchestra. The three members of the organization were also each heard in solo. Mme. Gerhardt rendered the Bach chromatic fantasy and fugue with finished technic, a big full tone, purity of style, and good musicianship. Malkin was heard in Franchomme's "Russian Air" and Saint-Saëns "Allegro Appassionata." Malkin is an admirable 'cellist. He displayed a beautiful singing tone, a polished technic, and an elegant style. Witek played Sinding's romance in E minor, the Raff minuetto, and Wieniawski's scherzo-tarantelle. His tone was full, round and penetrating, his technic, as always, impeccable, and his interpretation straightforward, honest and artistic.
15The ensemble work of the artists was of a high order. The Philharmonic Trio is one of the best organizations of its kind in Europe.
17Miss Allen writes of the Popper, de Ahna, Puchat and Wiemann concerts as follows:
19Professor David Popper, the Nestor of the 'cello, gave his only Berlin concert in the Singakademie, Wednesday. He opened his program with the Beethoven sonata, op. No. 2, for 'cello and piano, a work so destitute of individuality that it made Popper's 'cello playing seem proportionately dry. In it his beautiful tone sounded even rough, and his grace of style was lost upon the meaningless chords and arpeggios in which the work abounds. When, however, Popper turned to lighter and more effective numbers, such as his own "Papillon" and Tarantelle, and short pieces by Corelli, Bach, Schumann and Chopin, his former powers came again into evidence, and he played with a delicacy and finish, a flowing smoothness of style and a sweetness of tone such as one seldom hears. The capricious lightness with which he rendered his own minuet, op. 48, and the resonant cantabile with which he invested the Bach adagio were delightful and won him long and hearty applause from his numerous audience.
21Leontine de Ahna, daughter of the eminent violinist, Heinrich de Ahna, gave a vocal recital in Beethoven Hall on Tuesday. Apart from the usual Schubert and Schumann numbers, she was heard in songs by Brahms, Grieg, W. Berger, Gunkel, Cornelius and Richard Strauss. The program thus made demands alike upon Fräulein de Ahna's powers of classic delineation and modern intensity of delivery—demands which she fulfilled in almost every instance with commendable fitness. The pleasing quality of her agreeable soprano voice, coupled with the earnestness and deep feeling of her delivery gave her signal artistic success.
23Old school piano playing came to the front Friday in Beethoven Hall. Max Puchat was the performer, and in the Beethoven and Grieg concertos, and the "Totentanz" by Liszt he revealed precisely the good and evil qualities of the last generation of pianists—cleanliness, sharp, unvaried rhythm, and commendable perfection as to note and letter, and general disregard of the spirit of musical law. In Clementi or Thalberg, Puchat's rendering would be decidedly enjoyable. In the extremely subjective Grieg concerto, however, his playing was very dry and toneless, and the audience, which seemed to feel rather keenly the discrepancy between his style and his number, responded with only limp applause.
25Friday night, three new orchestral tone-poems, "Erdenwallen," "Cassandra," and "Im Thüringer Wald" were added to the already overswollen list of similar compositions. The works were played by the Philharmonic Orchestra in Beethoven Hall at a concert of compositions by Robert Wiemann, and although received rather coldly by the public they seemed to me distinctly better than the ordinary Kapellmeisternmusik which is placed on show at similar concerts. In the first place, although the three works contain each from four to six movements, they are concise in treatment, and actually surprise one with their end. Then, too, though not sharply differentiated from each other in content and workmanship (the Wagner influence being strongly prevalent throughout), they all reveal energy and occasional loveliness of theme.
27Of the seven Wiemann songs which the program also offered the one entitled "Weltsturm," a vehement, passionate song rendered with great energy by Johanna Dietz, of Frankfurt, is worthy of especial mention.
29Theodore Spiering has settled in Berlin, and for the next two or three years will make this city his home. The German capital can complain of no dearth of violinists. We have here Joachim, Halir, Burmester, Kreisler, Hartmann, Sebald, Petschnikoff, Serato, Barmas, Saenger-Sethe, Wietrowitz, Witek, Zajic, and a host of lesser lights. Yet for a violinist of Spiering's calibre, and above all for a man who has so thoroughly proved his mettle, there is ample room here.
31For a period of thirteen years Spiering has been identified with all that is highest and best in the musical life of America. He has labored with lofty endeavor and tireless industry for the advancement of the musical art in our country, and his departure from his native shores means a great loss not only to Chicago, the centre of his activities, but also to the country at large. Spiering is a man whose influence was felt throughout the length and breadth of our land; but Chicago's loss will be Berlin's gain.
33Spiering's work at home has been manifest to all, and needs scarcely more than a reference. After he returned from his studies in Germany (this was in 1892), he became a member of the Thomas Orchestra, and remained in that organization for several years. Then he was for a time head of the violin department at the Chicago Conservatory, and was associated with Leopold Godowsky as one of the musical directors of that institution. Later he founded a violin school of his own, and finally he became one of the leading violin instructors of the Chicago Musical College. From this it will be seen that Spiering's experience as a teacher has been broad and varied, and the results which he has accomplished in this line have been great and lasting.
35As a soloist Spiering has also made a name for himself, especially as an interpreter of the German classics. The field in which he has probably exerted the most influence, however, is in that of chamber music playing. He has done more to awaken interest in this—the most intimate branch of musical entertainment—than any other man in America, save Franz Kneisel. Throughout the West the Spiering Quartet has done for the diffusion of chamber music the same work that the Kneisel Quartet has done in the East. And, indeed, its labors have not been confined to the West, nor to any one locality, for it has been heard from Maine to California, from Minnesota to Louisiana. During the thirteen years of Spiering's activity in America his quartet has given more than 400 concerts, and the repertory of the organization has embraced practically everything important in chamber music literature. In looking over the list of new works the quartet has performed I was astonished at their number and variety. In Chicago alone Mr. Spiering and associates gave more than ninety concerts, and this in spite of persistent and powerful opposition.
37As an orchestra leader, too, Mr. Spiering has won his spurs, and his inclination and abilities in this direction are unquestioned.
39Spiering will make his Berlin debut with the Philharmonic Orchestra at Beethoven Hall on February 2. His appearance here will be awaited with much interest. He will also play in other centres during the winter and will devote a portion of his time to teaching.
41Leopold Godowsky has just returned from Russia, and his many friends are glad that he is back alive. He has gone through some thrilling experiences, having seen the brunt of the revolution. As I wrote some time ago, he
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