Scan 11
Musical Courier 1906-06-13: Vol 52 Iss 1368, 1906
59 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 12. See the scan on archive.org.
114 RUE LINCOLN,
2AVENUE DES CHAMPS-ELYSEES,
3PARIS, MAY 28, 1906.
5AVIS: LE CORRESPONDANT DU "MUSICAL COURIER DE NEW YORK" NE FERA PLUS MENTION DESORMAIS D'AUCUN CONCERT, D'AUCUNE REPRESENTATION MUSICALE, POUR LESQUELS ON AURA OMIS DE LUI ENVOYER DES BILLETS A SON BUREAU.
6LA REDACTION.
8[Artists contemplating American engagements can secure valuable practical advice by consulting Mr. Delma-Heide, Paris representative of THE MUSICAL COURIER.]
10Sir Edward Elgar's "Dream of Gerontius" was given for the first time in France on Friday afternoon last, the 25th inst., at the Trocadéro, under the auspices of the "Société des Grandes Auditions," and in the presence of a very large audience.
12The work is an oratorio in two parts, written by Cardinal Newman, with music by Elgar and the French version (in which language it was sung), by M. d'Offoël. The soloists were Mlle. Croiza (the Angel), Rud. Plamondon (Gerontius), and Louis Fröhlich (the Priest); orchestra and chorus of the Lamoureux Association, with César Galeotti as organist, under the direction of Camille Chevillard. one of two readings
13The work is an oratorio in two parts, written by Cardinal Newman, with music by Elgar and the French version (in which language it was sung), by M. d'Offoël. The soloists were Mlle. Croiza (the Angel), Rud. Plamondon (Gerontius), and Louis Fröhlich (the Priest); orchestra and chorus of the Lamoureux Association, with Césare Galeotti as organist, under the direction of Camille Chevillard. one of two readings
15Elgar's composition is a serious and loftily inspired work, the first part particularly being beautiful; it is finely conceived and logically developed. France is not, however, the country where one hears "oratorio" given at its best, and in Paris there is no proper conception of what that form of composition really is; or how it should be interpreted. While the soloists were good, especially the gentlemen, both Mr. Fröhlich, with his sonorous bass voice, and Mr. Plamondon, with his agreeable tenor; and the organist Galeotti, with the Lamoureux Orchestra, doing excellent work—the chorus seemed to be wholly lacking in idea of what was required of an oratorio chorus. It need hardly be added that in most oratorios the choral body plays a more or less important role and the "Dream of Gerontius" is no exception. In spite of this weakness, this shortcoming in the interpretation of the work, the composition made a deep impression on the musical portion of the audience, and Sir Edward Elgar was recognized as a gifted and profound musician. The orchestra was brilliantly effective under the able conductorship of M. Chevillard.
17Several musicians followed the performance closely with "score" in hand, among them being M. Wassili Safonoff, the newly elected conductor of the New York Philharmonic Society.
19The concert given by the Society of Ancient Instruments, presided over by Camille Saint-Saëns and directed by M. Périlhou, proved to be another of those affairs that linger long in the memory—being enjoyable throughout.
21Sacchini's "Ballet de Chimène," for quinton, viola d'amour, viola de gambe, contrabass and clavecin, was full of pleasing colors. A tenor whose singing was continually a shade below pitch, especially when using full voice, will be overlooked for the sake of happier thoughts connected with the exquisite accompaniments of clavecin, flute and ancient stringed instruments. A French "Suite Populaire," eighteenth century, harmonized by Périlhou, was like a contrapuntal plaything, full of bright colored music box effects, with an "ensemble" that was perfection. Gabrielle Courtois, a good looking singer with a pretty soprano voice, was heard in Haydn's "Life is a Dream" and an air from Handel's "Admète," and later with the tenor Mazzalbert in a florid duo from Haydn's "Seasons." Bruni's third symphony, arranged for the society by Henri Casadesus, received lively applause, the concert closing with an unknown author's "Airs de Ballet" of the seventeenth century, for flute, oboe, bassoon, quinton, viola d'amour, viola de gambe, contrabass and clavecin.
23An afternoon concert given in the Théâtre de l'Ambigu by the Society for Classic Singing (Foundation Beaulieu, forty-seventh year) offered its patrons an attractive program from the works of Beethoven, Méhul, Rameau, Monsigny; fragments from Bizet's "Don Procopio" (first time here); first scene from Act I of Samuel Rousseau's "Mérowig"; Wagner; Gounod's "Ulysse" (fragments), for soli and chorus; violin soli from Danbé and Berlioz, &c. The participants were Mme. Auguez de Montalant, soprano; Rud. Plamondon, tenor; Alfred Brun, violin; the choral society L'Euterpe and an orchestra under direction of Georges Marty.
25Léon Delafosse, the brilliant pianist, who so successfully assisted the veteran Francis Planté at the Saint-Saëns "jubilee" celebration, gave his own concert, with orchestra, at the Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt. The house was full of society people, nearly all the ladies appearing in light and gay colors, making the scene a pretty commentary on the brilliant achievements of the young virtuoso. It may be confessed at once I have never heard Delafosse play better, never heard him play so well, as on this occasion. His technical finish and brilliant execution were something dazzling in the extreme, and in addition to this he possesses what so few clever pianists of today can claim, namely, "charm"—charm in its most fascinating, captivating sense; and with these qualities he furthermore combines considerable power and nervous force, making his performances in every way attractive.
27M. Chevillard opened the concert with a well performed orchestral number, the Mendelssohn "Fingal's Cave" overture; then followed the "Grande Polonaise," op. 22, of Chopin, for piano and orchestra, in which Delafosse was enabled to show force and finesse; then came a solo group from Bach, Scarlatti, Rubinstein, Schumann, and Chopin's etude, op. 10, No. 5, transcribed in double notes by the performer; a paraphrase on Tschaikowsky's "Valse des Fleurs," by Grainger, proved an exhibition of brilliant virtuosity. After Handel's menuet for string orchestra, as an interlude, the pianist interpreted Weber's "Concertstück" with orchestra, closing his most successful program with a Brahms intermezzo and the thirteenth rhapsody of Liszt, when prolonged applause and cheers were turned into an ovation.
29At the Salle Hoche, on Saturday afternoon, Mathilde Marchesi, the renowned singing teacher, gave an "Audition d'Elèves," her annual public concert. The program was comprehensive—embracing no fewer than thirty-three vocal selections, besides four scenes—two duets, trio and a quartet—from the operas. Among the better advanced pupils heard were the Misses Tancredi (New Zealand), Irène Zelanda (Miss Amsly, of New Zealand), Berthe Weber (Strassbourg), Dorothy James (Melbourne), Flora Wallace (Kansas City), Mrs. W. J. Baird (Philadelphia), Lydia Obrée (London), &c.—all doing excellent work and much credit to their so wonderfully young and active teacher (Madame Marchesi has passed the four score mark by several years and seems to be growing younger now).
31The operas were: "Roi d'Ys" (Lalo), duo by Mlles. Wallace and James; "Faust," garden scene quartet, Mrs. Baird, Miss James, MM. Dubois, of the Opéra, and Baird—in which the latter was a most excellent devil; "Manon" (Massenet), duo, Miss Obrée and M. Dubois; "Faust," trio, Mme. Baird, MM. Dubois and Baird. M. Mangin, conductor at the Opéra, and M. F. Ponsot acted as accompanists.
33Rafael Navas, an advanced pupil of Wager Swayne, gave a recital of modern piano music at the Salle Aeolian that proved to be more interesting than beautiful. From the Russian school we heard three good examples of modern writing taken from Akimenko, Liapounow and Balakirew; the French school offered two groups of compositions sufficiently strange, bizarre and recherché, drawn from Fauré, d'Indy, Debussy, Ravel, Dupont, Aubert and Pierné; while the Spanish school, more pleasing to the ear, presented the names of Turina and Albeniz. In all, young Navas brought to his support the clean, clear cut technic for which the school of Wager Swayne has become noted.
35A vocal concert given jointly by Oscar Seagle and Florence Stevens, both Americans, on Wednesday evening last at the Salle des Agriculteurs, was a genuine success, as noted in a cablegram to THE MUSICAL COURIER. Miss Stevens, a tall, slender young lady of prepossessing appearance, not unlike her famous compatriot Mary Garden, of the Opéra Comique (especially in the gown worn at her concert the other evening), is a singer with a pretty soprano voice, less warm however, than her appearance would suggest. She sang, among other selections, the "Air de Bijoux" from "Faust" with much style and good effect; also two groups of melodies, of which one in English ("The Year's at the Spring," by Beach) was encored and made one wish that other English songs might be added. Miss Stevens' English diction was really very good. Mr. Seagle, who has a splendid, sonorous baritone voice, well placed and of good extension, created enthusiasm with his rendering of the "Vision Fugitive" from Massenet's "Hérodiade," and with his interpretation of the prologue from "I Pagliacci." The baritone had much success, too, with the "lied" form, of which he presented several compositions in fine style, notably the "Ständchen" by Brahms, "Verborgenheit," H. Wolf; "Nachtgang," R.
37HASLAM
38PROFESSEUR DE CHANT
39POSE TECHNIQUE, STYLE, RÉPERTOIRE, OPERA, CONCERT
40Direct Communication with European Managers
412 Rue Maleville (Parc Monceau), Paris
43FRANK KING CLARK
4428 Rue de Ponthieu, Paris
45After July 1: No. 8 Rue Bugeaud (Near Place Victor Hugo)
46SINGING, ACTING, REPERTOIRE
47WITH THE COLLABORATION OF
48JEAN PÉRIER, de l'Opéra Comique, Paris.
49WALTHER STRARAM, Chef de Chant des Concerts Lamoureux
51WAGER SWAYNE
5239 Rue de Prony, (Parc Monceau), Paris
53VOICE SINGING
54ALL ABOUT THEM
55Twelve years' stage experience—Opera—Concert
57GEORGES CHAIS
585 Rue Gounod, Paris
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