Scan 15
Musical Courier 1906-12-19: Vol 53 Iss 1395, 1906
23 lines. Read by computer on 25 September 2026. Printed page 16. See the scan on archive.org.
1here last week, was heard in the Schumann pedal study and Chopin C sharp minor scherzo and four preludes and Liszt's "Gnomenreigen." She has a beautiful tone and clear, crisp, flowing technic. Her playing is artistic and reveals a true musical nature. The Chopin prelude in C major was given with mental penetration and a full singing tone, while the artist's fleetness and nimbleness of fingers and lightness of touch in the Liszt number, in particular, was delightful. She was heartily applauded.
3The same evening the youthful sisters Else and Caecilie Satz played compositions for two pianos at the Singakademie. I heard them in the Mozart E flat concerto for two pianos and orchestra, arranged for two pianos without accompaniment, by their teacher, Moritz Meyer-Mahr, and in Chopin's variations on "La ci darem la mano" for piano, with accompaniment of a second piano instead of orchestra. These two children made an exceptionally successful debut here last winter with the Philharmonic Orchestra, of which I wrote in full at the time. They are remarkably gifted children, and their training has been very thorough and efficient. They have an ensemble such as can be acquired only by years of playing together. They are the Viennese brothers, Willy and Louis Thern, translated into the feminine. In all kinds of technical work they have the absolute certainty and assurance of matured artists, and that they are exceedingly musical is shown by the exquisite taste which they display in phrasing; and with all their accuracy of ensemble there is a certain freedom and individuality in their readings which saves their performance from the dangerous cliff of monotony and the mechanical, which is apt to threaten this kind of ensemble playing.
5The Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory, which has publicly launched so many successful artists, and which is gaining momentum all the time, is the artistic home of these two young people, for they have received their entire musical education at this school; first with Carl Kessler, an excellent pedagogue, and himself a pupil of Meyer-Mahr, and then with the master himself. The two girls were overwhelmed with applause. I was interested in the Chopin variations on Mozart's familiar melody, this being the first time I have ever heard it in public. It was this work which prompted Schumann to write in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik his famous "Hats off, gentlemen—a genius!" And thus was Chopin introduced to Germany. What must Schumann have thought of Chopin's later works? For this op. 2 is one of the weakest of all of his creations. But Schumann, like Hamlet, possessed a "prophetic soul," and he could see to what heights a composer, whose op. 2 was of this caliber, could attain.
7A popular Beethoven and Brahms program was given at the Philharmonie on Wednesday evening by Alfred Wittenberg, who had the assistance of Fritz Steinbach, conductor, of Cologne, and the Philharmonic Orchestra. Wittenberg played the violin concertos of the two masters in a highly creditable manner. He has complete command of his instrument, and he is, furthermore, a thorough musician. True, his interpretations are not illumined by any flashes of genius, for Wittenberg is not a genius, but his ideas of these two great classics are sound, healthy and legitimate, and everything he does is in good taste, his technical equipment being such that he can carry out these ideas with ease and telling effect. He might have more tone color. He was enthusiastically applauded. Steinbach, the Brahms interpreter par excellence, gave a splendid reading of the F major symphony, although it was not quite as electrifying as his recent performance of the C minor at Halir's concert.
9Arthur Nikisch accompanied Elena Gerhardt at her song recital at Bechstein Hall on Saturday evening, and this in itself was a musical treat worth going many miles to hear. Nikisch as an accompanist, be it with baton in hand or at the keyboard, is unequaled. Who else can follow a soloist with such rare insight, such sympathy, such concentration, such subtleness, such finish? With Nikisch the soloist must feel like a small bark borne up and carried along on a great wave.
11My assistant, Miss Haring, reports on the following five concerts:
12"Margarete Eussert, of Weimar, and latterly a pupil of Professor Klindworth, gave an extremely successful piano recital at Bechstein Hall on Tuesday, playing the Beethoven C minor sonata, op. 3, Schumann's 'Davidsbundler-Tänze,' the Liszt 'Années de pèlerinage,' and 'Carneval de Pesth' rhapsody, two Chopin numbers and the Strauss-Tausig 'Wahlstimm'en,' a highly interesting though somewhat lengthy program. Miss Eussert possesses technic and temperament; she is a charming and genial personality, and was cordially received."
14"Tilly Koenen, at her second Lieder-Abend on Wednesday, sang three groups of songs, consisting of 'Vier ernste Gesänge,' and eight 'Zigeunerlieder,' by Brahms, and Schumann's 'Frauen Liebe und Leben.' As usual she attracted a large audience, Beethoven Hall being filled to overflowing. Her beautiful alto voice is thoroughly under control; she sings with warmth of feeling and breadth of conception, displaying temperament and musical intelligence of a high order; not the least of her charm is due to her absolute lack of all platform mannerisms or affectation. She was received with much warmth."
16"Georg Betram Bertram and Otto Urack gave a concert with the Philharmonic Orchestra at Beethoven Hall on Thursday, the former appearing as solo pianist and the latter as conductor-composer.
18"Bertram, one of the foremost teachers of the Stern Conservatory, has a finely finished virtuoso technic, and his readings are broad, dignified and inspiring. He appeared twice. In the first number, the Chopin E minor concerto, Mr. Bertram was hampered by the orchestral accompaniment, being obliged to watch the baton in order to adjust his tempi, meanwhile Mr. Urak proceeded without the least regard to the soloist, performing the tutti in a totally different reading from that of the pianist. Mr. Urak is young, and it was his debut as a conductor. Fortunately, Mr. Bertram does not appear to be nervous, and he gave a sparkling and technically perfect rendering of the work. The orchestral part of the second number, the Schubert-Liszt 'Wanderer' fantasy, went better, and the reading of the solo part was deeply impressive, and infused with nobility of conception and profound understanding. Mr. Bertram was received with tumultuous applause. Evidently he is a favorite; he quite deserves to be.
20"Mr. Urak's fantasy for orchestra, written to a text from Nietzsche, did not meet with a cordial reception. His reading of the Richard Strauss tone poem 'Tod und Verklärung,' albeit an unreasonably ambitious attempt for a first appearance, was much better than could have been anticipated, judging by the rest of his performance, and, in this, he showed unmistakable signs of musical talent and insight."
22"Ernest Sharpe gave his second recital, devoted to songs by Reger, yesterday. Mr. Sharpe's voice, clear, full and impassioned, made a splendid impression. Vocally, he is highly gifted by nature, and his artistic and intelligent interpretations render his singing a rare delight. I was unfortunately only able to hear the first group of songs. These, however, were all charming, and admirably served to display Mr. Sharpe's beautiful voice and fine production. On Monday he will give his third recital, which will be
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