Scan 41
Musical Courier 1906-12-19: Vol 53 Iss 1395, 1906
95 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 32. See the scan on archive.org.
1MUSIC IN VIENNA.
3VIENNA, KOCHGASSE 9, November 19, 1906.
5Franz Schalk introduced Edward Elgar's "Variations" at the second Philharmonic on the 11th. The other works were Beethoven's B major fugue for string instruments and Tschaikowsky's fourth symphony.
7Jan Kubelik appeared at the Music Verein Hall on Monday evening. Kubelik did not visit us last year, and the large audience was sincerely glad to see and hear him again. His is a magnetic personality, who forces admiration with his art. His tone, if not passionate, is at least warm and enchantingly sweet. The program consisted of Spohr's D minor concerto, Bruch's Scotch fantaisie, the A major Wieniawski polonaise, and the Paganini "Hexentanz." Edward Goll played the Mendelssohn piano concerto.
9Josef Hofmann's recital, too, was a success. In the audience which filled Bösendorfer Saal were many American students who, after the program, crowded about the piano and demanded "Tannhäuser." Instead he played the Chopin "Butterfly" etude, and a valse—then rushed off to Berlin to be with his new little boy. Hofmann has not been stationary in his art, and in the last two years his tone has matured and his touch is rounder and larger. His technic seemed more brilliant than ever in the Chopin B minor scherzo and in the Liszt "Venezia e Napoli" and the "Funerailles." His other numbers were the Bach-Liszt G minor prelude and fugue, Beethoven sonata, op. 111, the Chopin barcarolle, D flat major nocturne; also Liszt's valse impromptu and "Loreley." Hofmann comes again in February.
11Bertha Jahn gave a concert in Bösendorfer Saal. Frl. Jahn is an underteacher of Leschetizky. I was unable to hear her on account of the Kubelik concert. Though acquainted with her playing, I can trust a report that she performed exceedingly well, and with credit to her master. The composers were Bach-Liszt, Beethoven, Leschetizky, Scarlatti and Mendelssohn.
13Friday another concert success was scored, and this time by another American, Yvonne de Treville, of the Paris Opera Comique. Miss de Treville was coldly received at first, but after a few passages of the mad scene aria of Thomas' "Hamlet," she won her audience and received a hearty round of applause. Miss de Treville possesses a phenomenal soprano voice of large range and much power, which lacks not warmth but a little more finish. An orchestra accompanied Miss de Treville. Serge Barjansky performed the Davidoff A minor concerto and a ballad for violoncello, and Popper's "Elfentanz." Barjansky has passion and dexterity, but lacks power, and he scored in the "Elfantanz." Miss de Treville's numbers, besides the Thomas aria, were Bachelet's "Chere Nuit," Dell'Acqua's "Villanelle," Miskow's "Fader Vor" (in Danish). She sang her best in the bell scene of Délibes' "Lakmé." De Treville sings once more on the 29th.
15Leopold Godowsky was the soloist of the Prill Quartet in Ehrbar Hall, Saturday evening. With the quartet Godowsky performed the Schubert octet, op. 66. Next Saturday the pianist will appear in Music Verein Hall in an immense program of Rameau, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Scriabine, Henselt and his paraphrase of Strauss' waltz, "Artist Life."
17There were, during the week, three song recitals: Agnes Bricht-Pylemann on Wednesday, Emy Karvassy-Borchert on Friday, and Henrike Gound-Kraff on Saturday, and all in Bösendorfer Hall.
19Von Dohnanyi will play the coming week, also the violinist, Karl Klein, Emil Sauer and Godowsky. Song recitals by Paul Schmedes, Dr. Lulek and Martha Ruben are scheduled.
21M. MARVIN GRODZINSKY.
23Music in the Oranges.
25EAST ORANGE, N. J., December 15, 1906.
27Miss Molina gave a musicale at her home, 168 William street, that was unique, owing to the cosmopolitan character of her guests. Among those who heard the music were Dr. Garcia, the Brazilian Consul; Miss Corell, who was born in Japan and whose parents are still missionaries there; Dr. Giuliano, an Italian physician; Mrs. Molina, a Canadian; Mr. Molina, a native of Porto Rico; Louis Spada, of Newark and Germantown; Floyd Soveral, of Philadelphia, and M. and S. C. Betts, of Brooklyn. Clara A. Korn, the pianist and composer, was the guest of honor, and played her own "Impromptu" and the "Liebestraum." Liszt. Maximilian Betts, pianist and composer, played some of his own compositions and the march from "Tannhäuser." The hostess, Miss Fryer and Charles L. Williams were the singers of the program. Mr. Spada played some mandolin numbers and violin obligati for Miss Molina's songs.
29Nellie Baldwin, of 65 Chestnut street, East Orange, N. J., gave a pupils recital at her home December 8. The program consisted of piano pieces by Haydn, Schubert, Schumann, etc., by writers of children's selections, and by Gaynor and Foote. The pupils who played were Harriet Clay, Dorothy Baldwin, Marion Kent, Nellie May Baldwin, Hazel Wheaton, Sarah Nixon, Muriel Rowley, Catherine Rowley, and Everett Lemmon, Donald Baldwin, John Rowley, Vernon Lemmon, Hermann Mills. Josephine MacKenzie, violinist, assisted, and a number of solos were also played by Miss Baldwin. All the pupils displayed a precision of accent, cleanness of technic, accuracy of tempo and sureness of attack that left no doubt as to the efficiency of their teacher.
31Saint-Saëns Thanked Janet Spencer—Criticisms.
33Saint-Saëns attended the performance of his work, "Samson and Delilah," presented in Philadelphia by the Choral Society of that city, with Janet Spencer singing the part of Delilah. After the performance, the great composer personally thanked Miss Spencer for her exceedingly artistic interpretation. The following day he wrote again congratulating the artist. Here is a translation of his letter:
35"PHILADELPHIA, November 24, 1906.
37"MADEME—Permit me to tell you again all the pleasure that you gave me last night by your admirable interpretation of the difficult role of Delilah. Beauty of voice, finess of style, musical intelligence and vocalization were superior throughout, and I value in you one of the best interpreters I have ever met, and, as I had the honor of telling you last night, you are a great artist to whom I present the homage of my admiration and my respectful compliments.
39"C. SAINT-SAËNS."
41The appended criticisms are from the Philadelphia papers:
43Of Miss Spencer it is difficult to write temperately. So seldom is such perfect singing heard that one is almost compelled to superlatives. The range of the opera, from low F to high B, is almost forbidding to good singers, but Miss Spencer sang it with no unevenness of register, no forcing of notes or straining for effect, and with such ease and certainty of voice production that one entirely lost sight of the method in the enjoyment of the wonderful results. Temperamentally, Miss Spencer is a thrilling Delilah, keeping up the suggestion of pent up hatred and vengeance through all her false protestations of love, and at last emerging wildly triumphant and mocking.—Philadelphia Evening Telegraph, November 24, 1906.
45Miss Spencer, the contralto, threw a lovely glamor over the music of enticement, phrasing in a most graceful manner and achieving a special success in the familiar "Mon Coeur S'ouvre à Ta Voix."—Philadelphia Press.
47Miss Spencer's rich, melodious contralto is well suited to the role of the enchantress, Delilah, and she sang the lovely music with warmth and feeling. Particularly beautiful was her singing of "My Heart At Thy Sweet Voice."—Philadelphia Bulletin.
49Of the assisting artists it was easily Janet Spencer who bore off the palm. Her voice is naturally one of great beauty, and she delivered her music with fine taste and unfailing effectiveness.—Philadelphia Enquirer.
51Janet Spencer, as Delilah, carried off the honors of the evening, and she gave an intelligent and pleasing rendering of the part of the Philistine charmer.—Philadelphia Record.
53Frederick Weld's Success.
55Hermann Klein, the distinguished teacher, must feel elated over the recent successes won by one of his pupils, Frederick Weld. This singer possesses an exceptionally fine baritone voice, both with regard to quality and range, and, under Mr. Klein's tutelage, it has been highly cultivated. Mr. Weld has appeared in a number of recitals recently, and his success has been unequivocal. Mr. Klein does not hesitate to pronounce him one of the best singers he has ever trained, and predicts for him a brilliant career. Not long ago he sang at the Lotos Club, New York, and was the lion of the occasion. In recitals in several Connecticut towns Mr. Weld was equally successful.
57This critique was published in the New Haven Leader:
59New Haven is proud in the possession of such a superb vocal artist as Frederick Weld, the baritone, who again demonstrated the beauty of his voice, the clarity of his diction, the smoothness of his art and the glory of his temperament at the song recital given in Foy Auditorium Friday evening. The hall was well filled with society people and musical students, who found much of profit in the evening offerings. Mr. Weld's long service as bass and choirmaster at St. Paul's Church has won him honor in his own city. His studies with Herman Klein in New York have brought him recognition in the metropolis, recognition which he richly deserves. The arrangement of the program Friday night was excellent. A fine mastery of the voice was evident in the ambitious song cycle by Lila Lehmann, "In Memoriam." Exquisite pathos and depth of feeling were brought out.
61By way of contrast the ballads were delightful, among them "Young Richard" being a pronounced favorite. The audience was greatly interested in "Come Live With Me," by Walter R. Cowles of this city, sung from manuscript. Both singer and author, who was at the piano, were heartily applauded. The Pagliacci prologue was magnificently sung, and Mr. Weld's shadings were most effective.
63MUSIC IN PORTLAND, ORE.
65PORTLAND, Ore., December 3, 1906.
67The Oregon Conservatory, so long prominently identified with the musical life of the State, this season offers a still larger sphere of usefulness. It has moved into larger quarters and has added a most efficient corps of teachers of wind instruments to those of violin, voice, organ, 'cello, as well as piano. Mrs. Hurlburt-Edwards is, of course, the animating spirit of the last mentioned department, and in fact of every department of the entire conservatory. The business of the school is managed by Mr. Edwards.
69Shanna Cumming, who is en tour with the Bostonia Sextet Club, sang in Portland Thanksgiving evening to a tremendous house. Miss Cumming's genius, for she certainly possesses it, evidently runs to the heroic style, and it was a matter of regret to many that her entire program was not of this character, although her every number was greatly enjoyed and elicited repeated encores, to which she most graciously responded. The Sextet Club also won instant recognition. That it was composed of thorough musicians was evident from the very beginning. The personnel of the club is Louis Eaton, first violin; A. E. Ordway, second violin; Max Schlegel, viola; Carl W. Stockbridge, 'cello; Louis Targone, bass viol; C. L. Staats, clarinet.
71Waldemar Linn's engagement as leader of the Hotel Portland orchestra is a matter of gratification to his large circle of friends.
73Grace Gilbert sang before Rose Bloch Bauer's Tuesday afternoon class last week a group of French and German songs. She will give a recital to the class in the near future, her program to consist of children's songs, to which style of music her voice is especially adapted.
75Effie Johnson's singing Thanksgiving evening at the Seamen's Institute met with great appreciation.
77Mrs. J. Whyte Evans' singing was a most enjoyable feature of the annual meeting of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Mrs. Evans possesses a magnificent contralto voice, beautifully trained.
79J. Adrian Epping's rendering of "McGregor's Gathering" at the St. Andrew's celebration occasioned great gratification to the Scotchmen assembled.
81Elizabeth Harwas was accorded the privilege of singing before Leoncavallo during his recent visit to Portland, and that eminent authority expressed himself as highly pleased with her voice, which is an exceptionally rich contralto.
83The recital given by Frederick W. Goodrich, Mardaunt A. Goodnough and John Claire Monteith at St. David's Episcopal Church last Tuesday evening was largely attended. Mr. Goodrich gave his solos in a brilliant style, especially the fine concert fugue by Krebs. Goodnough's finished style was evident in both solos and duets. Mr. Monteith sang with his usual pleasing and musicianly style.
85EDITH L. NILES.
87De Koven's "Student King."
89Reginald DeKoven's new romantic opera, "The Student King," will be introduced to New York music lovers by Henry W. Savage, following the run of "Madam Butterfly" at the Garden Theater. This latest success by the composer of "Robin Hood" will also serve to introduce the pretty grand opera soubrette, Lina Abarbanell, from the Metropolitan and Royal Berlin opera companies. Madame Abarbanell was lifted from the Conried forces after her fine success last year in "Hänsel and Gretel," and is said to be under a long term contract with Manager Savage. She joined "The Student King" company before its run of fifty performances in Chicago that ended in July, and has also captivated opera lovers in Boston, Philadelphia and other Eastern cities with her voice and character portrayal of the charming Tyrolean Princess, Ilsa, in the De Koven work.
91"Madam Butterfly" closes its record breaking run at the Garden on Saturday night, December 22, and "The Student King" will begin its engagement on the following Tuesday, Christmas night. The orchestra will be under Arthur Weld's graceful baton and the company will include the comedian, Alexander Clarke, well known for his work in many Broadway productions; tenor Henry Coot, from "The Prince of Pilsen" company, to sing the title role, and Flavia Arcaro, one of Mr. Savage's contralto finds from the "Parsifal" company. The singing chorus for "The Student King" is said to be one of the largest and best choral bodies he has brought together.
93Elisabeth Patterson Sawyers gave a piano recital, with lecture on the compositions, at Depauw University, Green castle, Ind., on December 10. The works explained and played included two Bach preludes and fugues; first movement of the Beethoven sonata, op. 31, No. 1; two Rubinstein studies and a barcarolle; a Chopin valse, impromptu and scherzo, and a Liszt study, nocturne and "La Campanella." one of two readings
94Elisabeth Patterson Sawyers gave a piano recital, with lecture on the compositions, at Depauw University, Green-castle, Ind., on December 10. The works explained and played included two Bach preludes and fugues; first-movement of the Beethoven sonata, op. 31, No. 1; two Rubinstein studies and a barcarolle; a Chopin valse, impromptu and scherzo, and a Liszt study, nocturne and "La Campanella." one of two readings
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