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Musical Courier 1907-03-20: Vol 54 Iss 12, 1907
26 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 10. See the scan on archive.org.
135 WEYMOUTH ST., W., LONDON, March 6, 1907.
3Aeolian Hall was very full on the afternoon of Thursday last week when Richard Buhlig played a program devoted entirely to the compositions of Chopin and Liszt. The program opened with the Chopin numbers, the first one being the prelude in C sharp minor, which was followed by the nocturne in the same key, this in turn being succeeded by a nocturne in B. The berceuse and then the sonata in B flat minor, in which the famous funeral march was beautifully played, constituted the pieces by the celebrated Polish composer. The two Liszt numbers were the sonata in B minor (in one movement) and two legends—"St. Francis of Assisi" and "St. Francis of Paolo." There were many friends of the young pianist to congratulate him after the concert was over.
5At the Godowsky recital last Saturday afternoon, the second one he has given this season, one of the most interested and enthusiastic listeners was Vladimir de Pachmann, whose enthusiasm reached to such a height that after the last encore he repeatedly embraced Mr. Godowsky, and spoke in terms of admiration, of the enormous technical difficulties that had been so successfully overcome.
7Gervase Elwes has returned from the Continent and will on March 16 give his own recital, when his program includes many Brahms songs. Victor Beigel will be at the piano. Mr. Elwes is one of the singers who is always busy, and some of the engagements he booked for the month of March are: March 1, when he sang "The Dream of Geron- tius" at Huddersfield; 5th, at Queen's Hall, with the Blackpool Choir; 8th, Hull Philharmonic Society; 16th, his own recital; 18th, "The Messiah," at Lincoln; 19th, Queen's Hall, when with Madame Albani and the Bach Choir he will sing the Bach mass in B minor; 21st, Aeolian Hall, at one of the Broadwood concerts, and on the 22d again at Hull, "The Apostles" being given.
9A pianist who has gained the favor of the public to a remarkable degree, judging from the size of the audience that packed Aeolian Hall last week, is Leonard Borwick, who, being an Englishman, possibly had more to contend against in the series of recitals he has been giving than if he had been a foreigner. Be that as it may, the hall was crowded to overflowing at his third recital. Bach, Brahms and Beethoven, the three B's, with a Schumann number, made up a program of interest. There were two organ fugues by Bach, the ones in G major and minor, transcribed by Mr. Borwick for the piano, a Beethoven sonata in A flat, Brahms' sonata in C and the Schumann fantasia in C, all played in a way that excited the greatest interest in his audience, who evinced their pleasure by enthusiastic applause. Mr. Borwick gave his fourth recital yesterday afternoon.
11There has been so much said for and against the symphony in E flat by Georges Enesco, played last Thursday evening at the second concert of the Philharmonic series at Queen's Hall, that only a hearing of it would really produce any effect on the lay mind, for one "distinguished" critic says "no," another says "yes." And there it is. It is, of course, always interesting to hear new music well played. The symphony, the fifth by this composer, is in three movements, the second being the most characteristic. It is all very modern, very difficult, very energetic, very brilliant, and occupied the post of honor on the program. A second hearing would give opportunity to hear and understand the work better.
13At this concert Vladimir de Pachmann was the soloist, playing the piano part in Chopin's concerto in F minor. This was played in his most delightful manner, beautifully accompanied by the orchestra under the baton of Dr. Cowen. Mr. de Pachmann was recalled many times, but declined to give an encore. Marie Brema sang two airs from Purcell's "Tempest" and three Lieder by Weingartner. The program opened with Stanford's "Irish Rhapsody" and ended with Cherubini's "Abencerager" overture.
15In the programs of the Kreuz Orchestra particular attention is paid to good "light" music. So in their program last Thursday—their second concert this winter—the overture of "Ruy Blas," a suite by Bizet, the "Freischütz" overture, a Strauss waltz, the march from "Le Prophète" and a fantasia on two Russian airs, by Glinka, with three numbers sung by Madame Minadieu, proved interesting from start to finish. The orchestra gave an excellent account of itself, playing the accompaniments for Madame Minadieu with great delicacy.
17A fund has been opened for the benefit of the members of the German Opera Company who suffered by the disaster to the steamer Berlin. A fund headed by John Coates is started at the London and South-Western Bank, 451 Oxford street, Mr. Coates having subscribed $50. It is announced by Arthur Fagge, the director of the London Choral Society, that the net proceeds of the next concert to be given by that organization at Queen's Hall on March 18 will be devoted to the same purpose. At the time of the Jamaica earthquake disaster the members of the German Opera gave a benefit concert one Sunday evening at Covent Garden for the sufferers in that island city, so it seems but right that in turn a benefit should be undertaken for them.
19In February Horatio Connell made two "first appearances," one at Liverpool on the 21st and the other at Bath on the 23d. The concert at Liverpool was given by Walter Bridson, pianist, Mr. Connell assisting with three groups of songs. Two Schubert and two Franz songs were the German group in the first part of the program, then three English ones, or rather one American and two English, for "Alone on the Housetops" is by an American, the two English ones being by Hubert Bath. Later he sang "L'heure Exquise," and a Strauss number, in all of which he was warmly applauded by the audience, and congratulated afterward in the artists' room. At Bath he sang both afternoon and evening, his rendering of the "Evening Star" at both concerts obliging him to repeat this well known song. Richard Strauss was the German composer selected by Mr. Connell, and he was thanked very warmly by many musicians present for his singing of the German lieder—in fact, it was the opinion of all—as it has been of many others where he has sung—that "his understanding and interpretation of German lieder is so great that every one must derive great pleasure from his singing." Quilter's "Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind," was one of the second group of songs in the afternoon, while in the evening two of Landon Ronald's, "Away on the Hill" and "A Little Winding Road," were heard.
21Mr. Connell is engaged for concerts at Bristol and Dublin, Ireland, during the month of March. In April he will, in conjunction with Norah Drewett, give a concert at the Singakademie, in Berlin, the date being the 11th of that month. He will be absent from London for about three weeks, returning late in April.
23With a dense fog outside, there was a large audience at the fifth of the "Twelve o'Clock" concerts last Thursday. Fanny Davies was the assisting pianist, playing Sgambati's "Menuetto Vecchio" and Liszt's "Feux Follets." Madame Langley and Miss Verne were heard in a Handel sonata in A for violin and piano. May Mukle played two Bach numbers, a sarabande and a gavotte. An unfamiliar work was included, a quintet for piano and strings, by Sinding, which was effective and picturesque. This was interpreted by Miss Verne, Madame Langley, Dorothy Bridson, Cecilia Gates and May Mukle with much charm; in fact, the whole program was most sympathetically played. At the concert on March 21 David Bispham will be the soloist, when he will sing Schumann's "Dichterliebe." William Green is to be the vocalist on March 7.
25The chamber music concerts of the London Trio always attract a large audience, for there is no better organization
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