Scan 8
Musical Courier 1907-10-02: Vol 55 Iss 14, 1907
28 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 9. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1LONDON
235 WEYMOUTH ST., W.
3LONDON, September 8, 1907.
5That at last there is an awakening in musical circles here is clearly indicated by the announcements in one of the leading daily newspapers of Saturday last, when a column or more was devoted to coming events in the way of concerts and recitals. Beginning with September 27, there are many appearances arranged for the month of October, some of great interest to the musical world. Kreisler appears in his only autumn recital on the 28th of this month, at Queen's Hall, one of his pupils giving a recital the previous day. Backhaus, the pianist, will make only one appearance this season in London—that of October 5—when he also plays at Queen's Hall; and other announcements show that the coming season is to be a busy one, with plenty of good music offered.
7The Gloucester Festival has come and gone, with the usual applause and criticism; new works have received qualified praise and the old works again were reviewed with more or less enthusiasm by the critics and audiences. Individual vocalists and instrumentalists have gained the further praises of press and public, and Gloucester rejoices in an accomplished fact.
9Of the two other autumn music festivals, that at Leeds will be shorn of much of its glory and interest by the death of Grieg, who was to have been in attendance and conduct several of his own compositions, as well as acting as accompanist for Mrs. Henry Wood, who is to sing a group of his songs. The Grieg compositions will be played, and the name of the new conductor will soon be announced.
11There should be some good chorus singing at the Cardiff Festival, as the Welsh choirs are deservedly well known for their fine singing, and much time is spent on rehearsals for this festival.
13The programs announced for the last half of the Promenade Concert season continue to be of the same interesting character as those which have preceded them. The Monday evening Wagner concerts are continued with excellent soloists each evening, while there are many pieces underscored for the first time. On Thursday evening of last week a novelty by Mozart was given—a concerto for three pianos, which was played in England for the first time, the pianists being York Bowen, F. B. Kiddle and Henry J. Wood. On the same evening was produced an "English Suite" by Havergal Brian, who is better known for his songs than instrumental pieces. Another composition played last week for the first time was "The Mysterious Rose Garden," the work of Garnet Wolseley Cox, a young man of great promise who died almost at the beginning of his career. One of his overtures, "Pelleas and Melisande," was played at a Philharmonic concert in 1902, and an earlier suite at the Promenades the following year. "The Mysterious Rose Garden" was inspired by one of Aubrey Beardsley's pictures, and consists of a prelude, "Nightfall," followed by three short movements. On Wednesday evening, this week, Herbert Witherspoon is the vocalist, and will sing the Bach cantata for bass and orchestra, "Amore traditore," which will be the first performance of the cantata in England. On that evening there will also be given for the first time a work by Johann Pezel, written in 1685, "Two Suites," for two trumpets and three trombones. A Liszt number, played on Tuesday evening for the first time, was the "Concerto Pathetique," arranged for piano and orchestra. Other new works include a violin concerto by Sibelius; concerto for viola and orchestra, by Arends; a new suite in C for strings; by Glazounoff; concerto in C minor for piano and orchestra, by Delius; "Symphonie Montagnarde," for piano and orchestra, by d'Indy, and an overture, "Karelia," by Sibelius, as well as several compositions by English composers. October 4 the program is a Beethoven one, and again on October 11 Beethoven has the lion's share. Tchaikowsky has four numbers set down to him for October 9, and on this evening Madame Szumowska makes her first appearance at these concerts, playing the Saint-Saens concerto, No. 2, in G minor. The last concert, on October 26, is for the benefit of the orchestra's endowment fund, the names of the soloists not yet being announced.
15One of the finest organs in England is said to be the one in Westminster Abbey. It was built by Schreider in the year 1730 and was restored a little more than twenty years ago. It has sixty-eight stops, and, as can be seen by the accompanying picture, the organ is placed on each side of the choir, which was done so as not to obstruct the view. The organist sits in the centre, between the two sets of pipes. Among the celebrated organists of Westminster Abbey were Henry Purcell, who died in 1695; John Blow, who was a pupil of Christopher Gibbons and teacher of Purcell, and died 1708, and William Croft, who died in 1727. There is no tablet to the memory of Orlando Gibbons, whose influence on English church music was so pronounced, but Samuel Arnold, organist to the Abbey and composer of several oratorios, who died in 1802, has a tablet put up to his memory against the screen of the choir.
17Ibbs & Tillett have received many congratulatory cable-grams from Australia in reference to the first appearance of Madame Butt and Kennerley Rumford in that city. The financial result was a highly satisfactory one, far exceeding all expectations, and great interest is being shown in this tour, which is to extend over a number of months.
19Esta d'Argo, who has been heard at several of the Promenade Concerts this summer, is also singing at several of the autumn festivals. Not only is Madame d'Argo one of the well known singers of the present day, but she adds to her popularity by being the composer of some songs that have received favorable notice, and are constantly being sung.
21Negotiations are going on for the London Symphony Orchestra to visit Antwerp next April to give a concert in connection with the Antwerp Musical Society, under the direction of Peter Raabe. It is also in the possibilities that this orchestra may appear in Germany some time during next December.
23Madame Szumowska is to give two recitals in London during October, besides playing at Queen's Hall. These recitals will take place at Aeolian Hall.
25There are many prospectuses being sent out by the different societies, among them several for the concerts that are given each year in the poorer London districts, where excellent music is provided, and, be it said, received with great warmth and enthusiasm by the working classes. There are a number of excellent choruses, recruited from the ranks of the working women and men, music having proved to be an excellent medium for appealing to this class of people. The programs for these concerts are selected from the best oratorios and much of the singing would not discredit the societies whose members have received better educational advantages. The Bermondsey Settlement, the musical section being directed by Dr. John Borland, will give "Elijah" and "Israel in Egypt" during the winter, while the Central London Choral and Orchestral Society has a well selected series of programs in view. The Stroud Green Choral Association is launching out into more ambitious programs than previously given, and they are considering "Elijah" for one of their coming concerts. Their rehearsals commence in a week.
27At Aeolian Hall the bookings already arranged for the next three months—that is, up to Christmas—have reached the satisfactory number of seventy-five concerts and recitals. The first one is to take place on October 27, when the only pupil of Kreisler will appear. The new gallery that has been put into Aeolian Hall is now completed with the exception of placing the seats in position, and is a much needed improvement to the hall. The view of the stage is excellent, and these seats will undoubtedly prove great favorites with concertgoers. The entire hall is being thoroughly renovated, a few extra touches in
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