Books › Musical Courier 1907-11-20: Vol 55 Iss 21, 1907 › scan 14
Scan 14
Musical Courier 1907-11-20: Vol 55 Iss 21, 1907
29 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 15. See the scan on archive.org.
1work and the first movement completed. The music seems to be sane and logical, moving in straight lines with the utmost freedom and evidently with no desire for anything but legitimate results. The youthful composer thinks that his first work was largely influenced by Strauss and Wagner, but that in view of his recent residence in France and his great admiration for the modern French composers, it would be strange if he were not influenced by the latter. In writing concertos for violin he thought the biggest task was to keep entirely away from the influence of the Bruch G minor. His point is well taken, and it is in place to remark that the already noted concerto by Emanuel Moor has a rhythmic and technical scheme belonging decidedly to the first movement of the Bruch, without in any way encroaching on Bruch's melodic lines. Indeed, that was not worth mentioning except as a matter of study. Reuter will give an entire evening in Leipsic, November 29, with the Winderstein Orchestra. The Saint-Saëns B minor and Tschaikowsky concertos and the Bruch "Scotch" fantasia will make up the program.
3Ludwig Wüllner's recital in the Kaufhaus, accompanied by Coenraad Von Bos, included the Beethoven "Adelaide," Schubert's cycle of the "Miller's Daughter" and Löwe's "Die Lauer," "Der treue Eckart" and the "Hochzeitslied." This was the first time that the artist had ever presented the Schubert cycle and he felt very modest about it. He did not feel so thoroughly at home with all details of the text, but hoped that it would show improvement in his rendition the following evening in Dresden. But if the great artist thus expressed himself in private, the public could experience nothing of immaturity, and singers in the city all acknowledged unqualified admiration for so great and poetic a performance. In January, Wüllner will return to give the Wildenbruch-Schillings "Witch's Song" with the Winderstein Orchestra.
5Eleonora von Wawnikiewicz is a young soprano who completed the work at the Conservatory last spring under Frau Hedmont. On October 26 she gave a recital with the assistance of Concertmaster Wollgandt, who played the Spohr seventh concerto. Max Wünsche was accompanist. Miss Wawnikiewicz's program had ariettas by Pergolesi, Paradies, Paisiello, eighteenth century bergerettes and songs by Reger, Pfitzner, Strauss, A. Thomas, Bizet and Delibes. The voice is a very light but beautiful soprano and the young singer showed not only a finely musical nature but interpretative talent beyond the ordinary. It may be further in order to catalogue her personal beauty, which is one of the desirable assets of a public singer. Wollgandt's playing of the Spohr had all those valuable qualities of school and wholesome impulse which have been mentioned here before, and which keep him steadily in line as one of the big artists of the future.
7The first Bohemian Quartet concert had the Tschaikowsky andante funebre, in memory of the late Alfred Reisenauer, the fugue from Beethoven's opus 133, the Saint-Saëns piano quintet in A minor, and the Schubert D minor quartet, No. 6. Arthur Schnabel was the pianist. The playing of the fugue was unquiet, but the Saint-Saëns and Schubert numbers went beautifully, Schnabel proving an ideal pianist to play with strings. The Saint-Saëns quintet is very interesting. If the Beethoven fugue is not very dry, then it may be still a century before its time, and it is therefore cheerfully commended to the musicians of the twenty-first century. The Leipsic concerts by the Bohemians have been under the Eulenburg arrangement ever since the first appearances here ten years ago.
9Frau Betty Will, wife of the director of Albert Theater at Bad Elster, made her début as humorist singer, October 29, in the Hotel de Prusse. She was her own accompanist and presented a number of her own parodies. The "Salome" parody at the close introduced the best known theme of the Strauss opera very cleverly. Frau Will was able to hold the interest of her audience and was required to give additional numbers.
11The baritone Robert Spörry, who has undertaken five recitals of Schubert songs, reached the second with the cycle of the "Winter's Journey." Here is a singer of fine musical instinct and much musical learning, whose voice is in imminent need of the most elementary instruction, to enable him to accomplish the simplest satisfactory results in song singing.
13Dr. Otto Briesemeister, of Berlin, is an opera singer who has appeared as Mime at Bayreuth. He gave a Wolf-Wagner program and had the assistance of the pianist, Alfred Simon, as accompanist and soloist, in Wagner-Brassin and Wagner-Liszt numbers. Briesemeister's voice is a tenor of fine natural qualities, but he is also committing great sins against the most elementary principles of good vocalism. Notwithstanding his ability in presenting the texts, there was practically no satisfaction in hearing him. Simon played the Wagner-Brassin "Procession to Walhalla" very creditably.
15Berta Stahlberger-Stocker is a serious minded, fine feeling singer whose voice does not warrant her appearing in public recital at all. In a pretentious program given in the Hotel de Prusse she had the assistance of George Zscherneck, who played numbers by Brahms, Henselt and Schubert-Liszt.
17Soprano Karoline Doepper-Fischer, of Wiesbaden, gave a recital which was spoiled by overwork of the heating apparatus in the Hotel de Prusse. The air was suffocating to singer and public, so the singer announces another recital. Her voice is a beatiful one, now showing some wear but still capable of giving much pleasure. Theodor Prusse played the Cesar Franck "Chorale, Prelude and Fugue" very well.
19The young Russian pianist Wladimir Drosdoff played a heavy recital of many composers and earned respect in prospect of the enjoyable pianist that he will be in future, when his nature ripens and warms up.
21Composer-singer Friedrich Wild, of Leipsic, gave thirty-one of his own songs with the assistance of his soprano pupil, Christa Scriba. Notwithstanding much writing for the piano, the accompaniments did not show a wide range of invention, but the songs all sounded well and were generally easily singable and actually attractive in the writing for voice. Some were too light for a good program, but many were useful. The program did not indicate the large number yet in manuscript, but information on all might be had of any of the Leipsic music dealers. one of two readings
22Composer-singer Friedrich Wild, of Leipsic, gave thirty-one of his own songs with the assistance of his soprano pupil, Christa Seriba. Notwithstanding much writing for the piano, the accompaniments did not show a wide range of invention, but the songs all sounded well and were generally easily singable and actually attractive in the writing for voice. Some were too light for a good program, but many were useful. The program did not indicate the large number yet in manuscript, but information on all might be had of any of the Leipsic music dealers. one of two readings
24EUGENE E. SIMPSON.
26Brown-McLellan Studio News.
28The New York friends of H. Howard Brown, who was suddenly compelled to give up his work in New York City on account of ill health, will be glad to learn that Mr. and Mrs. Brown are now comfortably settled in Colorado Springs, Col., enjoying such fresh air and sunshine as only Colorado affords. Eleanor McLellan, Mr. Brown's successor, has been meeting with unqualified success. Almost without exception Mr. Brown's pupils have continued their work with her, and her entire time is now practically filled. Both by training and temperament she is admirably adapted to teaching, and her work with such well known singers as Daniel Beddoe speaks for itself.
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