Books › Musical Courier 1907-11-20: Vol 55 Iss 21, 1907 › scan 27
Scan 27
Musical Courier 1907-11-20: Vol 55 Iss 21, 1907
90 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 28. See the scan on archive.org.
1WASHINGTON, D. C., November 15, 1907.
3Another opera had its opening in Washington this week. It was Reginald de Koven's new work, "The Girls of Holland," which has been evolved from a former opera, "The Snow Man," but which has been so much altered as to be practically new. Mr. de Koven's music in this work met with almost universal praise from the press and public of Washington. It is, of course, in light opera form, but there are orchestral passages quite pretentious enough to usher in scenes from grand opera. The opera was somewhat in course of transformation during the week here, so that when I saw it at the Saturday matinee it had been very much improved and embellished since the Monday performance.
5The music, corresponding with the play, is of Dutch design, and contained some delightful waltzes geographically suggestive. In many of these the second beat was delightfully syncopated. It has been the custom for many musicians to sneer at the old Strauss waltzes; but suppose any one out of a random dozen of composers were called upon to write a Strauss waltz, or a waltz such as Strauss used to write. How many would be able to do it? The tunefulness and melodic quality of the present opera is very patent to every one, and is of a sort to become both fascinating and captivating through its rhythmical swing and fresh melodic quality.
7Mr. de Koven, according to his former custom, has constructed some delightful finales and chorus effects, which are sung in this production by very fresh, good voices. In the male chorus at the beginning of the third act, the individual voices of the singers are as fresh and beautiful as though they were members of an Apollo Club, and there is an unusually large proportion of the principals with good voices. Notably so is Harry Fairleigh, who was engaged in the middle of the week, and who takes the part of Franz. Of the women in the cast Vera Michelena, as the female cousin of Mephisto, possesses the best vocal equipment, but Mary Nash, Grace Field and Leona Stephens were very charming in their parts. Karl Stall and Pacie Ripple are also good singers and are acquisitions to the play. Among the numbers which received especial favor from the audience were the quartet, "Love on a Summer Day," and entrance song of Ariella, in the first act; "The Spanish Grandee" duet, "Why Is It," and "My All Time Girl," in the second act, and "My Lady Faire," "The Rooster and the Lark" and the "Serenade d'Amour," in the last act. It is a pretty and tuneful opera, in which the music is, for the most part, well written, and makes a pleasing entertainment. The Chinese legation and their ladies occupied two of the boxes, and were interested spectators.
9Mr. de Koven was present at the opening of his new opera and made one of his graceful curtain speeches after the second act. On Wednesday night he personally conducted the orchestra, the concertmaster and many of the players being the same that served under his baton when he organized the Washington Symphony Orchestra.
11The book of this opera, as well as the lyrics, are by Stanislaus Stange, and the production is staged by Josef Holbrook. The story is another case of Frankenstein, only this Frankenstein is comparatively small. He proceeds to make things as uncomfortable for his master, however, as the original hero. He is a man of extremes, first bringing ice and snow with him wherever he goes; and later, when he determines to marry his master's own sweetheart, grows fiery enough to hasten the advent of spring and send the thermometer jumping rapidly toward the boiling point. He is finally disposed of by the female cousin of Mephisto, whom he finds under the old apple tree, whither he has been sent to discover the woman of his affection.
13A two piano recital last Tuesday by Harold Randolph and Ernest Hutcheson of the Peabody Conservatory, in Baltimore, ranked as the most artistic musical event so far this season. These two pianists played a program that will long remain in the memories of the hearers in a way which fairly lifted the audience into a new world of piano performance. Mozart's sonata in D and Saint-Saëns' variations on a theme from Beethoven were the two chief features of the program.
15The Sängerbund held its second entertainment of the season last Sunday evening. The Marine Band gave a delightful program under the leadership of W. H. Santelmann at the beautiful concert hall in the Navy Yard, last Monday afternoon. On the third Monday of each month the band (which transforms itself into an orchestra for these occasions) will give a classical program. Last Monday the program was divided between the lighter and more serious selections.
17S. Frederick Smith, who for the past three years was teacher at the Washington College of Music, has located in Philadelphia, where he will be organist and choirmaster at St. Simeon's Church.
19A furore was created at the reading room for the blind in the Library of Congress last Thursday when W. H. Peter, a comparatively young singer, who is yet classed as a pupil, gave a program of considerable artistic value and in a voice and manner that delighted his listeners.
21The program included the songs: "Love Leads to Battle," Buononcini; "Caro Mio Ben," Giordani; "A Swan," Grieg; "Sapphic Ode," Brahms; "Israfel," King; "Songs My Mother Taught Me," Dvorák; "Hark! Hark! the Lark!" Schubert; "Du Bist die Ruh," Schubert; "Sword of Ferrara," Bullard; "I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly," Purcell; "The Minstrel Boy (air, "The Moreen"); "The Harp that Once Thro' Tara's Halls" (air, "Gramachree"), and "Soldier! Soldier," a setting of Rudyard Kipling's poem, by Edwin Hughes, a young Washington pianist and composer, who is now studying abroad in preparation for Leschetizky, and who was a pupil for some years with S. M. Fabian, of this city, and with Rafael Josephy, at Tarrytown-on-the-Hudson. Mr. Peter is said to be one of the soloists in a local church, and his voice, which has been very carefully trained under Oscar Gareissen, promises great things for the future. The accompaniments were beautifully played by Mrs. W. E. Safford.
23The previous week's program given by Mabel C. Linton, pianist, and Frances E. Gilmore, contralto, included the piano numbers: Liszt's "Consolation No. 6," Schmitt's "Love Waltz," Hopkins' "Masquerade Dances," numbers 1 and 2; Iljinski's "Berceuse," and Chopin's third "Ballade." The vocal numbers were Vannah's "Good Bye Sweet Day," Haidlson's "Because," Bohm's "My All," Handel's "Let My Tears Flow," and Becker's "Spring tide."
25Marion MacFall, the soprano, who is rapidly becoming a favorite concert soloist in musical circles of Washington, sang for the young people of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church a week ago last Friday evening. Last Tuesday she sang for the Martha Washington Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at the Washington Club on I street. On the nineteenth of December she will aid in a recital for the blind at the Library of Congress. On this occasion Minna Heinrichs, the violinist, will give several solos, and Paul Fishbaugh, who has not been heard publicly for some little time, will play the accompaniments.
27The next meeting of the Associated Studios will take place at the residence of Mr. Goldsborough, when the larger part of the program will be devoted to Beethoven. Mr. Otto Simon will give a short lecture on Beethoven, the result of a visit some years ago to Bonn, the birthplace of the composer. Of the piano pupils of Mr. Garziglia taking part, Miss Anderson will play the first part of the sonata in A flat, op. 26; Miss Winston two movements from the sonata "Appassionata"; Miss Lacey the minuet and "Presto" from the sonata in E flat, op. 31. The following vocal pupils of Mr. Simon will sing Beethoven songs: Alys Bentley, soprano; Katherine Erney, and Henry Jaeger. Mr. Goldsborough's pupils who take part will be Miss Herwig and Miss Minshall.
29Berenice Thompson.
31Richard Arnold Recovering.
33Richard Arnold, concertmeister of the New York Philharmonic Society, who a few days ago was painfully injured by a fall, is now so far improved in condition as to be able to resume his violin instructions.
35GIRAUDET
36VOICE
37SINGING
38OPERA
39Rue Eugène Manuel 20, Paris
41PARIS ADVERTISEMENTS.
43DOSSERT VOCAL STUDIOS
44PARIS: 57bis, RUE SPONTINI
45Cable Address: "Fradosser"
46NEW YORK REPRESENTATIVE:
471205 Carnegie Hall
48M. et Mme. JULES CHEVALLIER STUDIOS
49TEACHERS of Mlle. Julia Lindsay (Grand Opera, Paris); Jane Margyl (Grand Opera, Paris); Mendès (Grand Opera, Paris); Mary Garden (Opera-Comique, Paris); La Palme (Opera-Comique, Paris); Jane Henríquez (Opera-Comique, Paris); Dalban (Brussels); Anne Vila (Concerts du Conservatoire); MM. Swanfeldt (Leipsic-Munich); Ralph Osborne (Boston Concerts), etc.
50ACTING AND MISE-EN-SCENE
516 Rue d'Offmont (near Park Monceau and Place Malesherbes) Paris
53WAGER SWAYNE
54Pianists Prepared for Public Appearances
5589 Rue de Prony Parc (Monceau), Paris
57FRL. ALLIS van GELDER, Contralto
58Pupil and Assistant of Mme. R. de Sales
59SINGING, REPERTOIRE AND GERMAN DICTION
6088 Avenue des Ternes, PARIS
62OSCAR SEAGLE
63VOCAL INSTRUCTION
64Pupil of Jean de Reszke
6527 RUE DES SABLONS, PARIS
67Mme. Regina De Sales
68SINGER AND TEACHER
69Particular Attention Given to Voice Placement
70Villa Stella, 39 Rue Guersant, Paris
72BREATHE WELL, YOU WILL SING WELL!
73FENDALL PEGRAM, Baryton
74Officier d'Académie.
7576 Avenue Malakoff, Paris.
76POSE DE VOIX, OPERA, ORATORIO, LIED.
78DUMARTHERAY'S Special School for French
7935 Rue de Berri (Champ-Elysées, Paris)
80DICTION FOR SINGERS A SPECIALTY
81Phonetic Pronunciation, Conversation, Grammar, Literature, Declamation
82Collaborateur: Louis Delaunay, Sociétaire de la Comédie-Française. one of two readings
83Collaborateur: LOUIS DELAUYAT, Sociétaire de la Comédie-Française. one of two readings
84Pupils: Mlle. Jane Noria, of the Paris Opéra; Mlle. Gertrude Silva, of the Brussels Opéra; Mme. G. Whistler-Misick, American contralto; M. Oumiroff, Bohemian baritone; John Silvester James, of New York; Captain Saxton, Professor of French at West Point Academy; also the Editor of THE MUSICAL COURIER.
86King Clark Studios
878 Rue Bugeaud, Paris
88Cable Address: "FRANARK, PARIS"
89Address GEORGE L. BACKUS, Secretary
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.