Books › Musical Courier 1907-12-04: Vol 55 Iss 23, 1907 › scan 27
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Musical Courier 1907-12-04: Vol 55 Iss 23, 1907
107 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 28. See the scan on archive.org.
1SECOND PHILHARMONIC CONCERT.
3At the second set of Philharmonic concerts, given in Carnegie Hall, on Friday afternoon and Saturday evening of last week, the following program was presented:
5Ocean Symphony ……………………………………… Ruhinsteins
6Scotch Fantasy for Violin ……………………………. Bruch
7Overture, Rienzi ……………………………………… Wagner
8Prelude and Glorification, from Parsifal …………….. Wagner
10The sane and serious lover of music must find it difficult to figure out on what artistic principle, if any, Safonoff builds his programs for the Philharmonic concerts. Such an amazing mixture of unrelated music as the Russian conductor served up to his audiences last week has not been heard at a single sitting in New York for many a melodious moon. Even some of the orchestral players were heard to protest when they left the hall, but, of course, the Philharmonic members are not to blame, for Safonoff is given a free hand by them in his selection of programs, and therefore the full responsibility rests on his shoulders.
12It was, perhaps, an act of piety or of patriotism that led the conductor to perform his countryman's "Ocean" symphony, but in either event the memory of the latter was not served well. The work belongs to that category of Rubinstein compositions which died with him. In his meteoric and picturesque musical career the Russian-German, Jewish-Christian pianist-composer put forth many works, hailed by his contemporaneous critics as immortal, but since recognized as bearing the essential elements of quick popularity and lasting later oblivion. The "Ocean" symphony was one of the manifestations so doomed, and its rare revival here and there nowadays makes the present generation wonder what previous publics ever found in the score to justify their loud and limitless admiration.
14By common consent, a certain license is allowed conductors and virtuosi in the interpretation of Russian music, and this was the bait which no doubt attracted Safonoff. In any event, he made the symphony a vehicle for the display of all those coarse and robustious qualities for which The Musical Courier has so frequently found it necessary to chide him in the past. There was an attempt to atone for the lack of real vitality in the music by crude contrasts of loudness and softness, speed and sluggishness, but only thoughtless hearers found the least pleasure in such misguiding and meretricious music making.
16The same criticism applies also to the pair of Wagner numbers, placed in a juxtaposition most strange. They were coupled by Safonoff, according to the Philharmonic annotating press agent, in order to show the musical evolution of Richard Wagner during the period from "Rienzi" to "Parsifal." The idea of comparing two works so essentially different in spirit and purpose is a stupid one. Besides, the early Wagner had most of the strongly marked characteristics of the same composer's latest period, for "The Flying Dutchman," "Lohengrin" and "Tannhäuser" are all full of the mysticism and the melodic and harmonic methods of "Parsifal." The "Rienzi" overture seemed dear to the heart of Safonoff because of the chance afforded for pompous brass blatancy and surface display of all kinds—an opportunity used by the conductor to the full. The fervor exhibited in the "Parsifal" music was of the kind that makes religion in the Steppes largely a matter of physical demonstration. In fact, throughout the entire concert, Safonoff's fistic jabs, short arm hooks, upper cuts and cross counters were as offensively in evidence as ever. From the back Safonoff suggests to the imagination a moujik representative strongly moved by the spirit and addressing the Douma in speech full of curses and consonants. Of course, in this connection, the spirit referred to is that of liberty, and not vodka.
18The Philharmonicors played valiantly, and, splendid musicians that they are, tried to do the conductor's bidding to the letter, even though they may have rebelled inwardly at some of his incursions into sensationalism. The society is rather to be pitied than blamed, for its more conservative members probably regret keenly by this time their meekness in obeying the behest of a few hysterical women who wished Safonoff for conductor after his attractive leading of Tschaikowsky's "Pathétique."
20Edouard Dethier, the soloist in the long winded Bruch fantasy—a work interesting only to violinists—is not a player of the kind to impress Philharmonic patrons. He possesses a musical tone of unusually slight volume, a technic not at all accurate, and a style lacking in distinction and authority. When Safonoff harks so far afield as Europe in order to find a violin soloist he should import some one worth while. We have half a dozen native violinists in New York, and many others throughout the country, who could at very short notice have given a more impressive performance than Dethier vouchsafed last week.
22Rider-Kelsey's Engagement at Covent Garden.
24Corinne Rider-Kelsey will go to London next spring to begin her engagement of three seasons at Covent Garden. This offer to the young American soprano came unsolicited, and thus is regarded by the friends of the artist in the light of an unusual honor. Mrs. Kelsey will sing leading juvenile roles and will be cast in a number of the big performances. The soprano will remain abroad until December, 1909, in order to study, and will then return to sing in this country during the season of 1909-10.
26This month Mrs. Kelsey will fill the following engagements: Jersey City, December 3; Springfield, Mass., December 4 and 18; Portland, Me., December 5; Lowell, Mass., December 6; Pittsburgh, Pa., December 10; Chicago, with the Thomas Orchestra, December 13 and 14; Boston, with the Handel and Haydn Society, in "The Messiah," December 25; New York, with the New York Oratorio Society, in "The Messiah," December 26 and 28.
28CREDITORS OF ORCHESTRA SHOULD UNITE.
30The Washington Symphony Orchestra, Incorporated, through its secretary, issues the following circular letter. It will be conducive to a great deal of good for the future of music in Washington if some of the institutions mentioned as the creditors in the subjoined list would follow the course of The Musical Courier, which hereby cancels its charge, offering it as a gift in view of any future project to sustain a new orchestra in Washington. No doubt, the Washington papers will follow this course, and that would leave only Mr. Ulrich and the Lyric and the two larger accounts at the bottom, one of which is an indebtedness to Eugene E. Stevens, the treasurer, and the other the sum due to Reginald de Koven. These matters might be to some extent allied with the future arrangement that could be made, but the orchestra in Washington can be rehabilitated if this course will be pursued:
32WASHINGTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, INC.
34OFFICE OF SECRETARY.
351,204 P. Street, N. W., WASHINGTON, November 15, 1907.
36To Musical Courier Company, St. James Building, New York City:
37At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Washington Symphony Orchestra, Incorporated, on November 12, 1907, at 817 Fourteenth Street, N. W., it was ordered that the situation be submitted to the creditors of the Orchestra, looking to the release of all claims by them, in order that an effort may be made to resume active work within the next year.
39Owing to dissatisfaction with the management of the season of 1904-5, which terminated in financial failure, some of those who had been chiefly instrumental in launching the organization, declined to contribute to the liquidation of the season's indebtedness, but raised a subscription of about $10,000 for future work only. When it was seen that the indebtedness would or could not be discharged by the individuals held responsible for its creation, the subscriptions were cancelled and the subscribers to the fund, with one or two notable exceptions, contributed nothing to the treasury after the musicians were dismissed in February, 1905.
41As a result of the attitude of the $10,000 fund subscribers, a very promising popular movement, headed by a "Citizens' Committee," was abandoned, the leaders being unwilling to solicit money that would even only in part go to the payment of debts which they considered should be provided for by the projectors of the organization who had raised the subscription referred to.
43With an empty treasury, and, seemingly, a new beginning necessary as regards the enlisting of substantial support, we appeal to you to give your assistance now by joining with the other creditors in waiving your claim, taking stock (at $5 per share, par value) in lieu thereof, or making an outright gift of the amount to the organization for the good of the cause, your action to be appropriately recorded on the treasurer's books. We do not ask you to do this unless the other creditors agree to likewise waive their claims, as indicated by the enclosed form which we submit for your consideration.
45Herewith is a full list of the creditors and their respective claims.
47Respectfully,
48EUGENE E. STEVENS, Acting Chairman.
49WM. E. GREEN,
50J. MARTIN SCRANAGE,
51GEORGE H. CLEMENT,
52Directors.
53By H. C. RAKEMANN, Secretary.
55STATEMENT OF CLAIMS AGAINST THE WASHINGTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, INC.
57Byron S. Adams ……………………………………… $95.43
58Littlefield, Alvord & Co. ……………………………. 50.00
59Musical Courier Company ……………………………. 275.00
60National Publishing Company ……………………….. 30.93
61Arthur W. Tams ……………………………………… 105.56
62Washington Post ……………………………………… 41.45
63Washington Star ……………………………………… 109.95
64Washington Times ……………………………………. 46.00
65Baltimore Herald ……………………………………. 28.50
66H. R. Linthicum Livery and Transfer Company …….. 10.00
67Nolley Advertising Agency …………………………… 15.00
68The National Press Association ……………………… 10.00
69W. G. Owst ………………………………………….. 10.00
70B. Ulrich ……………………………………………. 1,500.00
71Lyric Theater ………………………………………. 346.73
72Advanced by Reginald de Koven ……………………. 1,546.54
73Advanced by E. E. Stevens …………………………. 1,046.52
74$5,267.58
76Respectfully submitted,
77EUGENE E. STEVENS, Treasurer.
78Washington, December 1, 1907.
80This year's popular concerts at Angers (France) are under the leadership of the new conductor, Max d'Olonne. The latest concert there was devoted to compositions of Saint-Saëns, and had the assistance of Louis Diemer, pianist. Messrs. Gabriel Fauré, Pierné, Henri Rabaud and Busser will all conduct their own compositions during the later concerts of the season. The Opera announces the following novelties: "La Damnation de Faust," "Manon Lescaut," "Fortunis," "La Légende du Point d'Argantian," etc.
82OBITUARY.
84Louis von Bernuth.
86Louis von Bernuth, a member of a German family of nobility, some of whose members were associated with German musical affairs, and a son-in-law of the late William Steinway, of Steinway & Sons, died on November 30 in Coblentz, Germany. He made his summer home in the former residence of the late William Steinway in Astoria and he also maintained a winter residence at 315 West Eighty-eighth street. He was president of the Bowery Bay Building and Improvement Company, president of the Harlem Market, president of the College Point and Bronx ferries and a director in the Yorkville Bank. While abroad this summer he broke his leg. Besides his wife and daughter, who were with him at the time of his death, he also leaves a son, who is at school at Lakeville, Conn. Louis von Bernuth married Paula, the daughter of the late William Steinway by his first wife. He was a healthy, whole-souled specimen of good Teutonic stock, a liberal minded man, gentle, and yet in affairs of the world determined and cautious. He had a host of friends here who regarded him deeply and who will feel with sorrow his early demise, for he could not have been far, either way, from fifty, which means nowadays a young man. Strange how death is constantly changing the kaleidoscope of human activity. The dropping out of this man will make room for others, and thus the old story continually becomes new only to become old in its turn.
88Jessie Stryker Wirtz.
90Jessie Stryker Wirtz, wife of Conrad Wirtz, of the Wirtz Piano School, 120 West 124th street, died Tuesday, November 26, after a brief illness. The interment was at her old home, Gilboa, Schoharie County, N. Y. Mrs. Wirtz was a graduate of the Albany Normal College, and the training received there she brought to bear on her musical work, with such zeal and ardor that her pupils did splendid work. Naturally of a very musical nature, her intimate association with Mr. Wirtz (who was her instructor at the outset) brought out her best qualities. Her pupils all loved her, and she was so bound up in her work that only a few days before her death she insisted on teaching one of her classes. Beside the bereaved husband, a grown son and daughter mourn her early death.
92Countess de Saint Veran.
94The Countess de Saint Veran, Viscountess de Candia, and widow of Charles Edward Marquis de Montcalm, died at her home, Ormonde Place, Brooklyn, on Tuesday, of pneumonia. She was well known in New York as a pianist of note, having known Chopin and having studied in this country with Gottschalk. She was sixty years old.
96The Countess was Louise Ludomila Krowlikowski, and was born at Krakow, Poland, coming to this country when she was twenty years old. She was married to the Marquis de Montcalm in 1868, Horace Greeley and Charles A. Dana being guests at the wedding. The Marquis was at one time private secretary to the Duc de Orleans, and served with him through the Franco-Prussian War.
98Ricardo Castro.
100Ricardo Castro, the young Mexican composer, died in the City of Mexico, Thursday, November 28. He was educated in Europe by the Mexican Government, and was regarded by his countrymen as a musician with a big future. Young Castro died of pneumonia at an age when most men think of beginning a career. He was only in his twenties. Castro wrote the opera "Legend of Rudel," performed in his native city after his return from the Old World. Soon after the performance, he was appointed director of the Mexican Conservatory of Music. The Musical Courier representative at the City of Mexico has frequently referred to the work accomplished by the late musician.
102Jean Baptiste Charles Dancla.
104News has been received from Tunis of the death of Jean Baptiste Charles Dancla, who was accounted the last representative of the old French school of violin playing. Born in 1818, he studied with Baillot, and gained the second Prix de Rome in 1839, the year in which Gounod was awarded the Grand Prix. As a composer he was represented by some 130 works, and some of those for violin have achieved a large measure of popularity. Among his pupils is Achille Rivarde, who appeared successfully in America, and now is one of the professors at the London Royal College of Music.
106The fall opera season of Kiew (Russia), under the new management of Britkin, opened most promisingly owing to the co-operation of the Italian Maestri Signori Pagani and Cavallini. Nine important works were given in the first ten evenings. They were: "Russalka," "Aida," "Eugen Onegin," "Dubrowski," "The Demon," "Faust," "The Huguenots," "The Life for the Czar," and "Traviata."
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