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Musical Courier 1908-04-01: Vol 56 Iss 14, 1908
16 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 5. See the scan on archive.org.
124 LUITPOLD STRASSE, BERLIN, W., March 14, 1908.
3If a young singer just beginning his career, no matter how capable, should fail to keep his engagements during the course of one season as often as Johannes Messchaert has done this winter, he would speedily be boycotted by all the music societies that engage artists. Messchaert can be depended upon not to appear three times out of four. Granted that his reasons are valid ones, and are to be found in the delicate state of his health, still the effect on the concert societies is no less disastrous. Siegfried Ochs had an experience with Messchaert in connection with his third subscription concert that he will not soon forget. Four cantatas by Bach, namely, "Ihr werdet weinen und heulen," "Wacht auf, ruft dus die Stimme," "Es erhübt sich ein Streit" and "Du Hirte Israel," were down on the program, with Messchaert in the bass parts of the second and the fourth; but at the last moment, just before the public rehearsal, when it was too late to get a substitute, the distinguished singer sent his regrets, thus jeopardizing the entire concert. Then Siegfried Ochs rose to the emergency, and showed what he can do with his Philharmonic Chorus. He put on, in place of the two works that had to be omitted, two others, "Christ lag in Todesbanden" and "Nun ist das Heil," both for chorus alone, and without a single rehearsal or any preparation whatever, relying solely on the memory and the drill of the performances of the same works of former years; he rendered these two works in a manner that disarmed criticism. It was a forcible and astounding demonstration of the remarkable training and efficiency of the Philharmonic choir. The cantata "Christ lag in Todesbanden" is a most exacting composition, calling now for the whole choral apparatus, now for the sopranos and altos alone, now for the tenors alone, and now for the tenors and sopranos, and so forth. It went off without a hitch, and was given with such absolute certainty and verve that one would have thought that it had been rehearsed for weeks. The other substituted cantata, "Nun ist das Heil," is for double choir, and has always been one of the most brilliant and effective numbers of the repertory of the Philharmonic Chorus; nevertheless it was a hazardous undertaking to perform it after such a long pause, without a rehearsal, at sight, as it were. It, too, was magnificently given. Such proofs of exceptional capabilities and of being ready for any emergency, made a tremendous impression on the audience. Ochs and his singers received a great ovation. The other two cantatas were, as a matter of course, admirably rendered, especially the choral parts. The soloists might have been better. They were Anna Kaempfert, soprano; Gertrud Fischer-Maretzki, alto, and George A. Walter, tenor.
5The intendant of the Royal Opera has brought suit against Felix Weingartner because of his failure to come and conduct the eighth symphony concert of the Royal Orchestra, as he was by contract bound to do. It looks as if Weingartner would lose the case; at any rate, he has lost prestige here by his conduct in this affair. Weingartner's career as a conductor dated from his Berlin engagement, which began some sixteen years ago; at the head of such a superb organization as the Royal Orchestra he was in a position to develop to the full his great natural resources as a conductor, and the appreciation of the Berliners went a long way toward establishing his world fame. In thus leaving his many admirers here in the lurch, he has not treated them well, and they resented it, and justly so. As a substitute for the eighth concert, Robert Laugs, of Hagen, who also conducted the sixth concert, was secured. It is said to be very probable that Laugs will be Weingartner's successor as the permanent leader of these concerts. Such a choice is incomprehensible to the Berlin connoisseurs, but in this case the word "protection," spelled with capitals, solves the riddle. His program consisted of Strauss' "Symphony Domestica," the Beethoven A major symphony and the "Freischutz" overture. Technically, Laugs gave excellent performances of all three works; that was not a difficult matter with such an organization as the Royal Orchestra. However, that in Strauss, which is of vital interest, was a sealed book to Laugs, while in the Beethoven symphony he did little more than beat the time. It cannot be denied that the young man is talented, and that he may in the course of time by hard work become a good conductor, but he is not the man for such a position as this. The head of the Berlin Royal Orchestra should be a musical personality of distinction.
7Lucille Marcel, of New York, is a young singer of unusual promise. She was singing at the Opéra Comique in Paris, two years ago, where she was heard by Jean de Reszké. He immediately recognized the great possibilities of her voice; he taught her free of charge for two years, and the result is an engagement at the Parisian Grand Opéra beginning in May. Miss Marcel recently passed through Berlin on the way to St. Petersburg, where she was engaged to sing at soirées given by the Grand Duke Vladimir and the Princess Orloff, to be followed by concerts in Moscow, Odessa and other Russian cities. While Miss Marcel was here I heard her sing. She has a soprano voice with mezzo timbre; her low notes are wonderful, but the voice is even throughout all the registers. Sobinoff, who heard her, went into ecstasy over her voice, predicting an enormous success for her in Russia. As the artist's unusual voice and splendid training are supported by intelligence and a glowing temperament a great deal can be expected of her.
9Liszt's "Venezia e Napoli," in the original unpublished version, and also an unprinted Hungarian rhapsody of his, of which the manuscript is in the Liszt Museum at Weimar, were played by Busoni at his first recital at Beethoven Hall on Thursday evening. It was interesting to hear these first sketches of works which in later versions have become so famous, but it must be said that the well known printed editions are far more brilliant and effective. In this unpublished rhapsody, Liszt employed themes which he later utilized for three different rhapsodies—the second, the sixth and the twelfth. It seems that so eminently pianistic, brilliant mode of writing for the piano, which sounds so natural and self understood in the Liszt compositions, was the result of a great deal of thought and experiment, for the passages and filigree work in these sketches lack those self evident and brilliant qualities. The lento or first movement of the "Venezia e Napoli," which in the original edition has four movements, is practically a sketch of "Tasso." In the finale or tarantelle the same well known melodies are used, but the whole structure of the piece, and especially of the filigree work, is much more effective in the published edition. Busoni played both pieces with astounding virtuosity, clearness and bravura. He was heard further in Alkan's fantasy for the left hand alone, César Franck's prelude, aria and finale, and in six new piano pieces called "Elegies" from his own pen. Busoni's manner of writing is peculiar and not easily understood at first hearing. Two of these elegies are grateful and charming bits of writing, and made a very pleasing impression; the others were more or less unintelligible to me. Busoni occasionally produces Debussy effects by the employment of the pentatonic scale. Opinions regarding Busoni's importance as a composer vary, but no one has any doubt concerning his capabilities at the piano; he is one of the greatest pianistic giants of our day. His command of the piano is supreme. Technical problems do not exist for him; he can do anything he likes on the keyboard; a rapid staccato run in tenths, for instance, is a mere bagatelle for him. Busoni is also a profound musician, but one that goes his own way. His success was enormous.
11Theodore Spiering always has something of interest to offer when he plays in public. The list of compositions he has played in Berlin during the last three years is a formidable one and embraces many new works that no one else has played here. At his third concert, which was in the form of a recital, at Beethoven Hall on Tuesday evening, he played a new "Bohemian Rhapsody," by Ondricek, this being its first Berlin performance; a barcarolle, by Tor Aulin; a "Perpetuum mobile," by Ottokar Novacek; Carl Busch's "Indian Legend"; the D minor sonata for violin only, by M. Reger; the "Two Romances," by Beethoven; Thomson's "Passacaglia," and Tartini's "Teufelstriller" sonata. The "Bohemian Rhapsody," which is quite new, is not a work of much musical value, but it has some good thematic material and it is a good sounding violin composition. Spiering played it, as he plays everything, with sovereign mastery. He gave an admirable performance of the Reger sonata, which he played in public on this occasion for his first time. The same was true of Thomson's "Passacaglia"; this piece makes equally enormous demand on the left hand and the right arm of the performer. None but a violinist with an absolute control of the bow can master it. With his splendid performance of that old war horse of Joachim, the Tartini sonata, Spiering demonstrated again that he is an artist of the first rank, whose true musical judgment keeps pace with his virtuosity. He draws a big tone from his Guarnerius, a tone of great evenness and purity. Carl Busch's "Indian Legend" is an interesting piece, full of color and weird effects. Novacek's "Perpetuum mobile" had not been heard in Berlin since Adolph Brodsky, a friend of the late composer, played it here thirteen years ago; it is a pretty piece, and it served to show Spiering's command of the spiccato. The artist was received with enthusiastic applause.
13On Wednesday evening two American pianists played—Della Thal, of Milwaukee, made her debut at a recital at Bechstein Hall, and Marguerite Melville, who is already well known here, gave a concert at the Singakademie. Miss Melville introduced four new compositions by Polish composers, to wit, the nocturne in A major by Henryk Melcer; the same composer's elaboration of Monluszko "La Fileuse," and etude by Karol Szymanowski, and a theme with variations, by Franciszek Brzezinski. Two years ago four young Polish composers attracted attention here with a concert of their own works, but of late the Poles have been overshadowed by the Russians. These four pieces, which Miss Melville introduced, have character and physiognomy. The most grateful is "La Fileuse," in which Melcer has made a very clever use of a theme by Monluszko, the well known Polish composer. A work of some importance is Brzezinski's theme with variations. These four Poles are modern in their tendencies and free in their harmonic treatment. In Miss Melville they had an ideal interpreter. Her other selections were the Bach-d'Albert D major fugue, Schubert's op. 78, and the Brahms F minor sonata. I could not hear her in the first two numbers, but in the Brahms sonata she was splendid. Technically, it was a flawless performance; her tone was beautiful in all gradations, and her interpretation revealed all the beauties of the composition, and also the depth of her intensely musical nature. The young artist was warmly applauded, and called upon to give several encores at the conclusion of the program. Miss Melville is one of the most gifted pianists and musicians our country has produced.
15Della Thal is a gifted young pianist who already has something worthy of attention to offer the public, and who promises much more for the future. Her natural gifts have been well trained thus far, and by further development, which is expected as a matter of course with such a bright and talented young girl, much can be expected of her. She played the Bach-Liszt phantasy and fugue in G minor, Schumann's sonata in the same key, the F minor phantasy, two preludes and the G minor ballad by Chopin, three pieces entitled "From a Wigwam," "To a Waterlily" and "In Autumn," by MacDowell, Sgambati's "Nenia" and his nocturne, op. 31, and a "Concert-Paraphrase" on the opera, "Eugen Onegin," by Tschaikowsky-Pabst. This was a program calling for comprehensive and varied treatment, and Miss Thal gave an excellent account of it. The young artist's technic is clean cut and reliable, her touch is excellent, her interpretations reveal a musical nature, intelligence and good taste, and there is the genuine ring of sincerity in all that she does. From
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