Books › Musical Courier 1909-03-17: Vol 58 Iss 11, 1909 › scan 13
Scan 13
Musical Courier 1909-03-17: Vol 58 Iss 11, 1909
23 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 14. See the scan on archive.org.
1Dresden Bureau of THE MUSICAL COURIER.
2Geo. Bamberg, 2, February 28, 1909
4"Electra" still continues to be a subject of interest. Many have been the comments on the failure of Madame Schumann-Heink to complete her engagement, which, we are told, included two appearances as Clytemnestra, in the above opera. The facts of the case would appear very simple, namely, Madame Schumann-Heink was seized with a severe bronchial catarrh, which totally indisposed her for singing, and all her engagements had to be canceled. Report has it that she will soon return to Dresden to sing Clytemnestra once more. Krull is said to be in a state of over excitement, and quite unable to take her roles in other operas, since the last performance of "Electra." Fraulein Marx, of Leipsic, was therefore called in to sing the part of Marta, in the last performance of "Tiefland," Monday last. She met with sensational success, and was called before the curtain innumerable times.
6In the Opera matinee last Sunday, it is said that 14,000 marks were taken in for the benefit of the Soldiers' Home. Yesterday, in the usual Ash Wednesday symphony concert, the symphony in C major of Schubert was announced; the Spanish violinist, Manen, was to perform the symphony "Espagnole," of Lalo. Frau Nast and Herr Grosch were to be the other soloists.
8The last two Philharmonic concerts were of more than usual interest. In the fourth concert, Carreño came with the beautiful concerto of MacDowell, in D minor, and the "Konzert-Stück" of Cowen in B flat major, together with selections of Chopin. This "lioness of the piano," as Hanslick was pleased to call her, is much beloved by the Dresden public, who put themselves completely under her sway, and remained standing for a long time shouting "bravas" and loud cries for "more." The Anglo-Saxon composers above mentioned made a most decided hit and were well spoken of on the following day in the Dresden papers. Vernon d'Arnal, or Virginia, who has entered upon quite a brilliant career, did not make quite the favorable impression upon me that he did in a later concert with Henry M. Field, of which I shall soon write. He seemed, however, to please the public and the critics. He is the possessor of a magnificent baritone-tenor voice, and has been evidently able to master German song and music as few foreigners have done.
10In the fifth Philharmonic concert a decided surprise was in store for many. In place of the great Busoni, who had been previously announced, there appeared the Russian composer, Rachmaninoff, the well known composer of the beautiful C sharp minor prelude, so much played everywhere. That he is not the composer of one piece was amply demonstrated by his performance of his magnificent concerto, in three movements, in C minor, which is full of the most expressive themes for both orchestra and piano, marvelously rich in musical invention, and affording a great opportunity for display of virtuosity. He played it magnificently, and when he finished the three preludes which next followed, to which he added as encore the C sharp minor prelude, we can testify to a scene of triumph for an artist such as one seldom witnesses. Rachmaninoff was called out again and again by overwhelming applause. It seems that he has been living in a wholly retired manner for some time in Dresden. He looks like a man who has lived much within himself, far away from the common world. The singer, Margaret Ober, must almost of necessity be placed somewhat in the shade, in comparison with such great genius. She is the possessor of a rarely beautiful alto or mezzo voice, which she uses with great discretion and taste. But she placed herself at a still further disadvantage by singing with her notes before her. She was nevertheless well received by the audience.
12The two last "Grosse Künstler Konzerte" have brought some of the best known talent from Berlin: Ernst Kraus, tenor from the Royal Opera; an exceptionally fine cellist, Jacques Lier; Henri Marteau, of the Berlin Hochschule, and the singer, Ilona Durigo. Ernst Kraus was called at the last moment from Berlin to take the place of Anthes, who report said, would not be allowed to appear here with out being "attached" by the royal operatic authorities, on account of his broken contract. For the truth of this statement your correspondent cannot vouch. In any case, Ernst Kraus proved an excellent substitute, and while not exactly a born lieder singer, none the less so captured his hearers that he was fairly besieged for more. This artist makes a most sympathetic impression, and his voice is at times of surpassingly lovely quality.
14Lier gave the cello concerto in A minor by Saint-Saëns, with its interesting themes, characteristic rhythms and beautiful effects in ensemble. He added a menuet of Ph. E. Bach, an air of Pergolesi, and an adagio and allegro of Boccherini, all of which he had himself arranged with piano accompaniment. The "Mozartiana" of Tchaikowsky was so well rendered by the orchestra that Olsen was called out several times. As to Marteau, while he does not play with exactly that tone of authority which we are accustomed to hear from Joachim and lately from Kreisler, he is none the less a master in purely tonal effects, his tone being of an excellent quality and his technic beyond cavil. Fraulein Durigo is a singer of a most sympathetic (alto) voice, also of a sweet charm of delivery and much warmth, who produced an excellent impression also by her simple charm of manner and entire absence of pose. Her selections were by Gluck, Wolff, Grieg and Kjerulf.
16The last Schumann evening of the Leipsic Gewandhaus Quartet proved almost an "event" for Dresden. The quartet for piano, cello, violin and viola, op. 47, the "Marchenbilder" for violin and piano, and the famous quartet for piano, two violins, viola and cello, were on the program. Emil Kronke played like one inspired—and so he must have been—by Julius Klengel. Hermann, the player of the viola, received an ovation after the "Marchenbilder," while the whole Quartet celebrated a veritable triumph at the close. These evenings will be continued next season, such has been their success. At a later "extra" concert of this Quartet, the King was present.
18Two evenings of the Petri Quartet call for the highest mention. At the former one I arrived in time to hear the delicious Haydn string quartet in E flat major (op. 33, No. 2), with its mirthful finale and presto, which had to be repeated, and the fine quintet of Schubert, in C major, in which the second cello was played by Wohlrab, and which was one of the best performances I have ever heard of this lovely work. At the close great enthusiasm prevailed. The best evening of the winter, however, was the last, on February 22, when the program showed quite an artistic as well as historical arrangement. First, in view of the general Mendelssohn celebration, came the E minor Mendelssohn quartet; this was followed by that of one of his great admirers and supporters, Schumann (the A major, op. 41, No. 3), and this in turn by the famous quintet of Brahms, Schumann's protegé, for clarinet and string quartet. The clarinet was played by Hermann Lange. In the matchless adagio, Brahms reaches a summit of lofty conception and divine inspiration which must rank this work with the masterpieces of the greatest composers. The whole Quartet were evidently in the spirit, and attained the heights to which these works called them.
20Three of the most memorable concerts of the season were those given by Prof. Emil Sauer, Jan Kubelik and lately that of Sergei Kussewitzky, the famous contrabassist. Sauer, as of old, held his audience by his great magnetism, his energy and force of character, and lastly by his peculiar power to electrify his hearers. In the five Scarlatti sonatas of his own edition he reproduced all the gay joyousness of this old master, all his chic and originality of style, while Sauer's crisp, clean touch, his leggiero and staccati, were all called into play for the right execution of these charming old style classics. He gave a memorable interpretation of the second ballade of Chopin, in F major, as also of Beethoven's "Sonata Pathétique," of Liszt's "Ricordanza," two of his own compositions, intermezzo and "Sempre Scherzando" (most pleasing), and finished with the concert paraphrase of "Eugen Onegin," Tchaikowsky-Pabst, in which all this genial artist's gathered forces reached a grand climax, as the selection is known to be one of his greatest tours de force, unless the "Don Juan" fantasia or the "Tannhäuser" overture of Liszt be excepted. Kubelik seems today very much the artist he was at the beginning of his career. Those who prophesied that he would advance with his years, and gain in depth, breadth and power, have not as yet seen their hopes fulfilled. On the other hand, he has the same enchanting tone as of old, the same wonderful smoothness of bowing, the same dazzling technic, which he never seems to flaunt before the public, but with a beautiful and impressive dignity uses only for the most legitimate purposes, as in his execution of the Paganini etudes, by which he instructs as well as arouses wonder at his perfect ease and grand mastery. A young pianist, Alex Raab, assisted, and showed himself to be an artist of the keyboard who promises great things for the future. He performed very well the Bach-Tausig toccata and fugue in D minor and Rubinstein's well known "Staccato Etude" in C major.
22Speaking of Kubelik reminds me to say that Ondricek scored an immense success in the concert of the Vincentius-Verein, where too much could scarcely be said of his sweet-
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