Books › Musical Courier 1909-03-17: Vol 58 Iss 11, 1909 › scan 40
Scan 40
Musical Courier 1909-03-17: Vol 58 Iss 11, 1909
55 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 41. See the scan on archive.org.
1PHILADELPHIA, March 15, 1909.
3The season of forty-four concerts given by the Philadelphia Orchestra came to a close with the concerts of Friday and Saturday. A more lengthy review of these will be found in another column. Director Pohlig will remain with us for a few weeks yet, and will then spend the summer in travel.
5The coming violin recital of Thaddeus Rich, Friday of this week, has attracted unusual attention. But knowing what Mr. Rich has done as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, as well as when touring Europe in concert work, it is not surprising that this recital is being looked forward to as one of the important events of the musical season. On the program are such works as the almost impossible Paganini D major concerto, the great Tchaikowsky concerto, the dashing "Airs Russe" of Wieniawski, the tender and poetic Beethoven romance and the greatest work for solo violin ever written, Bach's "Chaconne." Such a variety of the best and greatest in violin literature may well arouse a widespread interest.
7Saturday afternoon a recital was given in the concert hall of the Combs Conservatory of Music by the following pupils: Louise Jacoby, Zora Joslin, Mary Peterson, Anna Womer, Kathryn Billerbeck, William Anderson, William Kalitz and Sara Righter. Mr. Kalitz played a "Romance" by Vieuxtemps with expression, showing himself a real violinist. Miss Peterson also gave much pleasure by singing Ware's "Joy of the Morning." Piano numbers by Chopin, Combs, Stojowski, Helmund and Schutt completed an enjoyable afternoon of music.
9The Philadelphia Orchestra left its comfortable home in spacious Academy of Music and twice last week went far afield to give concerts that would be uplifting and educational. Monday evening the orchestra played before several thousand students of the University of Pennsylvania in Weightman Hall. Herman Sandby, cellist, was the soloist of the evening, playing Tchaikowsky's "Variations on a Rococco Theme" in his own dashing style. The orchestral numbers were Beethoven's overture, "Leonore," No. 3; Tchaikowsky's symphony No. 4, Grieg's "Peer Gynt" suite and Weber's "Oberon" overture. March 10 the orchestra gave a popular concert at the Kensington Labor Lyceum. At this concert Thaddeus Rich delighted the audience by his playing of the Bruch G minor concerto. The orchestra numbers included "William Tell" overture, second movement from Beethoven's symphony No. 5, "Hungarian March" in C minor, by Schubert-Liszt, and Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody" No. 2.
11Last evening (Sunday) S. Wesley Sears was heard in organ recital at St. Clement's Church. An unusual feature of Mr. Sears' recital was the playing of Widor's second organ symphony. This great work in five movements is pure organ music, and in his playing of it Mr. Sears showed clearly that to him the organ was not only an imitation orchestra, with so many mechanical flutes, trumpets and violins, but an instrument with an individuality of its own. This Widor symphony is rarely heard, although one of the finest works of the French school of organ music, the pastoral and finale being very effective.
13The Bethany Orchestra of fifty men gave its annual concert Thursday evening. J. W. F. Leman is the conductor of this orchestra, and his work deserves much praise, as the orchestra shows careful training. Opening with Wallace's overture, "Maritana," the orchestra played a prelude by Massenet, march from "Tannhauser," suite by Bendix and "Espana," by Waldteufel. Assisting were Dr. G. Conquest Anthony, Ada Sohn, pianist, and Dorothy Bible, violinist. Dr. Anthony's rich baritone voice was heard in songs by Squire and Burleigh, and the ever popular "Two Grenadiers," by Schumann. Miss Sohn's numbers were a Chopin waltz, tone poem by MacDowell, canzonetta, Mendelssohn, and "Butterfly," Lavallee. Dorothy Bible's playing of Hubay's "Hejre Kati" was also one of the successes of the evening.
15Edmon Morris, the well known vocal and piano teacher, has recently been appointed director of the music at St. James' P. E. Church, Atlantic City. Mr. Morris has made arrangements to teach in Atlantic City two days a week during the coming summer months.
17A recital was given at the Philadelphia Musical Academy Tuesday evening by Alma C. Graft, violin; May Staake, piano; and Ada McIntyre, soprano. This recital reached a very high level of excellence—much higher than could rightly be expected from three young ladies who have not yet completed their studies. Beginning with Bruch's violin concerto in G minor, the recital was one continuous succession of virtuoso numbers, such as, "Hark, Hark, the Lark," by Schubert-Liszt; caprice, Leschetizky; reverie, Vieuxtemps; anthem, Chaminate. one of two readings
18A recital was given at the Philadelphia Musical Academy Tuesday evening by Alma C. Grafe, violin; May Staake, piano; and Ada McIntyre, soprano. This recital reached a very high level of excellence—much higher than could rightly be expected from three young ladies who have not yet completed their studies. Beginning with Bruch's violin concerto in G minor, the recital was one continuous succession of virtuoso numbers, such as, "Hark, Hark, the Lark," by Schubert-Liszt; caprice, Leschetizky; reverie, Vieuxtemps; anthem, Chaminate. one of two readings
20At his organ recital of March 21 at St. Clement's Church, S. Wesley Sears will play an entire program of music from Wagner's "Parsifal." Mr. Sears has himself arranged much of this music for organ, so that all of the important themes or motifs will be played.
22A well attended concert was given March 8 at the Automobile Club, Germantown, under the direction of Frances Graff Sime. Those taking part were Eugenia Goldsmith, soprano; Madeleine McGuigan, violinist; Robert Armbruster, pianist; and Edith Mahon, accompanist. Although Madeleine McGuigan is but fourteen years of age, and Robert Armbruster eleven, their playing was one of the most successful features of the concert.
24The four special performances of Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelungen," which the Metropolitan Opera Company is giving in the Academy of Music on Thursday evening, are meeting with great success. The productions are artistically on a much higher plane than the performances of last season. "Rheingold" and "Walkure" have been given. This week "Siegfried" will be sung, and the last performance of the season will be next Thursday, when "Götterdämmerung" will be given.
26The sacred cantata, "Belshazzar," was given at the Academy of Music, March 8, by the Lutheran Choral Union, under the direction of Camille W. Zeckwer. The chorus consisted of over 350 voices, while a large orchestra furnished the instrumental part of the music. The soloists were William Pagdin, Henry Hotz, Francis O'Neal, S. H. McLaughlin, Albert Hunter, Edna H. Baugher, Edna F. Smith, Vesta Williams Potts, Susan Schmalze, Ludo Mitchell, Mary Emmert, Mary Delk, Mrs. A. H. Walker, Gertrude Miller.
28WILSON H. PILE.
30Tina Lerner Gets Ovation in Pittsburgh.
32Tina Lerner, the young Russian pianist, received an ovation after each of her appearances in Pittsburgh with the Pittsburgh Orchestra, March 5 and 6. As announced in last week's issue of THE MUSICAL COURIER, she was obliged to play two encores at the Friday concert and five after the Saturday performance. She played the Grieg concerto. Press notices follow:
34A very big symphony and a very diminutive girl strove in the lists at last night's orchestra concert, and, while the symphony made the more noise, the victory seemed to abide with the girl. At any rate, hers was the victory if popular applause is to be taken as a criterion, for Tina Lerner, the Russian pianist, was given an ovation, and Sir Edward Elgar's new symphony, No. 1, gained only a moderate meed of applause. The nineteen-year-old girl, who took the solo number on the program, showed herself a pianist of marked ability and abundant promise. The solo number, the Grieg concerto in A minor, for piano and orchestra, is a big composition, but the player acquitted herself with such distinction that she was forced to acknowledge the applause by playing two encore numbers. Miss Lerner's playing well deserved the cordial reception it won for her. Her technic is remarkable. She backs up a thorough command of the keyboard with a canny use of the pedal that is so clever that in the pleased contemplation of the process by which she secures her effects one is sometimes prone to forget the effects. This virtuosity is not without good intellectual support.—Pittsburgh Sun, March 6, 1909.
36Young Pianist Scores—Russian Girl, Soloist with Orchestra, Proves a Master of the Keyboard.—The soloist at last night's concert of the Pittsburgh Orchestra, given at Carnegie Music Hall, was Tina Lerner, a most brilliant piano player, who has attained a great reputation at nineteen years of age. She is a Russian, and her distinctive title as a "veritable female Godowsky" certainly has much support. Her touch is confident and exact, and she plays with absolute self possession and perfect command, both remarkable in one so young. Her set piece was Grieg's concerto in A minor, but in response to reiterated applause she played two encores without orchestra accompaniment.—Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph, March 6, 1909.
38About her recent appearance in Boston the Boston Post of February 28, 1909, said:
40Miss Lerner played the Mozart piece with genuine and rare appreciation, with intimacy and beautiful tone values, and she was happy in the "Alceste" caprice. There are not a great many pianists before the public at this day who can so successfully engage the attention of an audience by the most direct and simple means. Her unusual delicacy of perception and her feeling for the many subtle and beautiful effects which a real pianist will obtain from a piano were the preponderating features of the recital, and the playing was the more charming by reason of the modesty and the absorption of the performer in her task. The Grieg ballade was given an engrossing reading, full of color and a prodigious climax came with the last pages. The performance of the Paganini-Liszt etude in A minor was a remarkable achievement from technical and esthetic standpoints.
42Music in Nashua.
44NASHUA, N. H., March 11, 1909.
46The Choral Art Choir, assisted by Gertrude I. Pierce and William H. Lapham, were heard at the Sunday evening services week before last at the Pilgrim Congregational Church. "Evening Hymn," by Reinecke, was sung by Mr. Lapham and the choir. Miss Pierce sang "O Divine Redeemer" and "The Lord Is My Shepherd." Mr. Lapham's solo was "Crossing the Bar." Elsie D. Brand, at the morning services, sang "The King of Love."
47(no line here) one of two readings
49THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA one of two readings
50(85 MUSICIANS) one of two readings
51CARL POHLIG, Conductor one of two readings
52Address all Communications to one of two readings
53CHAS. AUGUSTUS DAVIS, Business Representative one of two readings
541312-13-14 Pennsylvania Building, Philadelphia one of two readings
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.