Books › Musical Courier 1909-03-17: Vol 58 Iss 11, 1909 › scan 46
Scan 46
Musical Courier 1909-03-17: Vol 58 Iss 11, 1909
84 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 47. See the scan on archive.org.
1GERVASE ELWES' RECITAL.
3An English tenor, Gervase Elwes, presented himself in song recital at Mendelssohn Hall last Thursday afternoon in this peculiar program:
5Aria from cantata, Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg………..Bach
6Since from My Dear Astrea's Sight………..Henry Purcell (1658)
7Ye Bubbling Springs…………………….Thomas Greaves (1604)
8My Love Is Neither Young nor Olde………..Robert Jones (1601)
9So Sweet Is Shee…………………….Avon (Seventeenth Century)
10I See, She Flies Me…………………….Henry Purcell (1658)
11Plaisir d'Amour……………………………Martini
12Je connais un berger discret'.
14Sixteenth Century Bergerettes; Arranged by Weckertin
15Lisette ….Sixteenth Century Bergerettes; Arranged by Weckertin
16Auf ein schlummerndes Kind………………..J. Cornelius
17Wanderer's Nachtlied……………………….Schubert
18Elslein………………………………………Josef Giehl one of two readings
19Elselein………………………………………Josef Giehl one of two readings
20Provenzalische Lied………………………..Schumann one of two readings
21Provenzalische Lied………………………….Schumann one of two readings
22Komm bald…………………………………Brahms one of two readings
23Komm bald…………………………………..Brahms one of two readings
24Am Sonntag morgen………………………..Brahms one of two readings
25Am Sonntag morgen………………………….Brahms one of two readings
26Der Kuss…………………………………..Brahms one of two readings
27Der Kuss…………………………………….Brahms one of two readings
28Salamander…………………………………Brahms one of two readings
29Salamander…………………………………..Brahms one of two readings
30Wir Wandelt………………………………..Brahms one of two readings
31Wir Wandelt…………………………………Brahms one of two readings
32Auf dem Kirchhofe…………………………Brahms one of two readings
33Auf dem Kirchhofe………………………….Brahms one of two readings
34An die Tauben……………………………..Brahms one of two readings
35An die Tauben………………………………Brahms one of two readings
36Botschaft…………………………………..Brahms one of two readings
37Botschaft…………………………………….Brahms one of two readings
39Mr. Elwes, jovially bald headed, seems a pleasant sort of person on the concert stage, but it is not quite clear why he elected to come such a great distance for the purpose of bringing himself before our public in song recital—a public that has been enjoying all winter the rare lieder art of a Dr. Willner, and is familiar, too, with the uplifting vocal ministrations of David Bispham, for instance, to mention only one singer out of a long array of male and female artists who might here be catalogued as belonging to New York's deservedly popular song recitalists.
41To begin with, Mr. Elwes' vocal limitations are of such an order that his singing must perforce lack all semblance of color variety and contrast. He seems to be afflicted with a trouble common to many singers not of the highest class, namely, inability to retain mellowness and sympathetic quality of tone when using more force than a very restrained and careful mezzo voce. It is apparent to every student of singing, after considering the criticism just made, why Mr. Elwes selected the unusual program he put forth. It is well calculated to cover up as much as possible a deficiency of which he personally cannot by any chance be ignorant. When singing contiently and in songs requiring gentle or only mildly emotional expression, the Elwes voice falls agreeably upon the ear, but the moment the delivery requires a little more stress of sentiment or greater output of tonal emission and dynamic variety, the singer's organ shows signs of rebellion, becomes pinched, glassy, and hard in quality, and takes on a generally unmelodious and even distasteful character.
43Unfortunately, Bach's muse refused to keep within parlor pitch all the time, and therefore any attempt to make it do so robs the master's measures of much of their inherent vitality and power. The Elwes singing of Bach was unsuccessful for that reason, and did not in the remotest measure reach the solidity and sonorous conviction of utterance required. A Tosti voice cannot hope to do justice to Bach cantata music. The style, too, was small and utterly devoid of authority.
45The five old English songs, all politely sentimental, formed the best part of Mr. Elwes' work, and he seemed most at home in them. Two would have done as well as five, however, as the group revealed little variety in manner and method of treatment.
47The French songs had charm in their intepretation, but left much to be desired in regard to diction—and, after all, the French will tell you that their songs cannot be sung well or even correctly without almost perfect diction.
49It was in the German section of the program that Mr. Elwes' shortcomings produced the most unsatisfactory results. Cornelius, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, all were sung alike, as though the texts had only one meaning and their composers only one way of treating them. The ideal and purpose of the German lied has been too often described and is too well understood in this country to need any further exposition in this review, and therefore it will be clear to MUSICAL COURIER readers what is meant when the objection is offered that Mr. Elwes seemed to have neglected the intimate study of the texts and their detailed relation to the music, and to have omitted in his own mind the formation of a definite pictorial and musical characterization before he ventured upon his purely superficial presentation of words pronounced with palpable conscientiousness and melodies sung with the sole view of exposing their tunefulness. There are amateurs in New York—and this statement can be proved—who could give Mr. Elwes lessons in the proper interpretation of German song.
51Brahms' "Der Kuss," "Auf dem Kirchhofe" and "Am Sonntag Morgen" were particularly noticeable examples of the English tenor's complete artistic misconception and lack of vocal color and dynamic resource. The effect of the entire recital was one of monotony and imbued the discriminating listener with a strong sense of the performer's studied artificiality and his consistent and successful attempt to stay within the very limited boundaries of the things he could do well. The entertainment he gives is suited eminently to a small room and to audiences of small artistic requirements, but with a large love of afternoon tea.
53Carl's Seventeenth Anniversary.
55Spohr's oratorio "The Last Judgment" was sung under the direction of William C. Carl last Sunday evening in the Old First Presbyterian Church. The work was beautifully sung by the choir, and many artistic effects produced in its rendition—notably the stirring chorus, "Destroyed Is Babylon," was given with great dramatic intensity, as well as the familiar "Praise His Awful Name," which was sung with massive effect under Mr. Carl's leadership. The solos were rendered by the regular quartet—Cora Eugenia Guild, soprano; Elizabeth King, contralto; Edward W. Gray, tenor, and André Sarto, baritone. The day was the seventeenth anniversary of Mr. Carl's occupancy of the position of organist and choirmaster at the "Old First" Church, and the popular organist was the recipient of many congratulations from his friends.
57Later Lincoln News.
58LINCOLN, Neb., March 19, 1909.
60The first of a series of Vesper Services was inaugurated at the University Friday, February 26.
62The "Lento" from Reinecke's "Manfred" was given by the string quartet and pipe organ, as was also the andante from Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony." The university chorus sang "Sing Alleluia Forth," by Schnecker. The genial supervisor of music at the university, Mrs. Raymond, presided at the organ.
64The Chopin centennial was celebrated at the Wesleyan Conservatory of Music with a program of the master's works. The feature of the evening was the playing of Zoe Glidden, class of Mary Alene Smith. Miss Glidden distinguished herself in the E minor concerto, and was ably supported by the school orchestra, under the baton of Mr. Upton.
66A Lincoln friend of Emma Farrow is in receipt of a letter from that young lady, who is at present studying with Henry Eames in Paris, France. Miss Farrow writes that she is charmed with Paris and likes Mr. Eames' instruction better than ever. The friends of Mr. Eames should read the Paris items in THE MUSICAL COURIER, where the activities of that master appear from time to time.
68The University String Quartet played the last three movements from Mendelssohn's quartet, op. 12, at convocation, March 4.
70The rehearsals for the annual spring "Messiah" concert by the St. Paul's Methodist Church chorus are well advanced under the leadership of the amiable Mr. Perbasco.
72The Y. M. C. A. in its musical course presented Schildkret's Hungarian Orchestra at the Oliver Theater, Monday night, March 8.
74The Yomarco Guild of the First Congregational Church will present Alice Widney Conant in a song recital at the Temple, Thursday night, March 11.
76The second half of the program given by the Matinee Musicaie at the Temple Monday afternoon, March 8, was in the nature of a Chopin memorial. Part I of the program was made up of quartets, trios and a scene, all by representative composers, while the second part consisted of seven piano numbers by Chopin, played by Mrs. Will Owen Jones. one of two readings
77The second half of the program given by the Matinee Musicae at the Temple Monday afternoon, March 8, was in the nature of a Chopin memorial. Part I of the program was made up of quartets, trios and a scene, all by representative composers, while the second part consisted of seven piano numbers by Chopin, played by Mrs. Will Owen Jones. one of two readings
79Monday night, March 15, the Lambardi Grand Opera Company will give a performance of Verdi's "Il Trovatore" at the Oliver Theater.
81Howard Kirkpatrick has recently shown the correspondent his booklet called "Applied Vocalization." Mr. Kirkpatrick has set forth some excellent ideas in his treatise.
83FRANK HYDINGER
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.