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Musical Courier 1909-03-17: Vol 58 Iss 11, 1909
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1Leipsic, February 25, 1909.
3The nineteenth Gewandhaus program under Nikisch is without a soloist and is only of Beethoven. The eighth symphony, the third "Leonora" overture and the third ("Eroica") symphony are given. It is a deep satisfaction to note that Nikisch's Beethoven reading ripens and becomes more impressive. The eighth symphony was never a more agreeable or more expressive discourse than on this occasion. For the whole program there were deliberation and quiet reflection which showed age and permitted unlimited care for the details of these great works of a great master. The orchestra again played superbly, and the public called Nikisch repeatedly.
5The fifth chamber music program at the Gewandhaus (small hall) was played by the home forces. Besides the usual Quartet of Woogandt, Wolschke, Herrmann and Klengel, the Gewandhaus men, Hering, Weber, Heintzsch and Robert-Hansen, participated in a program to include the Beethoven G major string trio, op. 9, the Grieg G minor string quartet and the Mendelssohn string octet in E flat, op. 20.
7A comparison of symphonies given in the Gewandhaus in the seasons 1821-22 and 1841-42 does not show great change; because Beethoven was strongly represented both years. Features were the abandonment of Ferdinand Ries and the addition of Schubert and Mendelssohn. Schumann was not yet in as a symphonist, though he composed his first symphony in 1841. Mendelssohn's first had been given here in 1827, but he could never be induced to give it in this house again. The season of 1841 was at about the half way point in his Leipsic residence and just at the time of the negotiations and temporary duties in Berlin. The concerts of that season were directed by Ferdinand David, by Conductor Bach, of the City Opera, and, on a few occasions, by Mendelssohn himself. The symphonies were as follows: Beethoven fourth; Spohr's "Weihe der Töne"; Mozart, E flat; Haydn C minor, op. 77; Schubert C major; Beethoven seventh; oratorio, "St. Paul"; Beethoven first; Herrmann (of Lübeck) "Symphony Pathétique," own direction; Mozart C major, with fugue; Spohr C minor; Beethoven fifth; Spohr double symphony. MS.; Beethoven second; Fr. Müller (of Rudolstadt) E flat; Beethoven "Eroica"; C. G. Müller (of Altenburg) F major, MS.; Haydn B flat; Mendelssohn "Scotch," MS.; Beethoven "Pastorale," and a repetition of the Mendelssohn "Scotch" symphony. The soprano soloist of the season, Elisa Meerti, of Belgium, received 550 thalers for ten appearances. In 1821 the mother of Clara Schumann was receiving from 12 to 15 thalers for each appearance as piano soloist. A Gewandhaus recital by Franz Liszt early in 1842 enlisted also Clara Schumann and a male chorus, probably that of the Gewandhaus. The program showed the "Hummell septet, played by Liszt" (piano setting); "Rheinweinlied," for male voices; "Don Juan" fantaisie; lied from "Faust," for male voices; the "Adelaide" and "Erl King" paraphrases; the "Hexameron" on two pianos, with "Frau Dr. Clara Schumann." Admission, one thaler.
9The Hamburg composer, Ferdinand Thieriot, who gave here a concert of his old-fashioned compositions two years ago, has just given another. This time there were his fifth symphony, op. 88; a larghetto and a caprice for cello and orchestra; a concerto for three violins and orchestra; and an overture to the opera "Renata." Soloists were Cellist Bittermann and violinists Ruinen, Szanto and Stadl, all of the Winderstein Orchestra. The previous concert brought, among others, a symphony in Schubert mold and a violin concerto in the technic of Rode, Viotti and Kreutzer. The present program is much more modern in content and treatment, but not yet up to date. The composer is a serious minded musician who occasionally strikes beautiful episodes. The works on the whole are not strongly enough inspired to make their way into modern concert rooms. Nevertheless, the two cello pieces, especially the larghetto, are available, and, in fact, very welcome in view of the poverty of the literature for cello.
11The Glazounow concerto has been out for three years. There are no champions who call it a strong work, still it may continue to be played for a while. Some violin professors think the Sibelius concerto much stronger, but another professor told his pupil she ought to go and claim her money back after paying cash for the Sibelius. Meanwhile, one of the best concertos that has been out for a number of decades is lying knee deep in dust on the Jorgenson Company shelves in Moscow. It is the one movement concerto by Julius Conus, first played by him and Petschnikoff in 1898. Fritz Kreisler played it a few times and he solemnly promises to revive it, but one doesn't know when the public will let him rest long enough from the classics to come back to a newer work.
13A number of the English speaking students in Leipsic have been playing chamber music this winter in quasi-public functions. At a soirée last week, the Schuman piano quintet was given by Davies, of Wilkesbarre, Pa.; Handte, of New York; Burt, of Newcastle, New South Wales; Langum, of Eau Claire, Wis., and Kirchner, of Spokane.
15EUGENE E. SIMPSON.
17Hans Winderstein has just devoted his tenth Philharmonic concert to works in lighter vein. There were the Dvorák "Carneval" overture, five of Beethoven's Viennese waltzes, thirteen soprano songs, given by Lotte Kreisler; the Delibes ballet suite, "Coppelia"; Mozart's humorous septet for strings and horns, the players in costume as the "Village Band," and Tschaikowsky's "Capriccio Italien." The best of the offerings were the Dvorák, Beethoven and Mozart. Winderstein had given much personal attention to the costuming and rehearsing of necessary details for the wholesome fun in the Mozart playing. The two horn players engaged in a game of cards, while the strings were performing the third movement. As to the rest, there were much fun and good music, for Mozart was a musical man, and could not write bad music; even for a joke.
19The week has marked the death of two well known personalities of the city. Music Dealer Franz Jost, in his sixty-sixth year, died February 19, after but two days' absence from business. For forty years he modestly compiled the Hofmeister monthly and annual bulletins, without allowing his name to appear in connection with that laborious service. As his personal acquaintance numbers thousands of musicians from all over the world, additional notes on his life will be given in a later number of THE MUSICAL COURIER. The Jost business will be continued by the son, Franz, who has been actively engaged in it for eleven years. Robert Müller, since 1876 a member of the City Opera and Gewandhaus Orchestra, and since 1882 teacher of trombone in the Leipsic Conservatory, died February 22 at the age of sixty. He was the author of several schools and technical studies for trombone and tuba, these appearing in the catalogues of Julius Heinrich Zimmermann and George Merseburger in Leipsic. Besides his widow, a son and daughter, who are at home, he leaves a daughter, Rosa Müller, of the piano faculty of Smith Seminary at La Grange, Ga. The musical service at his grave was by the conservatory chorus and by a trombone corps of his pupils. The services were largely attended by members of the Gewandhaus and from the conservatory.
21Leonid Kreutzer came down from Berlin February 20 to make his debut as conductor. He had the Winderstein Orchestra under his leading in the second symphony, op. 29, by Scriabine; the tone picture "Sadko," by Rimsky-Korsakoff; the violin concerto, op. 82, and the "Overture Solennelle," by Glazounow. Alexander Schmuller was soloist in the concerto. A few measures of the orchestra's playing under Kreutzer were sufficient to bring unanimous approval of his conductor ambition. He commands the orchestra quietly, yet absolutely, and he is gifted enough as a musician to hear everything that the score calls for. He secures mood and intensity without allowing any of the several corps to obscure the others. As to the music presented, that by Rimsky-Korsakoff seemed to have by far the strongest core. The Scriabine symphony may as well be called beautiful material, often closely related to Wagner and generally of the all too frequent symphonic poem flavor. It is a long time too soon to give up the ghost and call that a proper symphonic ideal. There may yet come along a carpenter head with an idea of absolute music and a knowledge of dovetail sufficient to begin where Brahms left off. The first part of the Glazounow overture is weak. The latter motive is none too strong, but it is well treated. The violin concerto remains of only stationary value at a third hearing. The last part is orchestrated so impractically as not to let the violin through, even with the orchestra playing under the air brakes, damper pedals and sundry speed and noise killers. Schmuller got all of the poetic value of the first part by taking what seemed a slow tempo. Though he is not of a virtuoso type, one immediately recognizes his strong musical head.
23The Glazounow concerto has been out for three years. There are no champions who call it a strong work, still it may continue to be played for a while. Some violin professors think the Sibelius concerto much stronger, but another professor told his pupil she ought to go and claim her money back after paying cash for the Sibelius. Meanwhile, one of the best concertos that has been out for a number of decades is lying knee deep in dust on the Jorgenson Company shelves in Moscow. It is the one movement concerto by Julius Conus, first played by him and Petschnikoff in 1898. Fritz Kreisler played it a few times and he solemnly promises to revive it, but one doesn't know when the public will let him rest long enough from the classics to come back to a newer work.
25A number of the English speaking students in Leipsic have been playing chamber music this winter in quasi-public functions. At a soirée last week, the Schuman piano quintet was given by Davies, of Wilkesbarre, Pa.; Handte, of New York; Burt, of Newcastle, New South Wales; Langum, of Eau Claire, Wis., and Kirchner, of Spokane.
27EUGENE E. SIMPSON.
29YOUNGSTOWN AND VICINITY.
30YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, March 14, 1909.
32The musical season of 1908-09 for the Monday Musical Club of Youngstown comes to an end Monday evening, March 22, with the lecture of Katherine Locke on "Edward MacDowell," to be given in the Elks Club Assembly Room. All the members of the club are to be present in addition to a large list of invited guests.
34Adelaide Thomas-Robb, the prima donna contralto with the Boston Opera Company, gave a recital of light and grand opera numbers at the New Castle Opera House Friday night. Mrs. Robb was greatly appreciated by a large audience, and her numbers were all enthusiastically encored, several of them being redemanded.
36At the Sacred Heart Church, Sharon, Wednesday evening, a grand concert was given in commemoration of the Irish patron saint, which was well attended by people from Sharon and South Sharon. A large number of local artists were participants in the program, which was enthusiastically received throughout.
38Lester Busch, baritone and teacher of voice in Youngstown, will give a pupils' recital next month in one of the club rooms of the city. Several promising singers are now being rehearsed by this teacher for the recital, which will include in its participants only pupils of the teacher.
40Judith Francini recently created a general furor by her singing during a performance of Verdi's "Il Trovatore" at the Grand Opera House, Canton, when the Boston Opera Company presented that opera in that city. Critics of the press in Canton were very generous in their praise of the great Italian artist and compared her favorably with Tetrazzini, of the Manhattan Company in New York.
42Mrs. E. O. Jones, a pupil of Mrs. Austin Gillen, of Youngstown, became a member of the Boston Grand Opera Company immediately upon that company's departure from Youngstown. Mrs. Jones is an excellent singer and promises to become a great soprano artist. With the Boston company Mrs. Jones will be understudy to Madame Francini.
44A new board of directors has been chosen by the Canton Symphony Orchestra which consists of the following well known Canton musicians: Dr. S. B. Dudley, Dr. Frank Douds, Grant Willis, A. J. Nusly, Jr., Isaac Harter, Julius Whiting, Edgar Clark, Alexander Boas and H. R. Schmidt. A successor to President Julius Whiting will be selected at the next meeting of the directors. Giuseppe Picco has been selected as the soloist for the April concert and he will sing the prologue from "I Pagliacci." The orchestra has declined the offer of engagements at the Cleveland Hippodrome Theater.
46At the Patterson School of Music, New Castle, on Thursday evening, some of the voice and piano pupils gave a recital which was well attended by parents and friends of the participants. Those who took part in the recital were: Harriet Reis, Marion Sankey, Ellen MacCready, Sarah Foulke, Hazel Williams, Mabel Frew, Gertrude Hartzell, Olive Thomas, Ethel Harrington, Guila Frew, Ada Kerr, Caroline Rearic, Marian Reeves, Winifred Lloyd, McNabb, Moore, George Miller and George Westlake, besides Paul Browne Patterson, head of the school.
48A concert by the vested choir of the First Presbyterian Church, of New Castle, was given Tuesday evening. The affair was under the direction of Virginia Patterson, organist, and Paul Browne Patterson, director. Irene Millett, of the Franklin Baptist Church, was the chief soloist.
50L. E. BUSCH.
52The Flonzaleys Give a Preliminary Concert.
53The Flonzaley Quartet gave a preliminary concert at the Waldorf-Astoria Monday afternoon to which the subscribers to its Mendelssohn Hall concerts were specially invited. As a prelude to the performance of the difficult quartet by Hugo Wolf, a lecture on the work was delivered by Daniel Gregory Mason, and then the composition was played by the artists. The regular concert was given last night and the program will be reviewed in THE MUSICAL COURIER next Wednesday.
55Arnold Foldes has been appointed leading teacher of cello at the Budapest Royal Conservatory.
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