Books › Musical Courier 1909-09-15: Vol 59 Iss 11, 1909 › scan 12
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Musical Courier 1909-09-15: Vol 59 Iss 11, 1909
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1rendering this opera almost obsolete, and that the new nonsense is not so objectionable as the old. Listening to those wonderful ensemble parts, the beautiful arias, which are about unchanged, and the whole rich musical sentiment and feeling with which this work is imbued, it seemed to me on that evening, that musically this is one of the most beautiful works of Mozart. The singers, Fräulein Siemes, Frau Nast, who had the chief role, who played her part to perfection, Fräulein Seebe, also excellent, and the Herren Perron, Scheidemantel and Soot were received with storms of enthusiasm, and Herr von Schuch, with all the principals, was tendered the usual ovation at the close. "Die Dame Kobold" has been accepted by the operatic directions of Hamburg, Cologne, Mannheim, Magdeburg, Chemnitz and Osnabrück.
3Before I turn to the concerts I should not fail to speak of the Jubilee Anniversary of Fräulein Ulrich, here considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, actress of Germany. Not only the whole Saxon court and the city of Dresden, but all towns far and near, as well as all artists of the stage everywhere, combined to do her honor. Thus there were "Huldigungen," banquets, speeches, feuilletons, and all possible demonstrations made in her honor. Though born in 1835, and already fifty years before the public, Pauline Ulrich still plays with grandeur and power, her style being of the loftiest kind, while, with her, as was said of Sara Bernhardt, "das Wort strahlt," and one realizes when heard from her lips what a beautiful, strong, expressive language German can be made. Fräulein Ulrich belongs to the time of the past, "when there were giants"; in this age of little men and women, she stands almost unique and alone.
5Another anniversary of more than ordinary interest, celebrated here, was that of the Dresdener Lehrergesangverein, the twenty-fifth year since its foundation. This verein gave a concert in the large Frauenkirche, which was so crowded that many were turned away and no further tickets were to be had. The chief number of the program was Wagner's "Liebesmahl der Apostel," which was first performed in this very church in 1843. Your correspondent reported a performance of this work some eight or nine years ago, when it was then given in Dresden. I have also previously written on the religious feeling and tendency of Wagner, in my account of my first visit to Bayreuth, when I quoted freely from Wolzogen. Indeed a large part of Wagner's music is marked by this "Religiöses Gefühl" (witness scenes in "Tannhäuser," "Lohengrin" and in much of the "Nibelungen Ring," nearly the whole of "Parsifal," etc.), so that our only wonder should be that Wagner did not more often compose strictly religious music, as in the above mentioned work. His admiration for Palestrina and Beethoven could hardly have affected him otherwise, yet, unless we except "Parsifal," this is the only religious music, viewed strictly as such, which we have from Wagner. That it is not performed oftener must be owing to its immense difficulties, and possibly to the tediousness of parts of it. Yet as a whole it makes a grand impression and is convincing as well. The program indicated a chorus of 800 children, mostly girls, under the baton of Director Römhild. Fräulein Siemes, of the Royal Opera, sang a song of Liszt's, "Der du von dem Himmel bist," and the solo in Schubert's "Allmacht," in Liszt's arrangement of this song for chorus and orchestra. The verein is under the direction of Prof. Friedrich Brandes, one of the leading critics of Germany. A special honor has lately been accorded to the verein in the shape of the Schubert Bund medal, dedicated to it, from Vienna. It is considered one of the best male choruses in Germany. A jubilee report has been published. Former directors of the Lehrergesangverein were Oskar Wermann and Edmund Kretschmer.
7Another most important institution of Dresden is the Dresdner Liedertafel, which once had Richard Wagner as its leader for a short time. This association joined the great union of male choruses at Frankfort, in their Sängerschaft, this year, and previous to their leaving they gave a concert for the rehearsing of the chief numbers of the program, in the large Saal of the Gewerbehaus, under the leadership of Herr Pembauer. Other vereins of this sort, like those of the Gesangverein of the Staatseisenbahnen, the Männergesangverein and the Dresdner Orpheus, have given their annual summer concerts.
9To the Vienna Congress were appointed from Dresden, Prof. Richard Buchmayer and Music Director Otto Richter. In the section, Sachsen-Thüringen, of the International Music Society, Dr. G. Wustmann was chosen as delegate. Among other musicians at the Vienna congress were G. Schjelderup and his talented wife, the well known singer.
11In the Fourth of July concert, given annually at the Royal Belvedere, by Olsen's Orchestra, it was reported that Prof. Burt Estes Howard, of the Leland Stanford University, would be present, among other visitors. On the program was the "Washington Hymn," for orchestra, by Aug. Sieberg; among others usual numbers by American composers, or arrangements of American patriotic and folk songs.
13At the last matinee of Professor Roth the program was devoted to Swiss composers; Hans Huber's sonata for two pianos, op. 121, was played by the Fräuleins Helmholt and Zenker; lieder of Schoeck, Riggli and Courvosier were sung by Sophie Stähelin; a most brilliant and uplifting close was formed by the quartet of Gustav Weber, played by Professor Roth, at the piano, and the Concertmeister Schliemann, Kammermusikus Wilhelm and Kammervirtuos Smith. This makes the 121st performance at these salons devoted to modern contemporary composers.
15The composer, Clemens Braun, gave a concert of his own compositions, with the assistance of the ladies Ottermann, Walde, Dörper and Struve, and the Herren Petzold, Robertson, Struve and Bauer.
17Previous to the appearance of Middelschulte, at the Kreuzkirche, of which I have sent you a full account, and which was decidedly one of the most enjoyable treats of the season, Sittard, the genial organist of the Kreuzkirche, played in one of the vesper services the canonical fantaisie, "B-A-C-H," of the former, among other works. Like the other compositions of Middelschulte, this fantaisie is marked by immense contrapuntal ability and great depth of thought and musical feeling. Sittard gave it a most worthy interpretation. Otto Stock, pupil of Professor Mann, and now engaged as leading basso of the Graz Opera, assisted, and also sang in one of the motets given at the Frauenkirche. Prof. Ed. Mann is spending his vacation near Borkum, on the Baltic Sea.
19Prof. Albert Fuchs, the composer of oratorio, has had the title of Professor conferred upon him on the occasion of the birthday of the King of Saxony. He and his charming wife are spending their vacation at Homburg, which in the future will be the summer resort of Von Bülow, the retired Chancellor, where he will take a villa. Wilhelm Saal, the well known teacher of singing in Cleveland, and pupil of Professor Iffert, who is now again in Dresden, has been spending some time here. He has brought with him some of his pupils, who will study for the season with Iffert. Herr Saal is an enthusiastic admirer of his singing master, from whom he receives hearty support and recognition in his work. Like Iffert, Herr Saal believes that in the study of singing much time and great thoroughness, from A to Z, are necessary, especially in the voice placing. A student must be willing to begin at the beginning and to study several years. One of Herr Saal's best friends here is Franz Armbruster, who is spending his vacation in Paris. Prevented from attending his last pupils' soirée, I must, nevertheless, notice the excellent reports I heard of his pupils'
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