Books › Musical Courier 1909-09-15: Vol 59 Iss 11, 1909 › scan 33
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Musical Courier 1909-09-15: Vol 59 Iss 11, 1909
27 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1LEIPSIC, August 26, 1909.
3After much visiting and interviewing among the two dozen music publishing firms here, it is possible to submit a report on the new publications for 1909; not only of those just in print, but in numerous instances those not yet elsewhere announced. The composers' names include not only the majority of known living composers, but strangely enough, Pergolesi (died 1736), Monteverde (died 1643), Gluck (died 1787), Haydn (died 1809), and Mendelssohn (died 1847) are found to be bringing out compositions never before published. The fact is not in argument that dead men are writing new tunes, but that their old tunes live in manuscript a long time after them. Among living composers it is agreeable to find, in a number of catalogues, compositions by Christian Sinding, whose output has never been over large, and who has been sometimes dissatisfied with himself because his pen was not more prolific. This year there appear in Leipsic a serenade, op. 92, for two violins and piano; seven songs, op. 85 (Peters); violin and piano sonata in old style, op. 90; two books of Northern dances and airs for piano at four hands; a large variation work called "Fatum," op. 91; for piano solo (Breitkopf & Härtel); a piano sonata, op. 91, and three pieces, op. 89, for violin and piano (Hansen), and five songs with piano (Robert Forberg).
5A straw showing the vitality of the Reger cult is found in the fact that four of Reger's young composition pupils are 'liberally represented in the 1909 prints. In some instances the published works were those brought to Reger in the regular study classes at Leipsic Conservatory. The young men are: Josef Haas (Munich), Othmar Schoeck (Zurich?), Herman Keller (Leipsic), and Karl Hasse (Chemnitz). The first and second named compose very rapidly.
7There is the promise of future large publishing operations by a new firm, the Russischer Musik Verlag, of Berlin, whose printing, however, is already under way in Leipsic. The distinguished contrabassist, Sergei Kussewitzky, is a moving factor and much money is behind him. Friends of the venerable composer, Felix Draeseke, of Dresden, will be glad to know of strong interest in him for 1909-10, and especially for his "Tragica" symphony (Kistner). Arthur Nikisch has stood by this symphony for years, because he liked it, and now others are to follow. Special interest may attach to three little series, a total of nine piano pieces by Ferruccio Busoni (Jul. Heinr. Zimmermann), since that artia is announced for an American season. Of course, the venerable Carl Reinecke is still composing, and there are those who think that he always will be. His principal new work is a sonata for organ (Leuckart). Two years ago he finished a beautiful variation work for two pianos, but if that is in print in Leipsic it has escaped notice. A curious fact in the experience of Enrico Bossi's publishers shows the poor state of orchestral efficiency in Italy. In two instances Bossi's big orchestral variations, op. 131, were put in rehearsal by Italian symphony orchestras, but on account of supposed impossible technical difficulties the work was never brought into concert. Finally, the compositions spoken of in this letter do not nearly represent in any case the year's output of any of the firms. These are only spoken of in a hurried glance through announcements and printing memoranda.
9Breitkopf & Härtel bought, in January this year, two violin concertos by Joseph Haydn. The manuscripts were in these archives, unknown to the present proprietors, for 140 years. The house is bringing now the first authentic edition of the Pergolesi "Stabat Mater." It had been willed that the manuscript should never leave the cloister of Monte Casino, near Naples. There have been many editions of the work, but varying and unauthentic, because of inaccessibility of the manuscript. The Italian Government came to the rescue and supplied Breitkopf & Härtel with a complete set of photographs of the manuscript. These were entrusted to the editing of Gustav Schreck, cantor of the Thomas Schule, in Leipsic. The work is issued here in Latin and German texts, the German by Emmy Schreck, wife of the editor. Of modern compositions now in this press, the chief is the grand opera, "Katharina," by Edgar Tinel. It has been given in manuscript seventeen times at the Theater Monnaie, in Brussels. The vorspiel is issued separately for concert. The English composer, Granville Bantock, has new incidental music to Sophocles' "Electra." The piano score is available and the Sophocles texts appear in Greek and in English translation. Joseph Holbrooke has here his fourth symphonic poem, called "Ulalume." As indicated above, here are Sinding's op. 94, 98 and 99.
11C. F. Peters is bringing out Max Reger's "Psalm 100," op. 106, for chorus, orchestra and organ. This work, of monumental proportions, will have first performance in Vienna, January, 1910. It has also English text. Then comes an organ prelude and double fugue by Friedrich Klose, author of the successful opera "Ilsebill." A most important series is one of twelve five-voice madrigals by Monteverde, never before issued in score. Pfitzner's piano quintet, op. 23; Sinding's serenade for two violins and piano, and seven songs on Bierbaum's "Irrgarten der Liebe," also Moszkowski's four piano solos, op. 82, are other modern works just issued. Violinist Schering, of Leipsic, has brought out a most valuable collection of thirteen old violin sonatas and pieces by Corelli and contemporaries. Emil Sauer, of Dresden, contributes a book of twenty-five of the Scarlatti piano sonatas, in his editing for practical use. Reger's violin concerto, op. 100, and his symphonic prologue, op. 108, are among last season's important works from the Peters press.
13The F. E. C. Leuckart Press may be said to be in a state of eruption, so voluminous is its output of modern works. These are the Emil Paur A major symphony, Frederick Delius' orchestral "Nachtstück," a Richard Mandl symphonic poem for soprano, female chorus and large orchestra; Richard Stöhr suite for strings, G. Schjelderup's symphonic poem, "Sunrise in the Himalayas"; Xaver Scharwenka's F minor piano concerto, Reinecke's organ sonata, op. 284; Hugo Kaun's string quartet, op. 74; Joseph Haas' organ suite and other works, Hermann Roth's (Leipsic) organ prelude, chaconne and fugue; Heinrich Zöllner's (now at Antwerp) battle song for male chorus and orchestra. Choral works with orchestra are Ulrich Hildebrandt's "Calvin Cantata," Georg Schumann's secular cantata, "Ruth" (also English), probably to be given in Chicago; Ludwig Hess's own orchestration of his song "Don Fadrique," and Louis Koemmenich's (Philadelphia) "Morgenhymne" for male chorus and orchestra. Mixed choruses are by R. Tobias (Leipsic); sacred choruses, Arnold Mendelssohn; sacred choruses, Matthieu Neumann and Theodor Koschat. Male choruses are by Othegraeven (prizes in Frankfort, 1909), Julius Roentgen's "Jung Volker," Wilh. Kienzl, Hugo Kaun, Friedrich Hegar ("Des Geiger's Heimkehr") and two other choruses. Zöllner's two a capella ballads, Viktor Zack, Rudolph Heine (Indianapolis), Matthieu Neumann's "Warnung vor dem Rhein" (New York, 1909), Reinhold Becker's choruses. Solo songs with piano are those by Rich. Mandl, Jos. Haas (seven), H. von Vigneau (also English), Paul Ertel (English), Zöllner, Ludwig Hess, and the op. 33 and op. 40 (also English) by the late Heinrich van Eyken, some of these to be sung in America by Tilly Koenen. Instrumental works further include ten concert pieces by Haas, for children, R. von Mojissovic's pieces for violin and organ, Alex. Winterberger's Oriental dance ("Kismet") for piano solo, two piano ballads by Adolph Brune (Chicago), harp pieces by Johannes Snoer, and many organ compositions for church service, by Uso Seifert. As if that were not enough to keep busy, the Leuckart house is bringing a number of large music literary works, such as a new edition of the Kothe-Forchhammer "Führer durch die Orgel Litteratur," the fourth volume of the Ambros musical history in reprint (this volume on the period 1550-1660), also a reprint of Wilhelm Weber's book on the Beethoven "Missa Solemnis," a much called for work which had been out of print for a long time.
15Rieter-Biedermann (Edmund Astor & Son) are bringing out an oratorio by Albert Fuchs, op. 48, for chorus, soprano, baritone and orchestra. By Enrico Bossi there are a missa pro defunctis for mixed chorus and organ, five piano solos and his collection of organ works by old masters. Last year the firm brought out Bossi's orchestral variations, op. 131, on an original theme. Ferdinand Theriot, of Hamburg, has here his op. 88, a concerto for three violins. Karl Hasse, pupil of Max Reger and Karl Straube, has variations, op. 1, for two pianos, variously played last season by Reger and Paul Aron. Also Hasse's twelve choral vorspiels, op. 4, for organ; a serenade, op. 5, for strings, and three fantasies and fugues, op. 6, for organ. Herman Keller, another Reger-Straube pupil, is represented by an organ fantaisie, op. 1. The Bossi orchestral variations of last year were given in Karlsruhe by Georg Göhler, in Holland three times by Mengelberg, and in Budapest by Conductor Körner. Göhler will give them in Leipsic this season with the Blüthner Orchestra, of Berlin. Among new solo songs in this press are six for contralto, by Edouard Kreuzhage, and seven, the op. 47, by Louis Victor Saar, of Cincinnati.
17The house of Bosworth & Co. is giving its chief attention to teaching material, principal among which are the authorized edition of "Sevcik's Violin School" and the great book of technical exercises by Beringer, of London. Here are found a very large number of easy compositions for violin and piano, and for piano solo. The house is just now issuing two large works with orchestra. They are Felix Pfürstinger's ballade, "Sea Wraith," for mixed chorus, solo and orchestra, and the tragic poem, "Vision of Cleopatra," the op. 15, by Havergal Brian, of Stoke-on-Trent. The latter work is to be given at the Southport (England) festival early in the autumn. The "Sevcik Violin School" is just coming into a new edition under the practical hand of Alfred Gibson. The voluminous violin material by other writers embraces the Franz Drdla op. 45, "Rezinka"; his op. 30 (eight Hungarian dances on real folk themes); op. 34, four pieces in third position; op. 43, op. 50, op. 37, and a tarantella, op. 42, for two violins. Then there are Hans Sitt's souvenir suite, op. 105; two pupils' violin concertos in first position by O. Rieding, six pieces by E. Jenkinson, two by Viktor Janitzek, four by Ursula Williams, and a berceuse by Edward Watson. A. L. Sass has a small book on the principles of violin playing on lines laid down by the Sevcik school.
19Two new piano pieces, also gauged to teaching and house, are by Christian Schäfer (nine), G. Marchisio (London), Oskar Nedbal, Gabriel Marie, Carl Leon, A. Tellier, W. Aletter, A. Sartorio, Carl Reinicke (twenty pieces formerly published in America), Leo Norden, J. E. Heidenfelder (four hands), Donald Heins, Arthur Somervell (five books for youth), J. Harold Henry, Joseph Heller, George Mawes (four Christmas pieces), J. H. Fouldes (holiday sketches, also in editions for salon and large orchestra). For reed organ there are small preludes and pieces by Casimir Meister, and Sir Frederic Bridge has set four Schumann sketches for the same. E. W. Taylor brings a set of exercises for playing from figured bass. There are male choruses by Richter, Kutscherra, Dobler, Keldorfer, Krannig, Pfürstinger and Berr. The house has many compositions for concert and smaller orchestras.
21The first concerted "work" in the list of Frau Kistner novelties is a "Lebersmesse" for eight voice chorus, solo, children chorus and orchestra, by Jan van Gilse, of Rotterdam. The vorspiel is issued separately as a concert number. Then comes Karl Bleyle's op. 11, called "Mignon's Beisetzung," for boy voices, mixed chorus and large orchestra. Hermann Hutter (Munich) has an elegy, "Völkergebet," for male chorus and orchestra, as have Hugo Jochimsen and Ernst Wendel. Josef Haas has a string trio, op. 22, male chorus à capella, op. 17. Jos. Schmid (Munich) has a sonata for cello and piano. There is a Carl Reinecke melodrama, op. 111, with piano. While the Kistner list for 1909 embraces many other valuable works, the firm is enjoying the interest shown in Draeseke, most of whose large works are published by them. The Richard Metz Kleitz overture, played last year in the Gewandhaus and in Berlin, maintains strong interest for the coming season. As to Draeseke, performances are contemplated by Conductors Pfitzner, Mengelberg, Hutschenruyder, Weingartner, Sauer (Bonn), and Pohlig, of Philadelphia. Kistner is also interested in Michael Berr, whose third symphony was prize winner this year at the Berlin Hochschule.
23The German agency for the Russian house of Belaieff rests with Fr. Kistner, in Leipsic. The Belaieff novelties include Glazounow's eighth symphony, his dramatic overture, called "Chant du Dessin," and Sabaniew's symphonic organ transcriptions of the Glazounow piano prelude and fugue, op. 62. The Scriabine third symphony, op. 43, called "The Divine Poem," also his "Poem of Ecstasy," op. 54, and six piano pieces, op. 56, 57, are included. Furthermore, there are Blumenfeld's symphony, op. 39, and piano suite, op. 40. B. Kalafati's piano quintet, op. 11; Maximilian Steinberg's string quartet, op. 5; Lioda's music to the Maeterlinck play, "Sister Beatrice"; Rimsky-Korsakov's terzet, op. 53, for female voices, chorus and orchestra, also his "Nymphs," a soprano melody with orchestra; furthermore, J. Wihtol's "Lied" for soprano, mixed chorus and orchestra, and a fantastic ballet by Tscherpneine. one of two readings
24The German agency for the Russian house of Belaieff rests with Fr. Kistner, in Leipsic. The Belaieff novelties include Glazounow's eighth symphony, his dramatic overture, called "Chant du Dessin," and Sabaniew's symphonic organ transcriptions of the Glazounow piano prelude and fugue, op. 62. The Scriabine third symphony, op. 43, called "The Divine Poem," also his "Poem of Ecstasy," op. 54, and six piano pieces, op. 56, 57, are included. Furthermore, there are Blumenfeld's symphony, op. 39, and piano suite, op. 40. B. Kalafati's piano quintet, op. 11; Maximilian Steinberg's string quartet, op. 5; Lioda's music to the Maeterlinck play, "Sister Beatrice"; Rimsky-Korsakov's terzet, op. 53, for female voices, chorus and orchestra, also his "Nymphs," a soprano melody with orchestra; furthermore, J. Wihtol's "Lied" for soprano, mixed chorus and orchestra, and a fantastic ballet by Tscherpnine. one of two readings
26Hansen (Copenhagen) has an entirely complete branch in Leipsic, also controlled by the Kistner personnel. An examination of the firm's new books show Sinding and Halvorsen as leading composers, and both in Christiania. Georg Hoeberg has a grand opera, "Wedding in Katakomberne." The Sinding works are the G minor piano sonata, op. 91, and three pieces, op. 89, for violin and piano. In 1908 Hansen had published the same composer's dozen songs and the ten piano sketches, op. 82.
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