Books › Musical Courier 1909-09-15: Vol 59 Iss 11, 1909 › scan 36
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Musical Courier 1909-09-15: Vol 59 Iss 11, 1909
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1PITTSBURGH, Pa., September 12, 1909.
3Owing to the absence of THE MUSICAL COURIER Pittsburgh correspondent this summer, the Pittsburgh musical news has been microscopic—in fact, invisible; but with this letter the usual chronicle of weekly events will continue uninterruptedly throughout the season. Studios are once more dusted, aired and made habitable for their returning occupants, who are ready and willing for the fray of 1909-1910. The large musical organizations have resumed rehearsals; recitals are announced, while concert dates are in futurity. Everything points to a successful musical season in this vicinity.
5The Pittsburgh Orchestra plans will be made public in a short time, when the personnel of the organization will be given out. Mr. Pau returns from Europe in October. Rehearsals will begin at that time.
7Mrs. Grace Hall-Riheldaffer, soprano of the First U. P. Church, has had a successful and busy summer. She has been engaged to sing for the entire session of the Wayne County Teachers' Institute. Other engagements for the winter are Wheeling, Fairmont, Cannonsburg and this city, with many other dates pending. Mrs. Riheldaffer has just returned from a restful trip at Mountain Lake Park, Md., and will resume her concert work the coming week.
9Among the Pittsburgh musicians who have returned from their vacations and are at work once more in their studios are Anna Beal Crawford, S. Monguio, John R. Roberts, Marie Sprague, Joseph H. Gittings, Morris Stephens, John C. Dickson and Charles N. Boyd.
11The Von Kunits School of Music opens its fall term in September, with its faculty unchanged. Signor and Madame Minardi have charge of the vocal and piano departments, while Mr. Von Kunits will be assisted by Frank J. Brosky and Ruth Thoburn. Cornet and trumpet are taught by Otto Kegel; elocution by Alice Archer, and French by Mlle. Du Barry Killeen.
13Gertrude Sykes, soprano soloist at the Sixth Presbyterian Church, has been engaged to sing in Latrobe Tuesday evening, September 14, at a benefit organ recital.
15The Pittsburgh Male Chorus, James Stephen Martin, musical director, will resume rehearsals for its coming fourth season immediately on the return of Mr. Martin from Europe, where he has been with his family the past two months doing the Continent and the British Isles. The management of the club is sanguine that the coming season will surpass any of its previous achievements. Mr. Martin will doubtless secure during his trip some European novelties that will enhance the attractiveness of the programs for the coming season's concerts. Much interest in the prize competition for the best musical setting of Walt Whitman's ode on Abraham Lincoln is being taken by composers, judging from the numerous requests for information as to the details of the competition which have been received by the custodian of the competing compositions, Edwin Z. Smith, president of the Art Society. Several competing compositions have already been filed. This competition closes September 15, 1909, and all competing compositions must be filed on or before that date. The annual meeting of the club for the election of officers for the ensuing year was held last Tuesday evening, with the following result: President, John A. Wood, Jr.; vice president, H. C. Sherrard; corresponding secretary, open; recording secretary, W. B. Lawton; treasurer, John Chappell; directors, W. B. Porter, John A. Hibbard, Lacy S. McKeever G. Paul Moore, David Stephens and Tom Morris.
17Adolph M. Foerster, the teacher and composer, will, this season, give a number of lecture recitals on Chopin, Wagner and Beethoven. Mr. Foerster's work in this direction is too favorably known for comment, and it is likely that the new lecture recital on Beethoven—the other two mentioned above having been given last season with success—will surpass anything given by Mr. Foerster so far. He will be assisted, as usual, by his pupils, who will furnish the vocal and piano illustrations.
19The Rev. Charles L. E. Cartwright, pastor of the North Avenue M. E. Church, has always taken a keen interest in musical work, being himself a musician and no mean judge of music. Announcement has just been made as to the further cementing of the department of music under Charles N. Boyd and the co-operation of the members at large and the music committee. For instance, the scheme of work for 1909 and 1910 will consist of the regular choir work by a chorus which will this year be augmented to seventy voices; the continuance of the "Junior Choir" begun by Miss Moser and carried further along by Charles S. Suiter, the purpose of this latter enterprise being to furnish recruits for the senior choir and the Sunday school orchestra in two divisions. It is the intention of the director to present through his choir the following cantatas during the season: "The Holy City," by Gaul; "From Olivet to Calvary," by Maunder, and "The Seven Last Words," by Dubois, in addition to a program of secular music. The second division of the orchestra will include in its repertory over six hundred numbers, and the class of music to be given may be judged from the following selections: Haydn's symphonies, Nos. 1, 2, 4, 6, 11, 12; Mozart's symphonies in C and E flat, and Beethoven's symphonies Nos. 1 and 2. The first division, conducted by Charles L. Zortman, has been steadily improving in size and efficiency. There are vacancies for woodwind players as well as strings; a double bass is provided for use of a player. Both orchestras started rehearsals September 5.
21CHARLES W. CADMAN.
23MUSIC IN ST. PAUL.
25ST. PAUL, Minn., September 4, 1909.
27After a month's sojourn in the East George H. Fairclough, organist and choirmaster at St. John's Episcopal Church and at the Jewish Temple, arrived home this week. Two weeks of the Eastern trip were spent at Ocean Grove in attendance on the convention of the National Association of Organists. Since returning home he has spoken to several local organists about the matter of organizing a local chapter of the association, and it seems probable that this will be done. Mr. Fairclough is now busy preparing music for the celebration of the Jewish New Year on the 15th of this month. His choir at the Temple is entirely new this fall and is made up as follows: Alma Petterson, soprano; Jessie Williams, contralto; Harry E. George, tenor; Hector G. Spaulding, bass.
29After Mr. Fairclough's great success with the "Elijah" productions in July there was some talk of a reorganization of the old St. Paul Choral Club, of which he was conductor, but just what will be done is not known now, as Mr. Fairclough has been away ever since the "Elijah" performances and has talked with no one about it since his return. There seems to be, however, a strong sentiment that the old St. Paul Choral Club should be revived, as the city is now without a representative chorus. It is more than likely that the talk that is now heard as "rumors" will result in a choral club in the early fall.
31And, speaking of the "Elijah" performances, it was overlooked in this correspondence at the time that Harry Phillips, who sang the part of Elijah, did all the work of organizing the chorus and was mainly responsible for its production. He was chairman of the music committee of the Christian Endeavor Society and he suggested the giving of the work. It met with approval and he at once went to work with characteristic energy to get the chorus together. He succeeded in doing that—although it was the middle of the summer, when every one was away—and he engaged the soloists. And all this he did for the good of the cause, receiving not one cent of remuneration.
33Mr. Fairclough and Dr. D. F. Colville have "swapped" studios, so that hereafter Fairclough will be found on the eighth floor of the Pittsburgh Building and Dr. Colville on the third floor of the Schiffmann Building.
35The Symphony Orchestra Association has announced the following dates for the Sunday concerts: November 7 and 21, December 5 and 19, January 9 and 23, February 6 and 26, March 6 and 26. The concerts this year will be given at uniform prices, ranging from twenty-five to seventy-five cents. Last year the prices were arranged according to the artist who was to be the principal attraction, but that was found to be unsatisfactory, and so the flat rate rule has been adopted.
37Louis Segal, a young Berlin violinist, pupil of Ysaye, has been visiting in St. Paul for the past two weeks. Thursday he played for a few friends in Mrs. Snyder's studio and awakened in them an enthusiasm not often accorded one so young and unknown. He will return to Berlin early in the fall, but will probably be heard here in public before going.
39Miss Rothschild, a Salt Lake City pianist, is visiting her sister, Mrs. S. A. Rice. Miss Rothschild has been playing Segal's accompaniments wherever he has appeared here during the past fortnight.
41Helen Briggs, who has been abroad for some time, returned recently and has been engaged as head of the music department of the Eleanor Miller School of Oratory. Miss Briggs was formerly head of the music department of Stanley Hall, in Minneapolis. The other instructors in the music department of the Eleanor Miller School are Mrs. S. V. Harris and Max Weil.
43The following from "M. K. B.," in the St. Paul Dispatch, gives one an idea of relative values that is delightful to contemplate:
45Minneapolis must certainly hold the palm for musical public spirit. A town that can reach down into its pocket and find $250,000 that is spoiling to be turned into the symphonies and solos is the kind of town Theodore Thomas would have loved and Wagner would have marveled at. It is almost too good to be true. St. Paul can, by careful raking and scraping, put $25,000 in the bank for a musical rainy day.
47Still, so far as actual music is concerned, St. Paul has no lack. We may not have a large bank account, but we have a mighty good time. It has always been so in the arts. Attics are no bar to happiness, and St. Paul is perfectly willing to be the attic in the house of music if only it may keep the traditional inspiration and the traditional artist. Minneapolis may be the drawing room and may have the parlor grand for all we care.
49"Bethany," the sacred cantata by Dr. W. Rhys-Herbert, has just appeared from the press of J. Fischer & Brother. The work was received with great enthusiasm on its first presentation here, and the writer is informed that several large choral in this country have already secured the rights of performance for early presentation this winter.
51Walter Logan has written friends that he will return to St. Paul for the coming season with the Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Logan is a member of the first violin section. Richard Wagner, who was the second cellist last year, has written to say that he will not return. Charles Riis, the new concertmaster, and Fram Anton Korb, second concertmaster, are expected to arrive in St. Paul next week. Del Aquila, the harpist, will not return.
53Mrs. Snyder has turned the Hammerstein Opera engagement over to the Roosevelt Club, as she will be in Europe during the stay of that company in St. Paul. It is announced that for this educational opera the price for the best seats will be only $2.50. Neither Mary Garlen nor Tetrazzini will appear here, and none of the newer operas, as "Salome" or "Pelleas and Melisande," will be given here.
55Mrs. Charles Kranz is giving a musicale at her home on Selby avenue this afternoon for Maude Smalley, who is home from Chicago for a short stay.
57E. C. Murdock, who spent the summer in Alaska, returned this week.
59OSCAR HATCH HAWLEY.
61Morgan Resigns from Festival Chorus.
63The following statement has been issued from the office of the New York Festival Chorus:
65To The Musical Courier:
66It is with much regret and genuine sorrow that the Executive Committee of the New York Festival Chorus announces the fact that Professor Tall Esen Morgan has resigned his directorship.
67The results he has been able to accomplish with the Chorus in this city and at Ocean Grove are well known to every music lover.
68The Chorus is now considering the choice of another director, as it wishes to maintain its organization.
69All communications respecting the membership of the Chorus, its scope and past achievements should be addressed to the secretary, C. B. Wilson, 1947 Broadway, New York.
71Soloists for Minneapolis.
72[By Telegraph.]
73MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., September 13, 1909.
74The following artists have been engaged for the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra for this season: Lerner, December 19; Carreho, January 7; Busoni, January 21; Fremstad, February 4; Kreisler, March 4, and those booked for the other concerts with the orchestra are: Arnaud, Rider-Kelsey and Clara Clemens.
75HAWLEY.
77The new Cassel Opera opened last month with a performance of Lortzing's "Undine."
79G. LORIA, Professor of Italian and French Instructor of Leading Singers in Both Opera Houses Hotel Ansonia—73rd Street and Broadway
80ITALIAN DICTION
81FOR OPERA STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS
82An ideal method for acquiring a perfect accent and articulation, style and expression, rhythm and versification and memorizing libretti.
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