Books › Musical Courier 1910-02-16: Vol 60 Iss 7, 1910 › scan 35
Scan 35
Musical Courier 1910-02-16: Vol 60 Iss 7, 1910
48 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 36. See the scan on archive.org.
1CHICAGO AND THE MIDDLE WEST
3CHICAGO, III., February 12, 1910.
5The Apollo Club gave Georg Schumann's "Ruth" before a capacity audience in Orchestra Hall on Monday evening, February 7. The work received its première in America on this occasion and was listened to with great interest and approval. This oratorio requires considerable study before any definite decision can be given regarding its values or its position in the current musical literature of the day. Very naturally, Schumann treats the orchestra in a masterly manner and the choruses with control and handles the whole subject on a modern dramatic basis. The Apollo Club gave the oratorio in a spirited and ambitious manner. Tilly Koenen, who was selected for the part of Naomi and who sang this part also at the initial performance in Germany, made a deep impression on every one present through the sincerity of her art, the gorgeousness of her voice and her exquisite artistic treatment of the role. The audience at once recognized the remarkable talents of this artist and gave her a reception such as is rarely witnessed in oratorio performances. Miss Koenen has established herself in this city as an artist of the very first rank through her performance of this role alone. Jane Osborn-Hannah, the Chicago soprano, sang the title role on this occasion and demonstrated again her ability as a singer whose voice is clear and sweet in the low and middle registers, and though the part is not the most grateful in this work, the singer brought out the effects in praiseworthy style. Arthur Middleton, a local singer, was heard as Boaz, a part written for a baritone having a large compass. In the first part of the oratorio Mr. Middleton was not as successful as he was later on, because of the demands on the lower register in the various phases. Dr. Carver Williams, as the Priest, was unseen, but his rich, deep voice added much to the excellence of the production. The orchestra, under Harrison M. Wild's baton, played well, bringing out the complete meaning of the oratorical idyl and giving the singers fine support at all times. The choruses were exceptionally well trained, the shadings and climaxes being thoroughly understood and the attacks splendid. At the second performance Tuesday evening, February 8, the success was duplicated. Credit is due Carl D. Kinsey, business manager of the organization, who was partly responsible for the hearing of this great work in Chicago.
7At Orchestra Hall Foyer, Saturday morning, February 12, the Flonzaley Quartet, which created a most favorable impression last year, again has proved its popularity, judging by the large and select audience which greeted the four virtuosi upon their first appearance in Chicago this season. The Quartet, which was founded by E. J. de Coppet, consists of Adolfo Betti, Alfred Pochon, Ugo Ara and Iwan d'Archambeau. The program was made up of classic masterpieces, including Haydn's quartet, William Boyce's "Sonata a tre," and Beethoven's quartet. These three numbers were beautifully played and after each movement the applause was most generous. The beautiful Haydn quartet was given a masterly reading, the nuances were well understood and the Beethoven quartet served to display the high musicianship of these artists. The numbers were listened to in deep silence and upon the conclusion of each the audience broke forth into a tempest of applause. The Flonzaley Quartet will give its second concert at the same place a week from today, when Mozart's quartet in C major, Chausson's adagio from the unfinished quartet, Reger's scherzo from the quartet in B minor, op. 74, and Beethoven's quartet in B flat major, op. 18, No. 6, will be the program.
9The Theodore Thomas Orchestra commemorated the twenty-seventh anniversary of the death of Richard Wagner with a program made up solely of selections of the great German master. This list constituted the eighteenth program of the season in Orchestra Hall, Friday afternoon, February 11, and was as follows:
11Huldigungsmarsch.
12Eine Faust-Ouverture.
13Elizabeth's Prayer, from Tannhäuser.
14Bacchanale, from Tannhäuser.
15Elsa's Dream, from Lohengrin.
16Love Scene, from Act II, Tristan und Isolde.
17Ride of the Walkyries, from Die Walküre.
18Waldweben, from Siegfried.
19Siegfried's Death Music, from Die Götterdämmerung.
20Closing Scene, from Die Götterdämmerung.
21Brünnhilde: Madame Gadski.
23Madame Gadski was the assisting artist and again demonstrated her great popularity, the house having been sold out for both performances. The soloist next week will be Bruno Steindel, cellist of the orchestra.
25Thursday evening, February 10, at Orchestra Hall, before a large and fashionable audience, Mischa Elman was heard in his second violin recital of the season. Mr. Elman was at his best, and the audience throughout the program showed its approval by long and spontaneous applause. Several encores were demanded and granted during the course of the evening.
27The same evening at Music Hall, before an unusually large and friendly audience, a new local resident, Edward J. Freund, was heard in recital. The young violinist had arranged a program well suited to his technical ability, and played it with remarkable ease and finish. Mr. Freund wisely plays light selections in which he excels; however, the Saint-Saëns concerto, in B minor, for violin, his most pretentious offering, was given a clear and interesting reading. This young disciple of Sevcik draws from his instrument a tone sweet and pleasing, and his rendition of old selections proved him to be an earnest and conscientious student. All in all, Mr. Freund's debut was most successful. The violinist was assisted by Mrs. Sidney Rosenthal, a high soprano, who impressed rather unfavorably. Her voice is light, colorless, and her French enunciation poor.
29"L'Enfant Prodigue," the lyric opera which won for Claude Debussy the Prix de Rome in 1884, and which has never been produced in Chicago (and possibly in this country), will have its première here on March 3, in Assembly Room, Fine Arts Building. The work includes three characters—soprano, tenor and bass. The part of Lia will be sung by Louise St. John Westervelt; Azael will be interpreted by George A. Brewster, tenor, and Simeon will be sung by George Nelson Holt. This work is to be produced in London during the Thomas Beecham season of grand opera. In Chicago, the work will be given in concert form. This opera lasts but forty-five minutes and will be preceded by a song recital, enlisting the three soloists.
31Last week, James Gill, a well known vocal teacher at Kimball Hall, and long a resident of Chicago, died in Michigan. Mr. Gill was Scotch by birth, and during his stay in Chicago was one of the most popular singers among his countrymen, who feel deeply his loss. Mr. Gill's son is a student at the Illinois University.
33Pepito Arriola returns to the Auditorium tomorrow afternoon.
35Friday evening, February 11, Walter Keller, assisted by Mabel Coddington, reader, gave an organ recital at the Harris Hall Chapel, under the auspices of the Chicago Training School. Mr. Keller proved to be an organist of no small attainment, and a composer of merit. His "Romanza" is well suited for organ recital, and had to be repeated. Mr. Keller had arranged his program so as to satisfy his audience and his success was well deserved. Frederic Grant Gleason's introduction and march from "Montezuma" was given an especially good reading by Mr. Keller, and closed an enjoyable evening.
37Thursday evening, February 10, Mrs. Bert Leston Taylor presented an interesting program before an audience that filled Cable Hall. Mrs. Taylor is the wife of a well known newspaper man and a singer of no small merit.
39Anton Foerster will give a piano recital in the Ziegfeld on Thursday evening, February 24. Alexander Sebald, who recently appeared as soloist with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra, will give a recital in the same auditorium during the following week.
41Several pupils of Alexander Lehmann will give a violin recital on Tuesday evening, February 15, in the Auditorium Recital Hall.
43Since the announcement of George Hamlin's second song recital of the season, to be given at the Grand Opera House, Sunday afternoon, February 27, he has received a number of requests to include on the program Siegmund's love songs from the "Walküre" and Walther's "Preislied" from "The Meistersinger." These two numbers will probably be part of Mr. Hamlin's program, although his intention is to make it an English popular song recital.
45Anne Shaw Faulkner, who has successfully managed the Columbia School of Music for several seasons past, has resigned that position in order to devote her entire time to lecture work. Miss Faulkner goes to New York in March, accompanied by Marx E. Oberndorfer, pianist, for the Lenten musicale of the Rubinstein Club, when she will give her "Parsifal" lecture at the Waldorf-Astoria. A trip of two weeks has been arranged, during which time Miss Faulkner will be heard in Boston and elsewhere in New England. Miss Faulkner and Mr. Oberndorfer have announced two stereopticon lecture-recitals on "Parsifal" and "The Ring of the Nibelungen" at Music Hall, Chicago, before the grand opera season opens in April.
47The Chicago Mendelssohn Club has announced for its second concert the Greek tragedy "Antigone," set to music by Mendelssohn. David Bispham will be the reader and Dr. Carver Williams the bass. The club will be accompanied by the Theodore Thomas Orchestra. The second part of the program includes Bruch's "Frithjof," with Rose Lutiger Gannon and David Bispham as soloists, and the
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