Books › Musical Courier 1910-02-16: Vol 60 Iss 7, 1910 › scan 41
Scan 41
Musical Courier 1910-02-16: Vol 60 Iss 7, 1910
73 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 42. See the scan on archive.org.
1ST. PAUL—MINNEAPOLIS
3TWIN CITIES, February 13, 1910.
5This was distinctly a Carl Busch week, for the two principal musical events have been devoted largely to the works of this well known American composer. Mr. Busch has been the visiting conductor at two large concerts, the Philharmonic concert, Friday night, and the orchestral concert, this afternoon, in both of which he achieved a veritable triumph. Seldom have we seen audiences more enthusiastic and never have we heard better American music. On Friday night the Philharmonic Club and Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra gave the cantata "The Four Winds," under the direction of the composer, and this afternoon Mr. Busch conducted his "Indian Suite," "Negerleben," and the "Prologue to the Passing of Arthur." There are some who will claim that this is not distinctly American music, because Mr. Busch was not born in America. But, the writer would like to know what the accident of birth has to do with composition. Mr. Busch is a Dane by accident of birth, a German by blood and an American by choice and long residence. He received his musical education in Europe (as most Americans do), but practically all of his musical life has been passed in the United States, and the effect of his long residence here is clearly seen in his music. It has distinctly an American color, and is far and away the best American music that the writer has ever heard. The writer has made a considerable study of American music in all its phases (orchestral, chamber, piano, vocal), and a large part of it has seemed too conventional and uninspired to be called real music. But the music we have heard this week seems to possess all the elements of the best German tradition and yet has a note distinctly different from any that has come out of the Fatherland. And, strange to say, this new note is not in the Indian tunes used, nor in the familiar Stephen Foster melodies of the "Negerleben," but in the rhythmic scheme of the works as a whole. In the case of "The Four Winds," the harmonic treatment of the Indian melodies is never far fetched and there is no attempt to use bizarre effects in order to produce the atmosphere of the plains and hills and of the copper colored race that peopled them. The atmosphere is there, but it comes from the poem and the very natural way in which the plaintive Indian tunes have been developed. Aside from the general atmosphere which pervades this American music it must be said that it is beautiful music taken from any point of view. Melodically it is graceful and lovely; harmonically it is most grateful to the ear and even the most dissonant passages follow such a well marked scheme as to appear perfectly logical and never just plain discord for the purpose of making a noise. "The Four Winds" is not a cantata for amateurs. The work makes large demands on orchestra, chorus and soloists, but it is a grateful work for all. After the performance, Friday night, Mr. Busch said that he thought the Philharmonic chorus had done noble work. This was due to the training they had undergone at the hands of J. Austin Williams, who has been the assistant conductor for the past three months and who has worked hard and to some purpose.
7The soloists were May Williams Gunther, soprano, and Reed Miller, tenor, who sang their difficult parts in a manner thoroughly satisfactory to conductor and audience. The orchestral music, this afternoon, pleased the audience mightily, especially the "Negerleben," a rhapsody for orchestra founded on "The Suwanee Ribber" and a couple of other well known Foster melodies. It seems to the writer as if this work and the "Indian Suite" should be in the repertory of every American orchestra. If orchestra conductors are looking for American novelties, here they will find a couple which will give a great deal of genuine satisfaction in their performance and will help spread the cause of American music more than will the performance of any other so called American music that the writer has heard. Mr. Busch received a veritable ovation both Friday night and this afternoon, and has been acclaimed by musicians and critics here as "the great American composer" whom we have so long sought.
9Besides "The Four Winds" there were four other numbers on the Philharmonic Club program Friday night.
11Grieg's "Olaf Trygvason" was given by the chorus and orchestra, assisted by Madame Kirby-Lunn, soprano, and Francis Rosenthal, bass; Madame Kirby-Lunn also sang the aria "Gerechte Gott" from "Rienzi," and Elgar's "Sea Pictures"; and Reed Miller sang the aria "Cano" from "Pagliacci." The concert was an artistic success, as are all concerts given by this club, but it is said by those who know that this will be the last concert by the Philharmonic Club, as a club. It is said that future concerts may be given by a chorus made up of practically the same membership, but that it will not be known as the Philharmonic Club. There seems to have been something going on behind the scenes all this season, but just what, no one can fathom at the present time, save that the dissolution of the club seems imminent. One thing only is certain, that, while four concerts were advertised for this season, only three have been given and there are no more to follow. The inference is plain.
13It was the Schubert Club of St. Paul that furnished the program for the Thursday musical this week, and it can be said with all candor that no better program has been given before either club in either city this season. The artists were: Jessica DeWolf, soprano; Lota C. McMillan, violinist; Mrs. Robert E. Olds, pianist; Mrs. Charles D. Robinson, pianist, and Bessie Godkin, accompanist. The program was as follows:
15Violin—
16Romance ………………………………………….. D'Ambrosio
17Menuett …………………………………………….. Beethoven
18Meditation, from Thais …………………………… Massenet
20Songs—
21Per la gloria ……………………………………… Buononcini
22O Sanctissima Vergine Maria ………………….. Giordani
23Schmied Schmerz ………………………………… Van Eyken
24Spinnerliedchen (folk song) …………………….. Schubert
25Hark! Hark! the Lark ……………………………. Schubert
26Lullaby …………………………………………….. Schubert
27From the Land of the Sky Blue Water …………. Cadman
28The Moon Drops Low …………………………… Cadman
29But Lately in Dance …………………………… Arensky
30Cadiz Maids ……………………………………… Delibes
32Piano Duo—
33Les Preludes ……………………………………… Liszt
35Mrs. De Wolf is one of the Northwest's finest artists and her forte is just such work as this of Thursday afternoon. She was enthusiastically received and several encores were demanded, but she granted only one. It would be hard to say which song pleased the audience best, but the writer heard one woman say that the most beautiful songs she had ever heard were the two by Cadman. They certainly are mighty fine songs and are always popular whenever given.
37Madame Hesse-Sprotte repeated the success she had in cert of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra last Sunday, and again demonstrated her ability as vocalist of the first rank. The program was as follows:
39Turkish March from The Ruins of Athens …………. Beethoven
40Overture to The Magic Flute …………………….. Mozart
41Adagio from the Fourth Symphony ………………. Beethoven
42Allegretto Scherzando from the Eighth Symphony …. Beethoven
43Aufenthalt ……………………………………… Schubert
44Von Ewiger Liebe ……………………………….. Brahms
45Fruehlingsnacht …………………………………. Schumann one of two readings
46Fruehlingsnacht ………………………………… Schumann one of two readings
47Symphonic Poem, Omphale's Spinning Wheel …….. Saint-Saëns
48Sacterjenten's Sondag (A Sunday in the Mountains) … Ole Bull
49Praeludium ……………………………………… Jaernfeldt
50Prison scene from Le Prophet …………………… Meyerbeer one of two readings
51Prison scene from Le Prophet ………………….. Meyerbeer one of two readings
52Welsh Rhapsody ……………………………….. Edward German
54Madame Hesse-Sprotte repeated the success she had in St. Paul and was received with great acclaim. She sang Dvorak's "Mother's Lullaby" for her first encore and the "Habanera," from "Carmen," for the second.
56Two Lenten musicals are announced to be given in the parlors of the "Angus," St. Paul, at half past ten on Friday mornings, February 18 and March 4. The artists, for the first, will be Lewis Shawe, baritone; Rosario Bourdon, cello; Norma Williams, violin, and Lima O'Brien, piano. For the second, the artists are Sam Rhys, violin; Rosario Bourdon, cello; Mary Cummings, soprano, and Lima O'Brien, piano.
58The new $15,000 organ for St. John's Church, St. Paul, has at last been installed and will be used for the first time on February 17, when G. H. Fairclough, organist at St. John's, will begin his weekly Lenten recitals. These take
60KATHARINE HOFFMANN Accompanist
61With Schumann-Heink, Last Season in Europe
62HOME ADDRESS: ST. PAUL
64CARL RUGGLES COMPOSER
65CONDUCTOR
66THE WINONA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
67WINONA, MINN.
69BUREAU of MUSIC, LILY HAMMON, Mgr.
70Vocal and Instrumental Music furnished for concerts, banquets, weddings and all social entertainments.
71CHOIR AND FUNERAL MUSIC.
72700 Hotel Landour, 820½ Nicollet.
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