Books › Musical Courier 1910-02-16: Vol 60 Iss 7, 1910 › scan 43
Scan 43
Musical Courier 1910-02-16: Vol 60 Iss 7, 1910
32 lines. Read by computer on 25 September 2026. Printed page 44. See the scan on archive.org.
1BOSTON AND NEW ENGLAND
356 WESTLAND AVENUE, SUITE 15.
4Phone, Back Bay 3106-3.
5BOSTON, Mass., February 12, 1910.
7The Boston Center of the American Music Society gave its opening program of the season in Jordan Hall on Tuesday evening, introducing Edgar Stillman-Kelley's piano quintet for a first hearing. If the society did no more than bring to the public attention works of this type from the creative pens of native composers, it would have a noble mission to perform in the musical life of this country. But when, in addition to that, it also gives an opening for the hearing of many other forms of composition and creates an active center in each city in which the composer and his public are able to meet on the socially artistic plane, then it makes for the highest results indeed. To return to the contemplation of the quintet, however—it is undeniably a work of genius, original in its treatment, brilliant and full of atmosphere by turns, and leaving a strong sense of musical satisfaction at its close. It was given an adequate performance by the Hoffmann Quartet with Arthur Shepherd at the piano. The Dramatic Monologue "In a Gondola," happily wedded to the text of Robert Browning, is a promising piece of musical writing by John Beach which ought to be heard again, as Mr. Barnhart did not do the work vocal justice, despite the skillful pianistic assistance of the composer. The recently heard suite for violoncello and piano by Howard Brockway, with the composer and Alwin Schroeder as participants, gained greatly with the added hearing. A group of songs giving variety to the program included "I Think of Thee," by Percy Lee Atherton; "Seal Lullaby," by Ernest Hamlin Abbott; "In the Dark" (a dear little child's song), by Mabel W. Daniels; "Sundown," by Arthur Shepherd (a successful bit of atmospheric depiction to the text of that name by William Ernest Henley), and "A Love Song," by Henry K. Hadley, were sung by Bertha Cushing Child, who gave each selection its own due musical and emotional value. Quite the feature of this song group, however, lay in the exquisitely played accompaniments of Mrs. Clara Tippett, who has the knack of cleverly interweaving the themes of the closing and opening songs in such a manner as to form a happy introduction to the coming selection, thus putting both the singer and audience into the most receptive mood for the coming contribution. The audience was both large and responsive, and much may be favorably augured from this creditable opening concert.
9Rosa Olitzka, the well known dramatic contralto, who has appeared here so successfully in concert and opera, is to give a song recital in Jordan Hall on February 23, in which she will have the assistance of Mrs. H. H. A. Beach at the piano. A program of songs and piano pieces of unusual interest and merit is promised for this occasion.
11Olga Samaroff, the brilliant and popular pianist, had the distinction of appearing at a musicale in the White House on February 11.
13Max Landow, the young Western pianist, appeared here for the first time at a recital in Steinert Hall on Tuesday afternoon.
15The Longy Club played unfamiliar compositions of Mozart and Ravel at its second concert in Chickering Hall, Tuesday evening. Marie S. Sundelius, soprano, assisted with some modern French songs.
17The musicale given at the beautiful Providence home of Mrs. Raymond Wesley on January 31, enlisted the skillful services of Anna Miller Wood, contralto; Albert T. Foster, violinist, and Mary V. Pratt, pianist. While all the participants acquitted themselves finely, Miss Wood earned special commendation for her artistic rendering of the three groups of songs which were her contribution to the evening's program.
19Many fine things are being said about Miss Edith Bulard's recent appearance as soloist at the Marlborough Woman's Club, while at the concert of the Musical Art Club in this city on January 31, the group of French songs she rendered roused universal approbation.
21The Boston Singing Club, H. G. Tucker, conductor, gave its second concert of the season in Jordan Hall on Wednesday evening with the assistance of Miss Ernestine Gauthier, contralto, and Heinrich Schueker, harpist.
23There is much regret on all sides over the fact that Arthur Foote is to resign his position as organist of the First Church in Boston (Unitarian), where he has officiated for the past thirty-one years. As this will, however, undoubtedly give him more leisure to devote to his composition, the musical field will only be enriched by the transference of his activities.
25The Unitarian Church of Burlington, Vt., celebrated its hundredth anniversary by an elaborate musical program.
27The soloists were Fred Mitchell, tenor; Frank Vernon, baritone, and a quartet of local singers.
29Charles Wakefield Cadman of Pittsburgh, the rising young composer of the well known American Indian songs, and wideawake musical critic of the Pittsburgh Dispatch, brought his tenor conferee, Paul Kennedy Harper, to The Musical Courier's Boston office on Monday afternoon, and together they gave a short resume of their intellectually interesting and musically fascinating "American Indian Music Talk." Mr. Cadman came to Boston at the request of the St. Botolph Club to give his "Talk" before the members of that club on Sunday afternoon. This musical entertainment ought to be heard by all clubs and educational institutions, as, aside from its absorbing interest, it has great educational value. In preparing the ground for his Indian songs, Mr. Cadman spent some months with the different Indian tribes, living their life, learning their language and customs, and winning the confidence of all. Mr. Harper also spent some time in the same way, and the result is noted in the intimate sympathy of his interpretations, as also in the oneness of aim between these friends and co-laborers. Aside from that, Mr. Harper is the possessor of a remarkable tenor voice which he uses consummately and with the true inward poise which must make for success in all interpretations, but more particularly in the stoical resignation necessary for the rendering of Indian songs.
31At the annual piano recital given by Mrs. H. H. A. Beach in Steinert Hall Thursday evening, the unusually crowded auditorium gave eloquent testimony of the esteem in which this highly gifted lady is held. As usual, the interest centered principally in the first performance of her own suite, "Iveriana," for two pianos, still in manuscript, in which she had the skillful assistance of Carl Faelten at the second piano. In the present awakening of serious composers to the unique value of the pure folk theme as a basis for genuine expression in music, the folk lore of all countries is indefatigably scanned for much that may be gleaned from this source. In this Mrs. Beach has been unusually successful, the suite being based on old Irish folk themes (as its name indicates) and presenting in this way many odd touches of humor, which gives the composition a certain naivete despite its almost orchestral proportions. The first movement, "Lento quasi una Fantasia," opens with a noble theme interchangeable for two pianos with certain Lisztian effects for the first piano which light up most effectively the rather severe harmonic humor of its construction. The "Allegro con Spirito" which follows is a genuine bit of rollicking Irish humor in dance form, while the "Adagio con intimoissimo sentimento," based on an old bit of love theme (not tragic; no Irish theme ever could be; laughter and tears are too closely connected in the race), is exactly what its name implies. The closing movement pretentiously called "Molto Vivace con fuga," is a bit of humor from the composer herself. The marks would indicate something rather ponderous, when lo and behold, the movement ends while scarcely begun, and with such a jolly little laugh, one "on the audience," so to speak. Otherwise the program contained Bach's English suite in A minor, the Franck "Prelude, Aria et Finale," with its lofty spiritual message and dome like grandeur of conception, Reger's "Oschelmisch," "Aus meinem Tagebuch," Gottschalk's "Solitude," full of "stimming," Godard's weird "Indienne," and pieces by J. K. Paine, Debussy, Max Fiedler and Chopin. As for the playing of Mrs. Beach, it may best be described as filled with spiritual
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