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Musical Courier 1910-03-02: Vol 60 Iss 9, 1910
70 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 42. See the scan on archive.org.
1San Francisco, Cal., February 21, 1910.
3The Garrick Theater, crowded to the doors and a large number of seats occupied on the stage, represented the best proof of Madame Schumann-Heink's popularity as well as the real appreciation of her peerless standing as an artist when she appeared at the first of a series of three concerts in San Francisco on Sunday, February 13. The second and third of the series took place on Thursday evening in the Garrick Theater, and on Sunday, February 20, in Dreamland Ring. In both cases the houses were sold out. Katherine Hoffman is an accompanist worthy of the great contralto. Every singer knows how difficult it is to find an accompanist possessed of all the necessary qualities. Mrs. Hoffman is certainly gifted with all of them. Madame Schumann-Heink began her second concert with an aria from the opera "Otello" by Verdi, instead of recitative and aria from the opera "Titus" by Mozart, thus complying with numerous requests. "Der Doppelgänger" and "Erlkönig" by Schubert, "Befreit" and "Heimliche Aufforderung" by Strauss, formed the climax of art and interpretation. These songs disclosed her great versatility, colossal range, wonderful training, dramatic intensity, as well as the fact that she puts into the interpretation of every number the best of human feelings. The brilliance of Schumann-Heink's art was never shown to better advantage than it was in her third concert, yesterday, when she sang in succession four great arias from the operas "Mitrane" by Rossi, "Sapho" by Gounod, "Mignon" by Thomas and "Samson and Delilah" by Saint-Saëns, thus showing her peerless standing as an opera singer. "Kennst du das Land wo die Citronen blüh'n" was impetuously applauded and repeated. The rest of the program was made up from songs by Beethoven, Schubert, Franz, Brahms, Wolff, Chadwick and Beach, each one being a perfect gem. The ovation tendered to the diva after Chadwick's "Danza" was so overwhelming that Madame Schumann-Heink was forced to sing a final encore, "Summ, Summ, der Sandmann kommt."
5Georg Krüger, the distinguished piano virtuoso, who was presented to the music lovers of Oakland, Berkeley and Alameda in a recital at Ebell Hall, Oakland, on February 17, under the auspices of the California Conservatory of Music of San Francisco and Oakland, is an artist of taste. The performance of the first number of his program, prelude and fugue, A minor, by Bach-Liszt, showed Krüger to be a master on the piano. The rendition of Chopin's nocturne, op. 15, was a gem of poetry, while in the same composer's polonaise, op. 53, he displayed magnetism, temperament, finished technique and rare interpretative skill. A new and interesting feature was the composition by Dal Young, "Melodies d'une Vie Heureuse." Henselt's "Si oiseau j'étais" was played with that grace and sparkling ease which are some of Krüger's characteristics. In the "Etude de Concert" by Groendahl, Krüger showed deep sentiment and rare delicacy of touch. The enormous difficulties of Rubinstein's "Etude de Concert" did not seem to exist for the artist. He electrified the audience by the execution of that composition, in which he displayed a wonderful wrist staccato. Mr. Krüger will appear in concert in San Francisco during the next month.
7E. Horstmann.
9California Ovations for Schumann-Heink.
11Ernestine Schumann-Heink still continues to draw enormous audiences in California, as the following notices show:
13GREAT CONTRALTO DRAWS BIG CROWD.
15There is no singer like Schumann-Heink! Five arias from five operas were presented, not to mention Schubert's dramatic "Die Almacht" and other examples of German songs. Only a consummate mistress of vocal resources could have succeeded in so great a lyric undertaking. What she sings becomes standard and a basis with which to measure the worth of others' art. And as to her ability to move and thrill, there is no other woman on the concert stage who has it in equal degree with her.—San Francisco Call, February 14, 1910.
17SCHUMANN-HEINK'S WARM RECEPTION.
19Hundreds were obliged to stand, and many regarded themselves fortunate to have the seating privileges afforded on the stage. It should be asked why Madame Schumann-Heink is the most beloved of singers, the answer is that it is because of the wondrous warmth of her singing. Throughout the recital she portrayed the various emotions from the highly dramatic to the highly humorous, and in all she was a queen of musical art. The Waltraute scene from "Götterdämmerung" was sung with a towering dramatic strength, as was also "Die Almacht" of Schubert, to which, it seems, no other woman can do justice. Her voice is glorious here, and surely preaches a sermon. What a satisfaction it was, too, to know that the glorious voice still is at its best!—San Francisco Chronicle, February 14, 1910.
21SAN JOSE'S OVATION TO SCHUMANN-HEINK.
23The Schumann-Heink concert last evening was the full success which The Mercury anticipated, and which it deserved to be. The audience was perhaps the largest ever seen in this city.—San Jose Mercury, February 5, 1910.
25MADAME SCHUMANN-HEINK IN GRAND SONG RECITAL.
27It is probable that the Victory Theater has never held so many people as were present last evening to greet Madame Schumann-Heink, the world's greatest dramatic contralto. Possessed of a voice of rare charm, great power and sweetness, it is not surprising that Madame Schumann-Heink took her audience by storm, Cadenzas and trills were introduced with great effect, the coloratura of the singer being extraordinary in a voice billed as contralto, and yet which soars to soprano heights with the perfect ease which is the essence of all art. What a lesson to vocal pupils!—San Jose Mercury, February 5, 1910.
29SCHUMANN-HEINK IS A GREAT ARTIST.
31The art of Madame Schumann-Heink precludes the possibility of comparison, as it is not fashioned after that of any other singer, and is likewise itself inimitable. She has ever held before her the highest ideal, and never for a moment faltered in her earnest and indefatigable efforts to attain and maintain that conception. What has been the superb result of this attitude is revealed by the almost unprecedented success of her career. Her rich, sonorous contralto notes have vibrated through the hearts of countless thousands, putting them for the time being in touch with the infinite, and leaving a memory that would linger as long as life. What more than this can we ask of any one?—San Jose, Cal., Times, February 5, 1910.
33SCHUMANN-HEINK IS GREATEST OF SINGERS.
35Of all singers Madame Schumann-Heink has the least limitations. She is bounded only by being human, and human she is, most delightfully. Yesterday afternoon's program at the Garrick Theater was a tour de force. It comprised every musical mood and showed the remarkable woman equal to all demands made on her. Always the great big voice responded to the will, and the effect was an afternoon full of rare sensations.—San Francisco Bulletin, February 14, 1910.
37STAGE, ALSO, IS FILLED TO HEAR GREAT CONTRALTO.
39Madame Schumann-Heink, queen of contraltos, drew a standing room only audience to the Garrick Theater at Sunday's first concert, and eager, insistent auditors even took places on the stage to hear, even though they could not see, the songbird. Five arias from five operas were presented—a tremendous amount of vocal work for an ordinary woman, but the singer threw her interesting, womanly personality into it all and smiled. Europe's favorite and America's own by adoption—she has just bought a ranch in Southern California—Madame Schumann-Heink put her auditors in sympathy with her at once by her intense humanity as well as her sympathetic voice.—San Francisco Evening Post, February 14, 1910.
41THRO'G ENTHRALLED BY SCHUMANN-HEINK.
43Madame Schumann-Heink, the world favorite among contraltos, not only held her place in San Francisco's affection yesterday; she made that place more secure than ever. The audience that greeted her at the Garrick was the biggest that has attended any first performance since the previous visit of this same singer. After the concert a crowd of 300 men and women waited a quarter of an hour about the stage entrance to obtain a close glimpse of the contralto, and two policemen were needed to clear the way to the carriage. The program of the songs to which more than 2,000 persons listened was a big one for any woman to attempt. Madame Schumann-Heink, however, sang with all her accustomed art and rich vocal display, going through the whole range of song and carrying her audience with her at the topmost degree of enthusiasm.—San Francisco Examiner, February 14, 1910.
45Lulu Jones Downing Compositions.
47Lulu Jones Downing, the talented Chicago composer, whose songs are being sung by a number of prominent artists, has just returned from a most successful tournee through Indiana. She appeared on programs made up entirely of her own works to which she furnished the accompaniments, thereby bringing out the true message of her songs. The following press notices testify as to the high esteem in which her songs were regarded:
49The musical and social affair of the week was the musicale given by Lulu Jones Downing, of Chicago, in the rooms of the Starr Piano Company, under the auspices of the Musical Study Club, the audience being made up of the leaders in the musical and social life of the town. Mrs. Downing, known as one of the most accomplished interpretative musicians Richmond has ever heard, appeared with eclat as a composer; her creative output being reminiscent of her personality and possessing a certain elusive and haunting charm, a sort of staccato rhythm, if it might so be put, all intensely lyrical and yet paradoxically with a birdlike alertness of quality. "Evening Song," sung by Mrs. Earhart, was entirely Mrs. Downing's own, both words and music, making an exquisite appeal.—Richmond, Ind., Paper.
51The guest afternoon which was given yesterday afternoon by the Morning Musical was more than appreciated by the hundreds of ladies who filled the hall. Mrs. Downing has become a well known figure in the musical world, as her songs are among the most charming compositions for soloists, and her appearance yesterday was greeted with unbounded enthusiasm. Among the loveliest of the entire group were several that will ever cling in memory. "An Evening Song" and "Life's Twilight" filled the heart with rest, while "Sad Memories" stirred the audience with an indescribable feeling. "Somewhere" was perhaps the most intense, while "Apparitions" called forth an expression of gratitude from the audience for both composer and song. "Violets" and "Only a Rose" were the gayest of the group and struck a responsive chord which called forth spontaneous applause, which grew until Mrs. Bond responded with an encore of the charming "Violets" again.—Fort Wayne News.
53She is as dainty in appearance as her songs are in conception, and she put into their accompaniment her own indefinable charm. Of the eleven compositions that ran the gamut of grave and gay, dark and bright, "Somewhere" was perhaps the most intense in its expression of religious trust. "Apparitions," music set to Browning's words, was another of elusive charm, while "Only a Rose" struck a note that met with instant response from the audience, and in this song composer and singer were at their best.—Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.
55As an artist lives in and loves his work and as a mother loves her child, Mrs. Downing loves these artistic thought expressions she has created. Her interpretation, as she played the accompaniments, was full of the thought they each conveyed. The songs are delightful in their first presentation, but, like beautiful pictures, their charm grows as one becomes more familiar with them. The members of the Musciale were unanimous in their expressions of appreciation of pleasure in the program.—Muncie Star.
57Mrs. Downing's compositions are gaining a wide hearing and are being sung by such artists as Sybil Sammis, Thomas MacBurney, Alfred H. Bergen and others. In the songs Mrs. Downing has selected the words from various poets and sought to make her music represent them both in the song and the accompaniment. Among the most notable successes of the program were "Apparitions," words by Browning, and "Violets," "Evening Song" and "Only a Rose." Mrs. Downing played all of the accompaniments showing herself to be a pianist of ability, and she also played an instrumental number of her own, a prelude in C sharp minor.—Indianapolis Star.
59Prochazka's fairy opera, "Das Glück," met with success at Dessau.
61THE MEHAN STUDIOS
62Mr. and Mrs. JOHN DENNIS MEHAN
63Mr. JOHN BARNES WELLS
64Voice Development and Artistic Singing
65STUDIOS OPEN SEPTEMBER 27, 1909
66Telephone 5046 Columbus 70 Carnegie Hall, New York City
67JEANNETTE DURNO
68PIANIST
694621 Lake Avenue Chicago, Ill.
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