Books › Musical Courier 1913-12-10: Vol 67 Iss 24, 1913 › scan 42
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Musical Courier 1913-12-10: Vol 67 Iss 24, 1913
64 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 43. See the scan on archive.org.
1McClure Bellows Praises Flonzaleys.
3J. McClure Bellows, musical critic for the St. Paul (Minn.) Dispatch and Pioneer Press, had the following to say in that paper of November 26 concerning a recent performance in that city by the Flonzaley Quartet:
5"The public which attends concerts of chamber music by a string quartet is necessarily small. This is doubtless due to the fact that such music demands not only intelligent listening for its appreciation, but also exacts a high standard of intelligence for its complete understanding and enjoyment.
7"The audiences for such music do not respond to its invitation with the same alacrity that a popular concert begets interest. The former are developed. Each year the Flonzaley Quartet, which appeared at the People's Church last night under the auspices of the Schubert Club, is steadily and surely building up a public of its own. This public, which is to be found in all the leading cities of the country, has been gathered entirely through the intrinsic excellence of this quartet.
9"The large audience present last night at the People's far in excess numerically of that which listened to the quartet last season, was distinguished by rapt attention and live demonstration at the close of each numbers.
11"The Flonzaleys have more than mere virtuosity and finished technic to commend them. There is a classic refinement about their playing that is all conquering. It is the refinement bred not only of ripe musicianship, but also of a strong familiarity with the highest and best models of musical literature. There is likewise underneath these intellectual qualities a deep sympathetic feeling that may best be described as the loftiest veneration and love for the soul of music. This is heightened by a mutual understanding upon the part of the members of the quartet which has become intuitive. One feels this every moment spent in listening to them.
13"The program last night was one of impressive contrast and dignity. It contained Beethoven's quartet in C minor, op. 18, No. 4, and Schubert's quartet in D minor, posthumous. The polished and legitimate expression of the latter afforded once more a striking contrast to the stupendous genius displayed in the former.
15"In the Beethoven work there were the characteristic rests accorded to one or two of the players, allowing the imagination to supply the lacking harmony, thus producing clearness and boldness, while in the Schubert quartet, despite its ravishing andante con moto, with the lovely 'Death and the Maiden' theme and variations, one felt that all four parts were working their hardest to hide that thinness of sound which is the drawback of the string quartet.
17"The Schubert quartet in D minor may be said, however, to form a connecting link, as it were, between Beethoven and Brahms. It represents a point of attainment whose logical continuation is to be found in the modern string quartet created by Brahms. A more keenly appreciative discrimination of the separate character of these two masterpieces cannot be imagined than that evinced by the matchless playing of them both by the Flonzaleys. It was the ne plus ultra of interpretative art and genius. One wished that one might hear these four artists play all sixteen Beethoven quartets—but not at one sitting.
19"The suite for violin and cello by the comparatively unknown Emanuel Moor, which was admirably given by Messrs. Pochon and Archambeau, proved to be a work of striking proportions. Moor is a Hungarian composer, who resides at Lausanne, Switzerland, and who is regarded abroad, where he is best known, as belonging in the class which holds Richard Strauss and others of similar type. He lived in New York about fifteen years ago, where one season he conducted a concert company composed of Lilli Lehmann, Ovide Musin and Franz Rummel. Harold Bauer made known Moor's piano concerto in D major, besides which the latter has composed many songs, a concerto for the violin and another for the piano, seven symphonies and some operas, with a beautiful string quartet that was made known by the Flonzaleys in 1911.
21"The suite played last night is modern, but not in the same sense that Debussy is modern. It contained phrases strongly suggestive of Bach, and while thoroughly original, followed more or less the classical model. The melodic adagio is an exquisite piece of writing and was beautifully played. The serious allegro and spirited presto were likewise admirably given. All things said, last night's concert, like its predecessor of last year, constitutes one of the young season's most perfect artistic offerings."
23Maud Powell Busy.
25That Maud Powell has been very busy, and will continue to be so during the remainder of December is shown by the following engagements filled by the American violinist since September 30: September 30, Monroe, Wis.; October 1, Richland Center, Wis.; 2, Portage, Wis.; 5, Milwaukee, Wis.; 6, Beloit, Wis.; 7, Madison, Wis.; 9, Pontiac, Ill.; 13, Aurora, Ill.; 14, Keokuk, Ia.; 17, Charleston, W. Va.; 21, New York (Aeolian Hall); 23, Attleboro, Mass.; 26, Worcester, Mass.; 27, Portland, Me.; 28, Providence, R. I.; 29, Springfield, Mass.; November 1, Cedar Rapids, Ia.; 3, Mexico, Mo.; 5, Maryville, Mo.; 6, Atchison, Kan.; 7, Topeka, Kan.; 10, Springfield, Mo.; 11, Joplin, Mo.; 12, Pittsburgh, Kan.; 14, Lawton, Okla.; 17, Ardmore, Okla.; 19, Corpus Christi, Texas; 21, San Antonio, Texas; 26, Crowley, La.; 28, Natchitoches, La.; 30, Birmingham, Ala.; December 2, Chicago, Ill.; 3, Atlantic, Ia.; 5, Spencer, Ia.; 8, Duluth, Minn.; 11, Winona, Minn.; 12, Eau Claire, Wis.; 15, Minneapolis, Minn.; 18, Binghamton, N. Y.; 19, Walton, N. Y.
27At the violin recital given under the auspices of the University of Chicago Orchestral Association, in that city, December 2, the Leon Mandel Assembly Hall was packed to the doors, one hundred chairs were occupied on the stage, and many were turned away in the rain.
29Music is nothing else but wild sounds civilized into time and tune.—Thomas Fuller: "History of the Worthies of England." Ch. 10.
31WILLY BURMESTER, GUEST OF DUCAL COUPLE.
33Famous Violinist Spends a Week as Guest of Honor of the Duke and Duchess of Coburg-Gotha at Schloss Ehrenburg at Coburg.
35Willy Burmester, who is the favorite violinist with many a reigning sovereign in Germany, is an annual visitor to Schloss Ehrenburg at Coburg, one of the most famous, beautiful and picturesque old castles in all Germany.
37It was the Duke of Coburg who conferred upon the celebrated violinist the title of "Geheimer Hofrat." Burmester is the only violinist who has been thus honored. He recently spent a week as guest of honor of the Duke and Duchess in their beautiful old castle, which the present sovereign has had renovated inside and fitted out with modern comforts; at the same time the medieval character of the old burg has been retained.
39During Burmester's stay at the castle a court concert was given, which was attended not only by the Coburg ducal family, but by many interesting members of the nobility from abroad. The Duchess Maria, mother of the present reigning Duke and only daughter of the late Czar of Russia, was also present; she takes a keen personal interest in Burmester and his career. Her consort, the late Duke of Coburg, was himself an excellent violinist and an enthusiastic collector of violins.
41The German Empress, Augusta Victoria, and the Crown Prince are also among Willy Burmester's staunchest admirers.
43When Burmester was living at Darmstadt the Grand Duke of Hessen was a frequent visitor at his house.
45Sousa Delights Atlantans.
47Atlanta, Ga., November 22, 1913.
49Atlanta music lovers enjoyed a treat during the entire week of the Automobile Show at the Auditorium. Beginning with November 11, Sousa and his Band gave two afternoon and evening performances of one hour each. The assisting soloists were Virginia Root, soprano; Margel Gluck, violinist, and Herbert L. Clarke, cornetist. On Thursday evening, which was "Society Night," a special program was rendered, which was greatly enjoyed. At each performance "The March King" was very generous in the matter of encores, and his stirring marches were greeted with rounds of applause.
51Friday evening, November 14, at the Tabernacle, the Chicago Glee Club gave a recital which was highly enjoyed by those present.
53Lillian H. Foster.
55Van Yorx Studio Items.
57John Young, the well known New York tenor, appeared with the Haydn Choral Society in the performance of Coleridge-Taylor's "Hiawatha" at Danbury, Conn., on December 8. Other prominent artists of the Theodore van Yorx studios, 21 West Thirty-eighth street, New York, who appeared at a concert given in the Hotel Gotham, on December 2, were: Miss Turell and Loraine Osborn, altos; Blanche Heywood and Mrs. Aaron Claflin, sopranos, and Roy W. Steele, tenor.
59Flonzaley Quartet in Brooklyn.
61An appreciative audience greeted the Flonzaley Quartet at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last Sunday afternoon, December 7.
63The program was the same as that given in Manhattan at Aeolian Hall on the evening of December 1, and which was reviewed in last week's issue of the MUSICAL COURIER.
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