Books › Musical Courier 1925-12-17: Vol 91 Iss 25, 1925 › scan 28
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Musical Courier 1925-12-17: Vol 91 Iss 25, 1925
135 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 29. See the scan on archive.org.
1December 17, 1925
3VARIATIONS
4By the Editor-in-Chief
6Seventy years old, and forty-five years a music critic. That is the record of William J. Henderson, who completed his three-score-ten recently, and at the birthday dinner given in his honor, confessed to the other achievement.
8Henderson's earlier critical activities date back to a New York period when this town needed reviewers of his stamp to point out the right musical paths. It was a time without the mechanical piano, the phonograph, and the radio. It was a time, also, when Wagner was new and unfamiliar here; when the public considered Gounod and Meyerbeer the last word in opera; when string quartet concerts were looked upon as a bore to anyone except the most fanatical music lovers, and when symphony programs had to be sugar-coated with Dvorák's Scherzo Capriccioso, Johann Strauss waltzes, Grieg's Peer Gynt suite, a Liszt rhapsody, or Morceaux by Moszkowski, Rubinstein, and their kind.
10Bach was tolerated as a necessary evil at piano recitals; Strauss was making his beginnings as a "daring anach" and "disciple of discord"; Mendelssohn's Variations Serienses figured as an exacting test of a pianist's musicianship, and Brahms' compositions, except his Hungarian Dances, repelled even otherwise discerning musical persons with what they called his "opaqueness," his "lack of melody," and the "muddiness of his orchestration."
12Imagine the sterile field in which Henderson worked then, and compare it with the musical area of today, and you will realize how many changes he has lived through. Read his earlier articles and put them side by side with his present critical writings, and you will appreciate how keen and understanding a commentator he was then, and how sympathetic and broad-minded a student he is of present day conditions and productions.
14Through all the mutations, he labored also as teacher, lecturer, program annotator, composer, magazine essayist, and writer of books. He never lessened his interest in or enthusiasm for music; he never lowered his standards; he never lost faith in the practical usefulness, dignity and ethical importance of his profession.
16At the birthday dinner given to Henderson by his brother critics and newspaper men last week, the foregoing facts were emphasized, and tributes were paid by the speakers also to his unfailing integrity, fair-mindedness, and before all things, his courage. He was not afraid to censure in words "as hard as cannon balls," nor to extoll rhapsodically with the incense of awe-struck praise."
18None of the writers who spoke in eulogy of Henderson failed to mention his masterful command of English, which he uses with the authority of a scholar and the grace and brilliancy of a virtuoso of the pen.
20All honor to Henderson. He is an outstanding critic, a potent force in contemporary music, a gentleman, a humanitarian, and an adornment to journalism in general and the critical craft in particular.
22Many more years to him, of full mentality and undiminished power with the quill. He is the last of a brave band who pioneered nobly and whose legioned like New York probably never shall see again.
24Stamford, Conn., December 5, 1925.
26Dear Variations:
28Could you call three policemen on one beat triplets? And if one was off his beat, would you call him syncopation?
30J. L. D.
32John A. Selby, in the Kansas City Star, is setting a good example to other writers of music pages in the inland daily papers. He not only makes his columns newsy, but also fills them with anecdotes, pithy comment, and terse sidelights on the personalities of the artists. The Kansas City Star is to be commended both for employing Mr. Selby and for giving him plenty of space and all possible leeway.
34Two startling items (John Selby, author) from the Kansas City Star of November 22:
36A village project, namely a series of recitals by the American Songlore Society, has a new way of collecting its fee. Instead of selling tickets, it exacts an "exit fee." Their programs will include presentation of a number of American cowboy songs, and this department is absolutely sure that unless the songs are denatured, the exit fee will be collected almost from the first of the concert.
38Perhaps there were some in the audience that heard Rachmaninoff's magnificent recital last Wednesday who failed to notice one remarkable fact. The composer-pianist smiled at least three times, something that has not happened often, at least in Kansas City.
40Leo Feist, the publisher, confined to an invalid's chair for ten years or so, is suffering physical affliction that might have killed many another man but certainly would have deprived him of high spirits and interest in the welfare of others. Not so with Leo. Recently he wrote to us, asking whether the Neighborhood Music Schools are worthy of a donation on his part. We answered his letter, and here is his reply, in part:
42Corcoran Manor, Mt. Vernon, N. Y., December 8, 1925.
44Dear Variation:
46And now I am going to write you something that may give you something to write about, something that will do good to many who deserve it, need it, and love it.
48Wouldn't it be a good idea if such organizations as the Neighborhood Musical School, of which you wrote to me so encouragingly, as well as other amateur organizations who cultivate the art of singing, and piano and violin playing, give part of their time to entertain the inmates of Homes for the Aged, Crippled, and the Blind, as well as the poor? I believe there are some organizations who do exactly this kind of work. It was brought to my attention recently when my attorney's daughter, Miss Frances Gilbert, asked me to send some of our piano players and singers to the Hospital for Ruptured and Crippled Children up in Harlem. It was then that the thought occurred to me, and I think it would be a good idea for you editorially to make such a recommendation to organizations capable of supplying such a need.
50Naturally, I do not refer to professionals, yet see no reason why even professionals should not assist in the giving of joy to the unfortunate; not that they do not do so, as a matter of fact they always do when called upon, but what I want to do is to have professionals offer their services to some agency, probably the Musical Courier, who could then book such artists at the various institutions at a time when artists are not engaged, so that in nowise can it interfere with their professional activity. one of two readings
51Naturally, I do not refer to professionals, yet see no reason why even professionals should not assist in the giving of joy to the unfortunate; not that they do not so, as a matter of fact they always do when called upon, but what I want to do is to have professionals offer their services to some agency, probably the Musical Courier, who could then book such artists at the various institutions at a time when artists are not engaged, so that in nowise can it interfere with their professional activity. one of two readings
53I submit this, old pal, to you for all that it is worth and—that's a whole lot.
55Of course, I shall contribute to the Neighborhood School pursuant to your recommendation.
57Sincerely and cordially yours,
59(Signed) Leo Feist.
61We made inquiries along the lines suggested by Mr. Feist, and discovered that much work of that kind is being done. Of course, the MUSICAL COURIER shall be only too glad to stimulate further activity in the same direction and to co-operate with those managers and artists willing to engage in such a fine endeavor.
63By a coincidence, in the same mail that brought Mr. Feist's letter, we received also the following communication, and the picture referred to is reproduced herewith:
65NEW YORK TUBERCULOSIS ASSOCIATION, INC.
66224 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK, N. Y.
68December 8, 1925.
70My Dear Mr. Liebling:
72We are enclosing a picture of Mr. John Barnes Wells singing to a tuberculosis patient at Bellevue Hospital, at the time that the St. Cecilia Club gave its annual concert for the benefit of tuberculosis patients at that institution. Mr. Wells was the tenor soloist on this occasion.
74It may be of interest to readers of your publication and to the friends of Mr. Wells who are subscribers to "Musical Courier" to see this picture and know of this activity on his part. Incidentally, it will be a large help to the cause of the fight against tuberculosis if you can see your way clear to print this in an early issue.
76Very sincerely yours,
78New York Tuberculosis and Health Association,
79By FREDERIC D. BELL,
80Secretary, Hospital Service.
82"BROADCASTING HEALTH" IN CHRISTMAS SEAL CAMPAIGN.
84The first of the Christmas Seal Concerts for invalids occurred recently, at Bellevue Hospital, when the St. Cecilia Club of 100 voices, Victor Harris conductor, sang for tuberculosis patients. The Christmas Seal Sale started Thanksgiving Day. The picture shows a fifteen-year-old girl patient listening to John Barnes Wells, tenor, while he "broadcasts health." Dr. Dorothy Bell, of the hospital staff, observes the patient's breathing. Modern measures of treating tuberculosis, as advocated by the New York Tuberculosis and Health Association (which sponsors the Christmas Seal sale), include musical entertainment because it is necessary to rest the mind as well as the body to effect a cure.
86Mr. Fritz Kreisler is not one of those ardent souls who devote vacation times to expending three times as much physical effort as they ever would endure under the guise of work. When he rests, he rests; and last Summer, spent in a camp in the Maine woods, was no exception to the virtuoso's general rule.
88This odd conception of rest did not appeal, however, to the personal guide attached to Mr. Kreisler by the management of the camp.
90"He no fish; he no hunt," the guide complained. "Pay me $4.50 a day, and all I got to do is sit around and listen to him play damn fiddle."—The New Yorker, November 28.
92Tell me what you do not like in music and I'll tell you who you are.
94You always can spot a newly hatched Wagnerian. He stays through all of Lohengrin.
96America developed few voices fit for grand opera until howling about taxes became general.—Telegram.
98The difference between persons who do not understand modernistic music and say so, and those who do not understand it but say they do, is merely the difference between truth and hypocrisy.
100Middle age in artistic appreciation has been reached when a person is musically complacent. The young and the old have not lost their enthusiasm.
102Europe may start wars but it also has initiative enough to produce operas by its own composers.
104Recently in this column we asked the present whereabouts of Alexander Petschnikoff, the violinist. From far-off Missoula, Mont., comes the laconic reply: "He's teaching in Munich."
106Income tax reports are to be simplified, but the plot of Trovatore will continue to bewilder the public.
108Ridley Park, Pa., November 19, 1925.
110Dear Variations:
112I cannot resist the temptation to write and tell you of remarks overheard at the recital given by Josef Hofmann this week for the Philadelphia Forum. One elderly woman near me said: "Well, Paderewski (!) plays pretty well for an old man. You know he is over seventy." Another remark made by another woman in front of me: "Yes, Josef Hofmann was born in Philadelphia, but he hasn't been here for many years, so his concert will be interesting."
114I could not but feel, "such is fame," when hearing these remarks.
116I prefer not to have my name quoted, but these wise remarks are funny enough to publish in THE MUSICAL COURIER, I think.
118(Signed) ________
120January, we are told, is to be official "Laugh Month." But how sharper than a serpent's tooth is the envy of music critics and musical editors in January when they read the advertisements of the midwinter cruises to exotic places, and see the rotogravure pictures of persons disporting themselves on the sands of Florida or amidst the tropical vegetation of the Riviera. Laugh in January? Our tribe never even smiles until the end of April, when the Opera is out of town and the recitalists and orchestras are heaven knows where.
122George Gershwin was given a dinner the other day and its sponsors called him "the American Mozart." That is our own idea of the worst misnomer we have encountered in a long while. It is as fair to George as it would be to Mozart to call him "the Austrian Gershwin."
124E. R. F. calls our attention to the fact that in our recent specimen program for an aeronautic concert, we omitted Rachmaninoff's song, Beloved, Let Us Fly. "And also," adds the attention called, "you could with no great breach of propriety have included Schumann's Bird as Prophet."
126Radio also plays an important rôle in enlivening patients at the hospitals and sanitariums. Recently we had the privilege of being allowed to speak at several radio concerts, one of them for the winter colony of tuberculosis sufferers at Saranac Lake, N. Y.
128Those persons who say that America does not excel in any of the arts, forget the art of appreciating the artists who do.
130It is impossible for a musical modernist and a musical "reactionary" to argue, as it is necessary for one to talk, and one to listen.
132Disillusionment is what generally happens when a pupil asks the teacher to play or sing for him.
134LEONARD LIEBLING.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.