Books › Musical Courier 1926-03-11: Vol 92 Iss 10, 1926 › scan 31
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Musical Courier 1926-03-11: Vol 92 Iss 10, 1926
79 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. Printed page 32. See the scan on archive.org.
1SPECULATIONS
2About this time of year we always like to speculate about what the Metropolitan Opera may or might do in the coming season. The rich, satisfying and modern courses that Mr. Gatti added to his regular menu this year entitles us to indulge in more imaginary flights than usual. We should like to see, for instance, Maria Jeritza in the part of the heroine of Puccini's Girl of the Golden West, and have a shrewd idea that this opera could be made a success with her tremendous personality in the lead and such an artist as Edward Johnson to aid her as Johnson, a part in which he won unusual success abroad. Danise, we know from having seen him in Italy, makes a capital Sheriff and Lawrence Tibbet, too, would be ideal for the part. But we have a still shrewder idea that the new and still unseen Puccini work, Turandot, is more likely to come, with Jeritza in the part Raisa is to create next month at La Scala. In fact, we are betting strongly on Turandot with Jeritza for 1926-27.
4Another thing we should like to see is Don Giovanni with Michael Bohnen, if he will learn an Italian role—and we think he will. He ought to be magnificent in this great traditional part for a baritone. So sure do we feel of this that he is coupled in our betting with Turandot—Jeritza. Don't forget to put a bit on Don G.—Bohnen, too.
6Odds on the others, however, are so doubtful that our betting stops here. We merely stand along the rail and look over the rest of the field speculatively. There will be a German novelty, presumably, so why not something a bit more modern and interesting than The Barber of Bagdad? How about Strauss? Not one of the new and weaker ones, but Salome (now, one imagines, safe from the blue-stockings), Elektra, or Feuersnot, a beautiful score, with magnificent opportunities for the splendid Metropolitan chorus; or, indeed, Ariadne auf Naxos, which has a gorgeous part for Marion Talley.
8In the new French repertory nothing seems particularly to stand out, but we still believe—despite the misadventures of Prince Igor and Sniegourotchka—that there must be some Russian opera, more especially one of Rimsky-Korsakoff's, that will stand transplanting if properly handled (as Sniegourotchka was not).
10Mr. Gatti, though a loyal Italian, seems leery of the young Italian school. Surely there must be something there not, in any case, worse than Anima Allegra or I Compagnacci, the last two futilities tried out here. What we saw in a concert presentation of part of Malipiero's Sette Canzoni seemed very promising for it as a stage piece of novel character.
12And there will be, presumably, the American opera commissioned from Deems Taylor. By the way, the book, we hear, is by no other than America's leading lyric poetess, Edna St. Vincent Millay. Its première will be a high spot of interest for the season.
14ONE NEVER CAN TELL
15If there is one thing that is absolutely not to be reckoned with in advance it is the success or failure of a popular song. Take, for instance, the Washington and Lee Swing, that catchy, attractive tune one hears wherever a dance orchestra holds forth in these United States—which is to say, everywhere! Writ-
17ten some ten years ago or more by an alumnus as the college song of his Alma Mater it lingered along with only local fame for several years until—for some reason quite unknown to the composer himself—it began to stir. Now it has been adopted by over fifty American universities and schools, is one of the leading dance hits of the season, and at that is just starting on a career that appears likely to last for years.
19SHIP CONCERTS
20This is a new one. Daniel Frohman, president of the Actors' Fund of America, is reported to have said that, while the Seaman's Charities for which ship concerts are given, are worthy organizations, the Actors' Fund should likewise benefit from the ship concerts whenever members of the profession take part in the entertainment. Mr. Frohman reports that the United States Lines have been sending a third of the proceeds to the Actors' Fund but that the French and German lines, Cunard Lines and International Mercantile Marine are opposed to giving away any share of the proceeds. The White Star Line leaves the matter in the hands of the ship commanders.
22It is altogether improper that the Actors' Fund should make any such demand. Ships are ships and sailors are sailors, and what goes on on the sea has nothing whatever to do with what goes on on land. The Actors' Fund has the whole world to give benefits in, while the ships have just their own decks. If the actors wish to entertain for the benefit of the sailors that is their business. It is not a duty, but ought to be a pleasure. Any such narrow attitude as that expressed by Daniel Frohman (if he ever expressed it?) will simply have the effect of alienating sympathy from the Actors' Fund and turning it all the more strongly towards the Seaman's Fund and all that it represents. When actors have to put up with the dangers and hardships of sea life they may then ask for their share of what now properly belongs to the seamen and nobody else. What Mr. Frohman is asking for is no more or less than pay for charitable services.
24ANOTHER YOUNG AMERICAN
25Following the Metropolitan debut of Marion Talley, there came last week another debut of a young American artist, not so conspicuous though just as successful. Last Friday evening Dorothea Flexer stepped from the studio of George Fergusson, with whom she has been studying for several years, onto the Metropolitan stage and singing with the skill and aplomb of a trained artist a character role in Andrea Chenier. The audience was quick to encourage her and expressed its thorough approval by hearty applause after her scene and by calling her out alone at the end of the act. It is most satisfactory to see these young Americans being recognized, given opportunities—and making good.
27STATISTICS
28In Kansas City there are 982 professional musicians. Of this number, says Rene Devries, only three have made names for themselves, not only in Kansas City, but also throughout the country, and two have gained international reputations.
30"Mr. Mehnen," says this amazing notice, "appeared in a white satin Pierrot costume in the Danse Macabre." Now the reader must draw the conclusion that the writer was color blind, for the costume was red, and the further conclusion that the writer does not know what a Pierrot costume is, as during the entire performance no such costume was worn by anyone. "The second ballet," continues this reporter, "was a poetic effusion about the Black Swan and the Lily. The music was credited to Wladimir Butzow."
32Thus is dismissed by this Solomon of Wisdom the prose poem of Kaia Heliositalakti, a Russian writer who took the highest honors in the University of Athens, and whose style resembles most nearly Oscar Wilde in his famous fairy tales.
34The music "credited to Wladimir Butzow," of whose existence this most acute of reviewers seems for some incomprehensible reason to doubt, is esteemed by many well known musicians one of the most exquisitely beautiful symphonic poems ever written, and alone entitles the composer to be recognized as a genius.
36The next allusion again shows the writer's astounding clarity of vision, for he says, "in a feathered Chanticleer costume," not apparently knowing the difference between a rooster and a swan.
38"The evening was one of complete mystery as the locality in which the votaries of Terpsichore achieved their fame remained undisclosed and no manager's name appeared on program or ticket."
40Without a doubt it is clearly shown that the reviewer did not know what he was writing about. However, it must be acknowledged that the foreign press of this city showed the discrimination and appreciation of art which was so lamentably lacking in certain other quarters. I could publish columns of press comments from some of "the localities in which these votaries of Terpsichore achieved their fame" and they will bear out everything I have stated.
42"Who can enlighten those who have eyes, and see not? They are blinded by the very light of truth."
44Yours truly,
46(Signed) S. B. O.
48MUSICAL COURIER READERS
49About Zara Alexejeva and Holger Mehnen
50New York, March 4, 1926.
51To the Musical Courier:
52A ballet performance was given by Zara Alexejeva and Holger Mehnen, Russian dancers, at the Metropolitan Opera House on February 16, 1926. Some papers, judging from their reports, did not seem to understand what it was all about and for that reason I wish you would kindly give space to this letter.
53In this country we are accustomed to the imitation of animals' voices and the construction of buildings reproduced in jazz—whether this is the realm of art is a question, but it is rare that the bray of a so-called critic is loud enough to be heard above the din. Lately in this city there has been a chorus of brays, but so subdued as not to attract general attention until one louder than the rest reached the ears of the public.
54This trumpet call brought attention to the fact that a performance of exceptional beauty, presenting a program of new and original ballets acclaimed in art centers of Europe and South America as the highest art, passed the New York public. In an age when there is so much vulgarity and so many cheap parodies of art, it is much to be regretted.
55That two artists of the merit of Zara Alexejeva and Holger Mehnen could present such a program at the Metropolitan Opera House and remain unrecognized in a city which prides itself on its appreciation of the best, can only be due to the unfortunate custom of some of the New York papers, musical and otherwise (not the Musical Courier), of sending inferior people to criticize something of which they know nothing. They become so bewildered looking for a label that they are completely confused, and you will be amused to notice the following quotations and comments:
57NEWS FLASH
58Teiko Kowa Pleases the Viennese
59Milan.—Teiko Kowa, Japanese soprano, has just returned here from Vienna, where she appeared as guest at the Volksoper in the title role of Madame Butterfly, meeting with noteworthy success. The public and press were both enthusiastic about her. At the conclusion of the aria in the second act she was given a prolonged ovation, holding up the action of the opera for several minutes, and at the end of the opera was called before the curtain twenty times.
60A. B.
62The Kinseys in Havana
63Mr. and Mrs. Carl D. Kinsey, who are enjoying their honeymoon in Florida, will be back in Chicago toward the end of this month. Mr. Kinsey, who is the general manager of the Chicago Musical College, writes from Miami on March 1: "We are leaving today for Havana. We will sail on the Steamship Seneca and are due in Havana tomorrow. We expect to enjoy this trip immensely and expect to be back in Miami, Florida, on Sunday, so as to be back for the opening of grand opera next Monday night. We passed the Miami coliseum yesterday afternoon and were told the roof would not be put up until the end of this week. It seems they will have a canvas roof with regular opera chairs to sit upon and all the other comforts of an opera house. The advertisements in the papers say that the best seats will be worth $11 for comfort, seeing, etc. We have our seats in the first row for opening night, which were ordered a number of days ago, so you see we are prepared for the worst or the best, which ever it may be. The coming of the Chicago Opera has created much excitement in this town and I anticipate there will be big business."
64While away, Carl D. Kinsey and his bride are kept busy answering much correspondence, but from reports at hand, they find the combination of writing and sightseeing most enjoyable and manage to get everything done.
65The enrollment for the coming summer master classes at the Chicago Musical College promises to eclipse any previous record. The classes of Prof. Leopold Auer, Alexander Raab, Edward Collins, Herbert Witherspoon, Richard Hageman, William S. Brady, Sergei Khibansky, Florence Hinkle, Leon Sametini, Arnold Volpe, W. Otto Messner, Clarence Eddy, will bring to Chicago hundreds of pupils from all over the United States and even from Europe and the Orient. Added to those names, one finds in the faculty of the Chicago Musical College such well-known names as Maurice Aronson, Boguslawski, Gordon Campbell, Max Kramm in the piano department; Aurelia and Vittorio Arimondi, Rose Lutiger Gannon, Mabel Sharp Herdien, Graham Reed, Edouardo Sacerdote, Lucille Stevenson, Isaac Van Grove, Helen Wolverton in the vocal department; Maurice Goldblatt, Max Fischel in the violin department, and some hundred of other competent instructors.
67McCormack to Sing for Billy Sunday
68John McCormack has accepted an invitation from Serge Koussevitzky, conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, to appear as soloist with him in a series of orchestral concerts in Paris during May, 1927. The programs, which have already been agreed upon, will include the Thirteenth Psalm of Liszt, arias by Mozart and Beethoven, and the three Irish Fantasies by Charles Martin Loeffler.
69Mr. McCormack has just given what L. E. Behymer, California impresario, calls "a one-man festival of song" in Los Angeles at present—four concerts in nine days (March 1 to 10). He is booked to sail from Vancouver, April 3, for a concert tour of China and Japan, and is due to return the early part of July. He will break the journey across the continent to make a few concert appearances. One of these will be given at Winona Lake, Ind., on July 14, another at Ocean Grove, New Jersey, July 17. The concert at Winona Lake is being sponsored by the Reverend Billy Sunday, who has been trying for at least ten years to get Mr. McCormack to appear at the famous Indian camp meeting auditorium.
71League of Composers' Quarterly Is Out
72Modern Music, a Quarterly Review, published by the League of Composers (January-February, 1926).—Contents: The Departure from Opera, Henry Prunieres; Jazz Opera or Ballet, Gilbert Seldes; Two Settings for Skyscrapers, Robert E. Jones; Marionettes as Seen by an Italian, Ottorino Respighi; An American Experiment in Design, an Interview with Robert E. Jones; New Visions in the Russian Theater, Victor Belaiev; Film Music, Hugo Riesenfeld; For a New Repertoire at the Opera, A. Walter Kramer. It is well worth reading.
74OBITUARY
75Thomas E. Greene
76Thomas E. Greene, tenor and vocal teacher of Washington, D. C., passed away on March 3 at the home of his sister in Front Royal, Va. Some years ago Mr. Greene was a favorite on the comic and light opera stage. He was a member of the "Bostonians" and appeared with the Savage English Grand Opera Company. He also was head of a vocal conservatory, but recently devoted his time to assisting in the management of Katie Wilson Greene's concrete bureau.
77Mary Ives Parsons
78The musical circles of New Haven—and all of Connecticut—have lost a splendid pianist and able teacher in the recent death of Mary Ives, wife of Prof. Edward A. Parsons, who died on February 11, at her home. Her father was William Ives, a noted piano teacher in his day. Mrs. Parsons was universally beloved by friends and pupils who deeply mourn her loss with her husband and son, Rev. Louis A. Parsons, rector of St. Luke's Church in Hudson, Mass.
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