Scan 6
Musical Courier 1926-04-22: Vol 92 Iss 16, 1926
125 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 7. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1April 22, 1926
3TURIN HEARS INTERESTING REVIVAL OF FOURTEENTH CENTURY PLAY WITH MUSIC BY PIZZETTI
5Turin.—An event of singular interest here has been the recent production of La Rappresentazione di Abram e d'Isaac at the Teatro di Torino. The play is the masterpiece of a famous fourteenth century writer, Feo Belcari, and has been set to music by Ildebrando Pizzetti. It is the most notable example of that form of dramatic art which, born of the religious feeling of the Middle Ages, was adapted from time to time to meet the requirements of modern life and finally became the nucleus from which the national theater derived. In its native simplicity and wealth of intimate feeling this play is the most typical specimen of this form of art and attracted critics and students from all over the country.
7The story is simple and taken straight from the Bible. The Angel of the Lord appears to Abraham in his sleep and orders him to sacrifice his son. In spite of his grief he wakens Isaac and his young men and takes them to the Mount of Sacrifice. There he tells his son of the awful duty imposed on him; but when he is about to strike the blow, celestial voices and the messenger of God stay his hand. Father and son return to their home where they are joyfully welcomed by Sarah and the miracle of Isaac's rescue is celebrated with rustic dance and song.
9MUSIC SIMPLE AND EXPRESSIVE
11The music does not illustrate each episode of the story, but limits its intervention to moments when the scene is either hidden from the audience or occupied only by characters who do not speak, as, for instance, the orchestral prelude, the announcement of the "festival" by an angel, the sunrise over Abraham's house, the order for the sacrifice, the preparations for the journey and the setting out of Abraham and Isaac with the two young men. The music is simple, clear and at times ingenious but the composer has not attempted to reproduce either the instruments or the style of the fourteenth century; he has succeeded in being expressive and touching without in any way dominating the literary expression.
13Gigi Chessa, who designed the costumes and scenery, and Dr. Ernst Lert, who was responsible for the stage management and ballets, both followed the style of Giotto and were extraordinarily successful in visualizing the spirit as well as the period of the play. The performance had a very warm reception and Pizzetti, who also conducted, was called before the curtain many times. Two other works by the same composer were conducted by him the same evening, the Tre Preludi Sinfonici all'Edipo Re di Sofocle, for orchestra, and the Tremedia per Ippolito Morto, for double chorus, taken from the opera Fedra.
15HEIFETZ WARMLY RECEIVED
17Other recent events at the Teatro di Torino have been guest performances of the Russian Romantic Theater under the management of Boris Romanoff, ably conducted by Efrem Kurtz; appearances of Clotilde and Alexandre Sakharoff, and concerts conducted by Rhené-Baton and Hermann Scherchen.
19An exceedingly warm reception was accorded Jascha Heifetz, who, with magnificent technic and an exceptional purity of tone, played the Kreutzer Sonata and the Bach Chaconne besides short virtuoso favorites.
21Among the concerts announced for the month of April, the most important will be those of Ernest Ansermet, Jacques Thibaud, Georges Enesco and Lionel Tertis, well known English viola player.
23London
25MANAGER OF ALBERT HALL RESIGNS AFTER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.—(London) Hilton Carter, who has just resigned the management of the Royal Albert Hall, was responsible for the policy of the Sunday afternoon "star" concerts, which have been so severely attacked of late. He was manager of the hall for over twenty-five years, and although he makes ill health his excuse for resigning, it is generally understood that his action denotes a change of policy in the near future.
27M. S.
29GIOVANNI ZENATELLO FOR COVENT GARDEN.—(London) Giovanni Zenatello, Italian tenor, well known in America, has been engaged to sing Othello at Covent Garden this season. The opera has not been given here since 1914 when Melba sang Desdemona.
31RAVEL TO BE HONORED BY KING LEOPOLD.—(London) We learn from the Musical News and Herald that Maurice Ravel is about to receive the Cross of the Order of Leopold. Apropos of this we recall that he declined the Cross of the Legion of Honor.
33M. S.
35ST. PAUL'S ORGAN AGAIN IN USE.—(London) Due to the alterations in St. Paul's Cathedral the organ had to be temporarily moved. After being out of use for many months it was at last promised in time for Easter. The original instrument was built by Bernard Schmidt and first used in 1695. Wren made one of his few errors of judgment over this organ. Fearful, perhaps, of the balance of his architectural design, he allowed it so little space that for years many of the pipes lay out of use in the vestry. Since then it has several times been enlarged and divided, but much of Schmidt's work remains incorporated in it. The organ's power may be judged from the fact that when the loudest stops are in use there is a weight of nearly three tons on the bellows.
37M. S.
39Paris
41DOORS KEPT CLOSED.—(Paris) with the revival of Tristan and Isolde at the Opéra-Comique, where it was given for the first time last year, a new and most welcome innovation has been introduced into the musical world of Paris: the doors are kept closed during the prelude and people who do not arrive on time, miss it, thus permitting the audience to enjoy the music. For years, the noise of the late arrival, and these number at least half the audience, has spoilt the openings of all productions, both musical and dramatic. This drastic action was finally taken last week, when the audience demanded it, and now music lovers are earnestly hoping that the Opéra will apply the same rule.
43N. DE B.
45FOREIGNERS AT OPERA COMIQUE.—(Paris) The second appearance of Hallie Stiles at the Opéra-Comique was given as a gala performance with Hislop, the English tenor. Miss Stiles sang again in La Vie de Bohème, and her Mimi was charming and most pleasing. Mr. Hislop's Rodolphe was remarkable both vocally and histrionically, and the two artists were encored and applauded by an enthusiastic audience of English and Americans. The supporting cast was excellent, Mlle. Sibille portraying a charming Musette and M. Bourdin's Marcel showing him to be an excellent singer and actor.
47NEW BALLET BY AURIC TO HAVE PARIS PREMIERE.—(Paris) A new ballet by Georges Auric, La Pastorale, will be given its première in Paris in the middle of May. The subject is said to be humorous.
49N. DE B.
51NEW ROUSSEL WORKS.—(Paris) Albert Roussel, composer of Padmavati and La Naissance de la Lyre, is working on an orchestral suite, which will be given by one of the large orchestras. He is preparing to start work on a new opera, the libretto for which is now being written. one of two readings
53N. DE B. one of two readings
54NEW ROUSSEL WORKS.—(Paris) Albert Roussel, composer of Padmavati and La Naissance de la Lyre, is working on an orchestral suite, which will be given by one of the large orchestras. He is preparing to start work on a new opera, the libretto for which is now being written. N. DE B. one of two readings
56SCENE I OF ABRAM E D'ISAAC.
57Medieval mystery with music by Pizzetti, produced in Turin.
59MUSICAL COURIER
61VAHDAA GARA,
62soprano, who has appeared with success in Italian opera houses, and has scored heavily at a recent recital in Vienna.
63(Franz Löwy photo.) (See Vienna letter, page 5.)
65FOREIGN NEWS IN BRIEF
67Berlin
69RUSSIAN OPERATIC ADAPTATIONS.—(Berlin) The Russians are continuing their process of rewriting the world's literature, the latest victims being the operas, A Life for the Czar and Tannhäuser. The former, always considered the national opera, has been produced at Baku, under the title of Minin. The poet Gretschaniannikoff has so changed the story that the leading rôles are now the Merchant, Minin, and the peasant, Lapshin. This patriotic adaptation didn't quite fit the music, but it was, nevertheless, received with enthusiasm. The Tannhäuser production in Kiev is reported to have been more radical and less successful. The new libretto claimed to do away with the mysticism and the melodrama of the original. The scenery was the most advanced of expressionistic stylization. Aside from the fact that Wagner's work was badly damaged, the whole evening was a failure, for the singers were quite unable to act in any fashion at all suitable to the scenery.
71C. H. T.
73COBLENZ STATE THEATER CLOSING.—(Berlin) At the last meeting of the board of aldermen in Coblenz, the mayor, Dr. Russel, announced that it had been decided by unanimous vote to close the city theater on August 1 and to disband the municipal orchestra. The city has a deficit of over a million marks ($300,000) of which the theater's share is 320,000 marks. The city is absolutely without funds to cover this.
75C. H. T.
77OBERT'S TOUR.—(Berlin) Walter Obert, Cleveland pianist, who made a successful début at the Bechsteinsaal in Berlin on March 24, has a splendid tour laid out for him in Europe. In Germany he will play in Leipzig and Cologne, from whence he goes to Prague in Czechoslovakia, Vienna, and finally Paris and London.
79C. H. T.
81OBJECTIONS TO REMODELING OF BERLIN OPERA HOUSE.—(Berlin) The plans for the reconstruction of the Berlin State Opera House which were announced in a recent issue of the MUSICAL COURIER are arousing objections from various sides. Leading dailies are up in arms because the government has never published the plans and has not allowed open competition for the architects. It has been suggested that the government follow the Swiss custom of setting up a provisional scaffolding which would approximate the exterior of the alteration. This would give the public a chance to show their approval. The inclusion of a greenroom in the extension is also severely criticised.
83C. H. T.
85Vienna
87BEETHOVEN CENTENARY IN BEETHOVEN'S CITY.—(Vienna) The Beethoven centenary in March, 1927, will be particularly festively commemorated in Vienna, the master's own city. Dr. Richard Strauss, Franz Schalk, and several government members belong to the preparatory committee, headed by Prof. Guido Adler of the Vienna University. The festival schedule includes a production of Fidelio at the Staatsoper and a performance of the Ninth Symphony under Weingartner, at the Konzerthaus. Simultaneously with the Beethoven festivities the International Congress for Musical History will be held here.
89P. B.
91RICHARD STRAUSS—TYMPANI PLAYER.—(Vienna) Listeners-in on Radio Vienna were astonished to read on the morning of April 1 that no less a personage than Richard Strauss had served as tympani player in a radio performance of Mozart's E flat major symphony under Robert Heger, on the preceding night. Strauss was engaged to play the accompaniments for Franz Steiner, well known Strauss singer (by the way, Strauss' first public appearance in Vienna since his withdrawal from the Opera), and, coming too early, volunteered to take the tympani part for the symphony. No sooner had Strauss left the instrument than the two tympani sticks had disappeared. A maniac for "historical" relics had "grabbed" them. The little incident, widely discussed in the Viennese press, has served to re-instate the popularity of Strauss which had been seriously jeopardized by the complete fiasco a few days before of the Rosenkavalier film here. one of two readings
92RICHARD STRAUSS—TYMPANI PLAYER—(Vienna) Listeners-in on Radio Vienna were astonished to read on the morning of April 1 that no less a personage than Richard Strauss had served as tympani player in a radio performance of Mozart's E flat major symphony under Robert Heger, on the preceding night. Strauss was engaged to play the accompaniments for Franz Steiner, well known Strauss singer (by the way, Strauss' first public appearance in Vienna since his withdrawal from the Opera), and, coming too early, volunteered to take the tympani part for the symphony. No sooner had Strauss left the instrument than the two tympani sticks had disappeared. A maniac for "historical" relics had "grabbed" them. The little incident, widely discussed in the Viennese press, has served to re-instate the popularity of Strauss which had been seriously jeopardized by the complete fiasco a few days before of the Rosenkavalier film here. one of two readings
94P. B.
96VIENNESE MUSIC PATRON DEAD.—(Vienna.) The death of Mathilde Heller is a severe shock to the musical life of the city. Mrs. Heller, wife of a local man of industry, was a sort of Austrian Mrs. Coolidge—a patron of music and an ever willing financial "angel" for musical enterprises. She was the founder and president of the Society for the Furtherance of Symphonic Music, which was instrumental in maintaining the ailing Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and the president of the Vienna Singakademie and other important musical organizations of the city. one of two readings
97VIENNESE MUSIC PATRON DEAD—(Vienna.) The death of Mathilde Heller is a severe shock to the musical life of the city. Mrs. Heller, wife of a local man of industry, was a sort of Austrian Mrs. Coolidge—a patron of music and an ever willing financial "angel" for musical enterprises. She was the founder and president of the Society for the Furtherance of Symphonic Music, which was instrumental in maintaining the ailing Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and the president of the Vienna Singakademie and other important musical organizations of the city. one of two readings
99P. B.
101TWO UNKNOWN OFFENBACH OPERAS RE-DISCOVERED.—(Vienna.) Dr. Robert Haas, custodian of the music department of the Austrian National Library, has made a sensational find among the archives of that institution. He has unearthed the MS. scores of two hitherto unknown Offenbach operas, written by the composer himself. One is a comic opera called Les Braconniers (The Poachers), and the other a parodistic fairy-tale opera La Lune (The Moon). The latter was presumably written especially for production at Vienna, in 1867. Dr. Haas states that the MS. are very precious and his find extremely important. one of two readings
102TWO UNKNOWN OFFENBACH OPERAS RE-DISCOVERED—(Vienna.) Dr. Robert Haas, custodian of the music department of the Austrian National Library, has made a sensational find among the archives of that institution. He has unearthed the MS. scores of two hitherto unknown Offenbach operas, written by the composer himself. One is a comic opera called Les Braconniers (The Poachers), and the other a parodistic fairy-tale opera La Lune (The Moon). The latter was presumably written especially for production at Vienna, in 1867. Dr. Haas states that the MS. are very precious and his find extremely important. one of two readings
104P. B.
106NEW PANTOMIMES BY MANEN AND OTHERS.—(Vienna.) Joan Manén, whose opera, The Road to the Sun, will shortly have its world première at Braunschweig, is now at work upon a ballet entitled The Wedding of Wealthy Gamachon. The book is by Julian Algo. Two other books by the same author named Tahi and A Lover Not Disappointed, are now being composed by Felix Petyrek and Franz Mittler, respectively, both Viennese composers. one of two readings
107NEW PANTOMIMES BY MANEN AND OTHERS—(Vienna.) Joan Manén, whose opera, The Road to the Sun, will shortly have its world première at Braunschweig, is now at work upon a ballet entitled The Wedding of Wealthy Gamachon. The book is by Julian Algo. Two other books by the same author named Tahi and A Lover Not Disappointed, are now being composed by Felix Petyrek and Franz Mittler, respectively, both Viennese composers. one of two readings
109P. B.
111Miscellaneous
113MME. CARELLI TO STAY.—(Rome.) Madame Carelli announces, in contradiction to a rumor that she was to leave the management of the Costanzi next year and that Mascagni was to take her place, that her contract with the Municipality of Rome runs for another eight years, and that she is co-proprietress of the above named theater. This fact explains many arbitrary actions of the management. one of two readings
114MME. CARELLI TO STAY—(Rome.) Madame Carelli announces, in contradiction to a rumor that she was to leave the management of the Costanzi next year and that Mascagni was to take her place, that her contract with the Municipality of Rome runs for another eight years, and that she is co-proprietress of the above named theater. This fact explains many arbitrary actions of the management. one of two readings
116D. P.
118GIORDANO OPERA THIRTY YEARS OLD.—(Rome.) The thirtieth anniversary of the birth of the opera Andréa Chénier, was celebrated on March 27 at the Costanzi with a splendid performance of this popular opera. Merli made magnificent Andrea and Galeffi and Gerard are hard to equal. one of two readings
119GIORDANO OPERA THIRTY YEARS OLD—(Rome.) The thirtieth anniversary of the birth of the opera Andréa Chénier, was celebrated on March 27 at the Costanzi with a splendid performance of this popular opera. Merli made magnificent Andrea and Galeffi and Gerard are hard to equal. one of two readings
121D. P.
123THE FESTIVAL AT SAARBRÜCKEN.—(Cologne.) There will be a Middle-Rhenish Music Festival this year in Saarbrücken, from May 14-16. The concerts will take place in the following order: First day, Beethoven's D major piano concerto played by Edwin Fischer, Max Reger's Konzert in alten Stil and Bruckner's Te Deum; second day, Hans Pfitzner's Von Deutsche Seele; third day, Brahms' violin concerto played by Adolf Busch, and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The program is liable to changes, but other soloists will be Lotte Leonard (soprano), Ruth Arndt (contralto), Gunnar Graarud (tenor), and Hermann Schey (bass). The festival will be under the musical direction of Felix Lederer. one of two readings
124THE FESTIVAL AT SAARBRÜCKEN—(Cologne.) There will be a Middle-Rhenish Music Festival this year in Saarbrücken, from May 14-16. The concerts will take place in the following order: First day, Beethoven's D major piano concerto played by Edwin Fischer, Max Reger's Konzert in alten Stil and Bruckner's Te Deum; second day, Hans Pfitzner's Von Deutsche Seele; third day, Brahms' violin concerto played by Adolf Busch, and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The program is liable to changes, but other soloists will be Lotte Leonard (soprano), Ruth Arndt (contralto), Gunnar Graarud (tenor), and Hermann Schey (bass). The festival will be under the musical direction of Felix Lederer. one of two readings
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