Books › Musical Courier 1926-05-20: Vol 92 Iss 20, 1926 › scan 12
Scan 12
Musical Courier 1926-05-20: Vol 92 Iss 20, 1926
62 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. Printed page 13. See the scan on archive.org.
1May 20, 1926
3this year and among the newcomers are the following: sopranos and contraltos: Claire Dux, Louise Homer, Elinor Marlo, Kathryn Meisle, Luella Melius, Claudia Muzio; tenors: Paul Althouse, Antonio Cortis, Lodovico Oliviero, Tito Schipa; baritones and bassos: Richard Bonelli, Cesare Formichi, Marcel Journet, Antonio Nicolich, Vittorio Trevisan; conductors: Pietro Cinimi, Charles Lauwers and Richard Hageman, guest.
5C. H. A.
7Philip Scharf, American Artist, Wins Sensational European Successes
9The name of Philip Scharf, violinist, is probably still familiar to many New Yorkers from the days when this young man—then a mere boy—made his successful debut as a violinistic child prodigy. Several years have since elapsed, and young Scharf has made the most of them. The one-time pupil of the late lamented Franz Kneisel has since received his finishing touches from such eminent masters as Otokar Sevcik in Pisek and Arnold Rosé in Vienna, and has become an important figure in the concert halls of many countries. Austria and Germany, Poland and Italy, Hungary and Czechoslovakia have paid their tributes to his art.
11Scharf created a veritable sensation when he began his rhetoric European career in Vienna some three years ago. No less a personage than Clemens Krauss, at present Intendant and general musical director of the Frankfurt Opera, guided the young artist's first steps. As soloist of Krauss' symphonic concerts, young Scharf was so enthusiastically received that he was engaged for two recitals the same season. An extensive tour of Germany followed, as assisting artist to the great Chaliapin, and nothing could illustrate the young violinist's talent more forcibly than the verdict of the Hamburger Nachrichten: "Even beside the wonderful personality and art of Fédor Chaliapin one could not but admire the fine playing of Philip Scharf, who reaped big applause."
13Dr. Julius Korngold, in the Neue Freie Presse, praised Scharf's "strong, caressing, singing tone, with its great variety of shading," the "unusually strong and sure harmonics," and pronounced the young American "an excellent talent with a great command of his technic." The tenor of Scharf's numerous other Viennese criticisms is perhaps even more enthusiastic. "Exquisite elegance," "warmth of feeling," "great personality," "enthusiastic applause" are some of the catchwords. The Deutsch-Oesterreichische Tageszeitung terms Scharf a violinist who has "become famous over night—and justly so." The critics in Berlin, Frankfurt, Budapest, Warsaw, Milan, Rome—in short all European musical centers—were no less liberal with their unmistakable tokens of admiration for this young artist of whom America may justly be proud.
15PHILIP SCHARF.
17Fay Foster Trio for G. F. W. C. Convention
19The biennial convention of the General Federation of Women's Clubs meets in Atlantic City on May 24, lasting through the first week in June. The night of May 31 will be International Relations Night and on this occasion the Fay Foster Trio will furnish the entire vocal program. There will be songs of nearly all the principal nations of the world and the program will close with a patriotic group, which will include Fay Foster's never-to-be-forgotten war song, The Americans Come, and the almost equally well known song, Are You for Me or Against Me? (The question of the flag.) The members of the trio are: Fay Foster, soprano; Josef Berge, baritone, and Jean Gravelle, bass-baritone.
21National Opera Club $1,000 Scholarship
23The National Opera Club of America held its annual election, May 6, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The new officers were elected and plans for next season were discussed. Several new educational features will be added to the work of the club, all of the same high standard maintained by this organization. The $1,000 prize offer, announced recently, is bringing applications from all parts of the country, showing wide interest. Giving a prize and launching a trained singer on the concert stage seems to be a new idea. The National Opera Club hopes to discover many beautiful voices throughout the country. The Federation of Music Clubs will conduct the contest, and the best female voice discovered will win.
25The following officers were elected: president, Baroness K. E. von Klenner; first vice-president, Mrs. C. R. Meeks; second vice-president, Jeanne Gordon; secretaries, Katherine Fiqué and Mrs. E. H. Cahill; treasurer, Mary Allen; directors, Mmes. George W. Dunn, Howard Doane, James Dunnell, A. Warendorff, E. A. Grensbach and Nathan Loth.
27NATHANIEL W. FINSTON,
29well known conductor, who at the beginning of this year was called to New York City as general music director of the Public Theater Corporation, which is now managing the Ricoli and Rialto theaters. For a number of seasons past Mr. Finston was general music director of a chain of theaters controlled in the Middle West by Balaban & Katz, with central offices in Chicago. Mr. Finston was general music director of the Capitol Theater soon after it opened here several years ago, and was called to fill a similar capacity at the Chicago Theater, Chicago. He inaugurated the Sunday morning concerts there, and owing to the artistic standard and the excellent playing of his orchestra, these Sunday concerts became one of the big features of the local musical life. Mr. Finston, while a young man, has long been recognized as the possessor of an unusual talent, and wherever he goes he has the highest consideration among the older musicians.
31(Daguerre photo.)
33MABEL RITCH
35CONTRALTO
37"A VOICE OF FINE QUALITY AND POWER."—Wm. J. Henderson.
39Three Additional Triumphs
41Mabel Ritch sang German Lieder, songs of Russian composers and French and American lyrics, making a favorable impression. Her voice is of fine quality and power, and used with commendable skill, her musical understanding and sense of color were praiseworthy. On the whole she proved herself to be an artist meriting the warm applause she received from a large audience.—W. J. Henderson, New York Evening Sun, March 22, 1926.
43Mabel Ritch, a singer with a mellow contralto voice and attractive appearance, gave a recital at Aeolian Hall yesterday afternoon. The natural warmth of her tones was eminently suited to the romanticism of Brahms. She gave freshness, life and feeling to the words, while the notes, especially in the upper register, had a clear ringing sound. Miss Ritch came into her best in Richard Strauss' "Traum durch die Dämmerung," where the slow even pace gave her ample time to make and prepare her effect. Hugo Wolf's "Kennst du das Land" longer, more involved, with greater variety of emotion, and a distinct dramatic undercurrent, brought out the gifts of the contralto in these directions.—New York Times, March 22, 1926.
45Mabel Ritch, an American contralto, sang at Aeolian Hall, presenting an international program. Her voice is of sympathetic quality, and she has considerable talent of an interpretive nature.—New York Evening World, March 22, 1926.
47Miss Ritch was warmly greeted on her second appearance here. She made a queenly appearance last night. The full, sweet tone quality of her voice never sounded better, and she had ample opportunity in her role to display its wide range. Her entire solo work was marked with an even tone throughout.—The Norwalk (Conn.) Hour, April 21, 1926.
49Miss Mabel Ritch, known to Norwalkers from her last appearance with the Mozart Society, was delightful, her rich mezzo soprano being by far the best Norwalk has ever heard.—The Norwalk (Conn.) Sentinel, April 21, 1926.
51With the Hartford Oratorio Society: Miss Mabel Ritch sang Amneris and carried her tremendous scene in the fourth act of the opera to a cumulative dramatic effect that brought her some of the heartiest and most spontaneous applause of the evening. Her voice was well used, her sense of dramatic values was shown in all she had to do and her whole interpretation of the character was good.—The Hartford Daily Courant, May 5, 1926.
53With the Hartford Oratorio Society: Miss Ritch, making her first appearance in this city, won many friends because of her artistic work. Her voice is a well placed contralto, of ample range, and of an unusually pleasing quality. Her dramatic interpretation of the role of Amneris was superb and her singing received the favorable comments which it deserved. She was letter perfect in her part, and on several occasions sang without the aid of the score.—The Hartford Daily Times, May 5, 1926.
55A young contralto, Mabel Ritch, sang a program of lyrics by German, French, Russian and American composers in Aeolian Hall yesterday afternoon disclosing a pleasing voice. There was pleasure to be had from her artistic seriousness and evident grasp of the character and spirit of what she sang.—New York Evening Telegram, March 22, 1926.
57Mabel Ritch, who has been heard here as soloist with chorus, gave an afternoon recital yesterday at Aeolian Hall, beginning in German with Brahms, Strauss and Wolf followed by Russian songs in English and German, and a group in French and English. Miss Ritch's singing suggested a good voice of good size. Miss Ritch sang her Russian numbers with much more fluency, better quality of tone and expression. Moussorgsky's Song of Khivira proved especially effective in a vivid rendering.—New York Herald Tribune, March 22, 1926.
59Management: R. E. JOHNSTON
611451 Broadway, New York
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