Scan 8
Musical Courier 1926-07-08: Vol 93 Iss 2, 1926
72 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. Printed page 9. See the scan on archive.org.
1July 8, 1926
3GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
5GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.—Before a delighted audience which filled the Armory to overflowing, Marion Talley made her first appearance in Michigan on June 7, under the auspices of the Mary Free Bed Guild. If there was a fear that she might have been overpraised, a doubt as to the possibilities of her future success, it was dispelled with the rendition of her first aria. Her youth and charm, the beauty and freshness of her voice, her poise and sincerity and her evident devotion to her art made a sympathetic appeal to her auditors. She was generous with her program, giving five groups and numerous encores. Assisting was Maximilian Rose, violinist; who played four solos, and Emil Polak, pianist, who played excellent accompaniments.
7Following its custom of supporting every worthwhile musical project in the city, the St. Cecilia Society is conducting a drive for sustaining members and subscribers to the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra series of 1926-27. Prizes will be given for salesmanship and a contest for an orchestra slogan is being held in the public schools. Clara H. Davis is chairman of the sixteen team leaders and Mrs. E. J. MacMillan is chairman of tickets. The society closed its active season with the annual spring luncheon, the program following being given by Olive Tuller Wetzel, pianist, and Mrs. F. A. Montelius, contralto, who contributed two solo groups each. Mrs. Wetzel also played the Mendelssohn G minor piano concerto, with the orchestral arrangement for second piano played by Augusta Rasch Hake. Eloise Vahey, Louise Miller and other pupils of Belle Chamberlain, gave three examples of Music Visualization as taught by Ruth St. Denis. They were accompanied by Mrs. Lueve Parcell, and the accompanist for Mrs. Montelius was Mrs. Joseph Putnam. Mrs. Frank Lusk was chairman of the day.
9Grand Rapids' singing organizations have won several state prizes recently. At the annual Michigan Intercollegiate Glee Club contest, held in Detroit, the Junior College Girls' Glee Club, directed by Karl Wecker, won fourth place. Hope College Girls' Glee Club, under the direction of Mrs. William J. Fenton, won third place, afterwards giving concerts in Detroit and Holland. In the state High School contest held in Lansing, Grand Rapids South High won first for girls' glee club, boys' glee club and mixed chorus, all these directed by Bessie Lindley; also first in band, orchestra and string quartet, all led by Leon Metcalf. This is the first school in the state to win first prizes in every event. Grand Rapids Union won first in boys' glee club and mixed chorus. Seconds were won by Grand Rapids Sacred Heart String Quartet and Girls' Glee Club, and by Grand Rapids St. Mary's Girls' Glee Club and Boys' Glee Club. In the high school district contest held at Kalamazoo State Normal, Grand Rapids Union took three firsts and one second, in boys' glee club, girls' glee club, mixed chorus and string ensemble. First in string ensemble was Grand Rapids South, which also won third in boys' glee club, and second for girls' glee club and mixed chorus. Grand Rapids Central won first in orchestra, and Grand Rapids Sacred Heart took first in girls' glee club and second in string ensemble. Winner also of the Chicago American Conservatory gold medal was Martha Barkema, soprano, former pupil of Mrs. William J. Fenton.
11The Schumann Women's Chorus, Reese Veatch director, gave its seventh annual concert in St. Cecilia Auditorium. The chorus, consisting of about forty well-blended voices, is particularly to be commended for beautiful tone-quality and excellent diction and shadings. Besides the chorus numbers in which incidental solos were sung by Henrietta De Vries and Mrs. Kenneth Clark, sopranos, solo groups were contributed by Mrs. Clark, and Irene Sherpness, contralto, as well as a trio by Mrs. Clark, Miss Sherpness and Bertha Beyers. Mrs. Gerrit Van Ringeleysteyn, a member of the chorus, played several violin numbers. Chorus as well as soloists responded to numerous encores. Hazel Muir Watkins gave excellent support at the piano.
13The Schubert Club, a male chorus under the leadership of Glenn Cliffe Bainum, gave its final concert of the season in Central High School. Soloists were Etta Eikenhout, soprano; Jacob Smits, tenor, and Charles Bell, violinist. Incidental solos were sung by Herman Gessler, tenor, and Fred Caro, bass. The accompanists were Chester Berger and John Kuizenga.
15The final meeting of the Delphian Society was held in the Ladies' Library Club House. A program, consisting of American poems set to music by American composers, was given by Myrtle Koon Cherryman, reader and president of the club; Mrs. James R. Sanderson and Mrs. Kenneth Clark, sopranos; Clayton Moon and Harold Zimmerman, baritones; Lynn Clark, tenor, and Helen Baker Rowe, accompanist.
17Anna Schulte, organist and choir director of St. Anthony's Church, gave an organ recital in St. Mark's Pro-Cathedral. She was assisted by Richard Johnson.
19The Belding Choral Union, led by J. Jans Helder, gave a concert at East Congregational Church. Solos were sung by Mr. and Mrs. Helder. The program was repeated in Ionia, Lowell, Belding and Rockford.
21Nellie Goss presented the pupils of Central High music department in a concert. Combined glee clubs and choruses numbered about 300 voices. Solos were sung by Ruth Smits, Tys Terwey, Jack Strong and Donald Glanz. Palmer Quackenbush and Kazimir Bobczynski furnished violin numbers and at the piano were Harriet De Kruyster, Dorothy Chapin and Helen Reinhard.
23Pupils' recitals have been given by the Grand Rapids Conservatory of Music, by Vera Rogers, Marguerite Colwell, Bertha Seckel, Marie Estabrook, Mary Lourena Davis, Edith Sanders, Mrs. Clyde Tuller and Blanche Fox Steenman, teachers of piano; Bertha Bradford Murphy, vocal instructor, and Albin Preusse, teacher of violin.
25Rowland Dunham, acting organist at Fountain St. Baptist Church during the absence in Europe of the regular organist, Emory Gallup, has accepted a position at Youngstown, Ohio, as organist at the First Presbyterian Church.
27Marie Louise McGraw has left to complete a term of European study on the harp.
29Kidney-Heinrich School Commencement
31The Kidney-Heinrich Normal School of Dance Arts, Karl Heinrich, director, held its fifth annual commencement exercises and kermess in the Alvin Theater, Pittsburgh, Pa., June 1 and 2. Artist-pupils presented an interesting program of solo and ensemble divertissements, including toe, character, Oriental, interpretive, national, classic, Russian and ballet. Graduates of this school are appearing throughout the country in dance recitals, opera, vaudeville and in motion pictures, and that they are successful is evident from the many testimonials of appreciation received by the school. A summer course is being conducted from June 14 to July 9, the instruction including a daily lesson, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday.
33Philharmonic Society of San Mateo County Gives Concert
35SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.—In the heart of the hills, not more than twenty-five miles from San Francisco, is a place called Hillsborough. Hillsborough is in San Mateo County which is adjacent to San Francisco County. The Philharmonic Society of San Mateo County has engaged the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra for a series of eight concerts to be given in the Hillsborough School grounds during the summer months. These concerts are to be directed by several eminent conductors among whom already announced are Nikolai Sokoloff, Henry Hadley, Ossip Gabrilowitsch, and Alfred Hertz. The first of these al fresco symphony concerts took place June 13 and attracted about 1,500 from Hillsborough's neighboring territory. It was a glorious day and in every respect the concert proved its equal with Nikolai Sokoloff, conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, directing. With the exception of one selection, Respighi's Fountains of Rome, Mr. Sokoloff gave familiar numbers, including Beethoven's Leonore Overture, which opened the program, the Cesar Frank Symphony in D minor and the Marche Slav of Tchaikowsky. Mr. Sokoloff revealed himself not only proficient in the technic of conducting but as a musician of authority and poise whose artistic concepts are broad and noble. The masterpiece of the afternoon was the Respighi work to which Mr. Sokoloff gave great attention to detail, color and climax. Particularly lovely was the fourth movement which became sheer poetry under his baton. The Marche Slav was conceived in its true spirit, given with rhythmic precision, strength and emotional expression. The San Francisco Symphony, an orchestra of great virtuosity, has been admirably disciplined, and gave evidence of excellent finish and great virility. With this remarkably fine body of players, Mr. Sokoloff was enabled to attain his magnificent results.
37C. H. A.
39Adolph M. Foerster Honored
41The Musicians' Club of Pittsburgh honored Adolph M. Foerster, dean of Pittsburgh composers, by giving a concert on June 4 devoted to his compositions. The selections included works for organ, piano, string quartet and trio, as well as numerous songs and songs with violin obbligato, all of which were presented by excellent artists. According to Harvey Gaul: "If there is one quality that characterizes Adolph Foerster's compositions, it is his intensity, his manifest sincerity. One never feels that he is writing a theme to make fiesta for some prima donna; he never touches off cadenzasque blah just to furnish applause for a player. For all his obvious classicism, he has his tuneful moments, as to wit the opening of the D major trio and the piano solos, and in the main they are excellent bits of tune spinning." Mr. Gaul also paid tribute to the composer by stating that "It was no gracious gesture on the part of the performers to assist in the program, but an expression of genuine gratitude that we have a man like Foerster here."
43Mr. Foerster was born in Pittsburgh and has spent most of his life there, active as teacher, conductor and composer. His compositions, both large and small works, have been heard and enjoyed throughout the country.
45Eurythmics at the Cornish School
47The Cornish School of Seattle was the scene of a recent interesting exhibition of Dalcroze Eurythmics under the direction of Wallace Dow and Berthe Ponye Dow, pianist. Seventy-five pupils of the Dows took part in the demonstration which was held on the Cornish lawn.
49"He sang on and on with rippling ease and with marvelous tonal coloring. The audience completely capitulated to him."
51—Elgin Daily Courier.
53Pettis Thanks American Composers
55Ashley Pettis wishes to thank the many composers that have sent him MSS. at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, in response to his request for new American piano compositions. The number received has been so great that it is impossible to thank each composer individually, but Mr. Pettis intends to give all the compositions received his serious consideration during the summer months and will select the most suitable for future performance.
57Edwin Hughes' Master Class Recital
59The first of a series of summer master class recitals under the direction of Edwin Hughes was given at his studio on June 29 by Lewis Lane. Mr. Lane is a young pianist, but a most talented one. He has all the ear marks of a matured artist, not only in his playing but also in his attitude and obvious assurance. His playing is on a lofty scale which entails a firm, big touch and a dexterous execution. His program listed a Bach prelude and fugue in B flat minor, Beethoven's sonata in D minor, Schumann's Vienna Carnival, and selections by Schubert-Liszt, Chopin, Mendelssohn and Rubinstein. Mr. Lane's playing would doubtless be still more impressive if heard in a large auditorium, as his tone is at times almost overpowering; there would then be more opportunity for the listener to enjoy climaxes and contrasts. Mr. Lane had a most cordial and representative audience, and to his listed numbers he had to add several encores.
61Portanova in New Hampshire
63Vincenzo Portanova will spend the summer at his new home in Twin Mountains, N. H., re-opening his New York vocal studios on September 15.
65HEAR EMERSON ABERNETHY BARITONE who has been engaged to give three unique programs over WMAQ, Daily News, Chicago
67Program 1. July 9th at 9:00 P. M. German Lieder.
68Program 2. Aug. 20th at 9:00 P. M. Classic and Modern French.
69Program 3. Sept. 17th at 9:00 P. M. Old and Modern Italian.
71ELSIE ALEXANDER at the Piano
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