Books › Musical Courier 1927-01-06: Vol 94 Iss 1, 1927 › scan 33
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Musical Courier 1927-01-06: Vol 94 Iss 1, 1927
84 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 34. See the scan on archive.org.
1MUSIC ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE
3LOS ANGELES, CAL.
4Los Angeles, Cal.—The fourth "Pop" concert, December 12, drew the usual crowd. The Philharmonic Orchestra, under Walter Henry Rothwell, played a popular but classic program at the Philharmonic Auditorium. Opening with Bach's Prelude, Choral and Fugue, arranged by Abert, the orchestra wove a spell around the audience and called forth spontaneous and vociferous applause. The Saint-Saëns symphonic poem, No. 1, Le Rouet d'Omphale, op. 36, which followed, was even more popular and deservedly so for seldom does it receive so finished a presentation. The Goldmark Scherzo, op. 45, was heard very recently on a symphony program but was received with even louder acclaim than on the previous playing. The final number, Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture was performed in such a masterly manner that the very atmosphere of battle flowed over the hearers. The soloist of the day was Parish Williams, baritone, who sang two arias, one from Mozart's Don Giovanni and the other from Massenet's Herodiade. Mr. Williams made his musical start from Los Angeles. He has a full round voice, evently developed and uses it with a fine sense of tone values. He gave the impression of great reserve power and volume. He received a flattering amount of applause and finally sang Wagner's Evening Star as an encore. The orchestral accompaniments were beautifully submerged and gave fine support to the singer.
6L. E. Behymer presented Paul Kochanski, violinist, at the Philharmonic Auditorium, December 14, as the fifth artist of his Tuesday evening course. While practically a show program, calling for more technical virtuosity than temperament, the very old was balanced against the very new, with a nice sense of contrast. Technically there seemed to be no limit to what he could do with his "Strad," and in the Bach Concerto for the violin, with which he opened, and the Hebrew Melody by Achron later on, he showed a touch of the more soulful qualities of which he is master. Chant de Rozane and Notturno by Szymanowski, arranged by Kochanski, were attractive numbers, as were also four Stravinsky numbers dedicated to the violinist. The enthusiasm of the audience was generously rewarded with encores. Pierre Luboshutz was a remarkable accompanist. one of two readings
7L. E. Behymer presented Paul Kochanski, violinist, at the Philharmonic Auditorium, December 14, as the fifth artist of his Tuesday evening course. While practically a show program, calling for more technical virtuosity than temperament, the very old was balanced against the very new, with a nice sense of contrast. Technically there seemed to be no limit to what he could do with his "Strad," and in the Bach concerto for the violin, with which he opened, and the Hebrew Melody by Achron later on, he showed a touch of the more soulful qualities of which he is master. Chant de Rozane and Notturno by Szymanowski, arranged by Kochanski, were attractive numbers, as were also four Stravinsky numbers dedicated to the violinist. The enthusiasm of the audience was generously rewarded with encores. Pierre Luboshutz was a remarkable accompanist. one of two readings
9The Thursday Evening Artist Course, arranged by L. E. Behymer, had Julia Claussen as the attraction. She presented an impressive program and showed herself to be preeminent in both operatic style and as a recitalist, which is unusual. Her mezzo-soprano voice is sympathetic, resonant and powerful, and she sang two operatic arias in a masterly manner. Another highlight was her singing of Schubert's Erl-King, Jungfrau under Lind by Petersen-Berger, and Lijekon-valje by Palmgren. Two Scandinavian songs were also well received. The two Beethoven songs, Der Kuss and Wonne Der Schmuth, were beautifully sung. Alice Bracey Taylor was a more than adequate accompanist.
11The Los Angeles Trio gave a program of classic and modern composers at the Biltmore, the second of its eleventh season of chamber music, which upheld the high standard always maintained by this group. The program opened with Beethoven's Geistes Trio, No. 5, in D major, which was the most beautiful of the evening and was played with a reverential artistry which made a fine tribute to the master as was intended, commemorating the anniversary of his death. The trio consists of May MacDonald Hope, pianist; Ilya Bronson, cellist, and David Crockov, violinist.
13The Russian baritone, Vasily Gromakovsky, made his first American appearance at the Biltmore Ballroom, December 12, in a varied program. He had an audience consisting of the brightest social and musical lights of the city.
15Ernest Gonsales presented his pupils in an interesting program, December 14, at the Ebell Club Auditorium. They were assisted by several singers and a flutist.
17The presentation of Saint-Saëns's Christmas Oratorio as the annual Christmas program of the University Choral Club of the University of California, Southern Branch, took place at Millspaugh Auditorium under the direction of Squire Coop, head of the music department, on December 15. It was sung in the original Latin and the soloists were from the university.
19Grace Wood Jess, singer of folk songs in costume, sang recently in Glendale, Anaheim and Santa Anna.
21Fannie Dillon, pianist and composer, is in New York to hear the presentation of her new song cycle, Skylines and Silences.
23Margaret Arnold, artist-pupil of Francis Kendig, gave a difficult and well chosen program, December 11. B. L. H.
25SACRAMENTO, CAL.
26SACRAMENTO, CAL.—No more interesting factor in the growth of Sacramento is to be found than the McNeill Club, a male chorus which was organized thirty-nine years ago by John McNeill. This first concert of this season was especially interesting as, owing to the death of Percy Dow, the club's director for the past seven years, there was a new wielder of the baton in the person of one Frank T. Smith from our neighboring city, Stockton. This young and exceedingly enthusiastic musician holds the men in the hollow of his hand, and the ensemble bordered on perfection. There was a tonal quality and balance that have seldom been heard in this city. Smith knows his music and, what is more, he thoroughly captivates his men so that they anticipate and share to the utmost in his enthusiasm and seriousness. The violinist, Glen Halik, is from the faculty of the Music School of the College of the Pacific of Stockton. He is a cultured player and has a splendid technical equipment. In the Rondo Capriccioso of Saint-Saëns he gave full evidence of a thorough schooling and a gift of musical understanding.
28The first concert of the twelfth season of the Schubert Club took place at the Tuesday Club before a large audience. The club's new director, Henry L. Perry of San Francisco, chose for his initial bow to Sacramentoans Haydn's Creation and it was given an excellent reading with the regular membership of sixty-five voices. The special solos were taken by three visiting artists: Mrs. Lorna Larchmund, soprano; Hugh J. Williams, tenor, and Austin Black, bass, whose splendid singing and understanding of their work went a long way towards making the oratorio performance a thing long to be remembered. Perry is a calm and non-demonstrative leader who knows the work and gets his singers to respond to his wishes without need-
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39less show, yet he is imbued with fire and the utmost knowledge of grandeur and dynamics upon the proper occasions. Before the performance the audience was requested to stand during the playing of Handel's Largo on the huge pipe organ by the club's accompanist, Maude MacSwain and Mrs. Irvin Engler, in memory of the club's former director, Percy A. R. Dow, who died last summer.
41The ninth concert of the Sacramento Municipal Symphony Orchestra took place before an audience of about 1,600 people. Franz Dicks, who was formerly with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, has been the director ever since the orchestra started; in fact he was the father of a small organization which did such admirable work that the city management was struck with the idea of using it as a nucleus of a municipal organization with the present result, which is a great credit to this city. Dicks is popular with his players and is an untiring worker with them as the program well indicates. The orchestra numbers seventy players, who were assisted by Kajotan Attl, harpist of the San Francisco Symphony, and Mrs. Scott Goodrich, of Sacramento, contralto. Attl is a fine player and his solos were perfection in artistry. Mrs. Goodrich has a deep contralto which never fails to please her audiences. O.
43LONG BEACH, CAL.
44LONG BEACH, CAL.—Three concerts of unusual interest in less than twenty-four hours kept Long Beach music lovers on the jump trying to "cover" all three. The first of these, that of Emil Rousseau, French-American dramatic tenor, under the auspices of the Seven Arts Society of which Kathryn Coffield is manager, was held in the salon of the Virginia Hotel, December 1. Mr. Rousseau, with Ralph Bennett as accompanist, presented a varied and interesting program of modern songs. Mr. Rousseau's interpretation was at all times interesting, and his voice was both pleasing and under good control. A number of clever little encores and a group of piano numbers by Mr. Bennett rounded the program.
46The second of the Long Beach Philharmonic concerts, under the management of L. D. Frey, brought Julia Claussen to the Municipal Auditorium to be greeted by an almost capacity house. Mme. Claussen's first appearance in Long Beach will be by no means her last, judging from the enthusiastic response to her beautiful singing. She surprised all hearers with the range and beauty of her voice.
48The third session of the Opera Reading Club of Long Beach, with Dr. Conrad Nagel as lecturer-pianist, heard a remarkable interpretation of Samson et Delilah (Saint-Saëns) with Mrs. James Cox Savery as the chief attraction in the role of Delilah. Dan Gridley was an able Samson; Rolla Alford, tenor, High Priest of Dagon, and Frank Gieger, basso, Abimelech and the old Hebrew. Mrs. Savery's rendition of the lovely arias was most artistic and sung clearly and sympathetically.
50Ethel Hall Dickey is now in charge of the piano department of the Virginia School.
52The Cadman Choral Club, Rolla Alford director, presented The Sunset Trail, Charles Wakefield Cadman's two-act opera, December 3, at the Immanuel Baptist Church. Eva Anderson was in charge of the orchestra and Captain Weims was stage director.
54Ruth Foster Herman, contralto, and Larelle Latourette Chae, pianist, were joint hostesses at a recent musical studio tea. They were assisted by Gladys Whitman of Los Angeles, interpretive reader and pianist. Different European countries were represented in the groups of selections offered.
56M. T. H.
58PORTLAND, ORE.
59PORTLAND, Ore.—Paul Kochanski, violinist, played Tchaikovsky's D major concerto, with the Portland Symphony Orchestra on December 6, Willem van Hoogstraten conducting. The violinist drew many enthusiastic recalls. Strauss' tone poem, Death and Transfiguration, also was admirably conducted by Mr. van Hoogstraten. Other well liked numbers were Smetana's overture to The Bartered Bride, two movements from Goldmark's first symphony and Tchaikovsky's March Slav. As usual the Public Auditorium was crowded.
61The Ukrainian National Chorus, Alexander Koschetz, director, won a real ovation at the Public Auditorium, December 10. The chorus, which was brought here by the Elwyn Concert Bureau, reminds one of a large organ playing beautiful melodies. Max Pollikoff, an excellent violinist, and his accompanist, Joseph Barsky, assisted.
63Albert Spalding, violinist, appearing in the Elwyn Artist Series, scored another success at the Public Auditorium. With Andre Benoist at the piano, Mr. Spalding offered Brahms' sonata in D minor. The whole program was an artistic treat.
65Lucrezia Bori, Metropolitan soprano, booked by the Elwyn Concert Bureau, met with a demonstrative reception at the Public Auditorium. Two effective numbers were Schubert's Mio Ben Ricordati and the aria from Charpentier's Louise. Frederick Bristol was the accompanist.
67J. R. O.
69BERKELEY, CAL.
70BERKELEY, CAL.—The second concert of the San Francisco Symphony Series was given in Harmon Gymnasium, Alfred Hertz conducting. The Eroica Symphony of Beethoven opened the program, followed by Wagner's Waldweben. The Mendelssohn Ruy Blas Overture concluded the program.
72The Berkeley Piano Club gave a program of Eighteenth Century music with Seta Stewart, Elizabeth Simpson, Mrs. John Chandler and Mrs. Orrin McMurray as soloists. At a later date the club offered a Slavic program, featuring two piano numbers from Rachmaninoff and Arensky, and vocal duets from Rubinstein.
74Mischa Elman and his string quartet opened the Berkeley Musical Association series of winter concerts. A capacity audience welcomed this new organization with enthusiasm.
76Lawrence Strauss, just returned from flattering appearances abroad, gave a song recital at the Berkeley Playhouse. The program opened with a Brahms group and closed with six ultra-modern compositions in English, which Mr. Strauss interpreted with rare intelligence and feeling. Elizabeth Alexander was an excellent accompanist.
78Compositions by Josephine Crew Aylwin and Derrick Norman Lehmer were given on a program arranged by Elizabeth Simpson for the League of American Penwomen at the Berkeley Piano Club. Mrs. Aylwin's compositions were played by Mertiana Towler and Orley See, while Mr. Lehmer interpreted his own songs which are founded on Indian themes.
80H. M. R.
82LODI, CAL.
83LODI, CAL.—On December 6 in the High School Auditorium, the Lodi Oratorio Society gave its third annual presentation of Handel's Messiah before a delighted audience. To quote the Lodi News, "There were 160 singers, grouped in four divisions according to their voices; thirty-four musicians in the Symphony Orchestra, which played the accompaniments, and J. Russell Bodley, director. There was perfect discipline. Every shading in tempo and tone,
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