Books › Musical Courier 1927-04-28: Vol 94 Iss 17, 1927 › scan 16
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Musical Courier 1927-04-28: Vol 94 Iss 17, 1927
82 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. Printed page 17. See the scan on archive.org.
1April 28, 1927
3NEW YORK CONCERTS
5Bauer and Gabrilowitsch
6A most dignified, gratifying, and artistically enjoyable evening was extended by Messrs. Bauer and Gabrilowitsch with their recital for two pianos, at Aeolian Hall.
7At lengthy, all too lengthy intervals, this pair of accomplished pianists, gives a joint concert of that kind, and it always proves to be a rare treat for devotees of the keyboard.
8On the present occasion, the keen anticipations of the representative audience were realized to the full, especially in the Schumann Andante and Variations, one of the most charmingly lyrical of all that composer's works. The tidbit was presented with rare tonal and musical charm by the coupled pianistic artists.
9Opening the program was a finely made Bauer arrangement of Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C minor, delivered in clarified and elevated fashion.
10Other impressive performances were those of Beethoven's D major Sonata, and Mozart's F minor Fantasia (both played in duet form, on one piano), Schubert's Andantino Varié and Rondo (arranged by Bauer), Arensky's Le Revue, and Saint-Saëns' Scherzo.
11Applause in volume followed every item on the program, and additional pieces had to be added.
13Genevieve McKenna
14Genevieve McKenna, soprano, gave a highly dramatic and tuneful recital at Aeolian Hall on April 20. Miss McKenna's chief assets are a voice of clear and unaffected beauty and a fine sense of dramatic values, combined with a rarely sympathetic understanding. Her program was well chosen and consisted of the Abscheulicher aria, from Beethoven's Fidelio, and numbers by Schumann, Schubert, Wolf, Bach, Haydn, Pergolesi, Mozart, Hughes, and Carey. Her voice showed to special advantage in the lieder, to which her careful vocal production and attention to the meaning of the composer gave unusual fidelity. A special feature was the rendering of a group of numbers by Christiana Kriens—Le Livre de la vie, Vision, Love in April, and I Hear a Lark at Dawning. The composer took the role of accompanist in this group. These simple songs were exceedingly well received, the composer taking several bows with the artist. Miss McKenna's excellent vocal placement showed to particular advantage in Mozart's Porgi Amor where her fine control and admirable legato style made a gem of this rendition. Except for the Kriens number her accompanist was Richard Fuchs-Jerin, who displayed considerable ability and discretion.
16Oratorio Society: Bach's B Minor Mass
17The Oratorio Society of New York wound up its season on April 21 in glorious style, drawing an audience that taxed the capacity of Carnegie Hall. The subject was the lofty and grandiose B minor Mass of Bach, probably the most imposing and exalted contribution to sacerdotal musical literature ever written. The opus is over two hundred years old, although the exact date of its completion, evidently the labor of years, has never been exactly determined. This, so far as it is known, was the first complete rendition ever given in New York. The performance employed the full chorus of two hundred voices of the Oratorio Society and a group of instrumental soloists including Mischa Mischakoff, violin; J. Berv, English horn; Meredith Willson, flute; Michel Nazzi, oboe; Gustav F. Heim, trumpet; Charles Baker, cembalo; Hugh Porter, organ, and the orchestra of the Symphony Society of New York. The soloists were Mildred Faas, soprano; Mabel Beddoe, contralto; Lewis James, tenor, and Horace Stevens, baritone-bass.
18This magnificent work had been in rehearsal since early last fall, and the fact that this time has been spent to good advantage was reflected in the results. The performance swept majestically from the passion of the opening Kyrie Eleison through the acknowledgment of sin, and the exposition of the great Credo and profession of faith, ending in the supplicant humility of the Agnus Dei "have mercy upon us, grant us peace." The performance was marked throughout by a touching honesty and sincerity, a profound artistry of interpretation that welded chorus and soloists together by the universality of its plea.
19The bulk of the work fell upon the chorus which was a finely attuned and sensitive instrument under the hand of the conductor. Instant discipline, restraint, and superb tonality were constant through all the amazing convolutions and embroideries of the Bachian text. No more beautiful choral music has ever been written than the Crucifixus, deeply emotional and reverential, which afforded so impressive a contrast with the lively, joyousness of the Resurrexit.
20The soloists were also well chosen. Miss Faas has a clear, fresh soprano, delightfully untrammeled and vibrant with life. Miss Beddoe, whose role was perhaps the heaviest of the vocal soloists, displayed to good advantage a voice of true contralto quality, pure, resonant, and easily compassing the very considerable range her parts called for. Lewis James needs no words of praise for those who know him, but on this occasion he deserves especial mention. His singing of the Benedictus was one of the highlights of a remarkable performance. His vocal work was lyrical to the point of ecstasy, and his artistry impeccable. Horace Stevens also possesses a remarkable voice, ranging tremendously in true baritone quality with a true and sonorous lower register. He, too, should be heard more often.
21No report of this momentous occasion would be complete without due acknowledgment for the extraordinary labors and painstaking care of Albert Stoessel, of whose task the conducting of the public performance constituted only a tithe. The performance was given in two parts, starting at 5:30 with an intermission from 7:00 to 8:30 and ending at 9:45.
23Haarlem Philharmonic Society
24The season's closing concert of the Haarlem Philharmonic Society, held on April 21, in the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, was an auspicious event as it had for soloists Rosa Raisa and Giacomo Rimini. These two artists, owing to the fact that they are constantly associated with the Chicago Opera, seldom sing in the East, so that music lovers were afforded a real treat in this local appearance. Mme. Raisa opened the program with the aria from Ernani, Ernani Involami. From the first her voice was rich and powerful. It is obvious that time of day has no challenge for this glorious singer and the early hours of the morning—the dread of most singers—offer her no occasion for short breath or flat notes. Mr. Rimini followed with the Cavatina from the Barber of Seville, given in his own inimitable manner. The soprano then offered two English numbers and the first part of the program closed with an exquisite rendition of the duet from Don Pasquale. The second part listed the aria Casta Diva from Norma; Tears, Gretchaninoff, and the aria from Tchaikowsky's Pique Dame for Raisa, and the duet from Don Giovanni as a closing number. The Tchaikowsky number was an extraordinary achievement of vocal artistry and interpretation, while the Bellini aria showed the fine agility of this limitless singer. The delightful rendition of the Mozart duet brought forth such enthusiasm from the audience that two more such numbers were granted. In fact, during the entire concert both artists were more than generous with encores. It seems so superfluous to speak in an analytical way of the art of these singers. Their art is internationally known and recognized and it scales such heights that eulogy is the only proper form of criticism, and even that has its limits. Suffice it to say that they are a constant joy and their appearance always means a full house.
26Rose Ferris
27Another artist from the studio of Hilda Grace Gelling made her debut at Steinway Hall on April 21. Although this was Miss Ferris' first New York recital she has given programs in various parts of the country and also has appeared as church soloists. In a program which ranged from numbers by Pergolesi and Handel, to a group by more modern composers, and included German and French groups as well as an operatic aria, Miss Ferris displayed a naturally beautiful lyric soprano voice which is true to pitch. The chief criticism which might be made is that she did not relax sufficiently, forget her audience, and lose herself in her music. That she is capable of doing all this was evidenced by the fact that her singing improved as the program progressed and she became "warmed up" to her audience. She received enthusiastic applause and many flowers and gave a number of encores. Margaret Notz was a sympathetic accompanist.
29American Academy of Arts and Letters
30A concert of American music by American artists was given at Carnegie Hall on April 22, under the auspices of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. The artists were Martha Atwood, soprano; Francis Macmillen, violinist; Ernest Schelling, pianist. The orchestra was The American Orchestral Society, and the conductors were Chalmers Clifton and Henry Hadley. The program included Chadwick's Melpomene Overture, youthful and exuberant but "dated"; Loeffler's Memories of Childhood (Life in a Russian Village), a queer mixture of Loeffler's own well-known style and modernistic additions; Hadley's splendid tone poem, Lucifer, which stirred the audience to rapturous applause and showed Hadley's amazing orchestral mastery at its best; songs by Powell, Kelley, Bauer and
32MUSICAL COURIER
34Solid Bookings and Return Engagements
35Spell Success
37SEÑOR DON JOSÉ MOJICA
38Tenor
39Chicago Civic Opera
40Ravinia Opera
41Bookings from Oct. 1, 1926 to Oct. 1, 1927
42*Return Engagements
43Oct. 15 Santa Rosa, California.
4416 Eureka
4519 San Francisco
4620 Long Beach
4724 Waukesha, Wisconsin.
48Oct. 25 to Mar. 23
49Chicago Civic Opera
50Nov. 8 Chicago (Mrs. Frank Barbour Private Musicale.)
5111 Chicago (Fortnightly Club.)
5228 Chicago (Henry J. Patten, Casino Club.)
53*Mar. 31 Chicago (Starret School.)
54April 1 Chicago (Woodlawn Park Church.)
554 Washington, Pennsylvania.
567 Bowling Green, Kentucky.
578 Hopkinsville,
5811 Denton, Texas.
59*Return Engagements
60Oct. 14 Durant, Oklahoma.
6117 Chicago (South Shore Country Club.)
6218 Springfield, Illinois.
6321 Amarillo, Texas.
6426 Ripon, Wisconsin.
6528 Quincy, Illinois.
66May 4 Boulder, Colorado.
676 Pueblo,
68May 7 to June 15
69Touring Mexico
70June 19 to Sept. 6
71Ravinia Opera
72Recording for Victor Talking Machine Co.
73Sept. 7 to Sept. 14
74*Sept. 19 Casper, Wyoming.
7526 Waukesha, Wisconsin.
7628 Decatur, Illinois.
7730 Tulsa, Oklahoma.
7848 Edison Recordings
79Mgt. CLARENCE E. CRAMER, Auditorium Bldg., Chicago
80After Oct. 1st, 1927—CIVIC CONCERT SERVICE, Inc., Auditorium Bldg., Chicago
81Red Seal Victor Records
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