Scan 4
Musical Courier 1927-05-05: Vol 94 Iss 18, 1927
50 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. Printed page 5. See the scan on archive.org.
1GODOWSKY AND ELMAN ACCLAIMED IN PARIS AFTER LONG ABSENCE
3Myra Hess, Szigeti and Balokovic Among Other Recital Givers
5PARIS.—Godowsky's recital at the Grand Opera House was the most important musical event before the Easter holidays, according to my way of thinking, important because of the artistic value of the performance. The program, however, consisted of Chopin only. Those critics who believe that an interesting or important program should consist of new compositions, may find this Chopin recital unworthy of much attention. Evidently the public thought otherwise; for the Opera House was packed to the upper gallery with a most demonstrative audience.
7Godowsky was obliged to add about twenty extra numbers to the printed list, and when I left the building at a quarter to midnight the unsatisfied crowd was still shouting and clapping for more. No pianist could have a more royal reception from a republican public.
9Mischa Elman, who has no superior as a producer of beautiful tone from a violin, returned to Paris after a long absence, and played to an over-crowded house at his first recital. Salle Gaveau, in fact, could not have contained a larger audience. I had the greatest difficulty in pushing myself into the dense mass of human beings. I abandoned all hope of reaching my seat, and I stood in the aisle for half an hour. Elman's admirers brought him back to the platform until the managers of the hall began to turn the lights off after half past eleven.
11MYRA HESS AND YOURA GULLER
13Myra Hess came over from London to play Mozart's D minor piano concerto with the Lamoureux Orchestra in the Salle Gaveau. The piano certainly sounds better in this legitimate concert hall than it sounded in the Châtelet Theater, where Myra Hess played Beethoven's G major concerto a few months ago. This truly delightful artist has a host of admirers in Paris, and her reception was exceedingly warm.
15On the following day Youra Guller played the piano part of the Beethoven G major concerto in the same Châtelet Theater where Myra Hess had played it on another occasion. All I can say is that I am glad that the Pleyel house is building a new and capacious concert hall in Paris. A theater, with a background of canvas scenery for a sound board, takes all the life and brightness out of even an orchestral performance, to say nothing about the finer tones of a soloist. The new hall will be ready for service by the end of the present season.
17STRARAM CONCERTS FLOURISH
19The Straram orchestral concerts continue to flourish. The public supports them and manifests enthusiasm for the conductor who has acquired additional authority over his men, and has trained his orchestra into a sensitive and unanimous body of performers. Beethoven's Leonore No. 3 and Stravinsky's Chant du Rossignol were greatly appreciated by the audience.
21Mark Hambourg gave three piano recitals in the Salle des Agriculteurs without attracting very large audiences. The programs were full of interest, nevertheless, and served to show the admirable technical skill of the performer. The first program consisted of fantasias, the second contained nothing but sonatas and etudes, and the third was made up of variations and dances. Hambourg's flamboyant manner of playing was at its best in Beethoven's Appassionata, and in Brahms' Paganini Variations. According to my way of thinking, his Chopin was the least satisfactory part of any of the programs.
23BELGIAN COMPOSITIONS
25I went to the Salle Comedia, for a concert consisting of three sonatas by Belgian composers. They were written for violin and piano by Joseph Jongen, Albert Huybrechts, and Francois Rasse, and were played by Antoinette Veluard and Jacques Bricteux. The program said that the works were of the Belgian school, but I could hear nothing which distinguished those sonatas from the works of any modern school.
27The small audience which attended did not manifest much enthusiasm, even for the sonata by Huybrechts, who carried off the Coolidge prize in 1926, and the Ojai Valley (California) prize.
29Laurence Whipp, organist of the American pro-cathedral in Avenue Georges V, gives recitals from time to time which invariably attract very large audiences. I doubt if any concert hall in Paris, with the exception of the Trocadéro, could hold the music lovers who flock to the Whipp recitals. The organ is very fine, and the organist is a past master of his art. He could be still more effective if he had a more incisive rhythm and exchanged some of his sentiment for a dash of vitality. I found his Bach playing in particular to be devoid of the sustained vigor and pulse poser," otherwise Ludwig van Beethoven, that I spent the centenary of his death in meditation far from concert halls, pianos, orchestras and choral societies. CLARENCE LUCAS.
31LINDSBORG, KAN., HOLDS FORTY-SIXTH FESTIVAL
33Well Known Soloists Participate—Choral Programs a Feature—Bethany Symphony Orchestra Delights—Contest Winners Announced
35LINDSBORG, KANS.—Sophie Braslau opened Lindborg's forty-sixth annual music festival with a magnificent recital. She has a glorious voice capable of wide range of expression coupled with dramatic powers of unusual intensity which lend interest to her interpretations. The program was heavy and much of it serious in character. Miss Braslau was warmly applauded and responded with several encores. Her accompanist, Louise Linder, is a very capable artist.
37The Bethany Oratorio Society, in the three renditions on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, was in fine form. Mighty climaxes in the Hallelujah and Amen choruses rang out in clarion tones, while such choruses as Worthy Is The Lamb, and Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs were imbued with pathos and religious fervor. Hagbard Brase directed with assurance and conviction, giving a broad and noble interpretation. The Bethany Symphony Orchestra, with Arthur Uhe as concertmaster and Arvid Wallin at the organ, shared honors with the chorus. Jennie Peterson, Chicago soprano, was at her best in the aria, Come Unto Him, and in Rejoice Greatly her voice also showed considerable flexibility. Emma Hart, contralto of St. Louis, sang expressively He Shall Feed His Flock, and He Was Despised. Luther Mott of Bethany College did commendable work in the two solos, Darkness Shall Cover the Earth, and The People That Walketh in Darkness. George Rasely, tenor of New York City, was consistently good in all his solos, singing with authority and sympathetic understanding.
39Jennie Peterson appeared recently in a varied program. She has a good voice and sings intelligently. The audience was especially well pleased with the Scandinavian group. Oscar Thorsen accompanied efficiently on the piano.
41Concerts by the Bethany Symphony Orchestra are always looked forward to with pleasure. The personnel of the orchestra is derived from several sources: Arthur Uhe, head of the violin department of Bethany College, supplies from his class all the material for the violin section; Hjalmar Wetterstrom, brass and cello sections; Walter Brown, woodwind, and in addition several citizens of the community have taken up special instruments and enjoy being members of the orchestra. Mr. Wetterstrom as conductor has done fine work with the organization. In a concert given recently Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony was the main number. Emma Hart contributed several songs which were well received and Arvid Wallin played the accompaniments in good style.
43Bethany Band has the distinction of being the institution's oldest and one of its most useful musical organizations, as it serves the community in various ways on many important occasions. Mr. Wetterstrom has been conductor for almost a score of years.
45In the last concert offered by the Band he again showed his ability as one who knows the resources at his command and the best manner of using them. Mr. Wetterstrom is an accomplished cornetist and on this occasion played a solo proficiently. Jennie Peterson gave a group of songs which added to the attractions of the program and which were much appreciated.
47Arthur Uhe and Arvid Wallin, of the Bethany Fine Arts faculty, appeared in recital, their program offering two of the most interesting sonatas in violin and piano literature. Opening with the famous Kreutzer Sonata by Beethoven, the two performers showed a grasp of the content which was highly satisfying, both technically and artistically. In the sonata, op. 58, Chopin, Mr. Wallin did fine work, especially in the scherzo. The Liszt numbers were also well played. Mr. Uhe gave a broad reading of the final number, Praeludium and Allegro, Pugnani-Kreisler. The audience was enthusiastic, recalling the performers several times.
49Emma Hart and George Rasely presented an interesting program at their recital. Mrs. Hart has a pleasing voice and interprets musically. The group of songs by Brahms,
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.