Books › Musical Courier 1927-10-27: Vol 95 Iss 17, 1927 › scan 34
Scan 34
Musical Courier 1927-10-27: Vol 95 Iss 17, 1927
102 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 35. See the scan on archive.org.
1THE PICK OF THE PUBLICATIONS
3(J. Fischer & Bro., New York)
5Miladie, a Cavalier suite, by J. W. Clockey.—Mr. Clockey has arranged this music for two tenors and a bass, with accompaniment of piano string quartet or string orchestra as preferred. The poems are by Willis K. Jones, and the separate titles are as follows: A Hopeless Plea, April Showers, A Star, Lines with a Rose, and Unrequited Love. The character of the music is cleverly imitated from the old English idiom, and the tunes are unusually good. The composer has instilled variety into the several numbers of which the suite is comprised, so that the various pieces may be used in sequence. Each one could, however, be used effectively alone. The entire suite is an effective and welcome addition to American part-song literature.
7(White-Smith Music Publishing Co., New York)
9Distant Chimes, a piece for pipe organ, by Frederick N. Shackley.—The chime effect is introduced alone at the beginning of this piece, and a substitute advised for use of other stops if chimes are not available. The melody is made from the chimes, which are used here and there with tasteful restraint throughout. At the end of the piece the chimes are again used alone, and the music dies away with soft chords on the swell or echo organ. The melody is good, and the entire construction of the piece effective. It will appeal not only to church organists but to organists in picture houses as well.
11Rex Gloriae (Holy, Holy, Holy), a piece for pipe organ by George Henry Day.—As befits the sentiment of the words, the music begins with full organ with mixtures and reeds, fortissimo. The opening phrase is strong, vigorous and impressive, and it is a comfort to find that the composer does not fill in his pauses between the opening phrase and its repeat with rhythmic notes (as a composer of less refinement of taste would be sure to do). A second theme is introduced, immediately after the first eight bars, of an altogether different character, and set upon a chromatic foundation. This offers excellent relief to the beginning, and is terminated with some very effective short passages in imitation leading back to the dominant and thence to a repetition of the opening with some alterations in the design of the arrangement. This portion ends with a broad fortissimo which is followed by a pianissimo variation of the opening subject. There is then a gradual increase to the final resumption of the original phrase in the tonic. Music of unusual excellence and nobility!
13(Lincoln MacVeagh, The Dial Press, New York)
15The Schumanns and Johannes Brahms, The Memoirs of Eugenie Schumann.—It is the opinion of the reviewer that the less we know about the lives of the great classic composers, the more we like their music. This is not to imply that there is anything wrong with the lives of the great classic composers as compared with the lives of the average man or woman of their day or ours. But music is something which seems to stand so far superior to anything that is possible in human intercourse that it is best left on its own exalted plane of almost divine beauty, and not sullied and besmirched by the touch of the sordid ugliness of life.
17It will be seen from this introductory paragraph that the reviewer is not in sympathy with biographical works about the great classical musicians, and although this book by the daughter of Schumann is evidently a work of supremely great love, devotion and veneration, it still leaves in the mind an impression of regret that it should ever have been written, just as one must regret that Schumann was forced by circumstances to live the kind of a life that he did live, and that it should have brought him to an unhappy end.
19The author of this book was the seventh of Schumann's eight children. She was born in 1851, and she began writing her memoirs in 1920, when she was nearly seventy years of age. In the introduction she says that when she began to write the memoirs she was guided by a definite intention: to correct erroneous statements current concerning the lives and characters of her brothers. The work thus begun was extended and became the book now published in English translation.
21The book, however, concerns itself little with Brahms, although his name is on the title page, and still less with Schumann. It is a long series of rather wandering personal recollections of Eugenie's mother, Clara Schumann, the pianist, of her brothers and sisters, and of a few acquaintances and visitors to the Schumann home. How interesting such material may be will depend not so much upon the writer as upon the reader.
23There is, however, one chapter that should be read by everybody, and that is the chapter entitled "Brahms." When Eugenie was twenty-one years old she received some lessons from Brahms, and some of the exercises he gave her are printed in this chapter. They cannot fail to be of interest to piano students. Our author quotes a good many things that Brahms said to her about interpretation, and that is, of course, extremely valuable material. The whole Brahms chapter is of real interest.
25There is another chapter, the next to the last in the book, entitled An Attempt, which appears to be an attempt to describe the playing of Clara Schumann. This chapter, too, must interest piano students. It gives, at least, a good insight into what a certain sort of piano playing should be, and some of the things said in it are well worth pondering over.
27There are also throughout this book of memoirs comments here and there upon musical subjects that are both interesting and valuable. The book is extremely well written, and is evidently the work of a person naturally gifted in the art of expression, and the translation, which, we believe, is by Marie Busch, is masterly.
29(Carl Fischer, Inc., New York)
31My Last Cruise, a humorous chorus for men's voices, with words and music by Mayhew L. Lake.—This sort of material is always welcome. It is, in fact, about the only sort of music that can be called strictly and completely American. It probably was invented in this country, and certainly in this country it has its largest circulation. This new addition to the vast array of such amusing bagatelles is excellent, both as to words and music. Male quartets and glee clubs will be delighted to get hold of it, and it will no doubt be a stand-by of radio quartets, some of them so excellent and so entertaining. One piece of this sort, with its wholesome simplicity and sincerity, is worth a thousand of the high-brow failures that are written by some American musicians, who wish to be everything but American.
33AARON COPLAND
34will give a course of twelve lectures illustrated at the piano
35"The Evolution of Modern Music"
36Fridays, September 30-November 11, 1820 P. M.
37New School for Social Research
38465 WEST 23D ST. NEW YORK CITY
40ENRICA CLAY DILLON
41STUDIO OF ACTING
42Coaching for Professional Singers—Opera and Light Opera
43By Appointment: 15 West 67th St., New York City
44Phones: Susquehanna 1679—Trafalgar 1162
46These artists, whose ability has been proved by repeated engagements and enthusiastic appreciation, are for the season of 1927 and 1928 under the exclusive Concert Management of
47R. E. JOHNSTON
481451 Broadway, New York City
49Creighton Allen, Pianist
50Melba Lester, Mezzo-Soprano
51Edith Browning, Soprano
52Anna Case, the Popular American Soprano
53Lucille Chalfonte, Phenomenal Coloratura Soprano
54Giuseppe Danies, Baritone of Metropolitan Opera Co.
55Yvonne D'Aranyi, French-American Lyric Soprano
56Giuseppe De Luca, Baritone of Metropolitan Opera Co.
57Paul de Marky, Pianist
58Rafaelo Diaz, Tenor of Metropolitan Opera Co.
59Dagmar, soprano of Metropolitan Opera Co.
60Dorthea Flexner, Contralto of Metropolitan Opera Co
61Benjamin Gigli, the World's Greatest Tenor
62Curtiss Grove, Lieder Singer
63Hallie Hall, American Mezzo-Soprano
64Rose Law, American Soprano
65Charlotte Lund, Soprano and Operatic Recitalist
66Mary Manley, Coloratura Soprano
67Queena Martin, Soprano of Metropolitan Opera Co.
68Giovanni Martin, Tenor of Metropolitan Opera Co.
69Oscar Nicastre, South American cellist one of two readings
70Oscar Nicastro, South American cellist one of two readings
71Mildred Parisette, Lyric Soprano, Metropolitan Op. Co.
72Rosa Raisa, the Great Dramatic Soprano of the Chicago Opera Co.
73Louise Richardson, Lyric Soprano
74Giacomo Rimini, Italian Baritone of Chicago Opera Co.
75Mabel Ritch, American Contralto
76Mozt Rosenthal, King of the Keyboard
77Titta Ruffo, Baritone of the Metropolitan Opera Co.
78Alberto Salvi, World's Greatest Harpist
79Frances Sebel, American Lyric-Dramatic Soprano
80Jessie Slatia, Soprano
81Eric Sondheim, Violinist
82Irma Swift, Coloratura Soprano
83Donald Thayer, American Baritone
84Anne Tyson, Contralto
85John Charles Thomas, America's Own Baritone
86Miecha Welsbord, A New Violin Sensation
87also
88The Three Marmel Sisters — Delightful Novelty Dancers
89and
90The Biltmore Friday Morning Musicales
92National Opera Club Meets
93Baroness Katharine Evans von Klenner, in her researches, discovered that eleven prominent opera subjects or scenes were Spanish, and this she emphasized in her talk as Opera Explicateur before the National Opera Club of America, at the first meeting of the season, called Spanish Day, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, October 13. She named them all, ranging from Fidelio to Parsifal, and ending with The Doctor of Alcantara, by Eichberg, director in his day of the New England Conservatory of Music. Her talk was alive with information and humor, and held close attention. In greetings to the club she mentioned the decease of Josephine Smith; introduced herself as the new Editor of The Star (official organ); spoke of Mignon Spence, now with the American Opera Company under Rosing; conveyed the club's greetings to Signor Carpi in Italy (member); and called attention to the Richmond Hill tenor, Fred Jagel, who will soon make his debut as Radames with the Metropolitan Opera Company. She later introduced William D. Meyer, of Peoria, Ill., who was on the world tour with her; also Henry Tudor Mason, and Pedro Pons, guests of honor.
95Musical features included Beatrice Eaton, contralto, who has a voice of expressive power; Celia de Nipell, coloratura, who sang Una Voce with facility; Rosa Calvano, whose beautiful voice and style made a hit in Pace; Cornelia Zucari, also a soprano; Alberto Terrasi, temperamental baritone, who sang Largo al Factotum with gusto. Others on the program were Giovanni Laforese and Alphonso Romero, vocalists, and Leila Troland Gardner, whose talk on coming events was full of information. Mr. Delmachi showed his musicianship by playing all the accompaniments from memory, and on the reception committee were Mrs. Augustus Kiesel and Mrs. Nathan Bolt.
97D'Aranyi Plays Works Dedicated to Her
98The 1927-28 season welcomes to this country for the first time Yelly d'Aranyi, violinist, and the noted composers, Maurice Ravel and Bela Bartok. Both of these composers have recognized this violinist's musicianship, and have dedicated compositions to her, among which are two violin sonatas by Mr. Bartok, which she has played in Europe, and Ravel's Tzigane, which will occupy a place on her New York program of November 26.
100J. A. Burr Playing with Knabe Ampico
101James A. Burr has been engaged by the Homer L. Kitt Piano Company of Washington, D. C., to give a series of fall and winter concerts accompanied by the Knabe Ampico, for the purpose of demonstrating the Ampico. The first program of the series was given at the Washington Heights Presbyterian Church on October 26.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.