Books › Musical Courier 1928-12-13: Vol 97 Iss 24, 1928 › scan 17
Scan 17
Musical Courier 1928-12-13: Vol 97 Iss 24, 1928
67 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. Printed page 18. See the scan on archive.org.
1London Newspapers Celebrate Franz Schubert Centenary
2(Continued from page 9)
3cert by Winifred Christie, now the wife of Emanuel Moor, the inventor of the instrument. Mme. Christie is a competent pianist and the possessor of a prodigious technic; but there was nothing in what she did that sounded to our ears better than it would have sounded on an ordinary piano. Perhaps her enthusiasm for the instrument carried her further in adapting piano music to its bigger possibilities for sonority than an objective exponent would go. We do not mind hearing music played with absolute technical perfection (though the struggle for the unattainable is in itself inspiring); but we do not want César Franck improved by copying and doubling, when the unadulterated version can give us a real thrill. In the case of old music such as Bach, the process is perhaps more legitimate, since the harpsichord after all had two manuals, but the "free adaptation" of Bach's Violin Chaconne, "to display the characteristic technic of the double keyboard," seems to imply a regrettable lack of a sense of historic proportions. C. S.
5Before the Christmas Lull
6The Christmas lull promises to begin earlier than usual this year, which may account for the unusual number of concerts just now. Chamber music performances especially have overlapped to such an extent that it has been impossible to hear many of the most interesting ones.
7André Mangeot's Music Society series, for example, at which the English Singers gave such a delightful performance, and where recent works like Pierné's chamber sonata for flute, violoncello and piano, dedicated to the memory of Louis Fleury, and Bernard van Dieren's Tema con Variazione for piano were performed. Then there is the recently completed series of Mozart's string quartets, played by the International String Quartet, in which Mangeot and Boris Pecker alternate as first violin; concerts which had a well deserved success.
9Harold Samuel and Bach
10Still another fine series (this time of three concerts) which has just been completed, was devoted to Bach. Here Harold Samuel, Isolde Menges, Dorothy Silk and Myra Hess, with the assistance of a small chamber orchestra, gave some lovely performances of Bach songs, sonatas, concertos for one and two pianos and other well and little known works. The Wigmore Hall so completely overflowed at the last of these concerts that another has been announced for December.
11A visit from the Klinger Quartet, of Berlin, roused great interest here, for their reputation had crossed the channel before them, and despite the fact that they were not at their best they were given a most enthusiastic welcome.
12Except for chamber music performances there has been only one violin concert during the past two weeks. This was given by Benno Rabinoff, whose first appearance it was in London. He is unquestionably a born fiddler. His beautiful tone and technical assurance carried him through the Vieuxtemps D minor concerto and a group of Paganini pieces with great éclat; but unfortunately his program comprised little else.
13M. S.
15A certain amount of new music has been heard of late. The London section of the I. S. C. M. gave us Darius Milhaud's second string quartet, which seemed to me the most serious attempt from this composer and an indication that he has reached musical maturity. Kodály's second quartet, heard at the same concert, is another gust of the fresh wind that is blowing over the Hungarian plains; there is a hint of real power in its dissonant wildness, and of deeper feeling behind its seductive waywardness. Arthur Bliss, with his oboe quintet, already reviewed in these columns, represented English music at this concert. The Pro Arte Quartet played beautifully, and so did Leon Goossens, virtuoso on the oboe.
16Beatrice Harrison, who "by special request" gave another masterful performance of the Kodály sonata for cello alone, also made the perilous experiment of playing some music by one of the younger London critics, Basil Maine.
18We have often heard Mr. Maine "spout" over the radio most sagaciously about how the great composers wrote their works; but doing it yourself is another matter. His Entr'acte for Twelfth Night struck the ear as "awfully pretty," but left an impression that was just the reverse. His "Dilemma for violoncello and occasionally piano" was nothing to the dilemma he put us in by allowing his music to be played. Hamilton Hart's suite for cello and piano I unfortunately had to miss. At any rate Beatrice Harrison scored her usual success.
20Murdoch and Sammons
21William Murdoch and Albert Sammons, English pianist and violinist, respectively, have done noble work by including in their magnificent series of four sonata concerts works by Respighi, Elgar, Strauss, Delius, Goossens and Willem Pijper. Especially the Pijper required courage to play—of the kind which never gets its reward. These two excellent artists have set a new standard for English ensemble playing, and the praise which they earned for their Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and Franck ought to compensate them for their enterprise in championing the moderns. Some of the works were superbly played.
22C. S.
24The Basque Venus a Mature First Opera
25All the Effective Situations in One Work—A Splendid Production
26Leipsic.—The Basque Venus, which recently had so successful a première in Leipsic, is Hermann Hans Wetzler's first opera. But one cannot regard it in the same light as most "first" works; for Wetzler, as a conductor of standing in Germany, has directed operas for many years and thus become so rounted in this genre that he never would have composed one had he not been certain of turning out what is, to all intents and purposes, a mature work.
27In fact, it reveals the composer's routine too clearly, for, with the exception of a somewhat undue length, every effective situation that can possibly be achieved on the operatic stage is to be found in this work. Small wonder, then, that it had such an extraordinary popular success; a success that is destined to follow it wherever it is produced.
29Another Merimée Plot
30In spite of these hall marks of routine, however, the work has a decidedly personal character. And it is by no means of the usual verismo order. The story, adapted by the composer's wife, Lini Wetzler, from Prosper Merimée's La Vénus d'Ille, takes us to the Basque country where the scenery, manners and customs, festivities and dances are a strong source of inspiration.
31The entire action of the play is governed by the mysterious magic and demoniac power of a recently disinterred statue of Venus. All the characters become victims of this power, from the old idol-worshipping lord of the castle to the last child of the village. The old lord's son, who has forsaken his unendowed fiancée for the sake of a wealthy bride, is driven to his death by the statue which, on the other hand, provides a new and faithful husband for the little umbrella girl.
33Temperamental Music
34There would be no point in telling all the details of this story, for they have life only by reason of Wetzler's highly temperamental music. Wetzler is thoroughly acquainted with the modern orchestra and all its possibilities; he also knows how to combine his music with the action and scene, thus often achieving wonderful "atmosphere"; he knows how to build up impressive climaxes and he realizes the never failing effect of dance scenes on a large scale. These are the chief factors of the opera's success. Wetzler is much weaker in his comic scenes, which, indeed, seem like alien elements in this primarily serious work.
35The production was of the usual excellence that has made this a theater for first performances during the last few years. Gustav Brecher, the general musical director, was personally responsible for this performance. Aravaninos designed the scenery. Walter Brüggmann directed the mise-en-scène and Max Terpis, from Berlin, took charge of the difficult dance scenes. The leading roles were sung by Fanny Cleve, Max Spilcker, Fritz Zosel and other leading members of Leipsic's splendid ensemble.
37Adolf Aber.
39Foreign News in Brief
40Third Rhenish Festival to Be Held in April
41Berlin.—The third Rhenish Music Festival, organized by the Provinzialverband Rheinland of the Federation of German Musicians and Music Teachers, will be held in Barmen next spring from April 7-10. A new opera, Tartuffe, by Josef Eidens, based on Molière's novel of that name, will be one of the novelties of the festival.
42T.
44Bach Festival to Be Held in Leipsic
45Berlin.—The seventeenth festival of the New Bach Society will be held in Leipsic next summer from June 8-10.
46T.
48A New Opera by Juan Manén
49Berlin.—Juan Manén, well-known Spanish violinist, has just completed an opera called Giovanni Napoli.
50T.
52A Wedding in Hollywood
53Vienna.—A Wedding in Hollywood is the name of Oscar Strauss' new operetta which is being produced at the Vienna Strauss Theater.
54B.
56Furtwängler in Quest of the Austrian Composer
57Vienna.—Wilhelm Furtwängler, who has entered upon his first season as conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, has pledged himself to produce at least one new work a year by an Austrian composer. He has issued an invitation to Austrian composers to submit suitable works for this season no later than January 31, 1929.
58P. B.
60Lehar's New Opera
61Vienna.—The papers report that Franz Lehar is at work upon a new operetta entitled The Land of Smiling. It is an adaptation of the Chinese play, The Yellow Jacket, which was played in New York about fifteen years ago. The première of the new version is to be in Berlin.
62P.
64Frankfort Opera Scandal
65Frankfort-on-Main.—The effect of a bomb explosion was created in the municipal theaters of this city when Müller Wieland, administrative director of the Opera and the Municipal Theater, was arrested for alleged forgery, theft and other criminal offences against the two theater organizations. The coming lawsuit is awaited with great anxiety.
66R. P.
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