Books › Musical Courier 1928-12-20: Vol 97 Iss 25, 1928 › scan 42
Scan 42
Musical Courier 1928-12-20: Vol 97 Iss 25, 1928
154 lines. Read by computer on 30 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 43. See the scan on archive.org.
1December 20, 1928
2MUSICAL COURIER
4LAZAR SAMOILOFF EXPRESSES SOME OPINIONS
6When one enters the Samoiloff Studios one feels that happiness is not yet dead. You hear singing from every room, see the artists and students going to their lessons, and note that on coming out they are full of joy and satisfaction. One very celebrated singer exclaimed, "Even after going to Mr. Samoiloff for three years daily, I still learn something new every day." In one studio Maestro Samoiloff is teaching a beginner a legato scale; in another Mr. Kostelanetz coaches an opera singer on Eva's part in the Meistersinger, while in still another Lou Olp drills a pupil on an English ballad, and at the secretary's desk is a powerful, ringing voice that won the audience quickly—he was exceptionally pleasing."
8Dorothy Walker, contralto, is now for the second season under Samoiloff's guidance; she has been engaged by Maestro Samossoud to sing Mercedes in Carmen, and the Voice of the Mother in The Tales of Hoffman; she leaves this month on a tour.
10Maria L. Escobar, Mexican dramatic soprano, is singing in Italy. She is returning to New York soon to fulfill engagements and study. A Mexican tenor, Juan Pulido, writes that he is also coming to New York to work with the maestro, and fulfill concert and operatic engagements.
12Sorija Yergin, singing at the State Opera in Hanover, Germany, writes to Mr. Samoiloff to come to Germany, where a large class awaits him. Last season she came to New York to give a few concerts and studied with Mr. Samoiloff. Julius Bledsoe, colored bass-baritone, is a product of the Samoiloff Studios. Mr. Samoiloff taught him, prepared him for his first recital, arranged it for him, and he is now singing with the Show Boat and in concerts. A large number of Samoiloff students are filling minor engagements, singing in the movie houses, in musical comedies and vaudeville.
14Mr. Samoiloff says: "I shall stay in New York until one of the leading conservatories of the U. S. A. engages me to head its vocal department and organize an opera school. When the business end of my teaching is off my hands, I shall write a book for singers and students, which will give readers my valuable experience, from being in contact with the greatest singers all my life. I am contemplating connecting with some music school in Philadelphia and Boston, and visit them one day a week, listen to voices, give lessons, and also organize opera schools.
16"My plans for the next summer are as usual. I shall go to the West and Middle West to teach master classes, visit the teachers who follow my way of teaching—those that have taken teachers' courses in my New York studios. I was very happy to hear that the graduates of my teachers' course—Rose Ough in Oakland, Cal.; Genevieve Shankland in Portland, Ore.; Miss Rae in Eugene, Ore., and many others, are doing well, having fine classes, and are filling engagements."
18"What about radio singing and speaking on the Vitaphone?" Mr. Samoiloff was asked, and his reply was this: "To be able to do both well you have to have a correctly placed voice; the main thing is that you cannot push a tone on a record, radio, or on the Vitaphone. The more you push the more you blast; head tones and soft tones are the remedy. I have helped many speakers by making them speak easily, and with the head tone."
20"Have you among your beginners exceptionally talented students?" was another question.
22"Yes! quite a number of them—a number of sopranos with exceptionally beautiful voices and fine personalities. I have a young lady from Philadelphia with a powerful, magnetic personality, a dramatic soprano who will surely come to the top if she continues to work seriously; a fine young Irish tenor, and an exceptionally beautiful contralto voice from Seattle, Wash. A young baritone, who was my pupil as a boy of twelve, has returned for lessons; he possesses great talent and a beautiful voice. All that he learned as a boy is coming in very handy now, and I shall be proud of him.
24"My own daughter, Zephia, started vocal lessons on her eighteenth birthday and if I succeed in making her divide her time and attention between the harp and her singing I shall be glad to see her on the list of vocal artists. She took a teacher's course and is showing great love for the teaching career, which makes me very happy."
26"What about Maria Gay and Giovanni Zenatello?"
28"They are now in New York, Mr. Zenatello singing with the Philadelphia Opera Company. The main object of their visit to America is to establish operatic connections between Italy and America. They will manage the Arena in Verona for two periods, a few weeks each, and also other opera houses in Italy, for which purpose they are engaging singers from America."
30Verdi Club Musical and Dramatic Matinee
31Florence Foster Jenkins, president of the Verdi Club of New York, faced a large audience at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, December 7, when the organization's regular monthly affair took place. During this musical and literary afternoon there was enjoyment for everyone. Eleanor Rogers, coloratura soprano, sang the Magic Flute, and the Perle du Brazil arias with fluent technic and finished style; of course she had to give encores. Giovanni Martino (formerly with the Metropolitan Opera Company), singing the air from Simon Boccanegra, was heartily enjoyed, his sonorous baritone voice being of telling effect; he, too, added an encore, later singing songs by Gounod, Laguna and Clark. Sue Hastings presented The Puppet Follies, acted by Marionettes, and consisting of an intimate Revue, staged by Bruce Adams. In this the little figurettes apparently sang and acted, delighting everyone, for it was indeed an attractive novelty, the hidden voices doing their part finely. Justin Lowry, tenor, sang an extra number. Dr. Mauro-Cottone providing the piano accompaniments for Mandalay and a French song. Bruce Adams, the club poet, recited Shakespeare's Seven Ages of Man, and very sympathetic accompaniments were played by Jessamine H. Irvine and Irene Gruenberg.
33The holiday spirit, the many graceful announcements by President Jenkins, all made the matinee a happy affair.
35Mme. Marchesi's Artist-Pupils Busy
36News from the Blanche Marchesi studio in Paris brings the announcement that the twin contraltos, the Meduria Sisters, have been engaged for Balfe's Chauve Souris performances. Norah Sabin was engaged by Nigel Playfair as Polly Peacham in the London company of the Beggar's Opera and will sing at Queen's Hall and at other concerts. Enid Lettle also sang at Queen's Hall, and she and Norah Sabin have been engaged for soprano duets and operatic arias.
38Gladys Field, contralto, made her debut in Paris at the Dubrulle small orchestra concert and sang on December 2 at the American Woman's Club. Elsa Lynn has been engaged in Paris at the Neuilly English Church. Ruth Stoffel, from Milwaukee, has been engaged at the American Church in Paris as contralto soloist; she will make her debut in concert in December at the American Woman's Club. Among the English pupils of Mme. Marchesi there are in England now three remarkable leading artists: Astra Desmond, Muriel Brunskill and Phyllis Archibald.
40Gessford photo
41LAZAR SAMOILOFF
43Dorothy Russell Stewart, who imparts to students musical knowledge, and the art of reading music as easily as if it were a book or a newspaper.
45Mr. Samoiloff was asked which he preferred to teach, a beginner or a professional singer. His answer was: "I have no preference; I adore teaching singing, beginner or professional, as long as the student is serious and possesses intelligence—natural brains. I have had students, during my twenty-five years of teaching, with practically no voice who made careers, while others with big voices were discharged and now after fifteen years are still seeking the right place to study—they will never amount to anything—lack of intelligence."
47The presence of experienced and celebrated opera and concert singers in Samoiloff's studio for a period of years speaks well for his talent as a teacher.
49Beginners may be misguided by wrong teaching yet continue their studies by being influenced by some stunts or personality; but experienced singers, who are singing two or three times weekly, with the biggest opera organizations, want to feel it is easier to sing, and want to hear public and critics remark that their voices have improved.
51Julia Claussen tells everyone that she owes her success to Mr. Samoiloff, and advised her colleagues to consult him, adding that one lesson with the maestro will diagnose a fault, and another will correct it.
53Helen Stanley, who is singing with the Philadelphia Opera Company, also in concert, says: "Samoiloff is of enormous help to me," and continues to visit the Samoiloff Studios twice weekly; she also recommends friends to seek Samoiloff's advice.
55Bianca Saroya and her husband, Dimitri Onofrei, tenor, daily sing exercises and operatic and concert repertoire, preparing for their first experience with a vocal teacher who possesses the voice, to produce correct tone, which students imitate, who is an excellent pedagogue for voice placement, and at the same time a perfect coach in repertoire and all the European languages. A very rare case!
57John Uppman, young California baritone, discovered by Mr. Samoiloff in San Francisco, worked with him for three years, was engaged by Mr. Rosing for the American Opera Company, and is singing with that company now, the second season, the roles of Valentine in Faust, Toreador in Carmen, Sylvio in Pagliacci, and other major roles with success. In his last letter to Mr. Samoiloff he writes: "I am happy that I will be able to work with you this season for a couple of months. (Signed) Your son, John." The critics say, "John Uppman, as Escamillo, the toreador, presented a
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66INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL AND THEATRICAL AGENCY
67"The Youngest and Most Alert!"
68Artistic Director: PAUL BECHERT
69Sole Agents for Leading Artists
70SCHELLINGGASSE 12, VIENNA 1 Cables: MUSIKITHMA one of two readings
71SCHELLINGGASSE 12, VIENNA I Cables: MUSIKITHMA one of two readings
73PACIFIC COAST DIRECTORY
75ARMSTRONG, FRANCIS J.
76Concert Violinist
77Resident in Seattle, 1519 3rd Ave.
79BAYS, BERNICE
80Lyric Soprano
81Available for Concert, Church and Club Work
82504 Majestic Theatre Bldg., Los Angeles
84BEHYMER, L. E.
85Manager of Distinguished Artists
86705 Auditorium Bldg., Los Angeles
88BOWES, MR. and MRS. CHARLES
89Voice—Mise en scene
90446 South Grand View, Los Angeles
92COOK, ELSIE
93Pianist
94California Representative of Tobias Matthey Piano School
953325 Octavia St., San Francisco
97CORNISH SCHOOL OF MUSIC, INC.
98Dramatic Arts and Dancing
99Nellie C. Cornish, Director
100Roy Street, at Harvard, Seattle, Wash.
102ENSEMBLE CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
103Emmaletta Vantine, Director.
104All Branches Taught. Dormitories.
1052058 No. Vermont Ave., Hollywood, Calif.
107JACQUES JOU-JERVILLE of Paris
108Formerly Boston Opera one of two readings
109and leading grand opera of France one of two readings
110Formerly Boston Opera and leading grand opera of France one of two readings
111Private Voice Studios
112The McKelvey, Seattle, Wash.
114KANTNER SCHOOL OF SINGING
115Clifford W. Kantner, Director
116306 Spring Street, Seattle, Washington
118LOTT, MR. and MRS. CLIFFORD
119Voice and Piano
120Member American Academy of Teachers of Singing, N. Y.
121912 W. 20th St., Los Angeles
123OATMAN, JOHN R.
124Musical Courier Correspondent
125713 Couch Building, Portland, Ore.
127PERSINGER, LOUIS
128Management Selby Oppenheimer
12968 Post Street, San Francisco
131S T. EMBER, ROSA
132"Producer of Vocal Artists"
1334110 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles
135SAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
136ERNEST BLOCH, Director
1373435 Sacramento St., San Francisco
139THE ELIZABETH SIMPSON PIANO STUDIOS
140Coaching of Concert Programs a Specialty
14126 O'Farrell St., San Francisco
143THE CORA W. JENKINS SCHOOL OF MUSIC
14446 Randwick Avenue. Oakland, Calif.
145Dept.'s.—Elementary, Intermediate and Artistry.
146Violin, Cello, Piano
147Teacher's training; special method
149TRONITZ, PHILLIP
150Norwegian Concert Pianist and Pedagogue
151Studio-California Music Co. Bldg.
152Los Angeles, Cal. Summer Classes
153Also Head of Piano Department of Hollywood Conservatory of Music.
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