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Musical Courier 1928-12-20: Vol 97 Iss 25, 1928
86 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. Printed page 10. See the scan on archive.org.
1The Flonzaleys Win Admiration and Plaudits as Usual in Boston
3Mme. Matzenauer Dazzles with Harvard Glee Club—Paul Whiteman, Susan Metcalfe Casals, and Angna Enters Bring Quality and Diversity
5BOSTON.—The Flonzaley Quartet drew a large house at Jordan Hall on Wednesday night in the first of the three Boston concerts of what has been advertised their farewell season. It might be admitted that Boston has always been behind times in its appreciation of this organization; smaller cities have filled larger halls than the one in which this evening's performance took place. Those who make up the audience, however, are present in the proper spirit. Glazounow was the favorite selection this evening. His quartet in D major, Opus 1, composed while in his middle teens, was played with all the melodiousness that is in it, and the Moderato with the minimum of its comfortable monotony. The difficult Scherzo and Andante were made very exciting, and the hearers, as has been suggested, were free with their applause. Beethoven's Quartet in A major, Op. 18, No. 5, was given with fine sensibility to its dramatic contrasts of mood and rhythm, particularly the Finale. The clan with which the exuberant melody—it is more than "flowing"—of Schubert's Quartet in G major, op. 161, was played, also captivated the audience.
7The two final concerts of The Flonzaley Quartet will be given on the Wednesday evenings of January 9 and February 13.
9MATZENAUER AND THE HARVARD GLEE CLUB
11At Symphony Hall on December 6, the Harvard Glee Club under Dr. Davison made its next to the last appearance of the season. Madame Margaret Matzenauer of the Metropolitan Opera Company was the assisting soloist. The voice of the imposing contralto, resonant, well-modulated, and always employed with a perfect sense of emotional values, was, as would be expected, the most solidly satisfactory one that has flooded this auditorium with splendor in many nights. Nor was Madame Matzenauer's evident joy in her art calculated to detract from the pleasurable impressions of the audience.
13The Glee Club made a worthy foil for the singer. At times evoking a religious mood, and again in lighter vein, the fresh, youthful voices floated through the hall in tones whose majesty put to shame the organ which accompanied. The concert opened with Vaughan Williams' score for Ecclesiasticus; Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. In a similar strain, but rather more satisfying, was the closing number, the Credo from Schubert's Mass in A flat minor. Between these, Paxton, Carissimi, Gabrieli, and Brahms were represented. Dean Terrill was soloist in an Italian Folk Song, Domm O Bella; Edson Page and Bradford Nichols in a Holst arrangement of an old French Melody, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.
15Brahms, Grieg, and Schumann were given by Madame Matzenauer, whose program also included an arrangement by Deems Taylor of Gretchaninoff's Over The Steppe. She pleased particularly, not for the first time, in Schubert's Erlkönig.
17For Mme. Matzenauer, Mr. Edward Hart accompanied on the piano; for the Glee Club, Messrs. Lamb and Woodworth, with H. A. Jewett at the organ. The Harvard Glee Club was last heard here three weeks ago with the Symphony Orchestra in the Choral Symphony of Beethoven. The remaining concert of the series will take place on Thursday evening, March 7 of the approaching year, in conjunction with the Smith College Glee Club.
19PAUL WHITEMAN
21Before a large gathering whose applause was most spontaneous, Paul Whiteman brought his forces to Symphony Hall on Sunday afternoon. Besides luxurious orchestrations of such popular pieces as Tiger Rag, Chiquita, and Just Like a Melody Out of the Sky, there were given George Gershwin's Concerto in F for pianoforte and orchestra, and Ferde Grofe's Metropolis (first performance). In the concerto, Gershwin goes further in the direction of the Rhapsody in Blue. Of this piece the English critic, Newman, declared that music and jazz were disparate entities within it, and denied, on definitional grounds, the possibility of any such thing as a union of the two. The features by which jazz is known, however, are intensively exploited again in the concerto, somewhat more at the expense of melody. This has nothing to do with the expressive orchestra or its exceedingly able leader. Of Metropolis, with rather trite themes in elaborate and ingenious settings, apparently program-music, the same holds true. For an exemplification of the aforesaid features, we prefer Rimsky-Korsakoff's Scheherazade, or a Schulhoff quartet. This experimentation is nevertheless greatly to be encouraged.
23Rhythm and coloring are the forte of Mr. Whiteman's aggregation. Mr. Whiteman is probably the only leader of an orchestra of importance, outside of Fred Spitalny, whose very legs are mobilized into the service of conducting, so wholeheartedly does he enter into his role. Even when he appears to allow his orchestra to run out its own course, once it is in full swing—a bit of technic to be observed in the case of Mr. Koussevitsky also, signalizing his unusual sense of discretion—the orchestra seems subtly to be following his will. Regardless of the selection, the playing is ever of lavish sonorousness and rhythmical precision.
25In Band Divertissement, Free Air, Variations based on noises from a garage, by Ferde Grofe, Wilbur Hall accompanied by a woodwind choir amazed and delighted the audience. This artist's medium was a bicycle-pump, but he followed up the exhibition with a display of trick technic on the violin, which was still more bewildering. Here and elsewhere in the program encores were demanded.
27SUSAN METCALFE CASALS
29Susan Metcalfe Casals, soprano, who is occasionally heard with her husband, the distinguished 'cellist, was present at Jordan Hall in her own right on Sunday evening. A singer of rich quality in the middle register, and of enviable power, Mme. Casals is able to crown these virtues with innate taste and trained musicianship. Schubert, Granados, and Faure were numerously represented this evening, El Mirar de la Maja being sung with particular clarity, and Schubert's Gretchen am Spinnrad winning special applause. Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart, Scarlatti, and Gluck conducted to a most enjoyable performance.
31ROSAMUND LEWECK
33December 9, at the Hotel Vendome, Rosamund Leweck, soprano, assisted by Carolyn Lewis, pianist, gave an unusually varied program with indubitable success. From Tschaikowsky to Sullivan, Miss Leweck's voice proclaimed its versatility, its colorfulness adequate to Scott and Chopin, its lyricism to Schubert and Schumann, and its range to twice as many others.
35DEDICATION AT NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY
37December 10, the dedication of the auditorium in the new wing of the conservatory was held, following a postponement from November 14. George W. Brown Hall was named after a patron of music who, though himself a business man and no great performer in the art, never lost an interest in it which extended from childhood. Samuel Bowers spoke on the occasion. Harrison Keller and Alfred de Voto played Brahms's Sonata in A major for violin and piano, Cecile Forest, Margaret Clarke, Ione Coy, and Harriet Curtis assisted on the program.
39An orchestra much improved as to the wind instruments, and with excellent strings, performed under Theophil Wendt at the Hotel Statler ballroom on Sunday afternoon. In memory of Emil Mollenhauer, the first conductor of the People's Symphony Orchestra, who died December 10, 1927, Grieg's Elegaic Melody for Strings, "Last Spring," was given. The program notes describe this as melancholy; it was performed, however, with but a cheerful solemnity. Saint-Saens' Concerto was played with Gerald Warburg carrying well his melodic part on the 'cello. Holst's Oriental Suite—vaguely reminiscent of Gershwin's Rhapsody—was a little disappointing. The Beni Mora is called "the musical outcome of a bicycle trip through Northern Africa." Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture and the Eighth Symphony of Beethoven were performed in appropriate fashion. In the symphony, beginning with the second movement and continuing to the end, a novel and rather unfortunate effect was afforded by the recurrent introduction of an unanswered telephone.
41B. M. F.
43Elizabeth Simpson Studio Notes
45Several important engagements were filled during November by the brilliant young pianists who are members of Elizabeth Simpson's coaching class. Doris Osborne played at the Schubert centenary in the Oakland civic auditorium; Elwin Calberg gave a recital before the Alameda High School, his program including Rachmaninoff's great B flat minor sonata, Chopin's twelve etudes, op. 25, Debussy's Feux d'artifice and Dohnanyi's Naila paraphrase; Mary Robin Steiner was heard at the Oakland Soroptimist Club, and Piroso Pinter was soloist at the annual radio concert given by the Oakland High School.
47A notable studio recital was held at Miss Simpson's Berkeley studio on November 17, two complete programs being presented. The first was played by the general class; and in the second Elwin Calberg gave an advanced hearing of his concert which took place on December 9 at the Berkeley Playhouse. This brilliant young pianist is steadily forging ahead in his artistic career, this being the fifth annual concert that he has given under Miss Simpson's coaching. His program will range from Scarlatti to the ultra modern Ernest Toch, and will include several numbers never before heard in California.
49Mildred Cobb to Give New York Recital
51Mildred Cobb, dramatic soprano of Boston and Florence, Italy, will give a New York recital early in 1929. Miss Cobb is not known as well in New York as she is in New England, where she has been a favorite on the concert and recital stage for some time.
53Born in Boston, Miss Cobb moved to Florence while still very young and received her education and musical training abroad. In Italy, she studied with the renowned Vincenzo Vannini, and upon returning to Boston continued her studies with Arthur J. Hubbard. Her last Boston appearance was at Symphony Hall, when she was soloist in
55From Capri to New York to Study with Yeatman Griffith
57Yeatman Griffith, international vocal pedagogue of New York, and Giorgio Wenner, tenor, photographed at Signor Wenner's villa in Capri, Italy, this past summer. Signor Wenner arrived on the SS. Saturnia, December 7, to spend the winter in New York City to continue his studies with Yeatman Griffith. He studied with this maestro in Sorrento, Italy, last summer.
59Verdi's Requiem under the direction of Thompson Stone. At the present time, Mildred Cobb is coaching with Ellmer Zoller, prominent New York coach, in preparation for her coming recital.
61Many Engagements for Pinnera
63Engagements that Gina Pinnera has already filled this season—her first season before the public—include two appearances at the Worcester, Mass., Festival; Erie, Pa. (Erie Concert Course Series); Pittsburgh, Pa. (Founders' Day, Carnegie Institute); New York (second Carnegie Hall recital); Royal Oak, Mich.; Orange, N. J.; and various private engagements in New York.
65Engagements still to be filled this season include Pittsburgh, Pa. (re-engagement for this season—Beagle All-Star Concert Course); New York (Plaza Hotel); Providence, R. I.; Lexington, Ky.; Detroit, Mich. (Detroit Symphony Orchestra); Detroit, Mich. (Detroit Golf Club); Wichita, Kans.; Jackson, Tenn.; Brooklyn, N. Y. (Institute of Arts and Science); Washington, D. C.; Toronto, Canada; Tulsa, Okla. (Carson Concert Course); Kansas City, Mo. (Fritschy All-Star Course); Hattiesburg, Miss., and Chapel Hill, N. C. In addition there are many pending contracts for the artist that will be announced shortly. These comprise appearances at some of the most important spring festivals given in this country.
67Johnson at the "Height of His Vocal Form"
69Whether Edward Johnson appears in opera, in recital or as soloist with orchestra, the press reports always are the same in that they contain praise of the highest for the art of the tenor. Following his appearance with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, R. H. wrote in the Detroit Evening Times that Mr. Johnson adds to a fine, resonant voice a keen sensitiveness to dramatic values, so that his interpretations come down from the platform with all the authority of an utterance from Sinai. "Mr. Johnson," read the report in the Detroit News, "most useful and dependable of Metropolitan tenors, was at the height of his vocal form. He sang Lohengrin's Narrative quite beautifully as to both tone and diction and exhibited an upper voice of much loveliness." According to the Detroit Free Press, Mr. Johnson sang with high intelligence and a distinctly refined sense of style.
71Another Holiday Messiah for Patton
73Already announced to sing The Messiah with the New York Oratorio Society at Carnegie Hall on December 26, Fred Patton will give another performance of the Handel opus in East Orange, N. J., on December 20. Other December concert engagements for the Metropolitan baritone include Forest Hills, L. I.; Westfield, N. J.; Portland, Me., and Plainfield, N. J. Next month Patton starts his second season at the Opera.
75THE ELSHUCO TRIO OF NEW YORK
77"This organization has contributed much to the delight of lovers of chamber-music, both by its finished and scholarly interpretation of familiar classics, and by its introduction of significant works by modern composers."—N. Y. Times.
79The Elshuco Trio uses the Steinway piano and records for the Brunswick Co.
81William Willem Aurelio KROLL-WILLEKE-GIORNI
83Messrs. Kroll, Willeke and Giorni whose position is paramount among similar ensembles, played with skill, with taste and with feeling, as is their custom."—Brooklyn Eagle.
85Management: Emma Jeannette Brazier, 100 West 80th St., New York, N. Y.
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