19 22
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January

different characters. Sonia Pavloff was the Lady Dragonfly and she was admirable. Mona Paiva, as the Butterfly, was the very incarnation of grace, charm and beauty, and Mile. Rosne’s Lizard was very artistic. There was real humor in the awkwardness of M. Thomas, as the Toad. Louis Hasselmans gave a very fine reading of the score. The ballet-pantomime was magnificently staged.
First Performance of "Dans l'Ombre de la Cathedrale”
“Dans l’Ombre de la Cathedrale,” a lyric drama in three acts drawn from the novel of the same title by the popular Spanish author, Blasco Ibanez, was given its first performance at the Opera Comique preceding “La Dame Libel-lule.” The action of the opera takes place in Toledo, Spain, in the shadow of the famous cathedral. Manoel Luna, after an absence of ten years, returns to his home ill. Once an honest Christian he is now an• anarchist. Manoel finds that his brother, Estaban’s daughter, Sagra-rio, had been seduced and later abandoned by her lover, and Esteban refuses to take her back. Manoel intercedes and Sagrario is taken back. Manoel falls in love with Sagrario and his great love turns his thoughts from anarchy to the divine power as the only power that could bring universal happiness. He is on his knees in the cathedral when a band of thieves, whom his own teachings have turned from a life of honesty, enter the cathedral to steal the jewels of the Virgin. In trying to prevent the theft Manoel is killed.
The music is by Georges Hire and is very mediocre. In the most elaborate third act, where the libretto gives the composer almost as fine an opportunity as the first act of Tosca gave Puccini, there is an utter lack of impressiveness. Manoel dies in the longest death scene I have ever seen; he lingers much longer than Edgardo does in “Lucia.” M. Friant, the tenor, did all he could with the thankless part. M. Vieuille was excellent as Esteban, but the same cannot be said of Mile. Davelli, who sang Sagrario.
The production was gorgeous and the staging most effective. The curtain of the third act rises on the vesper service in one of the chapels in the famous cathedral. The altar is in full splendor, illuminated by hundreds of candles, and the grouping of the ecclesiastics, the kneeling nuns, the celebrating priests and the worshippers is most impressive. Mr. Ibanez was expected to attend the performance but he was not present.
Albert Spalding Scores Success.
A capacity audience greeted Albert Spalding, the American violinist, at his recital at the Salle Gaveau Saturday evening, December 2. There are few artists who are as popular in. the French capital as Spalding. He began his program with Corelli’s sonata in D major. This he followed with the “Sicilienne et Presto” from Bach’s Sonata in G minor, and Enesco’s sonata No. 2 in F minor. He merited the tremendous applause of his audience, as I have never heard him play better. The purity and beauty of his tone, the fine understanding, and his utter lack of exaggeration were a delight. The “Romanza Andaluza” and the “Zapateado” of Sarasate gave the artist the opportunity to display his remarkable technic. Mr. Spalding also proved himself a composer of real merit. He played two of his own compositions: “Lettre de Chopin” and “Castles in Spain.” Andre Benoist was the accompanist —which is to say that the accompaniments were par excellence. He shared in the ovation given Spalding.
Notes.
Mme. Jenny Dufau, soprano, who a few years ago was a member of the Chicago Opera, gave a recital at the Salle Gaveau, Wednesday evening, November 30. Her program was made up of works by Scarlatti, Pergolese, Mozart•, Schumann, Rimsky-Korsakoff, Rameau and Ravel.
Mark Hambourg, the pianist, gave a recital of Beethoven and Schubert works at the Salle Gaveau, Monday evening, December S.
Mme. Vera Janacopulos was the soloist at the concert of the Philharmonic Society at the Salle Gaveau, Tuesday evening, December 6, Serge Koussewitzky conducting.
Fiske Church, an American tenor, appeared in a concert at the Salle Gaveau Friday evening, December 2. His program contained numbers by Brahms, Ravel, Fairchild, Hageman, Hahn and Tyler. Mr. Church has a good voice and his singing shows careful training. He was assisted by Gabriel Bouillon, violinist.	Theodore Bauer.
Agnes Armington Laidler Assists at Club Concert
At the Christmas party held at the Women’s City Club on December 28 there were many unusual and attractive features. Agnes Armington Laidler, together with other well known singers, gave a program that was highly satisfactory and delightful. Miss Laidler’s rich contralto sang its way into the hearts of her audience. She gave a group of old negro spirituals and followed these with a group of English ballads. Mr. Hassels was Miss Laidler’s accompanist. At the beginning of the program the entire audience joined the artists in singing some old Christmas carols.
The Women’s City Club has a membership of 2,500. Mary Garrett Hay is president.
Perfield Teacher Presents Pupil
Marguerite Colwell, a teacher of the Perfield Pedagogical System, presented a pupil, Hila Vandenbosch, in a recital at St. Cecilia, Grand Rapids, Mich., on Thursday evening, December 8. Miss Vandenbosch, only sixteen years old, delighted the audience and won the favor of the critics.
Claussen Appearing as Symphony Soloist
On January 27 Julia Claussen will appear as soloist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in Kansas City, and two days later she will give a recital for the South Shore Country Club. Chicago, the latter being her second appearance in the Windy City this season.
Hempel at Carnegie Hall January 13
Frieda Hempel will give her second New York recital of the season in Carnegie Hall on Friday evening, January 13. The prima donna will be assisted by Cnenraad V. Bos, at the piano, and Louis P. Fritze, flutist.
18	M US 1C A L COUR1E R
AMERICAN COMPOSER’S WORK MAKES
SPLENDID IMPRESSION AT OPERA COMIQUE
Blair Fairchild’s Ballet-Pantomime, “Dame Libellule,” Wins! Instantaneous Success—First Performance of "Dans l’Ombre
de la Cathedrale”—Spalding Triumphs Again
grace and beauty and try to win her love. All the Tumble Bug can do is to turn somersaults while the Toad and the Lizard dance. The Lady Dragonfly likes the graceful dance of the Lizard best and gives him a flower. This arouses the jealousy of the ׳Toad which delights the Lady Dragonfly who tantalizes the contenders by dancing her bewitching dances, first for the one and then for the other. In their frenzy they each pull a quill from a porcupine and engage in a duel. The Bees appear and try to separate the combatants but to no avail, and finally the Toad is mortally wounded by the Lizard, and the Lizard asks the Lady Dragonfly to marry him. She is about to accept him when the Butterfly appears. She tries to attract tbe Butterfly with her dances but the Butterfly flits away and the Lady Dragonfly with the despair of unrequited love goes out in search of the Butterfly. The Toad dies surrounded by the Frogs and the broken-hearted Lizard remains motionless on a rock.
Albert Carré, the director of the Opera Comique, has assembled the best artists_ of his ballet to interpret the
Paris, December 8, 1921.—There was real joy and pride in the hearts of the many Americans who were present last night, Wednesday, December 7, at the Opera Comique to witness the first performance of Blair Fairchild’s ballet-pantomime “La Dame Libellule.” It was the first time that an American composer’s work was presented on the stage of one of the government subsidized theaters in France, and it was received with such genuine enthusiasm as is seldom witnessed in Paris. Fairchild’s music is truly delightful, very original, full of surprising changes which follow faithfully the graceful movements on the stage. It is always in complete harmony with the poetic charm of the story, and its orchestration is masterly.
The story of “Dame Libellule” is a fantastic fable. The Toad is enjoying the brilliant, warm sunshine on the bank of a lake while the Bees are dancing around him. The arrival of the Lizard, and the Tumble Bug, drives the Bees away. Then the Lady Dragonfly (Dame Libellule) appears and dances before the Toad, the Lizard and the Tumble Bug. They fall victims of her seducing charms,
“ONE COULD LISTEN TO AN ENTIRE PROGRAM OF CELLO MUSIC OF THE SORT OFFERED B Y
»
HANS HESS
San Francisco Bulletin, Dec. 5, 1921
“HANS HESS THRILLS LARGE AUDIENCE-CONCERT FULFILLS HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS” ‘׳Hans Hess gave a splendid program containing some of the best music in cello literature and brought out the resources of perhaps the greatest and most difficult of all musical instruments. His playing displays great technical ability and a high order of interpretative gift; he has power and fire at his command. His skill in playing harmonics and using thumb position was a revelation to the student of the cello. Besides the many encores, Mr. Hess by special request played ‘Kol Nidrei’ by Bruch and its wonderful melody of Jewish origin was played with thrilling fervor.” —Spokane College Echo, December 7, 1921.
“HANS HESS MASTERFULLY WINS HIS BAKER AUDIENCE
“Hans Hess thrilled Baker music lovers with his supreme artistry. His audience was afforded a genuine opportunity to hear the mellow, masterful tones derived from an appreciative musical soul and was enthusiastic to an individual.”—The Baker Democrat, Nov. 29.
“HESS PROGRAM SPLENDID”
“Hans Hess, the famous cellist, was the attraction at the Auditorium. The recital demonstrated that Hess is a great master in his line. Hot Springs was indeed fortunate in having the opportunity of hearing this noted musician and will welcome him again in the future.”—Hot Springs Era, Oct. 18, 1921.
“CELLIST SCORES AT CALIFORNIA CONCERT”
“Hans Hess fully justified his title as master cellist, when he appeared as soloist at the 38th Sunday morning concert and it was one of the most successful that the California has given this year. Hess won the enthusiastic approval of his audience with the beautiful rich mellow tones which he drew from his instrument.”—San Francisco Call, Dec. 5, 1921.
“MUSIC LOVERS WELCOME HESS—FINE RECEPTION FOR CELLIST LAST NIGHT”
“The enthusiastic reception accorded Hans Hess by the large audience practically assures those who brought Mr. Hess to this city, that Port Arthur wants more of the. best in music and musicians. Whether the music that Mr. Hess drew from his golden voiced instrument was soft and soothing, or raced through fiery passages, a silence settled oyer the hundreds of listeners such as might have filled an empty theater.”—Port Arthur (Tex.) Daily News, Oct. 21, 1921.
“HANS HESS—AN APPRECIATION״
By Gladys Harned
“Hans Hess, the famous violoncellist, has surely a message to give with his music. The fortunate possessor of one of the finest instruments in the world, and gifted as only few in this world are gifted, with years of devotion to his art, is master of masters among the contemporary cellists of the day. Prone as we are to judge by what we hear daily and giving all due credit and gratitude for the appreciation which makes us proud of the products of our cwn locality, we nevertheless have to hear the finest occasionally in order to realize just what music really means. To the musician it is a good, an inspiration; to the music lover it is one of those beauties of life which although he cannot copy, he can absorb and be the better for the experience. Like all true artists, Mr. Hess in building his programs prepared numbers which would appeal to everyone. If one did not care particularly for the stately sonnets of Corelli, or the Laic- concerto, displaying the marvelous technic of the player, there were still those shorter appealing numbers which show perhaps more than any the interpretative powers of the artist. Even without the ability to analyze the form cr to distinguish the types of numbers, one could not help but enjoy the veritable magic of the music, that superb melody and heavenly tone which is for everyone who desires to hear and so call his own.״— Beaumont Enterprise, October 23d, 1921.
“HESS PLAYS CELLO AT THE CALIFORNIA —SOLOIST WELL RECEIVED BY AUDIENCE”
“Hans Hess, cellist, appeared as soloist with the California Symphony Orchestra playing the D Minor concerto of Lalo. Hess has a finished artistry and draws a tone limpid and lyrical in quality. Equipped with an excellent technic, he prefers eloquence to brilliancy and plays with refined taste and poetic power. His reading was inusicianly and appealed more through its subtleties than through bravura.”—R.
C. Brown, San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 5, 1921.
“HANS HESS, CELLIST,
AT SUNDAY CONCERT”
“One could listen to an entire program of cello music of the sort offered by Hans Hess, master cellist, who was soloist with the Symphony Orchestra at the California Theater. Seldom has it been the privilege of San Francisco’s music lovers to hear a more delightful number than the Lalo Concerto as played by Hess. The tones which he draws frofrn his instrument are a delight whether denoting a light
whisper or a loud cry.”—-W.	_________________________
W. Seymour, San Francisco ---------------------------
Bulletin, Dec. 5, 1921.
“CELLIST STARS IN THEATER CONCERT”
“Hans Hess cellist yesterday thrilled San Francisco music lovers with his artistry, when he appeared as soloist at the California Theater playing the Lalo Concerto in D Minor.”— R. M., San Francisco Examiner, Dec. 5, 1921.
“HANS HESS WINS PRAISE—CELLIST DELIGHTS CROWDED HALL AT SPOKANE COLLEGE”
“Mr. Hess gave great pleasure by his serious and uneffected reading of a good program. His tone is rich and melodious, he plays earnestly and with facility. The Corelli Sonata was an artistic performance but was outdistanced by the brilliant Lalo Concerto. A master of his instrument both on the technical and artistic sides.”—Spokane Spokesman Review, Dec. 1, 1921.
“HESS DRAWS HUNDREDS”
“It was evident that the Schubert Club had determined* to make the concert a complete success financially for their zeal was rewarded with a large and enthusiastic gathering of music lovers. Mr. Hess is a master of pianissimos, his soft passages being warm and colorful. His playing of slow sustained legato phrases is as smooth as silk. The numbers dedicated to Mr. Hess were evidently written for him, for they are exactly suited to his suave and flowing style. The Boellmann Variations is a fine big work and Mr. Hess was forced to give two encores.”—Kenosha News, W. La Violette, Nov. 15, 1921.
BOOKING 1922-23 NOW
Management of HANS HESS, C. LYNN REYBURN, Sec’y
522 Fine Arts Bldg., Chicago