NEW YORK, THURSDAY, January 12, 1922.
IV\vsical(ôvrier
VOL. LXXXIV—No. 2. Whole No. 2179.
angel. Charles Henry Meltzer, former music critic of New York American, is already here, retained by Mrs. McCormick as translator, librettist and press agent for new company. American novelties already chosen for performance are Ralph Lyford’s “Castle Agrazant” and “The Echo,” by Frank Patterson. First class American singers will make up the new organization. Rene Devries.
GLAZOUNOFF, ARRIVING IN HELSINGFORS,
GIVES INTERVIEW TO MUSICAL COURIER
‘LE ROI D’YS” REVIVAL PROVES PLEASANT EVENT MELODIOUS AND COLORFUL
Describes Musical Conditions in Petrograd—Conservatory Classes Full, Although Standard Lower—More Concerts in Summer, Because of Lack of Fuel—Instruments and Printed Music Sorely Needed
Lalo’s Tuneful Score Splendidly Sung—Tasteful and Suggestive Stage Pictures—Alda, Ponselle, Gigli and Danise Excellent in Leading Roles
No one expected Lalo’s “Le Roi d’Ys” to be a sensation in any respect, for the work has been heard abroad (chiefly in Paris) for decades, and never succeeded in making more than a respectable impression. The overture is a familiar concert number everywhere, and several of the singing numbers have had frequent hearings away from their operatic surroundings. The music of Lalo, so far as most .music lovers are concerned, consists of his “Symphonie Espagnole,” for violin and orchestra; cello concerto, a violin concerto, and the aforementioned overture. Long ago the general estimate of Lalo’s qualities seemed to agree that he is the possessor of a fount of delicate and piquant melody, suave and sometimes spicy orchestration, and unerring taste and musical refinement. The Music of “Le Roi d'Ys.”
In “Le Roi d’Ys” the typical Lalo earmarks just enumerated are in plentiful evidence, but in addition there also is a distinct mastery in vocal writing and in lyric characterization. The deficiencies seem to be a weakness in strong dramatic utterance and inability to express the poignant accents of the deep grief. When it comes to operatic orchestration, Lalo handles his material as deftly as he does in his concert compositions. It is orchestration typically French, even though in its day it was analyzed and denounced as “Wagnerian.” To the present hearer Delibes, Massenet and Saint-Saëns were suggested in the manner of the orchestration, rather than Wagner. Certainly the last named never would have handled music descriptive of a storm and of rushing waters in the way Lalo painted that tonal picture with innocuous chromatics and tremolo rumblings as a bass. The vocal score is not at all in the Wagner style except that it has no detached numbers in set fashion, and presents a continuous flow of music. The recitatives, also, are not of the sort Wagner employed. Altogether, in these days it makes one smile to remember that Lalo was scolded by the critics and French musicians of his period for what they fancied to be his slavish subserviency to the leadership of the Great Mogul of Bayreuth.
There is plenty of melody in “Le Roi d’Ys,” several of the solos and duets being of especial beauty, and largely because of the fact that the subjects are based on Breton folk tunes, which Lalo handles with subtle sympathy. Throughout the opera the ear of the hearer is engaged euphoniously and ingratiatingly even if no great emotional stirrings are aroused in his heart and no great strain is exercised upon his mind. In fact, there is a distinct tinge of naivete in the Lalo score, so far as listeners are concerned who know their Strauss, Debussy, Satie and Schon-berg.
Story of the Work.
Not very complicated is the plot of “Le Roi d’Ys.” Margared, daughter of a monarch (the King of Ys) is engaged to be married to Karnac, a neighboring potentate, whom she does not love_ because her heart had been given previously to Mylio, believed to have been killed in war. He suddenly turns up. and Margared repudiates her troth with Karnac, who thereupon challenges the King of Ys to combat. Mylio takes up the challenge and demands as a reward, in case of success, the hand, not of Margared, but of Rozenn, her younger sister, whom he loves. Margared, enraged, plots with Karnac, and when the latter is defeated by Mylio and the conqueror is about to be married to Rozenn, that lady’s elder sister (Margared) reveals to Karnac that the city is protected from the sea only by some flood gates, to which she gives him the key. He uses it, and many of the inhabitants are engulfed, while the king and his court flee to the hills for safety. Margared is cursed by the populace and in remorse throws herself into the waves. The sea, having had its prey, retires, and all is well.
The cast which sang the work was as follows: Rozenn, Mme. Alda; Margared, Rosa Ponselle; Mylio, Mr. Gigli; (Continued on page 6)
either, there are many more concerts in summer than in winter.
New Glazounoff Works.
I then asked Glazounoff about his own compositions and he mentioned as new works a string quartet, a fantasy for two pianos, four fugues for piano and a great number of transcriptions. Helsingfors will have the honor of hearing the master’s fifth and eighth symphonies under his own baton in the middle of January.
Not Coming to America.
Since America has seemingly heard very little of this
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Helsingfors, Finland, December 15, 1921.—After haying been expected for over a year, awaited time and again in vain Alexander Glazounoff, the greatest living Russian composer and director of the Petrograd Conservatory, has suddenly arrived in Helsingfors. As he was very tired from the journey, several days elapsed before I could ask him for an interview for the Musical Courier to which he consented at once with his customary courtesy.
One could see at a glance that the terrible times that Russia has undergone and is undergoing still, have left deep marks upon the composer. This large man, formerly so upright, is now perceptibly bent. His face is pale and his quick gestures have broadened into quiet movements. The only thing that has not changed is his eyes; they have kept their wonderful sparkle and their depth and fire seem to be even clearer than
Conditions at Petrograd.
We quite naturally started to talk at once about the Petrograd Conservatory, Glazounoff’s love-child. Since the Petrograd Conservatory has educated a great many of the biggest artists of today, since it was one of the most famous of the world’s conservatories before the war and especially since many of the famous
America have g
artists now appearing in
ETHEL LEGINSKA,
H Photo by Floyd
pianist, ■who made her welcome reappearance in New York in a two-piano recital with Ornstein, at Aeolian Hall on December 30. January 3 she played at the debut of her pupil, Evelione Taglione, and was also guest artist with the New York Chamber Music Society at Aeolian Hall on January 9. when her “From a Life" was performed. Before the end of January Leginska will play al number of other joint recitals with Ornstein and Hans Kindler.
graduated from this institution, I think	g
that it will interest the reader to hear	=
about its present condition.	g
Glazounoff said that the number ot	g
pupils averages 1,500 and that the classes	=
are quite full and regularly attended. The	g
ability standard has gone down, however,	g
mainly because of	the fact that the prov-	=
inces, which used	to supply the best tal-	g
ents do not send	any pupils now on ac-	jj
count of the hard	living conditions in the	=
city. The curriculum which was laid down	g
by Anton Rubinstein, as well as his ex-	g
acting method, has not been changed.	g
However, a conference on all sorts ot	=
musical questions is supposed to be held	g
in Moscow in the near future, at which	g
also a uniform working-program for all	g
musical schools will be discussed, lwo	g
representatives of the Petrograd Conser-	=
vatory—Prof. Karatygin (musical his-	g
tory) and Prof. Belayeff (theory)—have	=
already gone to Moscow for this pur-	g
The teaching staff is good, although	g
some of the very best, like Auer, have	g
gone away. Glazounoff mentioned the fol-	g
lowing teachers of note:	(Theory)	=
Profs. Steinberg, Liapounov and Sokolov	g
(of ־whom the last has written a great	g
work on counterpoint which unfortunately	g
was left in Paris at the outbreak of the	g
war and has not been returned to the	g
author as yet) ; (piano) Profs. Nikolayev,	g
Maikapar and Mme. Kalantarova ; (sing : -mg) Profs. Gabel and Mme. Iditskaya;	g
(violin) Profs. Korguyev, Kruger and	g
Nalbandyan; and (cello) Profs. Susser-	g
mann and Wolf Israel.	g
As among the ablest students, Glazoun- g off mentioned a Mr. Safranitski (married = to a daughter of Scriabin), and a Miss = Judina. He stated, however, that last spring only three violinists graduated with a diploma, against the twenty of pre-war years.
Everything Wearing Out.
Glazounoff mentioned, too, that while
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great composer and conductor so far, I tried to persuade him to undertake an American tour. He will, however, be unable to do it this season, for he has to go back to Petrograd in March for the examinations in the Conservatory.
At the end of the interview Prof. Glazounoff inquired with great interest about the musical news in Europe and America and asked me to send his best regards to all his numerous friends who are dispersed through the entire wbrld.	Iryo Kilpinen.
Chicago to Have Two Opera Companies
Chicago, 111., January 10, 1922—(By Telegram).—In all probability there will be two opera companies in Chicago next season, the present Chicago Opera Association continuing at the Auditorium, if sufficient guarantors can be secured, and a new organization presenting opera in English at the Illinois, with Mrs. H. F. McCormick as its good
formerly the Conservatory used to have a very good orchestra of its own, it has now no permanent orchestra. Now and then one is formed for some special purpose, as for instance, a Beethoven !estival last year at which Glazounoff himselt conducted the “Eroica.” In winter the classes are much hampered m their work for lack of heat. Also the instruments are very old and worn out. New ones cannot be procured, for Russia is not making any herself There is also a great need of music, and it is often almost impossible to get the music necessary for the lessons, because no music has been printed in Russia for many years and the library music is very old, torn and going to bits.
Concerts are Full.
The general popular interest for music in Petrograd is very intense and concerts are full. One ticket costs from 15 Ô00 to 20,000 roubles. Orchestral concerts are given by thé Philharmonic (about eighty members) under the baton of the well known conductor Kuper, of Moscow. lhe programs also include modern music, such as Stravinsky, Strauss, Scriabin, etc. The opera is also functioning under Kuper and W. Suck. As the concert halls are not heated