MUSICAL COURIER
January 26, 1922
proved to be a most ingratiating composition, and was well received.
The recitative and aria from “Jeptha,” Handel, sung in faultless st> le by Mr. Hackett, followed. Beethoven’s "Marcia Funebre,” from symphony No. 3 in E flat, was given in memory of Estelle Ford Goulder, professionally known as Mrs. Seabury Ford. Mrs. Ford contributed much to the music of Cleveland as artist, teacher, co-worker in the Fortnightly Musical Club and in. the Music School Settlement, and became especially known and beloved for the assistance she gave talented young people of limited means to develop their musical powers.
The concert was repeated on Saturday afternoon, and, as usual, was followed by a tea and reception to Director and Mrs. Sokoloff and the assisting artist, Mr. Hackett.
Notes.
A recital by the pupils of Raoul S. Bonanno was given the first week in December, and brought out many lovely voices. Mr. Bonanno is from L’Opera Paris and the San Carlo of Naples, and he specializes in operatic music. One of his most advanced pupils, Edith Kurlander, who passed the examinations for admission to the Fortnightly Musical Club in October, was heard in solo and concerted numbers.
Mrs. Marx Oberndorfer, chairman of the music department of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, was honored by a banquet given by the Cleveland Federation of Women’s Clubs in the ball room of the Hotel Staffer on December 6. The beautiful ball room was filled with guests who came to hear Mrs. Oberndorfer talk about "\\ hat puts the Sin in Syncopation.” There were greetings from Mrs. A. F. Westgate, president of the Citv Federation; Mrs. C. S. Selover, of the State Federation, and from Adella Prentiss Hughes, in behalf of the music organizations of the city. A half hour program of songs bv the Federation chorus, Mrs. Zoe Long Fouts, conducting, with Mrs. J. E. Hikes, chairman of the music department of the City Federation, at the piano, and classic dancing by Serge Popeliff and Helen Reinhart preceded the address of the evening.
Mrs. Oberndorfer made a strong plea for decency in both the words and music of popular songs. She decried the vandalism that desecrates the classics to “rag” and "jazz” them in the dance halls. That her crusade is well timed is evidenced by the almost universal cry that is being raised against the clangor and clatter of “jazz”
M. B. P.
Seven Chicago Dates for Reuter
Rudolph Reuter is having an extremely busy season of concert work, and his Chicago appearances will number seven this winter. Two of these will be solo performances including his annual recital in Orchestra Hall, April l¿ The other five will be concerts devoted to chamber music, a branch of musical art which Mr. Reuter has always encouraged and supported. His appearances with the Kneisel Quartet and other artists have shown him to be a master in ensemble playing, and there is perhaps no pianist in Chicago today who is better acquainted with chamber music literature than Mr. Reuter. He will give two sonata recitals with Hans Hess, the eminent cellist, on January 31 and. February 28. February 15 and March 15, in Kimball Hall, he will play sonatas for violin and piano with Jacques Gordon, concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra who is so well known in concert in the East.
Cleveland Symphony Engages Macmjllen
Francis Macmillen has been engaged as soloist with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, under Nikolai Sokoloff for March 23 and 24. Mr. Macmillen will play the Goldmark violin concerto.
Godowsky to Give Recital Series in W est
Leopold Godowsky will give a series of piano recitals in the Far West this spring, beginning the first of March at Casper, Wyo. He will appear frequently on the coast, and his tour will include all of the important cities.
First Butt Concert, February 7
Dame Clara Butt, Kennerley Rumford and their concert company will arrive in America about February 4 and wall give their first concert at Vancouver, B. C. on’February 7.
Heifetz to Give Third Recital
Jascha Heifetz gives his third violin recital at Carnegie Hall on the afternoon of the Lincoln’s Birthday holiday February12 ׳.
New York work is very interesting. Allen McQuhae, who made his debut in concert three years ago, continues his study with Mr. Hughes, who remains his only teacher. Mr. McQuhae has a record for this season of sixty concerts up to the middle of December. Marguerite Namara, now with the Chicago Opera, studied with Mr. Hughes all last winter. The three pupils who went to New York with !Mr. Hughes for further study have all secured professional engagements.
Anna Pavlowa Delights.
A welcome interlude in the Bernard¡ concert course was furnished by three performances of the Russian ballet under the direction of the “Incomparable” Pavlowa, Saturday׳ afternoon and evening, December 10, and Monday evening, December 12. The supporting company was better than last year and the music of a large orchestra directed by Theodore Stier was in every׳ way adequate.
Pavlowa’s male partner, Laurent Novikoff, was adjudged by׳ many to be the best she has ever had. Worthy also of especial mention were Hilda Butsova and Dom-browski.
Pavlowa’s own novelty׳ was the “California Poppy.” Popular Chamber Music.
The Cleveland String Quartet has undertaken to present chamber music that will enlist the interest of those who
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run. The first concert has already been given at the College Club and the report has gone forth that every number was enjoy׳ed by everybody׳. And why not? Surely there is more chamber music than any other kind stored away in the archives of musical libraries. Not all of it is serious minded or dull. For their second concert January 2, Arthur Shepherd, piano, and Philip Kirchner, oboe, are soloists.
Seventh Symphony Concert a Success.
In response to what amounted to a general request, “A Faust Symphony” in three character pictures (after Goethe) by Liszt, given with much success last season, was repeated December 29 and 31. The three characters represented by each movement are Faust, Marguerite and Me-phistopheles. The third movement requires the assistance of a male chorus and tenor soloist which was furnished again by the Singers’ Club and Arthur Hackett. The sonority of the male chorus supported by the surging orchestral accompaniment, and led and dominated by the tenor solo affords a thrilling climax. It most appropriately closed the program; in fact, it comprised the second half of the program.
The concerto in A minor by Vivaldi, arranged for string orchestra by Sam Franko, opened the program. It was composed originally as a violin solo and Mr. Franko has skilfully enlarged the scope of the work and given it a setting similar in style to the concerto grosse of Bach. It
14
BRAHMS CONCERTO COLDLY
RECEIVED AT CLEVELAND
SYMPHONY CONCERTS
Queena Mario Soloist at Sunday Popular Concert—Heifetz
Heard by Vast Audience—Pavlowa Welcomed—Seventh Symphony Concert Scores Tremendous Success
Cleveland, Ohio, December 19, 1921.—The sixth pair of symphony concerts was given Friday evening, December 16, and Saturday afternoon, December 17. The soloists were Louis Edlin, violin, and Victor De Gomez, cello. The program opened with Beethoven's “Coriolanus,” which was played with splendid dash and verve. The novelty of the evening was the Brahms concerto for violin and cello, A minor, op. 102. It was rather coldly received here in spite of the great popularity of the performing artists. Arthur Shepherd, assistant conductor, rehearsed the orchestra for the concerto and conducted it. Mr. Shepherd did a fine piece of work, and met with a splendid response from the orchestra. The soloists played with skill and fine blending of tone. But the concerto is a thankless task, and withal, a stupendously difficult one. The first movement is extremely long and fails to hold the interest. The andante (second movement) begins in C major with the solo cello accompanied by strings, bassoons, and horns. This movement is Brahms at his best and is of compelling interest. The third movement, while not of undue length as was the first, falls far below the first in thematic content.
The final number was the symphonic suite, “Scheherazade,” op. 35, Rimsky-Korsakoff.
Here was the treat of the program. In “The Young Prince and the Young Princess,” the third number of the suite, Mr. Edlin and Mr. De Gomez were again heard as soloists. But what a difference! The music was ravishing and the orchestral accompaniment of great beauty.
The whole suite is very beautiful and calls on the' complete resources of director and orchestra. Director Sokoloff and his men rose to the occasion and called forth the utmost enthusiasm of the audience, which applauded until the orchestra stood with the director.
Queena Mario Soloist at the Sunday Popular Concert.
The usual large audience gathered to hear the Sunday program December 18. Queena Mario, Greek-American, of the San Carlo and Scotti opera company, delighted her hearers with her ,personal charm and her lovely voice, which is particularly true to pitch. She sang Micaela’s air from “Carmen” and “Ah, fors e lui” from "La Traviata.” Miss Mario had already won her Cleveland following in her appearances in opera as Rosina in the “Barber of Seville” and as Mimi in “La Boheme.” She quite lived up to her performances when assisted by all the art of costuming and stage setting. Her success was very marked.
The orchestral offerings were overture to “Masaniello,” Auber, a stirring composition; two movements from symphony No. 2 in D major, Brahms; and selections from "La Tosca,” Puccini. Two novelties, the first a transcription— theme and variations from the trio, op. 50, Tschaikowsky— transcribed for orchestra by Edwin L. Turnbull, proved" to be rather disappointing, Mr. Turnbull failing to give enough breadth to the Orchestration to justify its adaptation.
Another novelty was “Shepherd’s Hey,” a Morris dance, by Percy Grainger. This old folk tune was first heard played here by Grainger himself as a piano composition. No word so well describes the lilt of Grainger’s folk dances as “rippin’ ”—they are all of that, and it was a jolly good tune to send a well satisfied audience home on.
Heifetz Heard by Vast Audience.
The two seasons that have elapsed since Jascha Heifetz’ last appearance here have only served to enhance his fame, judging by the throng that filled Masonic Temple and overflowed onto the stage, December 12. The opening number, Beethoven’s G major sonata for violin and piano, was somewhat disappointing as far as the violin part was concerned. Samuel Chotzinoff, at the piano, played superbly, but Heifetz was not up to his usual performance. But after the Beethoven number came a feast. At once there was noted a warmth of tone and breadth of style never before heard from his bow. His playing of the Bruch G minor concerto left nothing to be desired, and the Brahms’ Hungarian dance in G minor had to be repeated before the enraptured auditors were satisfied.
At the close of the program, after many recalls and encores, the house lights had to be turned down before the audience reluctantly turned away.
Felix Hughes Spends Christmas in Cleveland.
Felix Hughes spent the Christmas holiday fortnight in Cleveland. He has met many of his old pupils for special coaching during this vacation. His account of his
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Aeolian Hall New York
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ERNESTINE SCHUMANNHEINK
ARTHUR LOESSER, Accompanist and Soloist
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