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MUSICAL COURIER
January 26, 1922
the States of Washington and Oregon, including appearances in Portland, Ore., and Tacoma, Wash.
On his recently unusually successful appearance in concert in Denver, Col., Paul Althouse was forced to respond to double encores after both of his song groups, which included “L’oiseau le plus tendre” (Renaud), “Le sais-tu?” (Massenet), “Un doux lien” (Delbruck), “Le Chevalier Belle-Etoile” (Holmes), “Take All of Me” (Stickles), “I Love You More” (Lee) and “The Great Awakening” (Kramer), besides operatic arias.
“Mr. Althouse possesses a voice of power, combined with ease of flexibility and shading, colorful timbre, and he knows how to use the great, God-given gift,” said the Rocky Mountain News in commenting upon his performance.
“Jazz” Due to Prohibition, Says Hess
Hans Hess, cellist, created considerable comment in the press on his southern tour, when he pointed out to the business men of Port Arthur, Tex., at a noonday luncheon, where he was the guest of the Port Arthur Rotary Club, that the largest growth of “jazz” music has occurred during the period of prohibition. Mr. Hess stated that there is a certain tendency to irregularity or recklessness in human nature that will find an outlet in some way or other, and that since the enforcement of prohibition this tendency has expressed itself generously in the craze for “jazz” music.
The Port Arthur Daily News, in an editorial headed, “Higher Order of Music,” printed the following paragraph: “While all might not agree in the fullest extent with the charge by Mr. Hess that ‘jazz’ music has done more harm than booze, as reported in an interview in yesterday’s News, it is certain that there is a serious need for music of the higher order, not only in Port Arthur, but also elsewhere in the country.”
Other comments read: “The enthusiastic reception accorded Hans Hess, cellist, by the large audience in the Elks Theater here last night, 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 the golden voiced instrument was soft and soothing or raced through fiery passages, a silence settled over the hundreds of listeners such as might have filled an empty theater. In the afternoon Mr. Hess played for the children of the elementary schools of the city in the Franklin Auditorium. He declared the event was a revelation to him.”
Lillian Ginrich Sings for Hospital
Lillian Ginrich recently sang at the hospital in Norristown, Pa., and at the close of the concert she received the following resolutions, which had been unanimously adopted by the board of trustees of the Hospital Norristown:
In token of our grateful appreciation of the very delightful and inspiring music which brought cheer and comfort, making heavy hearts light, and appeasing the minds of the unfortunate wards in our care, be it resolved, that the board of trustees exepress their appreciation of inspiring vocal renditions by Lillian Ginrich at the hospital on several occasions.
Resolved, that in the pursuit of music, where she reigns supreme as an artist, she may have deserved success, and that we heartily join in these wishes with her many friends,
Resolved, that at a meeting of the board of trustees held this day, a copy of these resolutions, signed by the officers be tendered to Lillian Ginrich.
(Signed) W. J. Elliott, President H. B. Heller, Secretary
Miss Ginrich gave a song recital in Philadelphia on January 26.
Emil Telmanyi Sails
Emil Telmanyi, the Hungarian violinist who has left for Europe after a wholly successful, although very short concert tour, will return for the entire season next November. Annie Friedberg, Mr. Telmanyi’s manager, reports already a great many return engagements, including a Pacific coast tour.
During the spring and early fall Telmanyi will play in Holland, England, France and Scandinavia.
Miss Morris’ Arrival Celebrated
Paul Morris, music critic of the Evening Telegram, gave a dinner to his colleagues of the press on Saturday evening, January 14, to celebrate the arrival at his home a short time before of a 7)4 pound young lady. Mrs. Morris was formerly Lita May, the coloratura soprano.
VINCENT V. HUBBARD DISCUSSES THE
SHORT CAREER OF MODERN SINGERS
soon produce serious trouble in another, while there are other effects which, if indulged in for some time, will invariably bring on vocal defects which in many cases are incurable.
“If one takes up a concert program, he will find vocal difficulties of some sort in almost every song. Interpretative effects are so entirely dependent upon tonal effects that the two cannot be separated, and vocal effects being dependent upon technic, it goes without saying that one must needs be a master of his voice before attempting interpretative work.
“To train a singer in song interpretation, it is necessary that the teacher have a thorough knowledge of the principles involved in the production of the vocal effects upon which his interpretative ideas depend for their expression.
“It is a very pitiful thing to see an ambitious, hard working student, who has worked for a long time, perhaps years, come to the realization that all the work done and money spent have practically been wasted, because all that they have struggled to learn is useless until they have gone right back to first principles and mastered them.
“This bitter experience has been the lot of many aspiring singers, and the disappointment has made them despair of ever getting anywhere, causing them to give up what might have been a great success if only they had been properly taught in the beginning.
“Fortunately, Americans are beginning to see the truth of this, and are not so easily satisfied with theory and impressive and plausible sounding talk. What they want is results! We have in America the best of material and artistic taste. With all this wealth of material, America will soon lead the world in all branches of artistic singing.”
Birthday Surprise for Samoiloff
A surprise birthday party was tendered to Lazar S. Samoiloff, vocal teacher, at his Carnegie Hall studios January 12, by pupils who presented him with a beautiful lamp. The party had been so carefully planned that Mr. Samoiloff had no inkling of it, the conspirators enlisting the aid of Mrs. Samoiloff, who arranged that Mr. Samoiloff would spend the evening out with her and their little daughter Zepha, returning to the studios about ten o’clock.
The guests arrived about nine o’clock, and when Mr. Samoiloff returned were all there to greet him. _ For a moment Mr. Samoiloff was speechless with surprise, but soon recovered and, after every one had wished him “many happy returns,” there was music. Several of his pupils, including Jean Barondess, Ernestine Bernard and Mme. Medvedieff, sang operatic arias, and there were ensemble numbers in which all the pupils took part. This was followed by dancing and refreshments.
Middleton’s Voice American Institution
“Arthur Middleton’s gorgeous baritone voice is really to be classed among deservedly popular American institutions,” said the Denver Express after Mr. Middleton’s recent successful appearance in concert in that city. The baritone was forced to respond to double encores after each of his song groups, which included “Auf Wachtposten” (Hermann ), “Staendchen”( Brahms), “Der Asra” (Rubinstein), “Der Sieger” (Kaun), “The Bellman” (Forsyth), “Looking Glass River” (Carpenter), and “King Duncan’s Daughters” (Allitsen), besides operatic arias.
Raisa, Rimini and the Cleveland Symphony
Rosa Raisa, the leading dramatic soprano of the Chicago Opera, and Giacomo Rimini, baritone of the Chicago Opera, assisted by the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra with Arthur Shepperd conducting, will make their first appearance of this season in New York at the Hippodrome, Sunday evening, January 29, in a specially prepared program of great musical significance.
Althouse In Portland and Tacoma
Paul Althouse, tenor of the Metropolitan Opera Company, continues his successful concert tour of the northwest. Within the next ten days he is singing engagements in
In conversation with Vincent V. Hubbard, prominent vocal teacher of Boston, the subject of the length of the careers of certain singers was discussed. Mr. Hubbard remarked upon the great difference in these careers:
“In Italy the average career of singers is said to be eight years, while in France it is only six. In my opinion, the length of time a singer can retain vocal power and control is almost entirely according to the manner of his preparation of development for his work.
“Battistini, the eminent baritone, has been a celebrity for forty years and is still singing at the age of seventy,” he added. “Cottogni continued to sing until he was sixty-nine, and among the singers with whose names we, in this country, are familiar are several whose careers extended over a con-
VINOENT V. HUBBARD, vocal teacher.
siderable number of years, while others have appeared, have charmed their audiences for a brief period, and then have disappeared. What are the reasons? In my opinion, the causes of this lie in the lack of proper technical knowledge and efficiency.
“A vocalist who understands the fundamental principles involved in the use of the voice, and who thoughtfully acts accordingly, can do an immense amount of work and retain his vocal powers as long as health lasts. While those whose main idea is to make effects, no matter how, finish themselves quickly and surely. I suppose most of such singers have been taught by so-called ‘coaches’—teachers, who, while good musicians, and who know interpretative effects, have little or no true knowledge of true vocal technic. Therefore, their pupils, failing in this, the most important part of their education, fail to reach their possibilities, and begin to fall off more and more until their careers end in an early smash.
“In my opinion, interpretation and technic must go hand in hand in the development of a singing artist as much as in a pianist, violinist, or painter. Surely an artist painter who has not the entire control of his medium cannot but fail in his attempt to materialize his ideas for other minds to enjoy.
“Therefore, the voice, being the medium through which the ideas of an artist are carried to the minds of his hearers, should receive the necessary technical training from a master technician. Without such a thorough training, a proper interpretation is impossible. A coach alone, who is not also a master of vocal technic, cannot successfully and without danger to the singer’s voice, train a vocalist in interpretative effects.
“There are many effects which are perfectly fitting and proper for one type of voice which may quite easily and
The Endurance Test
A night in a sleeping car—a morning of interviews—an afternoon of arduous rehearsal—and an artistic performance in the evening.
Natural and normal voice production—alone—stands this endurance test—with resultant reputation for dependability.
The act of singing must be automatic, normal and correct; “methods” of breathing—“methods” of “placement”•_“positions”■—“tongue-twisting” and “bodily contortions” all fail under the endurance test.
Adelaide Gescheidt has discovered and developed during the past twelve years, a system of voice training culminating in free—natural—tone emission, without breathing “method” or “tone placement.”
A fundamental tone with its myriads of overtones to enhance its beauty and quality—the tremendous undertone to amplify dynamically—to give shades of tone color and artistic expression.—This is the result attained.
MERIT WINS	RESULTS COUNT
817 Carnegie Hall, New York City
The Adelaide Gescheidt Studios
Telephone : Circle 1350