February 2, 19 2 2
MUSICAL COURIER
28
“SAMSON AND DELILAH” ADMIRABLY
PRESENTED BY HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY
Boston Symphony Presents Twelfth Pair of Concerts with Laura Littlefield as Soloist Cleveland Orchestra Well Received —Burgin String Quartet, Victor Wittgenstein, Greta Torpadie and De StefanoGive
Programs—Other News
quartet in D minor, Schubert; Italian serenade, Wolf; quartet in G minor, Debussy.	.
In past years Boston has been justly proud of a few string quartets, which have made a strong impression Upon the public, both in Boston and elsewhere. The well remembered Kneisel Quartet and Adamowski Quartet, both presented to the Boston public most interesting programs, and were highly appreciated. _	^
Mr. Bürgin’s organization is made up of individual players who are acknowledged masters of their instruments and who are heard from Week to Week at the Symphony concerts. There were times when it was plainly to be seen that the four had not had time as yet to get into perfect form. The intonation was excellent, there was plenty of spirit, and there were many evidences of good taste In the readings.
The second concert will be given on Tuesday everting, February 14.
GsetA Toüpadie And de Stefano Give 1 ,hooka m.
Greta Torpadie, soprano, and Salvatore de Stefand, harpist, gave an enjoyable recital in Jordan H.äll, Jänuäiy 25, in aid of the orphaned French children. Miss Torpadie included in her program songs by Sibelius, Eriksön, StCn-hammer, Bratt, Alnaes, Ravel, Weckerlin, Krämer, Bärlöw, Atherton, and,-with harp, tWo old Songs edited by Weeker-lin, Grainger’s “Willow, Willow,” and Purcell’s. “Nymphs and Shepherds.”, An audience of fair size showed its appreciation. Mrs. Öudley Fitts accompanied with skill.
New England Conservatory Notes.
A concert by advanced students of the New England Conservatory of Music in Jordan Hall, January 20, gave opportunity for the appearance of several post-graduate students and seniors. Two members of the class of 1920, both of greater Boston, were Alice Hamlet, in piano pieces by Palmgren and Debussy, and Rosa Frutman, in the Schumann fantasia in C major. The other performers were Marjorie McClure (Litchfield, Minn.), Hildred Pol-ley (Somerville), Agnes Bevington (Nashville, Tenn.), Alice Rathburn (Mansfield), and Cecile Sherman (Mobile, Ala.).
A concert by the New England Conservatory Orchestra, Wallace Goodrich conductor, brought a large audience to Jordan Hall, January 27. The soloist's were Howard Goding, pianist, and Homer Humphrey, organist, of the faculty. Notable on the program was the piece played in memory of the late Camille Saint-Saens_, who died December 16—the adagio from the symphony in C minor for orchestra and organ. In another vein was the “Festival of Pan,” a romance for the orchestra, by Frederick S. Converse, of the Conservatory faculty. The other numbers were! Franck’s symphonic variations for pianoforte and orchestra; Wagner’s overture and bacchanale from “Tannhäuser,” Berlioz’ Hungarian march from “The Damnation of Faust.”
Registration is in progress at the Conservatory for the second session which begins on February 2 and ends June 21.	A. R. F.
Haarlem Philharmonic Annual Breakfast and Musicale
The annual breakfast which preceded the January musicale of the Haarlem Philharmonic Society and which took place on Thursday, January 19, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, was such a success as must have gladdened the hearts of those Who had the matter in charge. To Mrs. Trusten Polk Edwards, chairman of the entertainment committee, is certainly due the congratulations of the members of the society. Among the guests of honor was Mme, Sembrich, whose pupil and protegee, Ethyl Hayden, was one of the artists presenting the musicale program which followed the breakfast.
Miss Hayden is young and is not only gifted with a beautiful voice but also has that priceless attribute, a charming personality. Her program numbers included Grief’s “Morning Dew,” LaForge’s “1 Came with a Song,” Harris’ “It Was a Lover and His Lass” (dedicated to Miss Hayden), Marum’s “My Heart Is a Lute,” Wentzell’s “Joy,” and an aria from Gounod’s “Faust,” Florence Harvey, at the piano, played excellent accompaniments.
Alexander Crooks, tenor, completely won his audience by the beauty and power of his voice, as well as by the artistic worth of his interpretation of his first number, “Salut! demeure, chaste et pure,” from Gounod’s “Faust.” Upon his second appearance, he gave “I Know,” by Spross; “The Last Hour,” Kramer, and “Onaway, Awake, Beloved,” by S. Coleridge-Taylor. Francis Moore played the accompaniments in his usual fine style.
A general favorite, Erwin Nyiregyhazi, delighted every one with his piano numbers. These included the Liszt transcription of Schubert's “The Erlking,” the Chopin berceuse and ballade in G minor, the Tschaikowsky romance in F minor, the Rachmaninoff prelude, and Liszt’s “Rigo-letto” fantasy. It goes without saying that each of the artists was compelled to add to the programmed numbers.
During the breakfast an excellent musical program was rendered by an orchestra under the direction of Henri Conrad.
Reuter to Give Fourth Boston Recital
Rudolph Reuter’s fourth Boston recital, on February 6, contains the posthumous sonata in B flat by Schubert, Schumann’s “Carnival” and a miscellaneous collection of shorter numbers by Korngold, Rachmaninoff, Henselt and Liszt. Mr. Reuter has found much favor with the critics o'f the Hub on previous occasions, the interesting make-up of his programs and the many unusual selections calling particularly for commendation. In the same week, Mr, Reuter fills engagements in New York, Wheeling (W, Va•)! and in the Bortz series in Pittsburgh.
Boston, January 28, 1922.—Sunday afternoon, January 22, at Symphony Hall, before an enormous and enthusiastic audience, the Handel and Haydn Society, Emil Mollen-hauer conductor, gave a splendid performance of Saint-Saëns’ opera-oratorio, “Samson and Delilah,” with Margaret Matzenauer as Delilah, Morgan Kingston as Samson, Emilio de Gogorza as the High Priest, and Herbert Wellington Smith as Abimelech.
Although composed as an opera, and so produced at Weimar under the direction of Liszt in the early ’70’s, it seems equally suited for a choral performance, and it certainly showed a good reason for being, in the hands of these great artists and splendidly trained chorüs of the Handel and Haydn Society. The gorgeous music of Delilah matches well the gorgeous voice of Mme. Matzenauer, she of the dignified presence, great range, both of register and lusciousness. Mr. Kingston, master of the grand style, surely appropriate to the Biblical picture of Samson as Well as to the ideal of Saint-Saëns, was the recipient of hearty^ attd well deserved applause. Mr. De Gorgozä gave the music of the High Priest with authority, and our oWn Herbert Smith, in the small part which Was entrusted to him, made glad the ears and hearts of his hearers.
Of course, Mr. Mollenhauer had his chorus under perfect control, the attack, finish of the phrase, nuances, all worked out to the finest detail.
Twelfth Concert of Boston Symphony.
Friday afternoon, January 20, and Saturday evening, January 21, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, in Symphony Hall, gave the twelfth pair of concerts of this, the forty-first season of this organization. The program was as follows : symphony No. 2, Szymartovski; symphonic piece from the symphonic poem, “La Redemption,” Franck; excerpts from “Le Convent SUf l’eau,” Casella; overture to “Oberon,” Weber.
The symphony of Szymanovski was composed, it is said, in 1911; was produced at Warsaw under the leadership^ of Fitelberg, and afterward played in Vienna, Berlin, Munich, etc. It was given here last week for the first time in America. The form of the symphony is quite unusual, consisting as it does of two parts: the first, allegro moderato; the second, a theme with seven variations. The third and seventh variations were omitted at these concerts.
Casella’s music was heard with pleasure, and Mrs. Littlefield in the wordless song in the barcarolle sang with her well known, pure and interesting voice, and apparently with more freedom than at the former hearing.
Mr. Monteux gave careful attention to the preparation of the symphony, and the players overcame brilliantly the many difficulties the work presented.
Victor Wittgenstein at Jordan Hall.
Tuesday evening, January 24, in Jordan Hall, a recital for piano was given by Victor Wittgenstein, when he offered charming and musical numbers by early composers, and also pieces by more modern writers. The program included: “Pastorale Variee,” Mozart; “Gigue,” Loeilly; an-dantino, Michael-Rossi; “Pastorale E Capriccio,” Scarlatti; sonata, op. 53, Beethoven; scherzo (op. 4), capriccio ( op. 76, No. 2), intermezzo (op. 76, No, 3), ihtermezzo (Op. 119, No. 4), rhapsodie (op, 119, No. 3), Brahms; three preludes, Jacobi; “Pell Street,” Whithorrte; tarantelle (op 43), nocturne (op. 48), and polonaise (op. 53), Chopin.
Mr. Wittgenstein displays beautiful tone quality and shows good technic for the most part. _ He played the scherzo of the Brahms group with dramatic accent and the intermezzo of the same group in a charming manner, The program was perhaps a Tittle too long.
Young People’s Concerts,
Monday afternoon, January 23, and again Wednesday afternoon, January 25, at Symphony Hall, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Monteux conductor, gave to a capacity audience of school children the following program: “Heroic March,” Saint-Saëns; marghetto from second symphony, in D minor, Beethoven; “L’Arlesienne” suite, No._l, Bizet; two Slavonic dances, Dvorak; overture to “Rienzi,” Wagner. This is the third season of these concerts for young people, largely of school age; the tickets, at a nominal price of 50 cents, 35 cents and 25 cents, are distributed through the schools, and as a result every seat was taken for both concerts.
There can be no question of_ the educational value of these presentations of good music, played in the best possible manner, and the young people enjoy and appreciate the effort being made both to entertain and instruct them. “No adult is admitted to these concerts unless accompanied by one or more children.”
The notes on the composers, in some cases descriptive of personal characteristics—also bits of history of the writing of the different pieces—are most interestingly told, and the pronunciation of difficult names is given.
Cleveland Orchestra Well Received.
Wednesday evening, January 25, at Symphony^ Hall, the Cleveland (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra, Nikolai Sokoloff conductor, played the following program to a large and enthusiastic audience; overture to “Coriolanus,” Beethoven; symphony No. 2, Brahms; “The Fountains of Rome,” Res-phigi; “Death and Transfiguration,” Strauss.
This is the second visit of the orchestra to Boston, and the organization shows reasonable and natural growth in the matter of technic since its last appearance here. Mr. Sokoloff has good material from which he will undoubtedly mould an orchestra which will compare favorably with other organizations., of the country.
Richard Bürgin String Quartet Heard.
Thursday evening, January 26, the newly organized Richard Bürgin String Quartet, made up from the leaders of their different sections in the Boston Symphony Orchestra—Messrs. Bürgin, Thillois, Fourel and Bedetti—gave its first concert in Stgingrt Hall. The program follows;
“The rhythm of Kreisler
The technique of Heifetz The tone of Elman.”
—New York American.
Such is the mastery of MORIN I
“Nearly turned Orchestra Hall into a madhouse.”
—Chicago Daily
Journal.
Such is the power of\ MORIN1
One year ago unknown to America. Since then forty cities have proclaimed her greater than all claims— beyond all belief.
Such is the virtuosity of MORIN1
“The greatest woman violinist that the world has ever known.”
—New York
American.
Such is the genius of MORINI
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