MUSICAL COURIER
53
much to prepare them. And I wanted you to work. That was your artistic salvation.’
“To this day,” said Mr. Lhevinne with a smile, “I’m deeply grateful to Barczy for inventing those seven societies. I should feel the same if they had been seventy times seven. For in my efforts to meet their demands I started on a period of hard work that, before I had learned those programs, had gained such momentum it kept me going all through the remainder of my internment.”
Marian Veryl a Versatile Artist
The recent private recital which Marian Veryl gave in Pittsburgh, with Carl Bernthaler at the piano, to which several New Yorkers, among them her manager, M. H. Hanson, were invited, gave proof of her fine art and versatility. While songs by Fourdrain, Vidal, Chausson and Ravel were given not only in a charming but authentic manner, since only recently she coached them in Paris, and while her singing of a small group of German songs, which she coached with Carl Bernthaler, met with general approval and appreciation, her greatest success was achieved by her singing of the two arias from Rimsky-Korsakoff’s “Snegourotchka,” which was produced by the Metropolitan Opera Company for the first time in this country on Monday evening, January 23.
August Epple Chorister at Paterson Church
August Epple, of Paterson, N. J., who for a number of years was associated with C. Mortimer Wiske as publicity promoter and in a managerial capacity, is now in charge of the music at the Broadway Baptist Church of Paterson, where he has organized a choir of forty-five voices and a junior choir of twenty-five voices. These choirs gave an excellent musical program at Christmas time which caused much favorable comment in Paterson and vicinity. Choruses by Handel and Haydn and Maunder’s “Bethlehem” were among the works recently given. A splendid season’s work has been mapped out for 1922. In his duties as chorister, Mr. Epple has the valuable assistance of his organist, Samuel Eliezer, one of the promising young musicians of Paterson.	__________
Kaufmann Artist Pupil on Tour
Elizabeth Hamilton Duggin, soprano, and her husband, David Duggin, Scotch tenor, are at the present time on a concert tour which will embrace sixty concerts. Mrs. Duggin is an artist-pupil of Minna Kaufmann, the well known vocal teacher, of New York.
LENA DORIA DEVINE
Lampertl’s Method of Voice Production Metropolitan Opera House Studios 1425 BROADWAY. N. Y.	Tel. 1274 Bryant
Fischer and has composed the music. Whether in the Tagore poems or Chinese poems or Kipling, it matters not, the music set the stage and Mrs. Fischer’s voice gave it life and being. No two artists hold a higher position in our midst than Mrs. Fischer and Mr. Koerner. R. A.
Lhevinne and the “Seven Societies”
When Josef Lhevinne returned to the American concert stage after his years of internment in Germany during the war it was evident that he had not neglected his practice while enduring this trying experience.
“But how did you manage to keep up sufficient courage to practice?” he was asked recently. Whereupon he told an interesting story.
“For a long time I couldn’t bear to touch the piano,” he acknowledged. “I was too depressed and too uncertain as to whether or not I would ever again pursue a public career. Then, when the outlook seemed blackest, I received word from Gustav Barczy of Budapest that he had obtained the consent of the German government to my going to that city for a series of seven concerts. Although Mr. Barczy is a man of great influence and head of the publishing firm of Rozavolgyi, and his brother is governor of Budapest, I could not believe that even the influence of the two combined could work such a seeming miracle.
“Then I finally realized that it was true. I was to play seven concerts in Budapest. I began to make out my programs, choosing the works I knew the best and that would require but little practice to get into shape again.
“Then, one day, came a letter from Mr. Barczy saying that the seven concerts were to be given under the patronage of seven different musical societies. One society wanted an entire Bach program, and he specified certain numbers not one of which I had played for years and two that I had never played in concert. Another society wanted a program made up wholly of modern sonatas, and I knew but a limited number of these sonatas. Another wanted a Beethoven program, specifying works that are seldom played. And so the instructions went on.
"I at once wrote that I could not present these programs. Word immediately came back that if I did not fulfill the requests of the societies all the concerts would be cancelled. I protested further. But in vain.
“I set to work. And how I worked! I did nothing but practice day and night. And when I started for Budapest I had every one of those works in my head and at my fingers’ end. But I felt I had been unfairly treated, and no sooner had I arrived at Budapest than I aired my grievance to Mr. Barczy. Those seven societies! What right had they to dictate to me every number I should play! And such unheard of programs! I had been obliged to practice myself nearly to death ! To all of which Mr. Barczy blandly replied:
“ ‘There are no seven societies. There is not even one lone society that is bringing you here. You have been engaged for the concerts through the regular management. I invented those seven societies and their programs in order to make you practice. I knew that if you were allowed to play your regular programs you wouldn’t have to work
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February 2, 1922
MINNEAPOLIS HEARS
FINE SYMPHONY AND
CHORAL PROGRAMS
Symphony Orchestra Plays Cadman’s “The Thunderbird”— Casella Directs His Rhapsody, “Italia”•—Mrs. Carlo Fischer in Concert of Spoken Song
Minneapolis, Minn., January 2, 1922.-=-Emil Oberhoffer chose the choral and fugue of Bach-Albert to open the Christmas program of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. This was a fitting beginning and was played with reverence and proper tone shading. Wagner’s prelude to “Lohengrin” and the “Nutcracker” suite of Tschaikowsky were acceptable numbers very well played. A symphonic sketch, “Noel,” by Chadwick, was a most appropriate close to this Sunday concert offering.
A talented young violinist, formerly from St. Paul (who went into the navy service during the war and then had a post-graduate course under Franz Kneisel in New York), was a soloist of no mean attainments. He played the Vivaldi concerto for violin and string orchestra with good tone and a proper esteem of what the old masters wanted in their works. Peter Lisowsky, we are happy to say, is a member of the first violin section of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Lillian Eubank, mezzo soprano, and a former member of the Chicago Opera, sang with fervor and much musical feeling the. aria from Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda.” She has a beautiful voice, which expresses a musical nature and refinement. She was the recipient of much merited applause.
“Messiah" Sung by Minneapolis Choral Society.
Handel’s “Messiah” was the work given by the Minneapolis Choral Society at the Auditorium, December 26, with Gustave Schoettle directing. The chorus of 250 voices from the membership of the Civic Music League is a distinct addition to our musical life and we hope for it an ever-increasing usefulness in bringing the finest in music to the singers as well as the audiences. Mr. Schoettle directed ably. The solo parts were admirably sung by Mrs. Elroy Johnston, Mildred Langtry, Earl Fischer and Harry Phillips. The orchestra accompanied with sincerity and merit, while Clyde Stephens was an equally able pianist. Benjamin Klatzkin, solo trumpeter with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, played the trumpet passages with telling effect.
Cadman’s “The Thunderbird” Played at Symphony Concert.
The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra gave a splendid concert Sunday afternoon, January 1, in the Auditorium. No concert this season was better chosen or better played. Mr. Oberhoffer happily chose Cadman’s Indian drama, “The Thunderbird,” as the novelty of the program and it is interesting to note the use made of Indian themes. Liszt’s “Les Preludes” and Sibelius’ “Finlandia” gave a magnificent chance for the brasses and they acquitted themselves with glory. “Marche Joyeuse,” by Chabrier; “Carnaval in Paris,” by Svendsen, and “Valse Triste,” by Sibelius, gave varied color to a fine program.
Engelbert Roentgen, solo cellist with the orchestra, played enjoyably Dvorak’s “Waldesruh” and Saint-Saëns’ “Allegro Appassionato.” In these two extreme moods Mr. Roentgen was equally at ease. His intellectual equipment and technic meet all demands and make him a great asset to our musical colony.
Casella Directs His “Italia Rhapsody” with Symphony
The program given by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra at the Auditorium December 30 was a fitting ending of the year 1921. Mr. Oberhoffer directed his men to great heights of beauty and yet simplicity in the seventh symphony of Beethoven. Each section rose to the occasion and made this concert a memorable one. Whether in a sostenuto, an allegretto, a presto or the finale (allegro con brio), Mr. Oberhoffer held his men to the right tempo and the right mood. It was like wandering in a far country with a pastorale, a martial song and limpid themes meeting us and refreshing us with their charm and delicacy.
Alfredo Casella played the Mozart D minor concerto with simplicity, ease, "finesse and discretion. His technic flows and his musical discernment is what Mozart might have wished. He was enthuiastically recalled and played twice more with great effect. _
After the intermission the suite from “The Convent by the Water” and the rhapsody, op. 11, “Italia,” were played, directed by the composer, Alfredo Casella. The suite contained bits of very revolutionary music, intensely interesting and very well played and directed. In the rhapsody Casella certainly shows great talent as a composer when he incorporates three Neapolitan songs into the web and woof of this artistic number. Casella directs with virility and abandon and the men followed his compelling baton. He gave us a bit of joy in each number and shows us that music can carry that message as well as sadness. Casella is a young man and his future as a composer and director is assured, for he has the gift for both. We shall watch his career with interest.
Mrs. Carlo Fischer in Concert of Spoken Song.
The music department of Minnesota College introduced Mrs. Carlo Fischer (nee Marie Gjertsen) at its second concert of the artists’ series. This new art branch of spoken song has no greater exponent than Mrs. Eischer. She combines depth of feeling and a magnetic personality and impresses the beauty of the poems she reads upon the audience so that one visualizes the whole scene. Her voice has the rare quality of attracting one’s attention and holding it through the whole evening.
She was artistically accompanied by Arthur Koerner, pianist (of St. Paul), who has collaborated with Mrs.
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