March 2, 1922	MUSICAL COURIER
FUERTWANGLER NOW THE IDOL OF VIENNA
Distinguished Conductor the Commanding Figure of the City’s Musical Life—The “Furtwängler Concerts”—Orchestral Program Devoted to “Jung-Wiener”’ Composers—Eleven Orchestral Series—New Buxbaum Quartet Draws Crowds—Maria Rajdl’s Success—Persian Composer-Pianist Baffles—A Wonder Child—Oscar Fried Plays Bach—Eleanor Spencer’s “American Night”
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out performances of Beethoven’s “Missa' Solemnis” within one week and finally to concede, owing to general clamor, a fourth presentation of a work so little suited to attract an average audience. His reading of the venerable score was a true revelation, which afforded an entirely new view of the immortal work.
Plays Bloch.
Oscar Fried was not specially fortunate in his directing of Ernest Bloch’s “Deux Poèmes” for orchestra, by reason of insufficient response from the orchestral players, who did not seem to be thoroughly familiar with the work. These were the first compositions of Bloch to be played here and they־ had been eagerly looked forward to. Bloch’s chief virtue, judging from first acquaintance, is his keen
THE VIENNA HOFBURG
(Imperial Castle), which holds two newly opened concert halls and an intimate playhouse specially adapted for performances of the Staatsoper.
sense of orchestra colors. His instrumental effects are splendid, happier, in fact, than his melodic inspiration, which in this work seems distinctly Debussyesque in character.
Eleanor Spencer’s “American Night.”
The première of these pieces took place at a concert which was practically all-American, except for the opening number, which was Beethoven’s C major piano concerto. This was played by your own pianist, Eleanor Spencer, in excellent style and with imposing technical equipment, the latter being all the more remarkable in view of the impossibly low temperature of the hall. Miss Spencer can claim the distinction of being the first soloist to play in the gloriously beautiful hall recently opened in the Imperial Castle, which has not quite become used to its new mission as yet. Thus, for one night at least, America reigned in the Austrian Kaiser’s own castle and Miss Spencer, who made her studies right here at Vienna with Theodore Leschetizky, must have experienced a feeling of keen satisfaction at returning here as a full-fledged artist to reap her first Vienna success in so rare and gorgeous an environment. There was almost a symbol in that scene; the high-spirited American artist making this most conservatively European of all halls resound with the tones of MacDow-ell’s second piano concerto, and ultimately, with an applause in which Leschetizky’s own daughter, Therese, and Mme. Malvine Brée, the late master’s celebrated assistant, joyfully took part. Indeed, the temperature of enthusiasm at the end surpassed that of the hall. Paul Bechert.
Tampa’s Second Season of Opera
Tampa, Fla., February 10, 1922.—Under new management, Nino Ruisi acting as artistic director, a new company has been formed that promises an interesting season. Favorite artists singing in the previous engagement have been retained and others added to give a well balanced company, which offers pronounced possibilities for artistic achievement. Maestro Camillo Bonsignore, from New York, is a valued acquisition as conductor. Agnese Robinson, in her local debut as Donna Leonora in “Forza del Destino,” scored a big success on the opening night. A good production of “Rigoletto” was the second offering, Sciaretti winning plaudits in his local debut as the Duke. Lillian Gresham’s beautiful coloratura voice showed to advantage as Gilda, and Gallezzi was excellent in the title role. Other singers in the company are (tenors) Albert Amadi, Giuseppe Martellotti, (baritones) Giuseppe Rueda, Victor Moscato, (mezzo sopranos) Asta Mober and Matilde Renis. The bass roles are sung by Nino Ruisi and T. Zapata. A repertory of ten operas will be given and much interest is being evinced; especially is the interest growing among the American population.	M. M. S.
soprano. It may take some time, but Miss Rajdl is young and talented and can afford to wait.
Tenor Who is Different.
Even older Vienna concert goers ־cannot recall ever witnessing such wild scenes as accompanied the farewell recital of Carl Aagaard-Oestvig, the young Norwegian terjor from the Staatsoper, who is soon to leave for a “Valuta” tour through Spanish opera houses. There were no intermissions, for people would not stop applauding, and at the end there was a veritable assault upon the stage, with hundreds of enthusiasts barricading the exit of the stage, thus enforcing encore after encore for twenty minutes, even after lights had been turned out. This Northern tenor evoked a truly Southern enthusiasm which is all the more surprising since Oestvig, so far from being the matinee idol he easily might be on the strength of his looks and voice, is one of the “intellectual” school of singers so rare among lyric tenors. He is surely an exception from the prejudice prevailing in wide circles that a lyric tenor needs must be a more or less inferior being as regards intellectual qualities. His singing of Schubert, Schumann and Strauss was excellent, and the frenzy of the audience reached its climax after his interpretations of songs by his countryman, Edvard Grieg, which he endowed with an atmosphere as genuine as only a Scandinavian probably has at his disposal. Here is the one operatic tenor who fully commands the lieder style.
Persian Composer-Pianist Baffles.
It is with some reluctance that I refer to a recital given by a young Persian composer, Kaikhosru Sorabji, before a small circle of musical professionals. Mr. Sorabji, who lives in London, played his two piano sonatas, and frankness compels the statement that, at least on first hearing, they are absolutely beyond the grasp of ever so modern a hearer, who still expects from a composition such ancient things as form, rhythm and thematic or harmonic treatment of any kind. There seem to be some interesting oriental colorings in these sonatas, and a few of their passages “sound” beautifully, but the feeling one derives from them is, in short, that compared to Mr. Sorabji, Arnold Schonberg must be a tame reactionary. Withal, the impression Mr. Sorabji creates is that of a fully sincere personality, in whose madness there must be some sort of method. Just what that method implies, future generations may perhaps be able to discover.
A Wonder Child.
One might say that the same generation of Vienna wun-derkinder, which in its list includes Ericka Morini and her sister in art, Erna Rubinstein, also comprises Rudolf Serkin, Grete Hinterhofer and Trude Zerner, pianists; Siegmund Feuermann, the violinist, and his brother Emanuel, the cellist. Antagonism against child prodigies is deeply rooted, and, generally speaking, for very good reasons. How many hundreds of them have been inflicted upon our patient public during the last decade and how few of them have proved more than a passing sensation?
It is comforting, by way of contrast, to speak of the amazing development of young Rudolf Serkin. In reviewing his playing of the Reger concerto at one of Furt-wangler’s Tonkiinstler concerts, one critic has gone so far as to conjure up memories of Anton Rubinstein, while others have compared him to d’Albert in his palmiest days. It does great credit to the courage of Wilhelm Furtwängler that it was he who now helped the young artist to emerge from undeserved obscurity. The outcome was such as to more than justify the experiment which resulted in a triumph for both artists.
Fuertwangler the Idol.
This conductor, without a doubt, is the commanding figure of Vienna musical life today, sharing this supremacy with no less a personage than Richard Strauss. The Ton-kunstler symphony cycle, which the public has quickly become accustomed to calling “Fuertwangler Concerts” pure and simple, are sold out twice over for the entire season, and whenever Furtwängler chooses to conduct a special concert the box office is stormed by the public. Only a Fuertwangler can accomplish the feat of giving three sold-
Vienna, February 1, 1922.—An orchestral concert, devoted mainly to “Jung-Wiener” composers, was conducted by Karl Auderieth, until recently connected with the Volksoper, but now “at leisure,” which is the fate of so many capable Vienna musicians who have failed first to gain foreign recognition. Auderieth may not be a great conductor, but he is surely as good a man as many who have sufficiently strong “pull” with higher-up circles to hold them in prominent positions. The symphony concert led by him gave a hearing to two young Vienna composers, of which the one, Hans Ewald Heller, a local critic, shows few original traits. Fragments from his opera, “Messalina,” revealed a distinct preference for Erich Korngold, who is a composite in which Puccini’s influence is perhaps the most predominant.
The other novelty was a symphonic poem, “Vorfriihling,” by Egon Wellesz, whose opera, “Princess Girnara,” had some measure of success at Frankfurt and Hannover last
THE “SECESSION” ART GALLERY at Vienna, where a new concert hall has been opened.
season. Although originally a pupil of Schonberg, Wellesz has clearly freed himself from his master’s influence and in this piece discloses rather a tendency towards the impressionistic methods of Debussy who must have inspired some of the exquisite tone colorings of this score. The work was cordially received, as were also, in the same concert, orchestral and vocal scenes from Rimsky-Korsakoff’s “Sadko,” performed here for the first time.
Eleven Orchestral Series.
Time was when Vienna had three orchestral series only: the Philharmonic, the Konzertverein and the Tonkiinstler. Now we count not less than eleven cycles of symphony concerts, including, aside from the three mentioned above, the Tittel and Pless series, the Chamber Orchestra concerts, conducted by Rudolf Nilius, and the Women’s Symphony Orchestra, all of which have been recorded in these columns. Besides there are two “Pop” cycles, and the Workers’ Concerts alluded to in my last letter. Now enters a second Chamber Orchestra, consisting of men recruited from various orchestras and supplemented by a number of high class amateurs. This body is conducted by. Prof. Alexander Wunderer, himself a well known member of the woodwind section of the Philharmonic.
New Buxbaum Quartet Draws Crowds.
Of chamber music organizations we have ־ any number, but only six of them may be considered to be of real importance. There is, of cpurse, the famous Rosé Quartet, with a subscription series and a special cycle of popular priced Sunday night concerts, and the Mairecker-Buxbaum Quartet, organized by Buxbaum, the Rosé’s former companion. Already the demand for seats is so great with this new quartet, that it had to interpolate a popular• priced extra series similar to that of the Rosés, besides the regular subscription series. The Fitzner, Gottesmann and Feist Quartets, although not of equal importance, are doing fine work as well, the latter two cultivating the ultra-moderns which are generally neglected by the older organizations catering to a more conservative public. The latest addition in the chamber music field is a new Piano Trio organization, comprising Carl Lafite, violinist, Julius Stwertka from the Philharmonic Orchestra, and Plugo Kreisler, cellist, who is a brother of Fritz Kreisler. All these combinations are doing very well in a financial way, and theirs is an important part in Vienna musical development.
Young Staatsoper Soprano's Quick Success.
The story of Maria Rajdl and her sudden rise to fame reads like a romance such as a press agent would pay any price for. Little more than a year ago this young Czech girl, then a modest graduate from the Vienna State Conservatory, was heard by one of the Staatsoper officials at a performance given by pupils of the Conservatory, and was at once■ engaged for small parts. For three months she waited patiently for a role to come her way, but then her chance came. One of the stars cast for the role of poor, unhappy Madame Butterfly fell sick at the last moment and Miss Rajdl assumed the part on two hours’ notice, only to find herself a Vienna favorite the next morning. She has now made her first appearances in recital and her success equalled that attendant upon her appearance with the Staatsoper. Hers is a warm, flexible soprano of beautiful quality, especially in piano work, and gives promise of gaining the requisite strength some day to develop into a real dramatic
THE NEW MAIRECKER-BUXBAUM QUARTET OF VIENNA, which has quickly gained a prominent position in the Austrian capital. Left to right: Mairecker, Starkmann, Mara-wets and Friedrich Buxbaum, the eminent cellist, twenty years a member of the Rosé Quartet. (Photo by Setser,
Vienna.)