29
TORONTO ENJOYS CONCERTS
BY MENDELSSOHN CHOIR
Twenty-fifth Season of Famous Organization—Assisted by
Philadelphia Orchestra—A Performance of “Pinafore”
Toronto, Can., February 25, 1922.—The chief musical interest in Toronto this week has centered around the performances of the splendid series of concerts by the Mendelssohn Choir, with the assistance of the Philadelphia Orchestra. This is the twenty-fifth season of this famous organization, which was started in 1894 by Dr. A. S. Vogt, who, because of increased labors in connection with the Conservatory of Music; of which institution he is the principal, passed over the baton in 1917 to H. A. Fricker, an eminent English musician from Leeds. The concerts this season consisted of four evenings with an orchestral matinee, on Wednesday, February 22, and the attendance at every performance was large—in fact, it entirely filled the huge auditorium of Massen Hall. Of these series, the writer only heard two, the concert of Monday evening, when Bach’s great motet, “Sing Ye to the Lord,” and Gustav Holst’s “Festival te Deum,” were the chief vocal numbers; also the Wednesday matinee, when Leopold Stokowski presented with vivid magnificence the Brahms’ symphony in F, No. 3, op. 90, and the two classics—Handel’s concerto for clavichord and orchestra, and Bach’s “Passacaglia” in C minor. The Holst work was a novelty here, and proved to be very impressive under Mr. Fricker’s incisive baton. The Bach “Motet” was presented in an inspiring manner. In fervor, power, brilliance and beauty of phrasing, it would be difficult to imagine anything finer. Sir Hubert Parry’s setting of the choral ode, “Blest Pair of Sirens,” was also delivered in excellent style with rich blending of gorgeous tone. The choir is up to its usual pre-war strength, and as will be noticed when it sings in New York and other American cities a little later on in the season, the superb qualities which characterized its singing when under the training and control of Dr. Vogt's temperamental influence and conducting, have not deteriorated. The ensemble is a marvel of tone balance and smoothness of utterance. The orchestra never played in this city to more enthusiastic and sympathetic audiences. The Handel work, with Mr. Stokowski at the imitation “Clavichord” piano, had the true, old-time classic ring. The symphony and the symphonic suite, op. 35, by Rimsky-Korsakoff, played on Monday evening, were remarkable performances viewed from any angle, and Stokowski was recalled nearly a dozen times after each performance.
The Savogards’ production of “Pianofore” last week in the Princess Theater was attended by large audiences, and the Messrs. George and R. Stewart, under whose auspices several works of light, melodious character are being presented here, can be sincerely congratulated. A very good orchestra and a well balanced and trained chorus did admirable work. The soloists were also good singers, and their action was commendable and realistically effective. Marley Sherris, as Sir Joseph Porter, K. C. B:, was splendid and Kate Jackson’s singing of the music of Buttercup quite alluring. In fact, the whole cast was excellent. W. O. F.
MUSICAL COURIER
Olive Nevin sang in Pittsburgh to the accompaniment of Sir Paul Dukes, late chief of the British Intelligence Bureau -in Russia.
“Hush-a-bye Lily-Bud, Rock-a-bye Rose,” poem by Mabel Livingstone, music ~by Amy Clark, will soon be published by Witmark.
The Women’s Symphony Orchestra of Philadelphia, J. W. F. Leman, director, is giving five concerts this season.
J. Lawrence Erb will be president of the Music Teachers’ National Association for the ensuing year.
The MacDowell Club gave a reception to Mr. and Mrs. Mengelberg last Sunday afternoon.
Mary Allen’s activities next fall will include ten weeks of concerts under Kingsbery Foster’s direction.
Cecil Fanning’s poem, “Sicilian Spring,” has been chosen as the basis of the work in the Chamber Music Competition of the National Federation of Music Clubs.
Ernest Schelling will be the soloist at the Philharmonic Orchestra concerts on March 12 and 21.
Julia Claussen makes her re-entry for the season at the Metropolitan as Amneris in “Aida” March 9.
The Lega Musicale Italiana, Inc., has just elected officers for the coming year.
Geraldine Farrar and Alma Gluck attended Elena Ger-hardt’s last New York recital.
Joseph R. Crismer, former shepherd of the Lambs Club, was killed by a surface car on March 4.
Sousa was presented with a laurel wreath by the Musicians’ Club at his concert last Sunday evening.
Tenor Sorrentino sang via wireless; Babe Ruth appeared on the same program.
The Norfleet Trio is on a five weeks’ tour of the South.
U. S. Kerr, basso cantante, scored a success in concert at Perth Amboy on February 23.
Alexander Russell is giving a series of organ recitals at Princeton University.
Edwin Grasse will appear as violinist-organist-composer at Sommerfield M. E. Church on March 12.
Dr. George Harris, father of the tenor of that name, died on March 1.
The Sittig Trio gave a concert via wireless at the Newark plant on February 28.
Alice Verlet, lyric soprano, will give a song recital at Carnegie Hall on the evening of March 17.
Kilbourn Hall, at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, N. Y., was formally dedicated last Friday.
Leopold Godowsky is on his last transcontinental tour of the United States for several years at least.
The membership of the Music Students’ League is rapidly increasing.
Mrs. F. S. Coolidge, of Pittsfield, is a visitor in New York, stopping at the Belmont Hotel.
Alexander Siloti has been made an honorary member of the New York Symphony Orchestra.
David and Clara Mannes will be heard again next season in their sonata recitals.
Mario Laurenti, baritone of the Metropolitan, died suddenly last Tuesday morning.
Claire Dux is booked for three orchestral dates in five days.	G. N.
March 9, 1922
I SEE THAT
Giulio Gatti-Casazza has had his contract at the Metropolitan extended for three years more.
The John Church Company is now located at 318-20 West Forty-sixth street.
George Reimherr will give two more recitals in New York this season.
The. Manhattan Opera House was sold to the Scottish Rite Masons for $600,000.
It is just three years ago that the New York Trio made its first New York appearance.
Easthope Martin, the English composer, has returned to England.
Giulio Crimi was well received at his Detroit concert appearance on February 28.
H. Godfrey Turner has just issued his route book for next season.
Mr. and Mrs. John R. MacArthur gave a reception for Mr. and Mrs. Paolo Gallico on February 28.
The orchestra of the New England Conservatory of Music was organized twenty years ago.
Guy Maier and Lee Pattison have been engaged for a tour of forty concerts in Australiasia.
Erna Rubinstein will play twice more with the Philharmonic Orchestra this season.
A report comes from Russia that Scriabin’s widow is in need of financial help.
Edwin Swain is off on a tour of the South.
Florence Golson, blind composer and singer, will appear in recital during the coming season.
Vera Curtis, Helen Jeffrey and Juan Reys will be heard at the Zuleika Grotto concert in Buffalo, April 7.
Elie Zlatin is winning praise as conductor of “Chauve Souvis” at the Forty-ninth Street Theater.
Mildred Faas will make her New York debut at the Town Hall on the afternoon of March 20.
Otto Bauer, concert manager of Munich, died suddenly at the age of sixty-two.
Marguerite D’Alvarez will begin her Vancouver concert at 11 p. m. in the Capitol Theater, owing to the lack of a sufficiently large concert hall.
Claudia Muzio has become a firm believer in the bull fight.
An appeal is being made to make up the deficit in the maintenance ■fund of the Detroit Orchestra.
Thomas J. Kelly’s lectures for the Woman’s City Club of Cincinnati have been well attended.
Music Week in New York (April 30 to May 6) will be an important event this spring.
Elly Ney is making an extended tour of the South.
Theo Karle will sing with the Cleveland Orchestra on March 13.
Charles Wakefield Cadman will return to California some time during the latter part of April.
Titta Ruffo has made an excellent record of “Querida” for the Victor.
NORNAN JOLLIf
Bass=Baritone
“Mr. Jollif’s recital was a complete triumph.”—Toronto Globe.
“No more exquisite art in song has been revealed here this season.”
—Newark News.
“A better ‘Caractacus’ could hardly have been chosen.”
—Sprhigfield Union.
“Made a great impression with his really fine singing.”
—Philadelphia Record.
“Shared equal honors with Morini * * an instant hit.”
—Lancaster New Era.
April 16 Boston, Handel & Haydn “Elijah”
24 Newark
28 Fitchburg Festival “Requiem”
May 9 Harrisburg
12 Springfield Festival
Southern Tour
1922
March 4 N. Y. Mozart Club
10 Newark
12 New York
(Selwyn Theatre)
25	New York (Aeolian Hall)
26	Englewood
July 24-29
Exclusive direction: WALTER ANDERSON, 1452 Broadway, New York