MUSICAL COURIER
16
March 16, 1922
from the New. York Philharmonic Orchestra, with Miss Beebe at the piano.
This spring the society will make a tour of New England, New York and Ohio cities, appearing also in two or three places in Canada. A six weeks’ tour next fall is now being booked, and in the spring of 1923, with the close of the Philharmonic Orchestra’s New York season, Miss Beebe’s organization will again go on the road.
SWITZERLAND’S ANTI-FOREIGNERS POLICY
THREATENS TO DISRUPT ITS MUSICAL LIFE
Geneva Orchestra May Have to Disband Because of Growing Deficit—Gagnebin and Stravinsky Symphonies Have First Hearings—Mahler’s “Song of the Earth” Pleases—Eminent Soloists
“Namara Thrills Audience in Peoria”
The above was the heading that appeared in the Peoria, 111., Journal Transcript after Marguerite Namara’s recital engagement in that city recently. The paragraph which follows was taken bodily from the same paper of that date:
“Mme. Namara’s voice is beyond the description of mere words; she sings with that absolute abandon and ease which is only characteristic of truly great musicians. She reaches the highest notes with perfect ease and smoothness, and thrills the very soul of her audience. The personality of the little actress, for actress she certainly is, grips one in a spell, which does not relax until the *last note of her last song has died away, and one realizes that she will be seen no more. Her vivacious and animated expressions during her singing, make one live with her stories of the numbers, and her exceptional beauty entrances one. She sang with equal enthusiasm and skill in all her numbers. Each and every selection was more wonderful than the one before, and at the finish of the program, it seemed as if Mme. Namara had sung for only an instant. The Amateur Musical Club is indeed to be congratulted upon having the opportunity of presenting to .Peoria such an exceptionally fine treat, and Mme. Namara scored an instant success before her audience last night.”
Schumann Heink Sings Again for Radiophone
Due to her success in singing for the wireless telephone at Stockton, Cal., Ernestine Schumann Heink recently sang over the radiophone at the Fairmount Hotel, San Francisco. Her voice went broadcast over the Pacific Coast in The Bulletin Feature Air Concert. It was estimated that more than 5,000 persons “tuned in” for the noted diva, from Alaska to Mexico and from Honolulu to Idaho—Schumann Heink in her own program, singing in person, with her own accompanist, over the radiophone 6XG—the biggest radio musical event of the season!
Huberman Plays at Cooper Union
The violinist, Bronislaw Huberman, played to a capacity audience at Cooper Union on Sunday evening, February 19, under the auspices of the People’s Institute. He played the Tschaikowsky violin concerto and shorter pieces by Beethoven, Wagner, Elgar and Sarasate.
Ansermet only had three rehearsals. This speaks volumes both for him and the orchestra.
There are fine and moving moments in this work and there is also considerable vulgarity; on the whole it must be considered inferior to his symphonies. Ovations were given to the soloists, Ansermet and the orchestra, Madame Durigo insisting upon the gentlemen of the orchestra rising to make their bow to the audience, thus showing that one can be a very great artist and yet have one’s heart in the right place.
The orchestral interlude to Friedrich Klose’s Mass in D minor was the only Swiss item on recent programs besides Gagnebin’s symphony. It is hardly suited for a concert program in this isolated form; it needs the context of the rest of the mass, which is a great work.
Iturbi and Szigeti Favorites.
Among pianists, José Iturbi made the greatest stir. His recital comprised works of Scarlatti, Bach, Schubert, Liszt and Albeniz. Our great violinist, Szigeti, freshly returned from a triumphant series of concerts given in Holland and Germany, gave a concert here with Walter Frey, pianist, and H. Will, first hornist of our orchestra. The program consisted of _ Schumann’s rarely played second sonata for violin and piano, Brahms’ trio for violin, horn, and piano, and Mendelssohn’s violin concerto. Many excellent musicians do not like the sonata, but after Szigeti’s wonderful performance of it, the enthusiasm on the part of the audience־ was simply immense.
That Horn Trio of Brahms.
With regard to the Brahms trio, there never can be an amalgamation of the horn timbre with the timbres of the violin and piano. Indeed, the combination of a violin plus a piano is already bad enough, but when we add to this the timbre of a horn we at once transgress the limits of the possible. Young Will is one of the very best hornists it has ever been my good fortune to hear, and he did all possible to play his part unobtrusively, but even so the result was not satisfactory, notwithstanding a very perfect performance on the part of the three artists.
It is needless to state that Szigeti’s playing of the concerto was magnificent, being followed by a veritable ovation. Walter Frey was perfect at the piano and, rara avis, he can and does sometimes play pianissimo!
Beckmesser.
Geneva, January 15.—The disastrous policy of the Swiss Government in levying excessive taxes on foreigners is at last bearing fruit. Many have already left and others are about to leave this once hospitable country. As a consequence musical life is already suffering. The general exodus is making itself felt both in the concert halls and at the Opera, over which the momentous word “deficit” looms ever more darkly.
The future of our splendid orchestra becomes daily more problematical, and our excellent conductor Ansermet is gradually shedding his flowing locks through utter discouragement at the gloomy prospect of seeing the orchestra —the beloved child of his manly bosom—disbanded forever at the end of the present season.
Progressive Geneva.
Were this to happen, Switzerland would lose one of its chief artistic forces, and Europe its most progressive musical “corner.” For within its scope there is no orchestra which does as much for modern music as that of “Romance Switzerland.” This season, too, Ansermet has brought out a number of new and interesting works, as reported in these columns.
In continuation of this policy we were recently given to hear, for the first time anywhere, a symphony in F minor by the talented young Swiss composer, Henri Gagnebin, followed by the new orchestral version of Stravinsky's “Oiseau de Feu.” Gagnebin’s symphony was very cordially received by the public and is certainly a very promising work. His music is his own and this alone is a rarity.
Stravinsky to Debussy.
In a subsequent concert, we had Stravinsky’s symphony for wind instruments, “Sur le Tombeau de Debussy,” performed with all possible care under Ansermet’s direction. We all quailed unmitigatedly, but Ansermet assures us that it is (pardon the antique joke) much better than it sounds. And withal, I have not the slightest doubt as to Stravinsky’s absolute sincerity. Some years ago I took him to task about his no longer composing in the idiom of “Petrouchka” and the “Fire Bird,” and he replied: “My dear man, I could not regress to that idiom even if I would do so”—and I fervently believe that this is to be regretted, for his sense of tone-color is immense.
Mahler Invades French-Speaking Territory.
RUDOLF
Carol Weston Soloist at De Witt High
Carol Weston, violinist, who is rapidly coming into prominence by the excellence of her playing, was the soloist at the Evening Mail concert at De Witt High School, New York, on February 12.
N. Y. C. M. S. Under Drake Management
The New York Chamber Music Society, founded several years ago by Carolyn Beebe, will be managed next season by Charles N. Drake. The organization embraces eleven members, strings and woodwinds, all solo instruments
A most unusual event for French Switzerland was the performance, a few days ago, of Mahler’s “Lied von der Erde.” Ansermet conducted, and Mme. Ilona Durigo and M. Flury were the excellent soloists. The performance of this vastly difficult work was of a very superior order, notwithstanding the fact that owing to an attack of the grippe,
The Swiss Dramatic Tenor
SCORES PRONOUNCEDLY IN TWO NEW YORK RECITALS
Mr. Jung s voice is strong and ringing, and remarkably even throughout a scale which comprises several baritone notes below its generous range of heroic tenor. Mr. Jung has an unusual command of shading and an admirable dynamic variety, as well as fine legato. A man of commanding height and fine presence, so amply equipped with voice, Mr. Jung would surely be an acquisition to the local opera stage.—NEW YORK GLOBE.
The feature of his program was Schubert’s song cycle, “Die Winterreise.” Mr. Jung gave them with great
beauty of tone and phrasing. He was authoritative in sacred airs by Handel and Bach NEW YORK’
TRIBUNE.
Of established reputation in his native country, Mr. Jung comes as a welcome guest. His voice is of warm and varied color, his sense of the dramatic, as seen in the twenty-four songs of Schubert’s “Winterreise” cycle, keen and compelling.—NEW YORK SUN.
Mr. Jung is a singer with several valid assets. He has a fine, clear, true, tenor voice and he knows how to put it to excellent use. Both intelligence and feeling appeared in the way he handled his songs. His choice
of English songs was unusually good and his pronunciation of their texts, unexpectedly correct NFW
YORK JOURNAL.
He afforded genuine enjoyment to a large and friendly audience. Intelligence, sentiment and manliness were dominant traits in his performance.—NEW YORK AMERICAN.
Mr. Jung confirmed the good impression which he made at his first recital. He has shown in two recitals that he can sing songs with understanding and with dramatic force.—NEW YORK HERALD.
EXCLUSIVE MANAGEMENT :
DANIEL MAYER
New York
Aeolian Hall