March 16, 1922
MUSICAL COURIER
56
BUFFALO INVADED BY NOTED SOLOISTS
Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, Maier and Pattison, Prihoda, Eva Gauthier, Jan Sickez, Heifetz, Nina Koshetz and Alice Nielsen the Visiting Artists—Local Musicians Active—Rubinstein Chorus—Buffalo Orpheus—Guido Chorus
in a concert given by the Fellowship Club at Larkin Auditorium January 25, with Eva Rautenberg at the piano. Milton Ball, violinist, played for Ellen Becker’s group of interpretative dances, with Mrs. Oscar Meyer, pianist.
Buffalo School of Music—piano pupils of Elinor Lynch and Mrs. McLeod—gave two recitals, January 28 and 30, before an audience of relatives and friends. The program, comprised of the best in music, was excellently given by the following pupils:	Jane Norton, Lucile Ellis, Rena
Freedman, Agnes White, Frances Gordon, Ruth Ellis, Clarissa Fisk, Margaret McLeod, Madeleine Blust, Jean Hayes, Biagia Gugino, Esther Erftenbeck, Ruth Pliss, Marian Kappler, ,Bessie Brezen, Beth Bowman, Gerald Stokes, Bertha Prentice, Miriam Youngs, Lillian Gevertz-man, Marjorie Freeman, Clarabell Wohl, Grace Miller, Agatha Plewacka, Eva Rautenberg and Ina Grodzinsky-Levy. Some of the talented advanced pupils intend to go abroad to study next season.
Gretchen L. Schaefer, contralto, with Laurence H. Montague at the piano, gave an enjoyable program of songs at the Country Club, January 29; among them two in manuscript—“Heart of My Heart” and “You Are My Joy,” by Laurence H. Montague—found much favor with the audience, which evidenced its pleasure in the recital.
The Community Chorus celebrated its fifth anniversary with a birthday party in Hutchinson High School Auditorium. January 28. The large chorus sang a number of the old time songs and a playlet was given in which Margaret Ackit Barrell had the leading part. Ellen Becker’s pupils presented aesthetic dances. There were solos by Edna Luse and Charles Mott, and an enormous birthday cake was presented to Harry Barnhart, who organized the chorus.
A. A. Van de Mark arranged an unusual program for the Consistory entertainment, February 2, in which Buffalo poets, composers and performers participated. The first part of the program consisted of poems by Anna Katherine Green, Frank H. Severance, J. C. Miller and Benjamin Copeland, read by the authors, Albert Zink reading George K. Staple’s two contributions. The second part presented Hildred Marron, Helen Miller, Richard Miller, Alfred Wooler, Margaret Twist, George Bagnall and Floy Little Bartlett in composition by Mary M. Howard, Seth Clark, Laurence IT. Montague, Mary Gail Clark, George Bagnall, Alfred Worler and Floy Little Bartlett.
Harriet Welch Spire gave an informal recital for her pupils at her residence, February 2, at which time was demonstrated their marked improvement since fall under the excellent teaching of Mrs. Spire. Among the participants were Emily Linner, Edna Zahm, Esther Kroeger, Melville Avery, Marian McNulty, Violet Bond, Irma Breck, Albula Green, Mildred Simons, Mrs. L. A. Cherry and little Elvera, the talented twelve-year-old protege of Mrs. Spire, all of whom created a favorable impression.
One of the most enjoyable of this season’s afternoon programs of the Chromatic Club was given February 4 in Twentieth Century Flail by Frances Pettit, soprano; Lawrence H. Montague, accompanist, and Raymond Wilson, pianist, of the faculty of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester. Miss Pettit’s excellent early training by Elizabeth Cronyn and Carmela Carbone Valente was evidenced in her singing of the Italian songs. No less enjoyable was her beauty of tone, refined style and musicianly rendition of the group by Rachmaninoff, Gretchaninoff, ' Dwight Fiske, Albert Mallison and Howard Brockway, to which she added as an encore a Spanish folk song, playing her own accompaniment Lawrence Montague furnished the accompaniments for her program numbers with his usual good taste and musicianship. Mr. Wilson is one of the most satisfying pianists we have heard this season, .technically and musically, and in his playing commanded the admiration of his audience of musicians. His variety of tone, exquisite pianissimo, clever pedalling and clear cut runs were outstanding features of his entire program.
״ The first free municipal organ recital of the season under Commissioner Meahl’s auspices, Sunday, February 5, attracted a large audience to Elmwood Music Hall. Irwin S. Binder, organist; Rebecca Cutter Howe, soprano; Clifford Weiss, bass, and William Benbow, accompanist, furnished the excellent program.
C. ־ Homer Fenner, organist and choir director of St. John’s Episcopal Church, staged an original musical satire, “Miss Plum gives a Musikale,” at the Parish House, February 8, the choir members participating. Mr. Fenner was “Miss Plum.” Leading parts were sung by Edna Zahm, Florence Davis, Mrs. Johnson, Bradley Yaw, Frederick Bissell, Frank Perry and Robert Hazzard. It was so successful that it was repeated for the entertainment of the Community Chorus, February 18.
The Rubinstein Chorus of women’s voices, John Lund conductor, afforded great pleasure to the large audience assembled in the Iroquois Hotel the morning of February 9, soloist, chorus and conductor all receiving well merited expressions of approval. Leora McChesney of Syracuse, who was well remembered as one of the promising young artists of last fall’s National American Music Festival, was enthusiastically received, and, with Christie Williams at the piano, was frequently recalled. She also sang for the Booster Club the evening previous, and will appear at the festival of 1922. The chorus did some very effective work, the unaccompanied selections, “Good Night” (Salter) and Flemish folk song (Kreniser), being repeated in part, and the closing number, “Vasilissa the Fair” (Schindler), being especially interesting and excellently performed. The chorus had the valuable aid of William F. Wirges, Jr., at the piano.
The Buffalo Orpheus gave an unusually interesting and enjoyable concert in Elmwood Music Hall, February 13. with John Lund, conductor; Jan Sickesz, pianist, and Harold Lindau, tenor (both of New York), soloists; string orchestra, William Gomph, accompanist. It was a special occasion, with the hall draped with flags, and the presentation to the Orpheus by Honorary President Jacob E. Mueller of a large framed picture of the members; Frederick L. Hartmayer, president, accepted it and in happy vein introduced to the large audience two charter members, Messrs. Lautz and Wennesheimer, respectively
Buffalo, N. Y., February 18, 1922.—Three gifted young men gave Buffalo an artistic feast in Elmwood Music Hall the evening of January 30, the third concert in Mai Davis Smith’s series. Guy Maier, formerly of Buffalo, where he received his first instruction under Otto Hager, and his associates, Lee Pattison, combined in a beautiful program of two-piano music, playing with such perfection of pian-istic ensemble as is rarely heard. “Two souls with but a single thought,” four hands that played as one! Variations on a theme by .Hadyn, the Franck prelude, fugue and variations admirably and forcefully played, the charming Arensky waltz and clever “jazz” study by Hill, the dazzling Saint-Saëns scherzo op. 87, all aroused the audience to heights of enthusiasm and double recalls were in order.
Vasa Prihoda, Bohemian violinist, with Otto Eisen at the piano, immediately found favor with the audience, his tone quality and technic being especially beautiful in the Vieuxtemps concerto in D minor, Mendelssohn-Achron’s “On Wings of Song,” and Maud Powell’s arrangement of Dvorak’s “Songs My Mother Taught Me.”
Nina Koshetz with Cleveland Symphony.
The Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, Nicholai Sokoloff conductor, gave an interesting, dignified program at Elmwood Music Hall, February 3, the fourth concert in the Mai Davis Smith series. Nina Koshetz, dramatic soprano of the Chicago Opera, was the soloist. Under Mr. Soko-loff’s admirable leadership, this two-year-old. orchestra gives an excellent account of itself. The Brahms symphony No. 2 (D major), op, 73, with its many beautiful melodies, is a superb example of fine orchestral ideals, while the atmosphere prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun,” (Debussy) contrasted delightfully with the vigorous closing number, Sibelius’ “Finlandia.” The “Coriolanus” overture by Beethoven was the spirited opening number. Nina Koshetz, young Russian artist, was new td Buffalo and she presented two unfamiliar operatic arias of interest, her interpretative art and fine artistic, style meriting the many recalls; Parasha’s “Revery and Dance,” from “The Fair of Sorotchinsk” (Moussorgsky), sung in Russian with orchestral accompaniment, was an attractive number. The large and enthusiastic audience gave manifestations of its delight in orchestra, conductor and soloist by frequent outbursts of applause.
Eva Gauthier Thrills Audience.
The third in the series of evening concerts under the auspices of the Chromatic Club was given by Eva Gauthier, rnezzo soprano, assisted by Leroy Shield, pianist, in Knights of Columbus Auditorium, February 8. The very unique program of Italian, French, Spanish, British and American songs, with two operatic arias as closing numbers, frequent repetitions and encores, made a taxing number of songs with which this magnetic artist-musician thrilled her audience of musicians and music lovers. She has rightly been named “The High Priestess of Modern Song.” Enjoyable as many found her recital to be, we can not but express the wish that she may be heard again where her individualism and rich interpretative art may be given full expression—in the works of the masters. Her versatility, musicianship, ability to color every tone, her dramatic delivery, and charming personality proclaim her a phenomenal artist. As a soloist and accompanist, Leroy Shield delighted his hearers with his clean, fluent technic and good proportion. His solo numbers (also “moderns”) were fine and forceful. He was given such hearty applause that he was obliged to grant an encore and was also accorded his share in the honors with the singer.
Heifetz Holds Audience Spellbound.
Jascha Heifetz, just returned from a world tour, thrilled his large Elmwood Music Hall audience as never before, his excellent program, with some familiar numbers, holding his hearers spellbound with his masterful playing. This slender youth with quiet reposeful mien plays like a giant and has all things needful to his command to be one of the foremost artists of the day. His splendid accompanist, Samuel Chotzinoff, shared in the honors. The program follows: concerto in G minor, op. 26, )Bruch; “Rondo Capriccioso,” Saint-Saëns; “Air de Lensky” from “Eugene Onegin,” Tschaikowsky-Auer; “Valse,” Tschai-kowsky; “Perpetuo Mobile,” Riess; “Walter’s Prize Song” from “Die Meistersinger,” Wagner; “Introduction and Tar-antelle,” Sarasate. Two encores were granted after many recalls: “Spanish Dance,” Granados, and Kreisler’s “La Chasse.” This was the fourth concert of the Engles series, Mai Davis Smith being the local representative.'
Local Notes and Musicales.
Another of our young Buffalo singers is winning recognition in New York. To quote from the Musical Courier: “Myrtle Schaaf was called upon at a few hours’ notice to sing Siebel in ‘FaustJ at the Metropolitan Opera House (to Farrar’s Marguerite), January 20. She filled the Dart with assured and easy histrionic control, sang ingratiatingly, besides looking pictorially attractive.” This young singer was formerly with the Scotti Opera Company.
Agnese Preston Storck, soprano, has filled several recital engagements during the past month in her usual satisfactory style. At Medina for the Ladies’ Musical Club, the Ladies’ Progressive Club in the home of Mrs. Hufstader, and in conjunction with the Duo-Art piano at the Park Club. In connection with her church duties and vocal pupils, she is always busy and greatly in demand.
A musicale was given at the Wednesday morning meeting of the Twentieth Century Club (February 15), by Charlotte Heller, pianist; Arthur Snelgrove, violinist, and William Gomph, accompanist.
The Lafayette Presbyterian Church choir (William Gomph conductor-organist) gave a secular concert in its Memorial Community Hall, January 26. Choral numbers, solos and quartets were all excellently presented. Edna Luse, soprano; Margaret McNamara, contralto; Richard Miller, tenor; Walter Henssler, baritone, comprised the members of the quartet, with Eleanor Dougherty, pianist, and Mrs. Milton Reynolds, organist. The hall was filled by the friends of the participants who thoroughly enjoyed this first concert of the series.
Edna Luse, Richard Miller and William Gomph united
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