March 23, 1922
MUSICAL COURIER
10
he is scheduled to give thirty concerts. Next fall he is to appear again in the United States.
Ganna Walska Appears.
Three Oriental works were produced by Raoul Ginsbourg, the director of the Opera at Monte Carlo on February 20. They were “Le Soleil de Minuit,” by Confucius, about 450 B. C. music by Chin-Sang; “Le Cantique des Cantiques,” by King Solomon, and “Athena”, ancient Greek melodies collected by Gounod and Bourgault-Ducoudray. Of course these works are of a time when modern music notes or the science of harmony and orchestration were unknown. Hieroglyphs had to be deciphered, the real melodic lines had to be traced and then reconstructed suitably for modern stage performance, without losing the esesntial character and spirit of the original. Ginsbourg succeeded admirably.
“Le Soleil de Minuit” (The Midnight Sun) is an extraordinary Buddhist legend of immortal love and beauty, of immutable youth and heroic sacrifice. Its melody, expressive and colorful, reaches a supreme degree of emotion. “Le Cantique des Cantiques” (The Song of Songs), the sublime love song of the ages, is of irresistible charm and beauty. Its music is weird and strange, now calm and plaintive, then passionate and sensuous, and ends in a delirium of ecstasy. “Athena” is arranged as a pantomime-ballet. Besides some very clever Russian dancers and members of the corps de ballet of the Monte Carlo Opera, who danced and posed beautifully, Ganna Walska, the well known Polish beauty and former member of the Chicago Opera, appeared in Athena. She had nothing to sing and her role suited her perfectly. She impersonated Venus. Fanny Heldy and the tenor Goffin in “The Midnight Sun,” and Yvonne Gall as the Shulamite and the tenor Annseau as King Solomon in the “Song of Songs” achieved great personal success.
The Queen of the Belgians is expected in Paris to attend the César Franck gala performance to be held at the Opera on March 7. The performance wil be given to raise funds for the erection of a statue of César Franck in Liege, Belgium, the birthplace of the great composer. The committee in charge of the performance is headed by Henri Rebaud, director of the National Conservatory of Music, and its members include all the great figures of the French musical world.
From the musical point of view the gala performance will be a great event as the orchestra—made up of members of the permanent orchestras in Paris—will be conducted alternately by seven of the leading French conductors : Rhene-Baton, Camille Chevillard, Philippe Gaubert, Vincent d’lndy, Gabriel Pierne, Henri Rabaud and Paul Vidal.
Notes
At the tea-musicale given by the American Women’s Club February 19, Leonidas Leonard¡, prex d’honneur for piano of the Paris Conservatoire, played a Handel sonata. Yves Chardon, cellist, was the assisting artist.
André-Caplet, well remembered in the United States as the French conductor of the Boston Opera Company under the direction of Henry Russell, is now associate conductor with Rhené-Baton at the Pasdeloup Concerts.
At the Concert Lamoureux at the Salle Gaveau Sunday afternoon, February 19, the first performance of Philippe Gaubert’s “Fantaisie” for violin and orchestra was given. Jules Boucherit was the soloist. I feel that the work would have made a much better impression if the solo part had been entrusted to a better violinist. Paul Paray conducted the orchestra.
“Monna Vanna” was given at the Opera, Monday evening, February 20, with Germaine Lubin as Monna Vanna, John O’Sullivan as Prinzivaile and Vanni Marcoux as Guido.
Under the auspices of the Interallied Union, the “Société des Instruments Anciens” gave a “Seventeenth Century Concert” at the Palace of Versailles, February 21. The program included works by Martini, Lull¡, Mozart and Francoeur.
Alice Mock, a young singer of Berkeley, California, appeared at a concert given by the Students’ Club of the American Welfare Center, Sunday afternoon, February 19.
Playing on a piano made by an English firm of piano manufacturers in 1807, Miss Denise-Molié, a young Greek pianist assisted by Leonie Lapié, violinist, gave an interesting concert at the Salle des Agriculteurs, February 24. They played two sonatas of the early eighteenth century, one by Tartini and the other by Vercini..
A young American singer, who won first prize at the American Conservatory at Fontainebleau, Kathleen McAlister, appeared as soloist with the Orchestra de Paris at the Salle des Agriculteurs February 19. She sang a recitative and aria from Mozart’s “Nozze di Figaro,” “Le Mélodie Aimante” from “Jean de Lahor,” by Blair Fairchild, and “Reveuse au Bord de l’Eau,” by Francis Casadesus.
Dimitri Smirnoff, Russian tenor, who some years ago sang with the Metropolitan Opera Company, and Alexandra Balachova and Victor Smolzoff, Russian dancers, were the chief attractions at the Gala performance at the Opera February 23, given for the benefit of the sufferers of the Russian famine. A sum of considerably over three hundred thousand francs has been raised. Theodore Bauer.
PARIS IN THE THROES OF THE WILDEST “JAZZ”
Ancient French Law Forbidding More Than 10 Per Cent, of Any Musical Organization Being of Foreign Nationality May End Present Dance Craze—Novelties at Monte Carlo—Concerts Galore
orchestra and chorus of the Schola Cantorum at the Salle Gaveau Saturday evening, February 11. The work was first performed in Brussels at the Theatre de la Monnaie in 1910. The principal parts were taken by Mmes. Malnory-Marseil-lac, Croiza, Candé and Louise Ghins and MM. Georges Mary, Maurice Tremblay and Henri Josselin. The composer himself conducted in place of Andre Messager, who was prevented by illness. The work made a very deep impression on the audience that filled the hall.
Revivals at the Opera.
Rameau’s “Castor et Pollux” has been revived at the Opera with Mme. Ritter-Ciampi, Jane Laval, Mme. Haram-boure and MM. Rambaud, Gresse and Rouard in the principal roles. Serge Koussewitzky, the great Russian conductor, is directing the rehearsals of the forthcoming production of “Boris Godunoff” at the Opera. Vanni Marcoux will sing the title role.
Hackett’s Success at Monte Carlo
Fanny Heldy, of the Opera; Charles Hackett, the American tenor, and Annseau, the tenor of the Opera Comique, made the biggest personal hits during the first ten days of the Opera season at Monte Carlo under the direction of Raoul Ginsbourg. Hackett sang Cavaradossi in “Tosca.” He was in glorious voice and won the admiration of his audience not only by his wonderful singing but also with his splendid acting and youthful, poetic appearance.
Various Concerts
Magdeleine Brard, the young French pianist׳ who appeared with André Messager’s orchestra of the Paris Conservatoire in America, gave a recital at the Hall of the Conservatoire, Saturday, February 11. She has greatly developed in artistry and style and was received with great enthusiasm.
Clara Rabinowjtch, a young American pianist, appeared in a recital at the Salle Erard Thursday evening, February 16. Bach’s “Fantaisie chromatique et fugue” had the central place of honor on the program. Miss Rabinowitch played it with fine technic and musical understanding.
The “Salon des Musiciens Français,” under the patronage of Premier Raymond Poincaré, gave a concert at the Hall of the Conservatory, Tuesday evening, February 14. Works of Vincent d’lndy, Louis Dumas, Henri Rabaud, Fernand Masson, de Faye-Josin, E. Lacroix, Massenet, Messager and Saint-Saëns were on the program. The concert was under the direction of Maxime Thomas.
The Société Philharmonique gave a very artistic concert at the Salle Gaveau last Tuesday evening, February 14. The evening was devoted to works of Claude Debussy and Gabriel Fauré. The artists were Mme. Croiza of the Opera, Alfred Cortot, the pianist, and Gerald-Hekking, the cellist.
With the assistance of the Schola Cantorum of Nantes, the Concerts Pasdeloup under the direction of Rhené-Baton gave a splendid performance of César Franck’s “Redemption” at the Theatre des Champs Elysées Saturday afternoon, February 11. It was a revelation to hear this wonderful choral organization numbering more than 200 singers. The Schola Cantorum of Nantes (a city of only 170,000 population) was organized by Mme. Charles Le Meignen eight years ago and she is its director. It receives a subsidy from the Ministry of Fine Arts, from the Department of Loire-Inferieure (in which Nantes is located) and from the municipality of the city of Nantes. It is worth all the subsidy it can get. Its singing ranks with that of the finest choral organizations I have ever heard.
Another Victory for Toscha Seidel
A more enthusiastic audience than that which filled Salle Gaveau, February 23, to hear the second recital of Toscha Seidel in Paris would be difficult to imagine, At 11.30, ignoring the darkness and the protests of the attendants of the hall, over a thousand people applauding and beating the floor with their sticks insisting that the artist should play just one more encore. The lights over the piano were turned on and Seidel had to add one more to the long list of encores.
Seidel began his recital with Handel’s E major sonata. The development of this young Russian artist since I last heard him in New York a few months ago is extraordinary and almost unbelieveable. He is free of all exaggerations and has acquired a noble style that reminds one of Ysaye. He played the sonata with irresistible beauty and astonishing purity of intonation. It was followed by the Bach Chaconne, “Preludium et Allegro” (Pugnani-Kreisler), “l’Oiseau Prophète” (Schumann), “Ballet de Rosamonde” (Schubert-Kreisler) and a “Danse Hongroise” by Brahms. The last three numbers had to be repeated. The last group of the program included the Chopin nocturne in E minor, Gavotte (Beethoven-Kramer) and the “Zapateado” of Sara-sate.
Seidel is returning to England for three more concerts to be given before he sails for Austrialia on March 9, where
Paris, February 17, 1922.—Just to enumerate the concerts given in Paris in any. one week during the season would fill a page in the Musical Courier. There are a great many regular concert halls with seating capacity ranging from 400 (Salle Pleyel) to 5,000 (Grande Salle des Fetes of the Trocadero) in some of which two concerts often are given daily. Besides these, afternoon concerts are given in many theaters and many nights when there is no operatic performance given at the Opera some gala concert takes place there. Then, in the halls of dozens of clubs and in halls of which one has never heard, concerts are announced almost daily. Yet, with all these concerts going on, whenever an artist who is known and liked in Paris is announced to appear in a concert, the hall is always sold out to its utmost capacity.
Such was the case at the Salle Gaveau, Monday evening, February 13, at the concert given by Edouard Risler, the great French pianist. I was fortunate to secure a “strapontin”—a seat attached to the aisle seat. When these seats are used on both sides of the aisle they completely block it and the holder of such seat may not sit down until the performance begins and must get up the minute it is over so as tq allow others in the audience to come in or go out. Why the fire department has not put a stop to the use of such seats is incomprehensible.
Edouard Risler’s concert had been announced several times this season, each time being postponed on account of his illness. The magnificent playing of this master pianist has shown no sign of his recent sickness. He began his program with Beethoven’s sonata, pastorale, Op. 28, which was the best piano playing I have heard in many a moon. His rich tone, exquisite touch and remarkable poise held his audience breathless. Chopin and Liszt made up the balance of the program to which he had to add encore after encore as the audience remained to applaud until the lights were turned out.
The Sistine Chapel Choir
The Gala performance of the Sistine Chapel Choir that was postponed owing to the death of the Pope, took place at the Opera last Tuesday evening, February 14. The performance was given for Polish benefit and was under the patronage of Mme. Alexandre Millerand, wife of the president of the French Republic. The Choir was under the direction of Monsignore Casimiri and an orchestra made up of members of the Colonne and Lamoureux Concerts was conducted by Henri Morin, formerly one of the French conductors of the Chicago Opera. The choir was heard again Wednesday, February 15, at a Requiem held at the Church of the Madeleine.
Even Paul Swan.
The public of Paris, like that of Petrograd when it was called St. Petersburg, was always a great admirer of the art of the dance, and the world’s greatest dancers are flocking here, where they are always sure of a public that is willing to pay to see them dance. The Swedish ballet ha¿ just finished a most successful season at the Theatre des Champs Elysees; the Opera is announcing the forthcoming production of “The Sleeping Princess,” by Diaghileff’s Russian Ballet, that just closed at the Alhambra in London: Alexandra Balachova and her graceful partner, Victor SmoF zoff, with a company of Russian Imperial dancers are rehearsing for a production at the Opera; Clotilde Sakharoff and her partner, Alexandre Sakharoff, are giving a series of highly artistic matinees at the Theatre Mogador; and three of the favorite pupils of Isadora Duncan are announced for a series of performances to be given at the Theater des Champs Elysees in April. But one of the biggest hits of all thfe dancers who are here now was made by the American dancer, Paul Swan, at the Potiniere. He is giving a very varied program including Greek, Hindu, Egyptian and modern dances. The Paris press calls him the personification of grace, rhythm and beauty. Miss Alex-ianne, a charming and beautiful young woman, is Swan’s partner.
Too Much “Jazz”
And speaking of dancing, Paris is in the throes of the wildest “jazz,” and, of course, most of the “jazz” bands or orchestras are made up of foreigners, with American (especially negroes) in preponderance. Now a real danger threatens these “jazz” bands, that is the discovery of an ancient French law that forbids more than ten percent of any musical organization being of foreign nationality. Emile Massard, a municipal coucillor of the city of Paris, told his colleagues at a meeting last Wednesday, February IS, that American, Hungarian and Hawaiian musicians are driving French musicians out of jobs and that the old law should be applied in their favor.
“Eros Vanqueur”
The first performance of “Eros Vanqueur,” a “lyric fable” in three acts and four tableaux, by the French composer, Pierre de Breville, was given in concert form by the
Mme. VALERI WARNS: In Reference to the CHICAGO MUSICAL COLLEGE Using My Name in Its Catalogs and Advertisements in Musical Papers I Hereby Warn All Prospective Students That I POSITIVELY WILL NOT TEACH AT THE ABOVE INSTITUTION NEXT SUMMER—(Signed) DELIA VALERI, 381 West End Ave., NEW YORK