March 23, 1922
MUSICAL COURIER
14
SCHUMANN HEINK
Thompson, a Song, a Record and a Little Story
FIEDLER AND MUCK FOLLOW
MENGELBERG IN AMSTERDAM
Much Chamber Music Compensates for Orchestral Lull—Ludwig Wüllner Comes Back—Sarah Bernhardt, Too
Once Schumann Heink was resting in her section of one of Mr. Pullman’s rolling hotels when the porter approached and asked if he might bring a young man to her who had composed some songs: “They ain’t ‘jazz’ or nothing good like that, but they sure is sad stuff, lady.”
Those who know the woman will understand that the mention of a composer, a young one and probably struggling and ambitious, intrigued her immediately. The genial Heink
ERNESTINE SCHUMANN HEINK
smile and her invitation to bring him immediately was encouraging. “Yassum, yassum, heah he am.”
And there he was—a diffident youngster, almost a boy, with a roll of manuscript. For an hour she lilted over the songs: praised some, passed over others and kept one to be her own. That one was destined to bring fame to the composer and become one more laurel leaf in the fame of the great artist.
“If I Forget” was the title, and month after month Mme. Schumann Heink has sung and resung it for repeated encores. It is quaintly beautiful and appealing. The sentiment of words and music insinuates its romantic pathos without a cloying element, and the harmonization is full without elaboration. It is one of those heart songs that are destined to live—popular yet real music.
Recently the singer made a record of this number for the Victor and she and they are enthusiastic.
Sittig Trio in Radio Recital
On February 28 the Sittig Trio played at a radio recital at the Westinghouse plant, Newark. N. J., which proved an interesting experience. During the recital long distance calls came in asking for encores and repetitions. The trio also received many letters and telephone calls thanking them for the treat, and telling how well the different selections sounded.
Sorrentino Sings Via Wireless
Umberto Sorrentino, while singing in Detroit not long ago, was asked by the Detroit News to sing via wireless. On the program was the famous Babe Ruth, who asked him to sing the Neapolitan song, “O Sole Mio.” He in turn sang a popular song for Sorrentino.
fered variety indeed. The sonata in D major, by Leo Weiner, was a rich, colorful work of modern but not exaggerated tendency, to which the two artists gave a perfect ensemble, brilliant and full oi life. As the evening advanced one was more and more impressed by the great understanding between violinist and pianist, every nuance being felt in exactly the same way by both. The theme and variations, “Trockene Blumen,” by Schubert, was given in an intensely musical style, and the Brahms D minor sonata, although lacking a breadth and depth which really belong to this composer’s works, was beautiful from another point of view, tingling with life and spirit and being executed with a tremendous élan.
Ludwig Wullner and the “Divine Sarah.”
Diverging from things strictly musical, we must mention the reappearance here of Dr. Ludwig Wüllner as elocutionist. Although the weight of years rests on his shoulders and his patriarchal head is crowned with white, his art is as virile as ever. Wüllner’s voice has the same rich calibre and showed to best advantage in the more dramatic pieces, for instance in excerpts from “Julius Caesar” and in some of_ the intense poems of Goethe. There is no question that this unique artist is unrivalled in his particular line.
Another event highly deserving of mention was the reentrance, for one evening, of the “Divine Sarah,” a term (alas!) which this younger generation must take more or less on faith. In the play especially written for her called “Regine Armand,” in which she depicts the painting of a great actress, consequently not rising from her chair, there were only moments—brief flashes—when one caught the magnetism of former years and the traces of a great genius. But surely this indefatigable woman is to be profoundly admired for her tireless energy and marvelous hold on life.
L. v. G.
Claudia Fournier Well Liked
In Providence, R. I., a short time ago, Mme. Claudia Fournier, contralto, an artist pupil of Harriot Eudora Barrows, well known voice teacher of Boston, gave the following program with the assistance of Harrison Potter, pianist; Helen Tiffany, accompanist, and Mary Brooks, violinist, all of whom proved their artistry in the parts which fell to them: “Amour viens aider,” from “Samson and Delilah,” Saint-Saëns; “Me voici dans son boudoir,” from "Mignon,” Thomas; _ “Ah’ Rendimi,” from “Mitrane,” Rossi (Mme. Fournier); prelude, Debussy; waltz and scherzo, Chopin (Mr. Potter) ; “Troit jours de vendange Mai,” Hahn; “Ma Maison,” Fourdrain; “Le Miroir,” Ferrari; “Le Marriage des roses,” Franck; “Le Nil,” Leroux (Mme. Fournier); “Scherzino,” Albeniz; “May Night,” “Tea Sea,” Palmgren; “By Smouldering Embers,” MacDowell; “Soleil a midi, Jongen” (Mr. Potter) ; “The Crystal Gazer,” Kramer; “In the Wood of Finvara,” Burleigh; “The Scarecrow,” Davies; “As My Dear Old Mother,” Dvorak; “Mah Lindy Lou,” Strickland; “Yesterday and Today,” Spross (Mme. Fournier.)
Mme. Fournier has a lovely contralto voice, full of color and expression, yet not lacking the training which enabled her to give the light touch, for which the “Mignon” aria called. A large audience showed enjoyment by frequent and prolonged applause, and both Miss Fournier and Mr. Potter added to the program.
Again at a concert with the New Philharmonic Orchestra in the E. F. Albee Theater, at the fifth Providence Journal—E. F. Albee concert, Mme. Fournier sang an aria from Saint-Saëns’ “Samson and Delilah” in a highly artistic manner, and was obliged by the insistent applause of an audience which filled the theater to sing as an encore the “Gavotte” from “Mignon.”
Amsterdam, January 10, 1922.—Mengelberg’s departure in the middle of January brought a slight pause in musical operations here—a mid-season vacation, as it were, after a climax of extra concerts. The last of these was the “St. Matthew Passion,” which is usually given at Easter time, but which we were glad to hear in January, for the performance in all respects lived up to its predecessors of former years. The giant chorus of adult and boys’ voices, the splendid orchestra, further enhanced by Wanda Landowska’s playing of the harpsichord, and the superior soloists, all joined to form an ensemble of exceptional beauty. Thomas Denija, in the role of Jesus, and Ilona Durigo, the alto soloist, were especially effective in their interpretations.
Bach in the Dark.
Mahler’s great third symphony, a new violin concerto, composed as well as played by Louis Zimmerman, and Strauss’ “Heldenleben” should be recorded as outstanding moments in Mengelberg’s last Amsterdam days. The last, however, was destined not to be heard to the end. Soon after its opening measures the electric lighting began to play tricks, and finally left the hall in darkness. At the conductor’s request the audience remained seated, and to tide over the period necessary for investigation, we had an impromptu cello solo from Marix Loevensohn, who played a suite by Bach, the rich tone of his lovely instrument making an extraordinary effect in the darkness. But this too, did not outlast the trouble, and when the public had applauded the unseen artist and waited patiently for a time, it finally left without hearing the rest of the “Hero’s Life.”
In the interregnum between Mengelberg’s departure and the arrival of Dr. Karl Muck, who will conduct for the remainder of the season, we have had two splendid popular concerts under the able direction of Max Fiedler. These concerts were to have been led by the greatly mourned Arthur Nikisch, whose death took place one day before we should have heard him. It is with deepest regret that we look back upon the times when we were under the spell of this great master of the baton.
Much Chamber Music
If, orchestrally, there has been rather a lull, we have had all the more chamber music, a form of art much favored in Amsterdam. The Amsterdam String Quartet is a local organization of w׳hich we are justly proud, the performers all being members of our orchestra, and include Louis Zimmerman, the violinist, and Marix Loevensohn, the cellist. The offerings of their most recent concert were Mozart’s E flat major quartet, that of Schubert generally known as “Der tod und das Madchen,” and the Brahms piano quintet with co-operation of Willem Andriessen. It was a delightful performance in every respect.
The Schorg■ and Meredyth Quartets, too, are organizations of the highest order. The Schorg ensemble especially comes very near perfection, its playing of Hugo Wolf’s “Italian Serenade” being full of supple grace and the great Beethoven quartet, op. 127, a masterpiece of virtuosity.
Two other local artists—Bertha Seroen, mezzo-soprano, and Evert Cornelis, pianist—never fail to bring something refreshingly new and their recent program, as usual, was replete with novelties, French, Italian or German. The singer began with four old Italian songs and ended her program with Roussel, Borodine and Diepenbrock. Of unusual interest were the “Coplas,” by Casteluovo-Tedesco, which strike a new note in song-writing. Cornelis accompanied with his usual musicality and scored a success with his solos, among them several, interesting pieces by Castelmovo-Tedesco.
Telmanyi and Vas Back from America.
After their tour of America, we were eager to hear once more Emil Telmanyi, Hungarian violinist, and Sandor Vas, pianist. Their recital here was devoted to sonatas and of-
UNIVERSAL CONCERT BUREAU,
RALPH J. MacFADYEN, Manager
17 East 42nd Street,	New York, N. Y.
MAURICE DAMBOIS
CELLIST
PREVAILING OPINION:
ROCHESTER
“Mr. Dambois plays with a temperament that seems a compact of poetic fibers. He has a clear, clean, velvet touch and a dexterous technique that makes his interpretations a musical delight.”
DES MOINES
“For beauty of tone he can scarcely be surpassed, and his performance throughout was marked by a perfect mastery of technical difficulties and faultless intonation.”
CINCINNATI
“His ripe quality of tone and his emotional feeling were as much in evidence as formerly. Dambois received more than a dozen curtain calls.”
IN INDIANAPOLIS
“His tone is rich, vibrant, moving the listener to vehement response. His playing is sympathetic, yet concentrated, until his instrument speaks gloriously. An admirable display of finished technique that allowed the artist to compass the most difficult passages without effort.
ST. LOUIS
“Dambois proved to be one of the greatest cellists who has ever played in St. Louis—Technical and interpretative powers seemed inexhaustible.”
DALLAS
“Undoubtedly one of the most accomplished and artistic cellists to ever appear before an audience in Dallas. His tonal colorings are rich and magnificent and the music throbs forth at his touch in a manner which grips the hearts of his hearers.”