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MUSICAL COURIER	March 30, 1922
REFICFS NEW WORK IS MUCH DISCUSSED IN ROME
His Symphonic Vocal Poem, Which Had a Successful Première at the Augusteo, Brings Him Into the Limelight—Reiner
Scores Another Emphatic Success—A Good “Falstaff” Revival
cable, and he won over every one, without exception. It is probable that he will be re-engaged next year.
Another virtuoso of rank, Jaroslaw Kocian, the eminent Czech violinist, known in America, gave a fine concert at the Quirino Theatre, playing a richly varied program and a goodly number of encores, to the delight of the enthusiastic public.
The Italian violinist who has perhaps the largest following here is Remy Principe. He recently gave a concert together with his wife, Guilia Simoncelli Principe, harpist. The novel idea of substituting the harp for the piano had pleasing results.
Among the pianists, Tina Filipponi-Siniscalchi, who played here years ago as a child, is worthy of mention. She is a mature artist now and her success was immediate. The appearance of Marios Silvestri, another pianist, who gave a concert jointly with the soprano, Flora de Grisogono, was also of interest. He played the Bach-Busoni prelude and fugue in D major with force and good style, and, later on, modern pieces by Pizzetti and Santoliquido. Mme. Grisogono sang some pretty songs by Matteis, Carissimi, and others with much charm of expression and of voice. She is a pupil of Di Pietro, and does honor to his school. Her next group, of modern composers, was delightfully sung, especially the “II Grillo del Natale,” by Zanella.
Chita Lenart, the Hungarian mezzo soprano, also favored the moderns. Besides Bach and Gabrielli, she sang Alaleona, Cantarini, Respighi, Pizzetti, Castelnuovo, Wolff and Strauss, and five old French songs. Especially fine was her rendering of the Strauss lieder. She was accompanied by one of our best accompanists, Satta, and Prof. Albini played the obligatos on the violin da gamba.
Ensemble music was ably represented by the Sala Bach Quartet, which is continually progressing, and presents varied programs. It played recently a Mozart quartet, a Grieg quartet in G minor, and two “Idylls” by Frank Bridge, also a finely constructed quartet by the critic of the Rome Tribuna, Alberto Gasco, which composition was inspired by a picture from the brush of the great Giorgone called “The Sleeping Venus.” The work is harmonically well treated, but it lacks inspiration.
The Sala Bach’s vocal quartet, too, has given an essay of its capacity, presenting an interesting program of madrigals by Palestrina, Jan Gero and Luca Marenzio.
A Good “Falstaff” Revival.
At the Costanzi, the greatest attraction after the triumphant “Meistersinger” production is “Falstaff” with Parvis, the magnificent Beckmesser, in the title role. He is a resourceful artist and sang and played his part admirably, without the usual exaggerations. Gilda Dalla Rizza, is a very fit Alice. She looks the part and sings it to perfection. Signorina Laura Pasini, a debutante pupil of Maestro di Pietro, was warmly applauded for her lovely voice, exquisite singing and sprightly acting. No one would have thought her a debutante. Blance-Sadun was also well cast as Dame Quickly, where she could display her wonderful low register. All the others were good, and Bellezza, who conducted brilliantly, shared the honors of the evening.
“Falstaff” was also given in honor of the American mission which came to Rome to bestow the gold medal on the unknown soldier. This was again a moving spectacle—the monument to Victor Emmanuel II hardly holding the invited guests. The American soldiers were greatly admired as they marched to the sound of “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
“Falstaff” was preceded by “Tosca,” which made a rather mediocre impression. Mercedes Llopart does not seem well adapted for the role of Tosca in spite of a fine voice and figure.
After “Falstaff.” “Rigoletto” was presented, but brought a great disappointment, for Zalewski, so unique as “Boris,” has not the vocal means, necessary to sing “Rigoletto.” However, Zalewsky made good his reputation a few evenings later when “Boris Godunoff” was given. Reiner conducted ably, but not with the same concentration as he did in the “Meistersinger.” He was greatly appreciated, however, and called before the curtain many times. Of the other artists, the tenor, Cortis, as the Zarevitch, was very good. The scenery was beautiful, the costuming fair.
Puccini’s Tryptitch, which followed “Boris,” was not exactly as desired, but had a good all-round execution. Parvis as Cianni Schicchi was inimitably comic. Gilda Dalla Rizza, as Angelica, is not at her best, for her voice becomes harsh whenever it is forced.	Dolly Pattison.
April Busy Month for Dux
Following her recital at Montgomery, Ala, on March io, !!aire Dux will give a concert at Anniston, Ala., on April 4.
Some Aims of the Music Students’ League
Are You a Music Student?
1.	To form an organization to promote ths general interests of the music students of New York City.
2.	To hold occasional meetings of the organization for consideration of such problems as every mtisic student must face.
3.	To hold other meetings for social diversion and pleasure.
4.	To secure the co-operation of managers and established artists in regard to facilitating attendance of students at concerts and opera.
5.	To secure better living conditions for students.	.
6.	To enlist the support of patrons of music m the interest of worthy and needy students.
7.	To promote co-operation of existing musical organizations in interest of music students.
8.	To hold occasional public performances •by students only.
The League is sponsored by Dr. E. A. Noble, Leopold Godow-sky, Josef Stransky, J. Fletcher Shera, Leonard Liebling, Harold Bauer, John C. Freund, Emilie Frances Bauer, Henry T Finck, Pierre Key, W. H. Humiston, H. E. Krehbiel, Lawrence Gilman, Chas. D. Isaacson, etc.
Join a good cause and attend the next meeting, Sunday afternoon, April 2, at 2 p. m., at The Art Center, 65 East 56th Street.
For further particulars address the Secretary
FLORENCE MENDELSSOHN,
Care Musicians’ Club, 173 Madison Ave.
Rome, February 11, 1922.—Rome’s musical interests are centered just now on the figure of the young priest composer, Don Licinio Refici, whose symphonic vocal poem, “Dante’s Poetis Transitus,” has just had its ־ successful premiere at the Augusteo. Whether this success •will be permanent remains to be seen, for the work, in spite of its merits, seems unbalanced and so uneven in its form, that one remains in the end dissatisfied and unconvinced; the composer jumps from extreme sentimentalism and melo-dramatics to the most commonplace sonority; from really beautiful mysticism to an almost puerile romanticism. However, as he has given better proofs of his talents before this, one is inclined to attribute this partial sterility to the poverty of the libretto, in which the figure of Dante is traced in the lines of any ordinary human being. This is naturally offensive to the ideal Dante which the Italian people have cherished for over six centuries.
Molinari conducted the work with his whole soul, and succeeded in making the music appear better than it really is. Felice Belli, basso, was a very good Dante, his expressive voice following the different moods of the character with true and deep emotion. The soprano (Signorina Braghini),
DON LICINIO REFICI,
composer of the symphonic poem, “Dante’s Poetis Transitus,” which recently had its first performance in Rome.
the tenor (Ziuzzi), the baritone (Castelli), as well as the two invisible archangels, were fair. The St. Cecilia chorus, under Casolari, was excellent.
Reiner Scores Another Emphatic Success.
Next in attractive power to this great novelty, which has been played twice, was the concert of Fritz Reiner, who, owing to his success at the Costanzi, was invited to conduct a concert at the Augusteo. It was a complete triumph, which can only be compared with those of Toscanini and Nikisch, the mourning and consternation over the loss of whom has been general throughout Italy, for he was very much beloved here.
Reiner began his concert with the favorite Schubert C major symphony, and was enthusiastically applauded after each movement. The “Benvenuto Cellini” overture by Berlioz, beautifully rendered, was the second number. The third was Respighi’s “Ballad of the Dwarfs,” an audacious and original composition, richly orchestrated with strange and novel effects. Reiner gave it a stunning interpretation, and both he and the author, who was present in a box, got tremendous applause. The concert closed with the prelude and “Love Death” from “Tristan,” and the fluidity and most mellifluous sonority which Reiner got out of the ensemble was superb. He was tendered a real ovation and was called out innumerable times.
In the following concert Marco Enrico Bossi, Italy’s great organist and composer, conducted his “Franciscan Moments,” consisting of three delicately descriptive lyric pieces entitled “Fervor,” “Dialogue with the Swallows,” and “Beatitude.” To the mind of several critics they fail to express what their titles imply, but they were much applauded nevertheless. The clou of this concert was Bossi’s magnificent concerto for organ and orchestra (op. 100). In this the fusion between the orchestra and organ were admirable. Bossi; who is filling his numerous engagements in central Europe, came to Rome especially for this concert, and it was a triumph. Worthy of mention also is Maestro Morelli, a young conductor, who gave an excellent reading of the “Ride of the Witches,” from Humperdinck’s “Hansel und Gretel,” as the close of an interesting program.
Artists, Local and Visiting.
The throng of soloists that visit Rome this season is not diminishing. Perhaps the most prominent of late has been Carl Flesch, the Hungarian violinist, who inaugurated the Santa Cecilia recital season with a magnificent program of Mozart, Beethoven, Tartini, etc., receiving vociferous applause. The Beethoven concerto, which he played soon after at the Augusteo, was a revelation of perfect purity of tone. His style, be it in classic or modern music, is impec-
AN UNUSUAL TRIBUTE
Photo by Ape da, N. Y.
Ethyl Hayden Proves Delight In Song Recital
Possesses Voice of Exquisite Timbre and Purity and She Uses It with Rare Taste and Intelligence
By H. E. Krehbiel, in New York Tribune, March 11, 1922
At Aeolian Hall in the afternoon an audience, which showed keen appreciation of the higher type of song, listened to Miss Ethyl Hayden, whose proposed appearance in a recital some weeks ago was frustrated by a domestic sorrow—the death of a sister. Her singing provided one of the surprises and genuine delights of the season. She is the possessor of a soprano voice of exquisite timbre and purity. Of its range the music afforded no opportunity for judgment, for she sang nothing calling for extraordinary flights into the altitudes ; but the time has passed when tones in altissimo were considered proofs of excellence.
Sings with Rare Intelligence
Miss Hayden sang as far up the scale as her songs demanded, but sang intelligently, tastefully, as if she knew and felt the beauty of melody and instinctively knew how to produce it. Always she disclosed the loveliness of the line, an artistic virtue of which the newcomer at the opéra seems unconscious. Her singing of “Una voce poco fà” was a sort of serrated vocalism, a series of little points of tone, piped, scarcely sung. She seems entitled to be set down as the most staccatoed Rosina on record.
Had there not been many things in Miss Hayden’s singing to indicate that she has been studying the art of singing with Mme. Sembrich, her program would have betrayed the fact, not only because it was constructed along the lines for which Mme. Sembrich •set the fashion—a group of classical airs to begin with, followed by groups of French melodies and German lieder, with songs of a lighter order by English and American composers at the end. But in this Mme. Sembrich was followed by a host of recital givers. Miss Hayden, however, drew largely on her teacher’s repertory. In the first group we heard Spohr’s song, “Rose, softly blooming,” as a severe test in the legato style, as the air “Deh vieni non tardar” from Mozart’s “Nozzi di Figaro,” which followed it. Three French melodies which followed, Bizet’s “Pastorale,” Debussy’s “Yrcen” and Dalcroze’s “L’Oiseau bleu,” were introduced to our recital rooms by Mme. Sembrich.
Restores Charpentier Air to Favor
Miss Hayden had the air “Depuis le Jour,” from Charpentier’s “Louise,” a composition which used to be appealing enough until we were obliged to hear it sung in the opera by Miss Garden and Miss Farrar, since which time it has been almost a bête noir. Miss Hayden’s fine feeling and beautiful symmetry of phrase almost re-established it in our good graces. Then came six songs in the interpretation of which Mme. Sembrich had no companion in her day—Schubert’s “Frühlingsglaube,” “Die Forelle,” Schumann’s “Dein Bil niss so wunderselig,” “Schneeglückchen” and “Frühlingsnacht,” to which she added Schubert’s “Hark ! Hark ! the Lark” on a recall.
In all these songs Miss Hayden followed her exemplar iii a blending of poetical sentiment, with the beauty of the melodic line, making the music eloquent without resort to the dramatic manner, so often abused, which seeks to color every word regardless of the more essential element of oratorical declamation.
FOR TERMS ADDRESS :
LOUDON CHARLTON, Carnegie Hall, New York