MUSICAL COURIER
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April 13, 19 2 2
in New York, appeared in Toronto and Kingston (Can.), Galveston (Tex.), at several colleges, woman’s clubs and private musicales, and was received everywhere with enthusiasm and praise from the press.
When one considers that Miss Hess has been here not quite three months, she accomplished in that short time a good deal. Her success was unusual, and the results are, for next season, another concert tour, re-engagements and numerous new concert engagements.
National Opera Club Addenda
Recent events in the National Opera Club have been many, and now it is announced that the club will give a “Psychic Tea” at the Pennsylvania Hotel, April 22, from 2:30 to 5 o’clock. This is to^ be a “good fellowship party” where all may get together, invite friends, listen to good music, and learn of the latest developments in psychic progress.' There will be interesting and amusing denouements, and an unusual and jolly experience is in store for all. At the opera performance and ball of a fortnight ago Mme. de Vere-Sapio’s pure and fresh voice, her style, diction and dramatic fervor, all were noted. Mr. Sapio at the piano lent “helping hands” of unusual ability and sympathy.
Students’ Recital at Baylor University
A students’ recital was given at the Baylor University School of Music of Waco, Tex., on April 3. Those taking part were Clara Belle Maddox, Irene Boone, S. W. Cowles, Fay Brannon, Louise Thulemeyer, with a final group by Prof. Frank M. Church, director. Another students’ recital will be given on May 1, the annual concert being set for June 12.
an artist, _ she instigates unconsciously a definite curiosity. This ability to arouse interest has unlimited possibilities. It is odd that it should be part of the equipment of a serious artist who decries sensationalism in any form as a foundation for success. Perhaps Miss Arden is right. For the sudden departure of a husband or a jewel is after all but a spontaneous-combustion type of news item. Art does not nourish itself or its followers in this manner.
Cecil Arden on the concert stage creates a beautiful picture. No artifices are necessary. She is a naturally beautiful woman and has that understanding needed for the enhancement of beauty in the choice of her costumes. Recently she has been wearing an unusual Russian head dress which gives her a truly regal appearance. Her mellow voice, a voice possessing the warm depth and richness of the real mezzo, has made her a favorite in many cities.
Miss Arden has made ten appearances in the State of New Jersey alone this season. One of these was a re-en-gagement within six months. Last week, after singing with the symphony orchestra of Memphis, Term., she received editorial mention in the Commercial Appeal and Scimitar of that city. On April 1 she appeared in Brooklyn and on April 7 in Bridgeport. With Martinelli, DeLuca and Pon-selle she was also heard again in Jersey City on April 9. Morristown will hear her April 20, and East Orange on April 27. She is also engaged to appear with Martinelli and Sundelius at the Spartanburg Festival on May 5.
S.
Myra Hess to Have Busy 1922-23 Season
Myra Hess has appeared with the Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Minneapolis symphony orchestras and twice with the New York Philharmonic. She played two recitals
Cecil Arden’s Deserved Success
When the American mezzo soprano Cecil Arden joined the Metropolitan Opera Company several seasons ago, she was the youngest member of the entire company. Now, after signing a contract with that organization for the fifth consecutive season, she is still one of the youngest and one of the most charming and magnetic of that youthful singing group of the opera company.
In this era of color—color rampant in the face of realism and gloriously mad in defying and complementing a thousand and one other isms—something definite and striking must give itself as a distinct addition to make what we momentarily term “a colorful personality” felt and remembered.
To begin with, in those first days when I heard of a new and promising pupil of the justly well known singing teacher, Maestro Buzzi-Peccia, the name Cecil Arden rather challenged the imagination. Aside from the fact that it has its origin as an old South Carolinian name, it somehow bespeaks memories of stories of Old England, the romance of Robin Hood and his piquant roamings through the fo: ests of Sherwood and Arden.
Yet names are often antagonistic to their owners arri sometimes contradictory. In the legato beauty of Cecil Arden’s name there is no deception, because it describes her so aptly. In her “colorful personality” are all the haunting harmonies of green and old gold—the first synonymous perhaps with the fine characteristic of candor, the gold symbolic of exuberant dash—her true individuality.
To one surfeited with the constant “I” which may be discovered as an almost inevitable part and parcel of the average artist—great and small—Miss Arden's forbearance is somewhat amazing. She seemingly finds little or no pleasure in a constant discussion of herself and her attributes as
UNANIMOUS»
PUBLIC CRITICS FRIENDS
ERNESTO BERUMEN’S Press Notices After His Aeolian Hall Recital, March 30th, 1922:
BERUMEN played this time a HIGHLY COLORED programme, in which the CLEAR delineation and the CAREFULLY chiselled TECHNIQUE of the ARTIST was in evidence. In several MODERN PIECES he displayed a REMARKABLY CLEAR and BRILLIANT touch.—New York Staats-Zeitung.
COMPOSITION. In this Berumen MORE THAN SATISFIED a critical audience and WAS RECALLED to acknowledge REPEATED APPLAUSE.—Ruth Crosby Dimmick in Morning Telegraph.
A FACILE and POETIC player, he gave a PROOF of his TECHNICAL FLUENCY in a programme of VIRTUOSO RANGE, including a SONATA by Liapounow, and a new “Pan Suite,” DEDICATED to the PIANIST by Betty Boutelle.
—Frank H. Warren in Evening World.
A “Pan Suite” DEDICATED to the PIANIST by Betty Boutelle, was REMINISCENT of DEBUSSY. A rather showy piece, it was EXCELLENTLY EXECUTED.—New York Herald.
The “Pan Suite” DEDICATED to Mr. Berumen by Betty Boutelle, was IMPRESSIONISTIC, abounding in the RUNS AND ARPEGGIOS which seemed the Mexican pianist’s STRONG POINT. He began with LISZT’S VARIATIONS on a THEME and CHORAL from a BACH CANTATA, in an EXPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE, tending to SONOROUS and TECHNICAL BRILLIANCE.
—New York Tribune.
He PLAYED with accomplished STYLE and great CHARM a Sonata by Liapounow, and NUMBERS by Bach-Liszt, SAINT-SAËNS and Moszkowski, WHICH WERE followed by MANY ENCORES.
—Brooklyn Times.
THROUGHOUT the afternoon, his playing was DISTINGUISHED by rhythmical FIRMNESS and power, BEAUTY and sonority of tone, CLEAN-CUT technical PRECISION and clarity of EXPOSITION.
—Max Smith in New York American.
Berumen’s TECHNICAL skill and nicety of STYLE are factors already WELL ESTABLISHED in his REPUTATION, and gave ADMIRABLE proof of THESE in his latest PROGRAMME. Berumen played to an AUDIENCE of size and FRIENDLY appreciation. HIS programme was full of VIRTUOSIC tests, which he MET and LEAPED with virtu-osic NIMBLENESS and GRACE OF STYLE.—Guilbert W. Gabriel in The Sun.
Four DAINTY sketches DESCRIBING a day in the LIFE OF PAN were played by ERNESTO BERUMEN at his Aeolian Hall RECITAL yesterday. The SUITE, dedicated to the PIANIST, was WRITTEN by Betty Boutelle. It is DEFTLY CONSTRUCTED on the WHOLE TONE scale, with CLEVER effects. The YOUNG MEXICAN used his NIMBLE FINGERS brilliantly in the HAUNTING SONG of Liapounow’s Sonata and in SEVERAL SHORTER groups.
—Katharine Spaeth in Evening Mail.
The SECOND number, “SONATA” by Liapounow, is a WORK SELDOM HEARD in this country, AND ONE which calls for MORE VARIETY of expression, BRILLIANCY, TECHNIQUE and poetry than IS USUALLY found in one SMALL
SEASON 1922-23 NOW BOOKING
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