MUSICAL COURIER
May 11, 1922
38
Tschaikowsky. Nyiregyhazi gave nine numbers and the orchestra four.
Third Concert.
The operas “I Pagliacci” and “Cavalleria Rusticana” were given Thursday evening in the third concert of the festival. Be it said here that if all of the programs could have been cut in half the concerts would have been made more enjoyable. To sit for three hours, though listening to that which “hath charms to soothe the savage breast,” is requiring a little too much even for veteran festival patrons.
Dr. Bennett, who took the part of Antonio in the opera “I Pagliacci,” must have been very much pleased with the recognition he received from one of the most brilliant audiences ever assembled in Spartanburg, not only for the excellence of his own singing of the part, but also in recognition of the work of the chorus he had trained for this festival, which compelled the applause of the audience as well as excited the admiration of the artists of the Metropolitan Opera Company present.
The soloists taking part were Marie Sundelius, soprano; Cecil Arden, mezzo soprano; Orville Harrold, tenor; James Price, tenor; William Simmons, baritone, and Louis Bennett, baritone. Marie Sundelius showed up well in her ..solo work; she seemed to sing with ease and her voice flowed with a richness and volume that delighted those who had the pleasure of hearing her. Cecil Arden had a small part in the opera “Cavalleria Rusticana,” but it gave promise of what her admirers might expect of her the next afternoon as soloist with the Children’s Chorus; Miss Arden was especially welcomed to Spartanburg, as she is considered a daughter of the Palmetto State, her father, Benjamin Arden, being a native of Charleston, S. C. Orville Harrold, James Price and William Simmons sang well and deserved the hearty applause given.
Fourth Concert.
Friday afternoon, May 5 will be recorded as a red-letter day in the calendar of 500 children of the city schools of Spartanburg who composed the Children’s Chorus of the 1922 festival, rendering the cantata “Pan on a Summer’s Day.” The soloists were Cecil Arden and James Price. The work is a difficult one, and the manner in which it was carried through made the triumph of the children all the greater. They actually sang 110 pages of music from memory. This memory feat was a notable one. Each of the nine songs was well done, but the “Summer Shower” and the final “Night Song” drew the greatest applause.
Cecil Arden’s songs for the fourth concert included “Fair Dreams,” “Your Eyes,” “Ah, My Heart,” and “Twilight Dreams.” She was warmly received, her rich mezzo soprano voice delighting festival patrons.
Closing Concert.
Helen Stanley, Raoul Vidas and Giovanni Martinelli were the soloists for what has come to be known in Spartanburg as “Artist Night.” For Mr. Vidas, the violinist, the piano accompaniment was played by Mrs. Louis Bennett. He was the recipient of much enthusiastic applause. Mme. Stanley won -all hearts by the beauty of her artistic work and the charm of her personality.
The Russian Symphony Orchestra had an important part in the success of the closing concert of the festival, and possibly was applauded more in this than in any other concert. In opening the evening’s program Modest Altschuler announced that he would render by request the overture to “William Tell.” This was so well liked that the orchestra played as an encore Schubert’s ‘Musical Moments.” But where it scored most heavily was in rendering a martial air used by the Russian Army some thirty years ago, when, as Mr. Altschuler stated, he was a volunteer in said organization. He arranged the orchestration of the piece, and the audience wildly applauded the quick, snappy music with the semi-barbaric touch.
The three artists—Raoul Vidas, Helen Stanley and Giovanni Martinelli—formed a trio for “Artist Night” which has probably never been excelled at any Spartanburg festival.	D. L. S.
Church Music Summer School Session
The eight annual session of the summer school of church music will be- held at Wellesley, Mass., June 26 to July 6. There will be lectures, demonstrations and conferences. Rev. Charles Winfred Douglas, Mus. Doc., of New York, associate editor of the new hymnal of the Episcopal Church, will have charge of the congregational singing and plain-song. Ivan T. Gorckhoff, of Smith College, formerly conductor of the choir of the Russian Cathedral of St. Nicholas, New York, will train a chorus in several works by Russian composers. Practical demonstrations with choir boys and instruction in keyboard composition and improvisation will be given by A. Madeley Richardson, Mus. Doc., of New York. Edmund M. Goldsmith, a prominent figure in English musical circles, will take up plainsong accompaniment. Clifford Fowler Green, A. A. G. O., of All Saints Church, Worcester, Mass., will discuss choir organization and management. Instruction in Dalcroze Eurhythmies will be given by Jacqueline Miller, a graduate of. Dalcroze Institute, Geneva, Switzerland, Richard G. Appel, of the Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge, Mass., will give instruction in organ accompaniment and repertory.
The school is open to all who are interested, and application should be made for particulars to Richard G. Appel, 15 Hilliand street, Cambridge, Mass.
Stransky’s Plans Changed Owing to Mother’s Death
The Philharmonic Society will open its eighty-first season on Thursday evening, October 26, at Carnegie Hall, under the direction of Josef Stransky. The Philharmonic conductor is now in Prague, at the home of his father. Stransky sailed from New York on March 17 to fulfill engagements to conduct in Europe, but was forced to abandon his engagements through the sudden death of his mother. He will return to America in September.
Tiffany Still Singing
Although the opera season has ended, Marie Tiffany is still kept busy with concert engagements. She will be heard in recital until late in the summer.
ANNUAL FESTIVAL
BRINGS NEW LAURELS TO THE CITY
SPARTANBURG’S
Martinelli, Stanley, Arden, Curtis, Sundelius, Rumsey, Harrold, Patton, Simmons, Price, Bennett, Vidas, Nyiregyhazi Appear as Soloists—Russian Symphony Repeats Former Success
The program was “The Legend of St. Elizabeth,” _ sung by the Spartanburg Festival Chorus of 350 voices, with Vera Curtis, Ellen Rumsey and Fred Patton as soloists. It was well done. Vera Curtis pleased immensely. She deserves credit, for five days before she was not familiar with the part of Elizabeth. Ottilie Schillig was to have done it, but because of illness she was compelled to cancel the engagement, and at the eleventh hour Director Bennett engaged Miss Curtis. In connection with the opening concert the work of Dr. Bennett as director was warmly praised.
Ellen Rumsey had a small part in “The Legend of St. Elizabeth,” but music lovers of Spartanburg liked her and the Spartanburg newspaper stories said lovely things about her.	...
Fred Patton, bass-baritone, sang his part in the oratorio with fine understanding and proved exceedingly popular.
Second Concert.
The soloist for the second concert, which _ was given Thursday afternoon, was the young pianist, Erwin Nyiregyhazi. The Russian Symphony Orchestra, Modest Altschuler, conductor, gave a fine reading of the fifth symphony of
Spartanburg, S. C., May 6.—The twenty-seventh annual festival of the Spartanburg Music Festival Association, held here May 3, 4 and 5, was another triumph added to the fine record of more than a quarter century. Giovanni Martinelli, who appeared at the closing concert, took the lion’s share of applause, a demonstration which lasted nine minutes, and which brought him back to the .auditorium after he had donned overcoat and hat and said “goodbye,” to sing again. Helen Stanley, Marie Sundelius, Vera Curtis, Fred Patton, Orville Harrold and the others were also well received. Full of vigor, Martinelli scored tremendously from thè moment he appeared and left the campus of Converse College, where the music hall is situated, with the applause of an enthusiastic audience ringing in his ears.
First Concert. »
Dr. Louis Bennett, of the music faculty of Converse College, director of the festival, worked unceasingly for the success of the event, and after all preliminaries had been fixed, he and Mrs. Bennett took an active part in the programs. For the opening concert Wednesday evening, May 3, Dr. Bennett conducted the Russian Symphony Orchestra.
ALFREDO
CASELLA
Who Appeared Last Season as Pianist and Conductor with the
PHILADELPHIA
MINNEAPOLIS
CINCINNATI
DETROIT
Symphony Orchestras
--And Since His Return to Italy as Soloist with the--
AUGUSTEO ORCHESTRA
Molinari, Conductor
Returns to America—January 1, 1923
THE PRESS IN ROME
La Tribuna
He played the César Franck Variations Symphoniques with stupendous ease and was listened to with a deep devotion by the large audience.
Giornale d’Italia
The Augusteo public welcomed Mr. Casella most warmly after his recent American tour. The vast crowd of people gathered in the big theatre were thrilled by his playing.
II Tempo
Casella reached incontestably the highest peak of inspiration. His conception of the Adagio of the Variations Symphoniques was a wonder of musical imagination. At the end of the concert, the public applauded him tumultuously, and Casella was obliged to give several encores.
LTdea Nazionale
We have no suitable words to describe the beauties of Casella’s playing. His touch is like velvet, his tone a caress. Each note was limpid in its purity. We can say without exaggeration that we have heard for the first time the pianoforte idealized in a manner which brings out all its variety of tonal colors.
For Terms and Dates Address
LOUDON CHARLTON, Carnegie Hall, New York
BALDWIN PIANO