May 18, 1922
MUSICAL COURIER
32
WILLIAM S. BRADY TO CONDUCT MASTER CLASS AT AMERICAN CONSERVATORY, CHICAGO, THIS SUMMER
WILLIAM S. BRADY,
of New York City, whose studio has ,produced such artists as Marcella Craft, John Steel, Carolina Lazzari, Dorothy Jardon, Kathryn Meisle, Grace Wagner and many others now before the public as members of the Chicago Opera, Metropolitan Opera and concert stage, icill hold a master class in Chicago this coming summer. Professional singers, advanced students and teachers will thus have an opportunity to receive personal instruction from a teacher whose success has been phenomenal for preparing students for opera and concert platform. Mr. Brady is a strong believer in the possibilities of American students’ success, and favors the idea of obtaining two or three years’ preliminary experience in the smaller opera companies of Italy, Germany and France.
Margaret Romaine Joins Hurok Forces
Margaret Romaine, soprano of the Metropolitan Opera Company, will be under the direction of S. Hurok during the season of 1922-23.
Of the young American singers who have joined the Metropolitan Opera Company in recent years, Margaret Romaine stands out as one of the most successful. Her engagement at the Metropolitan was due to her lovely lyric voice, her keen intelligence and her appealing beauty; one of the principal reasons why she succeeded where so many others have failed is unquestionably because of her thorough musicianship. That she was due to go far in the operatic field was apparent in her debut, for she sang the difficult role of Musetta in Puccini’s “La Boheme” with an assurance both vocal and histrionic, that immediately raised her to a high estate among the company’s personnel and instantly won the undivided favor of the critical press. Since then she^ has been heard with noteworthy success at the Metropolitan in a number of important roles.
However, it has been outside of the Opera House that Miss Romaine has won her greatest triumphs. Hers is a long list of successful recitals. Her concert repertory is diversified and extensive, and she has־ been hailed by the critics and the public alike with unvarying praise.
Activities of Hoxie Pupils
W. Palmer Hoxie presented his pupil, Amy Jacque Brum-bach, mezzo soprano, in recital at the Musical Art Club, Philadelphia, on Tuesday afternoon, May 2. A large audience was on hand and it was not slow in showing its appreciation of the fine art of this young singer. John Richardson, a talented young violin pupil of J. W. F. Leman, assisted Miss Brumbach and Erl Beatty furnished artistic accompaniments.
Miss Brumbach has been filling a number of important engagements recently. On May 3 she sang with much success at a special concert given at Keith’s Theater, Philadelphia. This week she is singing on the Steel Pier, Atlantic City, with Merreck’s Orchestra, at the Dennis Hotel, Galen Hall and the Ambassador Hotel. Paul Engle, baritone, another pupil of Mr. Hoxie, also sang at the special concert at Keith’s Theater on May 3.
Dr. J. Fred Wolle a Busy Musician
On April 26 Dr. J. Fred Wolle gave a talk in Detroit, Mich., and two days later he was heard in an organ concert in the Episcopal Church, Warren, Pa., under the auspices of the Philomel Piano Club. On May 6 he was scheduled for a recital in the Colonial Theater, Palmerton, Pa.
Dr. Wolle also is busy conducting rehearsals for the forthcoming Bach Choir Festival to be held in Bethlehem, May 26-27. A chorus of about seventy boys and girls will assist this year in the “St. Matthew Passion” which is to be given at the Friday session.
art. In this Koene proved his striving for something above the mere qualities of virtuosity and revealed a strong personality of his own.
Another distinguished soloist to appear with the orchestra was Mme. Charles Cahier, who sang the “22nd Psalm” by Ernest Bloch, a complete novelty for Europe. From a first hearing we can only point to its rich oriental color and the evidence of a strong personality.
A Young Dutch Artist.
The young contralto, Suze Luger, who already appeared successfully in recital last season, is well on the way to one of the first places amongst Dutch artists. This she proved the other evening in her tastefully chosen program in which the French school predominated, there being numbers by Durante, Chausson and César Franck. Her rich voice is of extraordinary quality, but her interpretation still lacks variety.
Pianists.
Among the pianists heard we must put in the seat of honor the ever increasingly popular Dirk Schafer, who, if he gave a recital every week in Amsterdam, would never cease to crowd the room to the very doors. Mr. Schafer, who had an unusual success in London last month, took leave of his public for the season in a farewell concert, when his masterful performance of the “Waldstein” sonata and his ever beautiful Chopin evoked a storm of enthusiasm.
After an absence of many years, the reappearance of Moriz Rosenthal was a much talked-of event. He is the same colossal giant of other days, whose overwhelming technic is scarcely to be described.
Evelyn Howard Jones, an English pianist of the younger generation, whose appearances here are welcomed each season by increased numbers, never fails to bring a few novelties.
Two chamber music organizations, the Poulet and the Hungarian Quartet, were heard in interesting programs. What attracted our attention somewhat was a new string quartet, by the Frenchman, Darius Milhaud, played by the Hungarians.
Amsterdam boasts of an excellent choral body, the Madrigal Society, which recently gave an interesting evening under the direction of Sam Dresden. Folk songs from the Ukraine which had been introduced formerly by a famous Russian chorus from that part of the world, were of great charm. Still to be chronicled is a fine performance of “The Children’s Crusade,” by Gabriel Pierne, who was on this occasion the conductor as well. The Royal Oratorio Society took part and among the soloists were Mia Peltenburg, Joy Mac Arden and Max Kloos.	S. K.
AMSTERDAM ENJOYS NEW
WORKS BY NATIVE COMPOSERS
Concert Season Closes—Brahms Featured by Orchestra— A Young Dutch Artist—Pianists Attract
Amsterdam, April 14.—The regular concert season ended with the last days of March, and during the next few months popular concerts at low prices will be the rule. The last four performances of the Concertgebow Orchestra under Dr. Carl Muck were entirely devoted to works of Brahms in commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death, and several rarely heard compositions of the master were dug out of their obscurity.
At the first concert of this Brahms cycle, Jacques Thi-baud was expected to play the violin concerto, but at the eleventh hour cancelled the engagement on account of illness—a cause of great disappointment to many. In place of this number, the double concerto for violin and cello was announced and people speedily forgot their regret when those two excellent artists, Louis Zimmerman and Marix Loevensohn, acquitted themselves nobly of their tasks, as though their engagement to play had been a matter of days instead of a few hours. It is indeed a pity that this beautiful work is not more frequently heard, as a long acquaintanceship is necessary to arrive at a good understanding of it.. The chef d’oeuvre of the concert was, however, the first symphony, which Dr. Muck conducted in superb style, with a conception entirely original and totally different from that of Fiedler, Mengelberg or Nikisch. In due course the second symphony followed at the next concert and the second piano concerto played by Frederic Lamond. His interpretation was one of broad, heroic dimensions and the tremendous difficulties of the work were absolutely controlled. He received a great ovation.
At the two remaining concerts the third and fourth symphonies were given a masterful handling by Muck and showed more than ever his distinct personality. Of rarely played compositions, the “Schicksralslied,” for double chorus and orchestra, was excellently rendered; also the rhapsodie for alto solo and men’s chorus, in which Emmy Leisner quite carried away her audience by the rich, warm beauty of her voice and her perfect ensemble with the chorus. As far as the violin concerto was concerned, we were not to be disappointed and the playing of it by Louis Zimmerman made us realize the fact more than ever that an exceptional violinist is living right in our midst.
New Works.
Dux Pleases in Trenton
Claire Dux added •another name to the long list of colleges and teachers’ associations for which she has sung this season, when she appeared as soloist with the Trenton Teachers’ Chorus at Trenton, N. J., on May 1. Francis Macmillen also appeared on this occasion and both artists won great approval.
Holland is extremely proud of one of her younger artists. Francis Koene, for instance, is a violinist of great musical gifts. Although hardly more than a youth he already has the depth of the matured artist combined with a fine tone and faultless technic. His appearance with the orchestra was a great success, especially gratifying as he played, instead of one of the time-honored pieces, a fantasie by Joseph Suk, a composition revealing many sides of the violinist’s
If You Would Love Me
Poem by
Elizabeth Jacobi Music by
James G. MacDermid
This song, now definitely associated with the artists here shown, was originally sung by John McCormack at some fifty concerts. It provides opportunity for the entire gamut of tonal effects and is a fine song with a big sweep. Published in four keys.