54
May 18, 1922
MUSICAL COURIER
‘Lesghinka,’ by the Russian Liapounoff, who is only too rarely programmed, was a work of subtle Oriental coloring.”
Werrenrath Called “Baritone of Baritones”
“Baritone Again Wins Hearers,” headlines the Milwaukee Journal when speaking of Reinald Werrenrath’s recent successful concert in Milwaukee. Richard S. Davis, the eminent music critic, goes on to say:
Reinald Werrenrath, baritone of baritones in the regard of a battalion of friends here, made his annual appearance and again demonstrated his right to be ranked as a leader in the American concert field, and as one of its altogether fine singers. Mr. Werrenrath is a splendid example of what voice, plus brains and imagination can accomplish.
It is in interpretation that the baritone stands out, head and shoulders. Mr. Werrenrath has the almost unique belief that his listeners have the right to be given the words of a song so that they can understand them. He sings English that is English, French that is French, German that is German and Italian that is Italian.
John Warren Erb to Conduct Summer Classes
John Warren Erb, conductor, coach and accompanist, announces the opening of his summer class at Bolton’s Landing, Lake George, on August 1, to continue until September 15. He has completed all arrangements to take care of his
JOHN WARREN ERB,
conductor, coach, accompanist.
pupils and to make them comfortable at very reasonable rates. The Lodge, where they will be housed, is on the edge of the Lake, and meals will be served at a special rate at The Inn nearby. The class will be under the patronage of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Perceval, Mrs. Perceval being a harpist and one of the directors of the National Association of Harpists.
Mr. Erb will coach his pupils in oratorio and Lieder, and makes a specialty of program building, preparing, in the case of artists, entire recital programs. His studio is on the lake about five minutes’ walk from the Lodge where pupils will live. Bolton’s Landing is a small place, but furnishes such pleasures as golf, tennis, bathing, boating, walks and drives. It is not a fashionable or noisy place and its quiet will be conducive to study. Studios for practice have been arranged for.
Mr. Erb’s other activities have prevented him from doing any public accompanying in recent seasons, but he plans to resume this work next season and will be available for artists giving recitals in New York. Some arrangements with leading artists have already been made but announcements are not yet in order.
“Maritana” Well Presented in Vancouver
On April 17 and 18 students of the National School of Opera in Vancouver, B. C., presented Wallace’s popular opera, “Maritana,” under the capable direction of Arthur J. Foxall, L.L.C.M. It was a successful performance from every standpoint. The singing and acting were smooth, the scenery and costuming effective, the chorus responsive and the orchestra conducted with verve and skill by Mr. Foxall. May Keith was charming in the title role, singing and acting admirably. The expressive, full-toned voice of Kathleen Macdonald made the part of Lazarillo an outstanding one. Thomas Crawford, tenor, in the role of Don Caesar, made a favorable impression, and Walter Bickford aroused enthusiasm as Don Jose. Others in the cast contributing to the success of the performance were Lauris Bailey, William Frow, Sidney Redmond, Thomas McLean and Allan Shaw. Mile. Barbes and Lionel Tucker danced the minuet gracefully. Nan McLean, A.L.C.M., deputy coach and pianist, also won deserved praise. The opera was given for the benefit of the Amputation Club.
Pavloska Busy in Concert
Irene Pavloska, mezzo soprano of the Chicago Opera, led a busy life with that organization on the coast. Miss Pavloska has scored much success in her roles and is also in demand for recitals. She sang at Tacoma on May 2 and appeared in Seattle on May 17. She will be heard at the children’s concert of the Evanston, 111., Festival on May 27.
Another Summer Engagement for Patterson
Idelle Patterson, popular coloratura soprano, has been engaged for a recital by the Lakeside Association, of Lakeside, Ohio, on August 2, thus extending her season’s musical activities until the middle of the summer.
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS
YEATMAN
(Continued from page 51)
she has never tried to force up into mezzo or soprano for brilliance. True and contented contraltos are hard to find nowadays. Her tone is of high quality and she never fails in intonation. Her sense of pitch is unerring. Her attacks and releases are admirable. Her diction is good. She phrases well. There is never any doubt that she has _ mastered, for herself, the idiom of the song. Her voice_ trilled in the upper register with great power and vibrancy, and in her low voice she was refined and expressive without the mannishness that besets so many contraltos. She sang with glorious freedom of expression, much delicacy, exquisite tone color and great refinement. Her style is both graphic and eloquent.
—Toronto Daily Star.
Evelyn MacNevin, a young contralto־ of Canadian birth, now resident of New York where her abilities have won critical approval, gave a recital at Masonic Hall, which was attended by a very distinguished audience. Miss MacNevin has a very handsome stage presence, and her voice is one of remarkable tonal wealth and compass. Its flexibility is very unusual for a voice of such depth, and her style both in enunciation and phrasing is notable for intelligence and distinction. Her first group, composed of Italian eighteenth century songs, _ contained numbers so highly ornamented that some of them, like Handel’s “Care Selve” for instance, are used by coloratura sopranos. All demanded expert vocalization and finesse. The Handel number was sung with especial smoothness and beauty of expression, and other numbers which demonstrated the singer’s flexibility of voice and elegance of style were Scarlatti’s “Se Florinda” and Marcello’s “Quello Fiamma.” Of especial artistic appeal was her French ־ group. D’Indy’s “Lied Maritime” was a novelty of the highest interest and more familiar works, Debussy’s “Mandoline” and Hahn’s “Paysage,” were admirably sung. Delicate feeling marked Miss MacNevin’s rendering of Staub’s “l’Heure Delicieuse”” and a group of surpassing interest was made up of four songs by Rachmaninoff, including the jubilant “Christ is Risen.”—Toronto Saturday Night.
Miss MacNevin’s voice is a genuine contralto. She revealed a voice full and round, well colored with a liberal supply of overtones. She has the art of the “Messa di voce” in swelling and sustaining her tones without impairment of quality. She showed her gift of producing noble opulent tones and well governed expression. Sprightliness was also attained. In the third group her singing of Rachmaninoff’s “Christ is Risen” was marked by dignified elevation of style, while the three remaining numbers of the same composer gave evidence of her versatility.—Toronto Globe.
Teacher of FLORENCE MACBETH, Prima Donna Coloratura; LENORA SPARKES, Lyric Soprano, and other prominent Artists. Studios: 318 West 82d St., NEW YORK CITY. Tel. Schuyler 8537
sKERR
BASS BARITONE
RECITALS IN ENGLISH, FRENCH,
ITALIAN AND NORWEGIAN 561 West 143rd Street, New York City. Tel. 2970 Audubon
DR. CHERUBINO RAFFAELLI
From Royal Conservatory, Florence. Italy TEACHER OE SINGING AND PIANO 602 West 137th Street. New York City Telephone Audubon 5669
SCHILLIG
OTTILIE
Recital
Concert — Oratorio
Management: Wolfsohn Musical Bnrean	8 East 34th Street, New York
Aï I ARAfH
■TTLB A B JxmLinV^II Opera and Conce
Personal Address : 710 Madison Ave., Toledo, O. Management: LOUIS BRAND
R
A
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OPERATIC and CONCERT TENOR Graduate, Royal Conservatory of Music MILANO, ITALY 125 East 37th Street New York
GIUSEPPE BOGHETTI
Vocal Studios: 1710 Chestnut Street Philadelphia. Pa.
Evelyn MacNevin, a contralto of Canadian birth, recently attained conspicuous success in recital in Aeolian Hall, New York, where she won praise from the exacting critics of that city. Her program last night was well balanced. A noticeable feature of Miss MacNevin’s recital was her excellent manner of presenting her songs and her attractive personality. Her songs were feelingly sung. The audience was completely charmed by her golden voice.
—Toronto Mail and Empire.
Miss MacNevin possesses a smooth, rich contralto of wide range and pleasing flexibility. Her technic is excellent. The young artist sang with fine dignity and expression. She displayed beautiful tones in her upper register. The more dignified numbers, as well as the lighter offerings, were given eminently satisfactory interpretations. The lighter were giyen in felicitous manner. The French songs were done with exquisite artistry.
—Toronto Evening Telegram.
Grasse Plays New Concerto
“Grasse’s New Violin Concerto Played” was the caption in the Baltimore News of April 26, referring to the first performance of that talented composer’s op. 43, by himself, at the Johns Hopkins Orchestra concert, ninety-five musicians, under the conductorship of Charles H. Bochau. President Edwin L. Turnbull of the Hopkins Musical Association commissioned Mr. Grasse to compose the concerto about a year ago, and the work, begun in Maine, was finished in January. Of this work two of the leading papers spoke in part as follows in their issues of April 27:
.... is an important composition, and after a first hearing one would say it constitutes a worthy addition to violin literature. It is a score of excellent dynamic values. Its rhythms are interesting and well balanced one against the other and the thematic material is substantial and frequently rich. Grasse knows his creative powers particularly in the resourcefulness of his melodic invention. It was naturally a privilege to hear the work read for the first time by its versatile composer. He is a very accomplished violinist, possessing a dignified plastic style, and his playing is always expressive. Judged from the standpoint of his art, one would never know that Grasse was blind. It is perfectly apparent that he is a musician of high ideals through and through.—Baltimore News.
It is a very lovely composition, romantic and inherently violin-istic in style, with fine soaring melodies, a thoroughly grateful piece of writing that delighted the large audience which nearly filled the concert room. Mr. Grasse was afterward heard in the Wilhelmj transcription of the “Prize Song” from Wagner s “Meistersinger.”—Baltimore Evening Sun.
Gay MacLaren Scores “Hit” in “Dulcy”
“Keeps big audience in continuous laughter during presentation—Gives entire three-act play—Interprets five _ or six different characters in succession—With no other aid than her marvelous memory and superb acting she makes her audience hear and visualize original production. Such were the headlines that greeted Gay MacLaren the morning after her recital in Utica, N. Y., on May 8, under the auspices of the Zonta Club.
The Utica Daily Press goes on to say:
Miss MacLaren’s performance is difficult to define. She is not a reader; she is not an impersonator. She has really created a new art form, in that, without scenery or actors, she herself presents a complete play. . . . Without other aid than her marvelous memory she made her audience hear and visualize the original production of the play. She made the original cast live and act again in the mind’s eye, with every intonation and mannerism perfect.
Miss MacLaren’s performance is all the more remarkable when it is considered that she never sees the manuscript of the play she presents. She attends the original performance a few times and her wonderful memory retains not only the words of the actors, but also every action and gesture of their characterization.
Phillip Gordon Pleases Nashville
On April 20, Phillip Gordon, pianist, and Grace Griffith, soprano, were heard in a joint recital at Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Tenn. One of the dailies, in commenting upon Mr. Gordon’s playing, said: “Phillip Gordon is a young pianist with an exceptionally fluent and clean cut technic and refined style, with a tone that is never forced, but always limpid and beautiful. . .	. The Ampico re-
peated Mr. Gordon’s playing of Beethoven’s ‘Country Dance’ exactly as he played it, and in the Liszt ‘Transcendent’ etude one could never tell whether^ the pianist or the wonderful reproducing piano was playing the etude.
Professor of Choral ^viusic, Columbia University Address 39 Claremont Ave.
Walter
Henry
Williams. BRAD Y
TEACHER OF SINGING
Studio: 137 West 86th St., New York. Tel. Schuyler 10099
CHARLES SANFORD SKILTON
COMPOSER and ORGANIST
University of Kansas	Lawrence, Kansas
MARIE SUNDELIUS Soprano
With the Metropolitan Opera Co.
Exclusive Management:
HAENSEL & JONES,	Aeolian Hall, New York
Edwin Franko Goldman
CONDUCTOR THE GOLDMAN BAND **A Symphony Orchestra in Brass’*	Colombia University Concerts
Personal address: 202 Riverside Drive, New York
*־ Fllerman
Y M₪L CONTRALTO 570 West 156th Street, New York City
Phone 8197 Audubon
?. COLLEGE OF MUSIC
New Building—114-116 East 85th Street
Founded for the Higher Education in all branches of Music Conducted on the same plane of the European foremost conservatory. Over 40 eminent instructors.
Piano Department..........August Fraemcke, Dean
Vocal Department................Carl Hein, Dean
Harmony, Counterpoint, Composition. .Rubin Goldmark, Dean Vocal Students have exceptionally good opportunity for Grand Opera and acting.
Terms reasonable.	Catalog on application.
ALFRED
oswell
AMERICAN PIANIST The Boswell Mgt.
295 Madison Ave., New York
GEORGE S. MADDEN
BARITONE
Master Singer Concert, Recital and Oratorio
“He is an example of the George Henschel school of singing.” — New York Times.
GEORGE H. LAWSON, Manager
267 Macon St. Brooklyn, N. Y. Phone 7992-W Decatur