June 8, 19 2 2
46
MUSICAL COURIER
CURRENT MUSICAL PRIZES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
[The Musical Courier will endeavor to keep this department up to date and to that end requests that all notices and prospectuses of musical prize contests be sent to the Musical Courier so as to be included in this department. It will be found that in each contest the name and address are given, to which intending candidates may apply directly for further information. Manuscripts are submitted at the risk of the composer.—Editor’s Note.]
National Federation of Music Clubs—Nine prizes for American composers, amounting in all to $2,750. Contests end December 15. Mrs. Edwin B. Garrigues, 201 Bellevue-Stratford, Philadelphia, Pa.
Male Chorus of Swift & Co.—$100 for a musical setting (chorus of men's voices, with piano accompaniment) for Sir Walter Scott’s “Hunting Song.” Contest ends July 1. D. A. Clippinger, 617-18 Kimball Building, Chicago, 111.
The Society for the Publication of American Music —Applications for the publication of original compositions for the 1922-23 season should be received not later than October 15. William Burnet Tuthill, Room 1608, 185 Madison avenue, New York.
Allentown Rotary Club—$100 for an Allentown song, words and music of which must be original. Allentown Rotary Club, Allentown, Pa. . .
The National American Music Festival—$3,800 in contest prizes at the 1922 festival to be held at Buffalo. N. Y., October 2 to 7. A. A. Van de Mark, American Music Festival, 223 Delaware avenue, Buffalo, N. Y.
The American Academy in Rome. Horatio Parker Fellowship in Musical Composition, the win-tier having the privilege of a studio and three years’ residence at the Academy in Rome, besides an annual stipend of $1,000 and an allowance not to exceed $1,000 for traveling expenses. Executive Secretary. American Academy in Rome, 101 Park avenue, ?New York.
Ithaca Conservatory of Music—One Master Scholarship (valued at $600 a term), ten full scholarships and forty-two partial scholarships. Ithaca Conservatory of Music, Ithaca, N. Y.
Chicago Musical College—Seventy-three prizes and scholarships, amounting to more than $20,000. Chicago Musical College, 624 South Michigan avenue, Chicago, 111.
Guilmant Organ School—Dr. William C. Carl gold medal, and four scholarships for pupils over eighteen given by Philip Berolzheimer. Contest for Berolz-heimer scholarships takes place in October. Guilmant Organ School, 17 East Eleventh street, New York.
New York School of Music and Arts—One vocal and one piano scholarship. New York School of Music and Arts, 150 Riverside Drive, New York.
Institute of Musical Art—A number of prizes and scholarships. Institute of Musical Art, 120 Claremont avenue, New York.
New England (Conservatory of Music—$450 in prizes to students of the school. Ralph L. Flanders, New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Mass.
Curci Artist Pupil in Home Town Recital
Frances Olinger, an artist pupil of Gennaro Mario Curci, made a most successful appearance in her home town in Springfield, Mass., on May 11. The occasion was a May festival held at Memorial Hall, under the direction of Professor G. R. Humberger, head of the music department of the public schools. The first part of the program was devoted to the performance of- the cantata “The Lady of Shalott,” while Miss Olinger was heard in the singing of children’s songs and old English ballads during the latter half.
According to the critic of one of the dailies: “Miss Olinger scored quite a hit in her juvenile songs and interpretations for which she was garbed in dainty little children’s costume. .	. In her numbers she delighted both the
youngsters and the grownups. Springfield registered no little pride in its talented songbird, on this her first public appearance in this city since here return only a few weeks ago from New York where she studied under the famous song master Curci.”
The Springfield Evening Sun wrote in part: “Miss Olin-ger’s singing and acting were of such a popular order that she scored a brilliant and continuous success .... Miss Olinger won the heart of her home town afresh, filling everyone with delighf at the advancement made in her singing, giving everyone greatest pleasure by the exceedingly artistic way in which she sang every number.”
Another Lusk Victor Record
Milan Lusk, the popular young violinist has arranged several of the best known Bohemian folk melodies for violin and recorded them for the Victor Phonograph Company.
One record (No. 73181) has just been released. All lovers of violin music will welcome this collection of old airs. Mr. Lusk has been unusually successful in making the contrasts effective, combining for example a characteristic lover’s ballad with a rhythmic peasant dance.
Lucille Oliver Makes London Debut
Lucille Oliver, the young American artist pupil of Ethel Leginska, played with much success at Wigmore Hall, London, on Thursday afternoon, April 27. Her debut was warmly commented upon by the daily critics.
after the appearance of the operatic stars annually engaged. If the singers did not wear new styles, it was apt to result in great disappointment and influence was brought to bear on the committee to prevent that particular person from being re-engaged.
Life of Saint-Saëns.
“Do you know if there has been any life of Saint-Saëns written yet? I want to _write an article about him for our club and cannot find sufficient information to make a good paper. You have so often helped me out with my talks to the club that I venture to ask you once more for information.”
Yes, there is a new biography of Saint-Saens’s by Arthur Hervey, and you can obtain it of any of the large book shops either in New York or your own city. There is also an English translation of Saint-Saëns’ own reminiscences.
Answers to letters received in this department are published as promptly as possible. The large number oi inquiries and the limitation of space are responsible lor any delay. The letters are answered seriatim.
Beatrice Pinkham, Expert Pianist
Of many excellent pianists who have been heard in New York during the past season, Beatrice Pinkham stands among the highest, for she is a player of unusual merit. Her earnest purpose, her constancy to the art she loves, her ambition and never-ending persistence, all are commended to such as think there is a short road to fame. The way to gain it is along exactly the lines followed by Miss Pinkham, which includes continual, sustained effort. A distinctive personality is this young girl, and one must pay
BEATRICE PINKHAM
homage to her simple carriage, unaffected and sincere; to her always optimistic spirit, and her faith in the art in which she aspires so high. During the winter she appeared many times at the concerts of the New York School of Music and Arts, Ralfe Leech Sterner, director, where she was a student under Professor Riesberg, successor to Arthur Friedheim, playing the following standard works:
Scherzo, B-flat minor .....................................Chopin
Prelude in G ..............................................Chopin
Mazurka in F minor ........................................Chopin
Study in F ................................................Chopin
Study in C sharp minor (in thirds)................Chopin-Godowsky
Sonata Appassionata ....................................Beethoven
Sonata Pathétique ......................................Beethoven
Two Rhapsodies ........................................... Brahms
Variations Serieuses .................................Mendelssohn
Prelude in G minor...................................Rachmaninoff
Waltz Oubliée ............................................  Liszt
Study in D flat major.......................................Liszt
Will o’ the Wisp Study......................................Liszt
Arabesque in E ...........................................Debussy
Polonaise ............................................. MacDowell
Octave Studies in G & A....................................Czerny
Of her playing it was printed that “She is a musical young girl, playing with clean-cut technic and much breadth.” Many notices might be reproduced, but they all unite in giving her credit for superior talent and accomplishment, with prognostication for a fine future. Under twenty years of age, she has already done much; given continued good health, ambition, and Beatrice Pinkham’s ambition is bound to make her name known.
Sousa Writes “The Gallant Seventh”
John Philip Sousa wrote “Semper Fidelis” for the United States Marines because he had once been one of them. “Great Lakes” was composed for the big Illinois naval training-station when he, in the world-war, was an enlisted man there, engaged in building up the six bands of 300 men apiece that served throughout the country and in Canada in the various drives and money-raising campaigns of 1917-18. “The Volunteers,” written in 1917, was in tribute to the men who flocked into the shipyards for war-time work. “The Stars and Stripes Forever” was his two-four reaction to the sight of the American flag at sea while he was returning home on an English steamer. But his new march, “The Gallant Seventh,” has been composed by formal request of Col. Wade H. Hayes and dedicated to the Seventh Regiment, N. G. N. Y. Col. Hayes, in his request to Lieut. Commander Sousa, said: "...........We shall always en-
deavor to maintain a band in the regiment that will do full justice to your music and reflect credit on it wherever it may be rendered.”
Seagle Engages Mme. Weinschenk
Oscar Seagle, always anxious to have the best teachers possible for the pupils of his summer school at Schroon Lake, N. Y., has engaged Mme. Weinschenk, the distinguished French dramatic coach, to teach “mise en scene” there this summer. Mme. Weinschenk has been known in Paris for years and many of the most distinguished artists of the French operatic stage, including Lucien Muratore, have studied gesture and action with her. During the past winter she has had a studio in New York,
Good Oratorio Singers.
“A discussion has arisen in our club, dividing it into two parties, on the question as to where the leadership in oratorio singing rests—in America or England. Those advocating the English say and think there is more oratorio singing over there than in this country and that it has been going on for more years than here; but the American contingent claim the vocalists of this country are superior to their English cousins. Now what is your opinion? Which side would you take if you were a member of our club? Your assistance in relation to our yearly programs gives us confidence that you will answer this query.”
The English, and especially the Welsh, have always been noted for their interest in choral singing ever since music came into being in their countries. There is without doubt a more general interest in choral singing—including oratorio singing—in England than here, and more choral organizations of the first rank. As for the soloists who sing oratorio, that would be hard to say. There are many excellent oratorio singers on both sides of the' water. In England certain soloists through repeated presentation of certain parts alter a while come to be specialists, and a performance of a work without these soloists is looked upon almost as incomplete. The late Gervaise Elwes, for instance, always sang “Gerontius” in the Elgar work and the late Ffrangcon Davies was the Elijah par excellence.
Can He Play It?
“Would you please let me know if I could learn to play the violin with my left hand? And where could I have the violin fixed so I could play with that hand?”
You could learn to play violin with left hand but the instrument would haye to be restrung, that is the G string must be on the opposite side to where it is now, the’ highest string next the hand; also the bass bar and sound post would have to be moved. The violin would be held in the right hand, in the same position as it is now held by the left.
“The Girl of the Golden West.”
“Will you please send me a brief summary of the opera, ‘The Girl of the Golden West’ by Puccini?”
This opera is	in three	acts.	The scene	is laid in	California
near the Cloudy Mountains, time Gold Fever Year, 184950־. The first production was given at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, December	10, 1910. The	first scene	is laid in	a miner’s,
saloon and dance	hall, where miners come in	for drinks,	and there
is much horse play as they dance and sing together. The whole scene is typical of a western mining town as it was in the early days of ’49, drinking, gambling, fighting, all the worst elements of the place being gathered together. The soprano is Minnie, who reads the Bible to the miners and explains the meaning of words to them. Ranсe, the sheriff, is in love with Minnie, but she favors Dick Johnson, who* is in	reality	Ramerrez,	the outlaw.	Johnson
comes into the saloon and Minnie asks him to come to her cabin where they will be undisturbed by the rough crowd which has gone off to hunt for Ramerrez, not knowing that he is no other than Johnson.
The second act is in Minnie’s cabin. There is a love seen? between Minnie and Johnson, noises outside cause her to conceal him in her bed. Ranсe and the others come in to tell her that Johnson is Ramerrez.	She denies that he is there. As soon as
they are gone she calls him out, denounces him and sends him out into the stormy night. There is a shot outside. Johnson staggers back into the cabin. Minnie helps him into the loft. Ranсe comes back looking for Johnson. Minnie almost persuades, him 4 the outlaw is not there, when a drop of Johnson’s blood falls through the loose floor boards of the loft on to Ranee’s hand. Minnie, her deceit discovered, proposes to play Ranсe a game of cards. If he wins, she will marry him; if she wins, Johnson shall go free. Minnie discovers a handy card in her stocking and beats the sheriff.
In the third act Johnson, who has recovered, has left Minnie and is caught in a Redwood forest by the sheriff’s men. As the noose is already around his neck, Minnie dashes in and her pleading saves him once more. They go off together into the sunset singing “Addio, belle California;” ׳ perhaps they are headed for the border, to put down a few bets at Tia Juana.
Good Looks and Dress.
“Do you think that as a rule the audience looks at the appearance of an artist	and is	prejudiced	for	or against them if
they are good looking	or the	reverse, or if	they have a becom-
ing dress or not? 1 have been told that a really plain, that is hideously plain, woman could not make a success on the stage no matter how well she sang, do you think this is so?”
The Information Bureau knows of a case where a young woman with a really beautiful voice, well trained, could not get an engagement as a principal in a light opera company as she was so unpleasantly plain; she was in the chorus where it did not seem to matter so much, although bandy legs do show badly there, but she had not one feature in her face that relieved the homeliness of it. This however was an extreme case, for there are few who are so lacking in good looks as she was. Dress does make a difference also. One of the well known prima donnas of the Metropolitan Opera House sang in Boston with the Symphony Orchestra at one time. When she came	on the	stage for	her	aria, she antagonized
the audience before she	ever sang a note,	her	dress was so hideous
and most unbecoming. It could not have been becoming to anyone, it was so bad. Even when she was singing, and she sang well, the attention was held by that awful dress and it was a matter of comment for days after the concert. The majority of the men singers are usually very particular and careful as to their clothes when they give a recital, but fortunately there is not as wide a scope for selection as by women.
At one of the well known Music Festivals, it was said the women of the city nev.er decided upon their new dresses or suits until
LOUIS SIMMIONS
TEACHER OF SINGING.	261 Fifth Avenue, New York
This Summer at Southampton, L. I.
H E IVI PEL
AscictPri hv Coenraad V. Bos, Pianist Assisted by Loujs p Fritze׳ Flutist
For Dates Address:
Management of Frieda Hempel
185 Madison Avenue	New York
JESSIE MASTERS
THE ALL AMERICAN CONTRALTO
Management:
ALBERT W. HARNED. 72813־th St.. N. W.. Washington. D. C.