27
MUSICAL COURIER
June 15, 1922
16 and 17, 1923. Following these appearances, she will sail for London, where she is scheduled to give a series of recitals next March.
Alcock an Established Bethlehem Favorite
Merle Alcock again was chosen as contralto soloist at the recent Bach Festival (Dr. J. Fred Wolle, conductor) at Bethlehem. Pa., and endeared herself still further in the hearts of Bach enthusiasts. Appended are but two of the complimentary press notices which she received this year:
.	.	. Merle Alcock, one of Bethlehem’s established favorites.
. . . Miss Alcock’s “Agnus Dei” at the close of the service was one of the outstanding features of the afternoon. She gave to it
Photo by Mishkin
MERLE ALCOCK, contralto.
the beauty of voice, the sensitive feeling, the compelling pathos that made the air in its simplicity even more effective than1 the more decorative and florid “Laudamus Te” sung with the active violin.—Philadelphia Public Ledger, May 28.
Of the soloists in the Mass, Merle Alcock must be congratulated °n her profoundly musical rendering of the alto arias.—New York
Students’ Recital at Vardi Music Studio
A recent two hours of delightful music was given by students of the Vardi Music Studio before a large and appreciative audience. Joffa Vardi, pianist, a graduate of the Petrograd Conservatory, and J. Vardi, violinist, a graduate of the Warsaw and Vienna Conservatories, have been m this country only a short time and have already established a large class in both departments. The following pupils took part: Sam Weisman, Lena Schreiber, Janetta Greenberg, Agnus Ray, Robert Ray, Emanuel Vardi, Betty Druz, Mary and Bessie Naigus, Maxi Hollander, Jacob Gmzberg, Irving Bordansky, David Siegel, Sarah Begun Sam Feld, B. Appel, Max Druz, M. Fein and B. Seligmam All of them showed that they were under excellent guidance and there is hardly a doubt that several of these will make their professional debuts in time to come.
MORE QUESTIONS
ANSWERED BY
VOICE EDUCATION
BY
ELEANOR McLELLAN
“Maker of Singers”
Do You Know
The requirements for a successful career?
What makes a voice sound large near by but lacking in carrying quality at a distance?
Why few singers are successful?
Why many soprano voices sound thin and squeaky?
Why alto voices often sound hollow and “whoopy”?
The art of combining technique and interpre-tation?
Why a voice sounds “bleaty” or “yelly”?
Why many voices last but a short time?
That uncontrolled emotions affect voice technic?
That it is possible to have a resonance which is not jammed, pinched or forced?
That dieting affects the breathing?
That there is a science of deep breath taking and breath control?
Why many voices sound too high or too low?
Published by Harper Bros.
For sale at all book dealers, $1.75
tion came, when he wrote the poem within an hour. All who heard this “advance recital” of the poem, which will live with Lincoln’s Gettysburg Speech, felt highly honored at this privilege bestowed upon them by the distinguished author. Master Walter Gross, pupil of Julius Koehl, rendered remarkably well Liszt’s “Liebestraum”; Elsie Erick-ers played effectively selections of Godard and Moszkowski, and Theresa A. Smith sang with much expression and clear enunciation “The Lass With a Delicate Air” (Arne) and “A Little Bit of Ebony” (Carrie Jacobs Bond).
The New Rome Academy Fellow
Randall Thompson, of Roxbury (Boston), Mass., winner of the Walter Damrosch Fellowship to the American Academy in Rome, was born in New York City in 1899. He was brought up in a musical atmosphere. As a small boy he was taught to sing by Howard Roe Wood, choirmaster at the Lawrenceville (N. J.) school, and was befriended by Francis Cuyler Van Dyck, the gifted organist of the school, whom he succeeded as organist at the age of fifteen. Later he entered Harvard University and was graduated in 1920 with high distinction in music. After graduation Mr. Thompson studied privately for a year with Ernest Bloch in New York, and this year he has been doing graduate work at-Harvard for his Master’s degree in music.
Among his compositions, apart from many songs, choruses, ensemble and piano pieces, are a quintet for flute, clarinet, viola, cello and piano; septet for flute, clarinet, string quartet and piano; prelude for strings; four waltzes
RANDALL THOMPSON
for two violins and piano; variations on “Indianola” for two pianos; “The Light of Stars,” for mixed voices (four parts) a capella; piano sonata in G minor; “The Last Invocation,” for mixed voices (six parts) a capella; “Pierrot and Cothurnus,” a prelude for full orchestra.
The members of the jury were John Alden Carpenter, Walter Damrosch, Frederic A. Juilliard, David Stanley Smith and Walter R. Spalding. All manuscripts bore not the names of the composers but pseudonyms. The real names were not disclosed until after the award.
The musical fellowship, which will be awarded annually, is for a term of three years and provides an allowance of $2,000 with free residence at the academy and opportunity to visit the various musical centers of Europe. Full information will be supplied upon request by the secretary of the academy. By means of these fellowships the American Academy hopes to encourage the young musicians of America in the same way in which the famous Prix de Rome has aided in the development of many composers in the modern French school.
City Club’s Family Party Smart Affair
Washington society was well represented at the City Club’s Family Night on May 25, the entertainment being Gay MacLaren in “Enter Madame.” Among the guests were Secretary of Agriculture and Mrs. Henry C. Wallace, the Director General of the Railroad Administration and Mrs. James C. Davis, Commissioner and Mrs. Cuno H. Rudolph, Commissioner and Mrs. James F. Oyster, Col. Charles Keller, Engineer Commissioner, and Mrs. Keller. Leonard Hall, writing in the Daily News says:	“Miss
MacLaren is the cure for the manifold evils that beset the commercial theater. She is star, leading man, accessories before the fact, and Japanese butler. She is soprano, treble, tenor, bass and contralto. In short, she is the one-woman theatrical company, and gives a truly amazing performance of a full length play.”
Lewes Powell Passes Away
Lewes Powell, an accomplished young violinist, recently of the Detroit Conservatory of Music, died at his home, Morley, Mich., aged only twenty-five years. He attracted attention as a violinist when he was seven years old. He studied also at Chicago College of Music, and was a pupil of Leopold Auer there.
Gerhardt with Cincinnati Symphony
Elena Gerhardt has been engaged as soloist by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for its concerts on February
BOSTON LIKES BRILLIANT
DANCING BY BRAGGIOTTI
SISTERS AND PUPILS
Boston, June 9.—A dancing recital of striking merit was given by the Misses Berthe and Francesca Braggiotti and their pupils last Saturday afternoon in Jordan Hall. They were assisted by Berthe Erza, the excellent soprano from the studio of Isadore Braggiotti, and by Herbert Lowe’s orchestra, under the direction of Will Dodge.
The program arranged by these two gifted daughters of the noted vocal authority was of unusual interest. It opened with a pantomime, “At the Fountain of Youth.” At the Fountain of Youth the Fairy Queen and her court are rejoicing and casting their magic spells; Old Age comes to drink and regains Eternal Youth. In this dance, which was beautifully conceived and charmingly executed, the Misses Braggiotti had the assistance of Mary Margaret Loring, Lorraine Lynde, Muriel Lynde, Harriet Blake, Leslie Blake, Virginia Curtin, Elizabeth Redmond, Constance Brewer, Barbara Lang •and Evadne Hibben. The music was drawn from Liszt, Gillet, Drigo, Grieg, Chopin, Barbirolli, Durant and Rachmaninoff. Then followed a״ “Scene Orientate,” to music ■by Rimsky-Korsakoff, A. L. Steinert, Cesar Cui and Harold de Bozi. The Princess is being offered amusement by her slaves; at sunset she puts her jewels before the Buddha; as she leaves the shrine there enters the Spirit of her Prayer. In this number Berthe Braggiotti took the part of an Oriental Princess and did a dance of the Far East. During a prayer by the Princess to Buddha, Francesca Braggiotti appeared as the Spirit of the Prayer, and performed a dance suggesting the mystery of the Orient. The talented girls had the assistance of Gloria Braggiotti, Priscilla Hedge, Virginia McNeil, Louise Russell, Phebe Russell and Miriam Winslow. “Torture” (an impression) by S. Roerich and J. Hull, was danced by Berthe Braggiotti and Francesca Braggiotti to music from “Danse Guerriere,” by Ravel.
This interesting program was brought to a close with numerous divertissements in which all the pupils participated, and a delightful “Peasant Scene.” The feature of the divertissements was the now celebrated “Reapers’ Dance,” in which the charming Braggiotti sisters have won such splendid success in Boston, New York and Lenox. The dancing of these girls has reached a point where technical surety and ease are taken for granted. The Misses Braggiotti have fairly mastered the mechanics of dancing and seemingly give their entire thought to the interpretative aspect of this fascinating art. As a consequence, the poetry of the dance is fully and pleasurably revealed in their dancing, and it is not at all surprising that their services have been sought by Mme. Pavlowa. There was abundant enthusiasm throughout the program and numerous recalls.
A word might here be said for the generosity with which these girls have taken part in entertainments for charitable purposes. Indeed, it was their frequent appearances at social and charitable functions which led to a virtual demand on the part of Boston’s fashionable colony that they give instruction to the youthful “Four Hundred.” The result was a studio at their beautiful home, 78 Upland Road, Brookline, where they have taught during the past year. The revelation at Saturday’s recital makes it certain that they will continue this admirable work next season—particularly since Mr. Braggiotti has decided not to return to Florence for the present.
Gebhard Pupil Pleases in Recital.
Mrs. Harry D. Little, an artist pupil from the studio of Heinrich Gebhard, played an interesting program of piano music recently at the Concord Country Club before a very distinguished audience. Mrs. Little disclosed her fine abilities in a well varied program as follows: Andante favori, Beethoven; valse, C sharp minor; scherzo, op. 39, Chopin; “Humoreske,” Rachmaninoff; “Lotus Land,” Cyril Scott; danse, Debussy; concerto No. 2, D minor, MacDowell. Mr. Gebhard played the: second piano for the MacDowell concerto. Mrs. Little, who has been Mr. Gebhard’s pupil for seven years, played with brilliant technic, dramatic fervor and poetic feeling, winning vigorous applause.	J. C.
Edwin Markham at Tollefsen Home
An impromptu program out of the ordinary was given at the home of Carl H. Tollefsen, Brooklyn, Sunday evening, May 28, 1922. Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Markham failing to arrive as expected, Mr. and Mrs. Tollefsen favored their guests with Schiitt’s suite, C minor, op. 44, for violin and piano, the masterful rendition delighting those present. Then Mr. Tollefsen introduced an “Author’s” game, and a second one, playing a strain from twenty familiar compositions, which required the names of both compositions and composers. Mr. and Mrs. Markham arrived in the midst of the second game, after riding an hour or more out of their way. Mr. Tollefsen introduced the guest of honor with a felicitous speech, and Mr. Markham replied with a few happy complimentary remarks. He very aptly referred to art as the “transmission of emotions.” The emotions pertained to the noble and the ignoble, but art always has the tendency to advance what is ennobling in music, painting, sculpture, etc. Mr. Markham then recited the following quatrains of his own:
DUTY
When duty comes a-knocking at your gate,
Welcome him in; for if you bid him wait,
He will depart only to come once more And bring seven other duties to your door.
OUTWITTED
He drew a circle, that shut me out—
Heretic, rebel a thing to flout;
But love and I had the wit to win,
We drew a circle that took him in.
THE PRAISE OF POVERTY Not wealth for me: who does us double wrong,
She flits herself and takes our friends along;
But poverty ever shows a noble heart—
She sticks to us, when all our friends depart.
Mr. Markham asked which of his poems, “The Man With the Hoe” or “Lincoln, the Man of the People,” he should recite, and the responses were for the latter. He said as introductory that out of two hundred and fifty poems, his was read at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D. C., May 30. Also that he had three weeks in which to compose the poem, and that it was not until the last day and the wee small hours of morning that inspira-