MUSICAL COURIER
38
January 11,1923
John H. Griesel, 378 West End avenue. Prizes are offered and every effort is being put forth by the committee under the heading of Mrs. George T. Colter and Elsie Rogers. Tickets may be obtained from Mrs. Colter, 419 West 109th street. This philanthropic committee collected and dispensed a great number of Christmas donations to the inmates of Randall’s Island and other institutions. This is the third year that such splendid and seasonable work has been undertaken.
Washington Heights Musical Club Thriving.
The Year Book of the Washington Heights Musical Club for the year 1921-22 is at hand and shows the club to be making the excellent progress that might be expected. Frequent comment has already been made upon this unique organization, and there is little that may be added to what has already been said. It appears to be conducted upon an entirely new basis. It is not an association of a few active members and a large number of associate members. There are no associate members. A clause in the constitution of the club relating to membership states plainly that membership is permitted only “provided said person composes music, sings, or plays some musical instrument, either as soloist, accompanist or in ensemble work.” And it is further stated that “each member shall be privileged to appear on at least one program a season, and any member consistently refusing to do so during any one season . . . will be considered to have resigned from the club.”
That is clear enough and sets forth the objects of the club better than anything else could. The members—all of them —must be active, performing members, and must at all times continue to be active performing members or forfeit their membership. This does not, however, mean that they must all be concert artists or professional musicians. On the contrary, the impression is that amateurs are more than welcome, and the concerts, or meetings, as they are called, given by the club certainly indicate that amateur talent is having its chance.
Nothing could be more important. American music will never amount to much until, the amateur everywhere has his chance—the amateur composer, the amateur soloist and the amateur chamber music player. Until this becomes a prevailing custom music in America will merely be scratching the surface of things and will not be getting to the hearts of the people at all except through popular channels, popular songs, musical comedies and the like. Not until the people themselves in large numbers “make music” will we have any real American music. Miss Cathcart has pointed the way with the Washington Heights Musical Club, and it is to be hoped that many will follow in her footsteps.
Mildred Dilling’s Pupils Active
Professional pupils of Mildred Dilling, harpist, filled fifteen engagements during the holidays with the following list of dates: Bertha Becker, Fourth Presbyterian Church, New York City, December 22; Ithaca, December
24,	and in the evening of the same date at Oneonta. Frances Callow, Yonkers, December 24; New York City, December
25,	and Chapel of the Intercession, New York City, December, 31. Helen Sheldon, West Side Unitarian Church, New York City, December 25. Edythe Muriel Smith, Plainfield, N. J., December 24, return engagement; New York City, December 27, 28 and 29; White Plains, N. Y., January 1, return engagement, and New York City, January 7. Helen Roof, December 19, Boston. Alice Singer, December 24, Chicago.
Miss Dilling’s class is larger this year than any previous one,_ including pupils from several distant States. Her professional pupils have enlarged opportunities in all of which Miss Dilling sees an increasing interest in the harp. Miss Dilling is also busy with concerts.
Enesco’s First New York Recital
Georges Enesco will make his first appearance in New York as a violinist in the Town Hall, Monday evening, Jaunary 22. He will give the seldom performed LeClair sonata in G major; the entire Bach partita for violin alone, which includes the far-famed chaconne, a Havanaise by Saint-Saëns, and a fourth group comprising La Precieuse by Couperin-Kreisler, a moto perpetuo by Novacek, and the Tempo di Minuetto by Pugnani-Kreisler. After the concert Mr. Enesco leaves for Detroit, where he is to appear twice as soloist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Portanova Pupil at Capitol Theater
Frederick Jagel, tenor, an artist pupil of Vincenzo Portanova, appeared as soloist at the Capitol Theater, New York, during the week commencing December 31. His program number was an aria from Martha (Flotow).
of the most notable things about him and mention of Hugo Kaun invariably brought a smile and an enthusiastic, “You must hear his latest work.” Expressions of sympathy have come to Mrs. Kaun from all over the country, Frederick A. Stock of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Eleanor Eyerest Freer being among those who paid their tribute to this noble man, this great lover of music.
Anne Roselle’s Popularity
The popularity of Anne Roselle, soprano, has increased considerably since the filling of her many concert engagements this fall. An instance of this popularity was evidenced by the flattering offers resulting from the recent appearance at a pair of concerts with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Miss Roselle, who will appear as soloist with this organization on its Spring tour, met with her usual success and in the audience there happened to be Mrs. George Richards, an enterprising concert manager of Duluth, who was so pleased with her singing that she immediately arranged for her to go to that city for a special engagement, under her management, before returning to New York. Mrs. Richards’ delight in her selection may be judged from the telegram which she sent to Miss Roselle’s manager after the concert: “Anne Roselle made delightful impression here. Fine concert with big house. Think I can secure you more dates for Roselle. Are you interested?”
The news of her Duluth concert spread to Kansas City and the same day the Universal Concert Bureau received the following wire from Alice Kirke, a local manager: “Quote price Roselle four concerts week beginning early January two months. Wire.”
In the meantime, Miss Roselle continues to fill many dates booked for her early last summer due to her success on the spring tour of the Scotti Opera Company, of which she was one of the leading members. Her next appearance will be in Chicago on the series of the Blackstone Musical Mornings, and Chicagoans await the return of the young soprano who made such an impression at Ravinia last summer.
San Francisco Prepares for Ruffo
Titta Ruffo will sing his first concert in San Francisco this spring. Music lovers and the city generally are preparing for the great event. The following letter was received recently by Mr. Ruffo, and it speaks eloquently as to what the singer may expect:
MAYOR’S OFFICE San Francisco
Signor Titta Ruffo,
Metropolitan, Opera House,
New York, N. Y.
My dear Signor Ruffo: ׳
My good friends, Mr. Ettore Patrizi, one of California’s most distinguished citizens of Italian lineage, and Mr. Frank Healy, noted western impresario, have told me that there is a possibility that you may come to San Francisco next spring, affording our city an opportunity to hear your marvelous voice and to meet you personally.
The prospect has so interested me that I am writing to express the hope that you will make the contemplated visit, and to assure you of a welcome expressive of the warm hearts of an appreciative people.
San Franciscans have always loved music, and in recent years, as the city has grown in population and importance, we have had the privilege of hearing many artists of world renown.
You, however, have never sung in San Francisco. Your coming would be an event which I believe you and we should long remember.
There are many of your countrymen and their descendants here. Mr. Patrizi, who is both the editor of one of our daily newspapers printed in Italian and a devotee of the arts, tells me that they are already making tentative plans for your reception.
I hope that circumstances will permit you to come here, to greet your many San Francisco friends.
Very sincerely,
(Signed) James Rolph, Jr., Mayor.
Rubinstein Club to Give Afternoon Musicale
The Rubinstein Club, Mrs. William Rogers Chapman president, will give its next afternoon musicale in the Astor Gallery of the Waldorf-Astoria, January 20, at two o’clock. Grace Hoffman, coloratura soprano, and Ric-cardo de Sylva, violinist, are the soloists and will be accompanied by Robert S. Flagler and Ruth Rapport. Mfss Hoffman’s appearance will be in costume, which will add special interest to the program. She has a French, a Spanish and an English group listed. Mr. de Sylva’s numbers include a Tartini sonata, two French things by Stoes-sels and a Hungarian dance, Brahms-Joachim. The program will be followed by dancing.
A very successful assembly dance was given January 2, by the Rubinstein circle of the club. These dances are to be given monthly and promise to be very popular.
A card party for the benefit, of the philanthropic fund of the club is to be given January 26, at the home of Mrs.
BERLIN APPEARANCES
Pepito Arriola.
With so many concerts taking place on the same evening it is almost understood that some must be passed by. Here in Berlin the time has about arrived when, in assigning reviewers to the different concerts, preference is given to the artist offering some modern works. Woe be to the pianist with an all-Beethoven program, when another in a nearby hall is offering one like that of Pepito Arriola, containing works by Milhaud, Ravel, Niemann, Ertel, Bartok, Scriabin and Busoni. While admitting that this selection is a bit thick, it is nevertheless preferable to many of the conventional sort. The Milhaud sonata entitled 1916 is one which every rising pianist should examine. Written in three movements, décidé, pastoral, rhythmé, it makes an interesting and grateful number. The character of the first movement is expressed by the word décidé. The pastoral is a melody of much simplicity, parts of it over an organ-point sometimes stationary, sometimes florid, but still on organ-point. The beginning of the last movement might easily be taken for one of Edward German’s English dances, which, however, quickly transforms itself into a movement of rhythmic energy resembling the finale of Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes; from then on, however, excepting in the usual recurrence of these initial themes, it is a case of lost identity. Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit was heard for the third time this week. Is it going to be the pièce de résistance this season ?
Niemann’s Pharaonenland, op. 86, is hardly to be recommended to rising pianists, but for falling ones and their advanced pupils it can be recommended. It is tamely modern and will fill a need among teachers wishing something different but not radical.
Besides being a fine pianist, Arriola showed that he is also a tactful one. Walter Niemann, by the way, is a well known Leipsic critic, just as Paul Ertel is a well known member of the Berlin Lokalanzeiger staff, and Arriola also included his Switzerland Suite, op. 27, on his program. This performance met with such an outburst of applause that Dr. Ertel, radiant with delight, had to go to the stage for the usual bowing and handshaking. Those not averse to an occasional reminiscence of a Siegfried motif, will find this work to be very well written, pianistically speaking, and harmonically interesting. Some of the combinations almost repudiate their emanation from a venerable gentlemen apparently so old fashioned, who still wears high boots—the variety calling for the use of the obsolete old bootjack. A better performance of this opus than that which Arriola gave it could hardly be wished for.	A. Q.
Alexander Borowsky.
In the second of his recitals, Alexander Borowsky again demonstrated his superior pianistic talent to an audience composed mostly of Russians, among whom he is a great favorite In Beethoven’s thirty-two variations and the big sonata, op. 110, his technical prowess was shown off to great advantage although his performance of the sonata was mostly a display of dexterity in this direction rather than a proof of his deep understanding of the content of the work. He seemed to shake the thing out of his sleeve as it were, taking at the same time the attitude toward the sonata that a sleight-of-hand professional would toward some trick with which he had dazzled a bewildered audience. But Borowsky is not to be winked at as a pianist. By no means ! He will command attention anywhere.	A. Q.
William A. Kaun’s Death Mourned
Milwaukee music lovers are mourning the death of William A. Kaun, president of the William A. Kaun Music Company, who died at his residence in Milwaukee, November 22. Mr. Kaun came to this country from Berlin, Germany, in 1897 and settled in' Milwaukee, eventually becoming a partner in the firm of Kaun & Bleumel, sheet music dealers. The partnership was dissolved five years ago when Mr. Bleumel moved to Chicago. The William A. Kaun Music Store is today one of the most complete in the Northwest.
During his entire life, Mr. Kaun took an active interest in music and in assisting young artists to obtain a musical education. He aided in the formation of musical organizations and was a member of the Milwaukee Musical Club, an honorary member of the Arion Club and of the A Capella Chorus. Many a young composer owes his first success to the fact that “Willy” Kaun was enough of an enthusiast to take a chance and publish his unknown composition.
His admiration for his famous brother’s genius■ was one
ELIZABETH BONNER
CONTRALTO
Pennsylvania Building, Philadelphia
CONCERT MANAGEMENT ARTHUR JUDSON
Fisk Building, New York
October, November, December Booked January, February, March Now Booking
Exclusive Management:
DANIEL MAYER
Aeolian Hall	New York
ST. DENIS TED S־HAWN
and the Denishawn Dancers
R
U
T
H
American Baritone
Management: R. E. JOHNSTON 1451 Broadway	New York City
KNABE PIANO
ROBERT RINGLING