MUSICAL COURIER
36
January 25, 1923
throughout, demanding encores after each group and at the end.
The Herald said: “Miss Cottlow showed a firm grasp of her music and her finely trained technical powers lent her admirable support.” The American: “True to form, a brilliant technician and a producer of ravishing tone, she interpreted a varied collection, giving to each number individuality and significance.”
BILTMORE MUSICALE
Lucrezia Bori was the particular attraction at the Bilt-more Musicale on Friday morning, January 19, although Hans Kindler, cellist, and Paul Ryman, tenor, came in for their share—a generous one—of the audience’s favor.
Miss Bori, in excellent voice, sang varied numbers with her accustomed skill and charm. She won her hearers with her first selection from Madame Butterfly, and held their favor to the end, being obliged to give several additional numbers.
A cellist of the first rank, Mr. Kindler revealed all his qualifications to advantage in numbers by Bach, Mehul, Sibelius, Tschaikowsky and Liszt-Popper. Mr. Ryman, too, was heard to advantage. The program follows: Saro Mio Ben (Giordani), Vittoria Mio Core (Carissimi), Mr. Ryman; Arioso (Bach), Gavotte (Mehul), Valse Triste (Sibelius), Mr. Kindler; aria, Un bel di vedremo, from Madame Butterfly (Puccini), Miss Bori; Yesterday and Today (Spross), Give a Man a Horse He Can Ride (O’Hara), Mr. Ryman; Au Bal (Tschaikowsky), Rhapsody (LiszGPopper), Mr. Kindler; La hajas del zebedeo (Chapi), Le Mariage des Roses (Cesar Franck), Del Majo Discreto (Granados), Miss Bori.
GEORGE McMANUS AND GRACE FREEMAN
George McManus and Grace Freeman gave a joint violin and piano recital at Rumford Hall on the evening of January 19, playing sonatas by Grieg, Mozart and Franck with grace and skill, delicate and limpid tone, vivid gradations of color, sincerity, musicianship and warmth. They were enthusiastically received.
SA TURD A Y, JA NU A RY 20
CITY SYMPHONY
Mr. Foch’s absence from the conductor’s stand necessitated some slight changes in the repetition of Wednesday’s City Symphony program on January 20. The announcement before the concert began, that the conductor’s condition was not serious and that he would be able to return in a short time, was greeted with sincere applause. Alexis Coroshansky, cellist, conducted Scheherazade and Sepp Morsher, first harp of the orchestra, officiated in Milhaud’s ballade. Debussy’s Fetes was omitted and thè three modern French compositions were ably handled by Mr. Milhaud.
ERNEST HUTCHESON
The fifth and last piano recital of the series being given by Ernest Hutcheson was heard in Aeolian Hall on Saturday afternoon. His program on this occasion was an all-Liszt one, comprising: Sonata in B minor, Sonnette 123 di Petrarca, Funérailles étude de concert in F minor, Légende No. 1, St. Francois d’Assise La prédication aux oiseaux, and Rhapsodie Hongroise, No. 13.
Mr. Hutcheson has this season presented to metropolitan audiences Bach, Schumann, Chopin, Beethoven and Liszt programs, and in each instance he has revealed himself as a master pianist and musician. His versatility is surprising; he not only plays the works of the standard masters with authority, but also presents them according to the ideas of each composer, not neglecting, however, to infuse a certain individuality which invariably enhances their charm.
The Liszt program at this recital was selected with great care. Mr. Hutcheson’s extraordinary musicianship again being outstanding. At the conclusion of the program there was a rush towards the platform to hear Mr. Hutcheson at short range; the audience would not be appeased until he played six encores (also by Liszt), four études, Rhapsodie Hongroise No. 11, and Liebestraum.
H. E. Krehbiel, in the New York Tribune, writes: “Mr. Hutcheson is two well-rounded an artist to be set down as a specialist. From the first program of his historical series, which was all Bach, down to the end of his list which was all Liszt, he proved himself a masterful virtuoso and a sound musician of deep discernment and sincere devotion.
. . . With his series of historical recitals he has accomplished a notable thing and discoursed more eloquently and instructively to the hundreds of students who have heard him, than Liszt did with his music alone.” The New York Times says : “The crystal runs of the F minor concert study captured the fancy of the audience, which recalled the player three times. Most effective of the day was the favorite thirteenth Hungarian rhapsody, while a first extra, the valse impromptu, that is almost Hutcheson’s exclusive property among pianists before this public, drew the rhapsody No. 11 as a further encore.” The New York Herald comments: “Mr. Hutcheson has enjoyed privileges in the past for receiving from eminent Lisztians in Europe, who were of the master’s own circle, the traditions correct for interpreting Liszt’s music. His sound technic and his fine feeling for delicate tonal colors served him well in the execution of the ornamental passages of the works he played yesterday, and the melodic outlines of the different scores were very clearly set forth.”
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART CONCERT
For the third of the January series of orchestral concerts given by David Mannes and his orchestra of selected musicians in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the program offered was one of unusual interest and comprised the William Tell overture (Rossini), Symphony No. 5 in C minor (Beethoven), Hungarian Rhapsody No. 1 (Liszt), The Swan with cello obligato (Saint-Saëns), March to the Gallows from the Fantastic Symphony (Berlioz), Prelude to Lohengrin (Wagner), and Tschaikowsky’s Slavic March.
It is unnecessary at this late date to go into detail regarding the scholarly and finished manner of Mr. Mannes’ readings. Suffice it to say, the audience manifested its pleasure and approval after each number with outbursts of applause.
Songs. Miss Draper gave an impression of how, for instance, an Arabian Beggar chanted his miserable plea for help. They were most entertaining, but the illusion she created by adding bits of costume were perhaps more engaging than the actual songs themselves. Miss Draper makes no pretense of singing seriously. She merely passes on her impression of these street songs and how they sounded to her.
On the Porch in a Maine Coast Town was new to us. It. proved to be extremely funny, and Miss Draper had to encore with the always amusing, Debutante. The remainder of the character sketches were familiar to those who have attended many of her recitals.
ERNA RUBINSTEIN
Erna Rubinstein, violinist, gave the second New York recital of her second American season at Carnegie Hall on Friday evening. She played two concertos (the Mendelssohn and the Ernst F minor), a Chopin nocturne, her own transcription of a Chopin waltz, two Hubay compositions and his transcription of Brahms’ Sapphische Ode. This young lady confirms the impression she made last year. She has everything in the technical line, and musically she knows what she wants and gets it. Her intonation (thank Heaven!) is impeccable. She plays with breadth and vigor, and she has beauty for lyric passages. There is also warmth and passion in her playing qualities, however, which will surely develop to a degree as she grows older. The Ernst is a concerto that is more tricky than musical, but never was she caught napping; the Mendelssohn particularly suits her. The dash and verve of the final movement shows her at her best. The smaller pieces were well done, and, incidentally, her transcription of the Chopin waltz showed a practiced hand unusual in one so young. The Hubay Czardas was an astonishing bit of fireworks. There was a large audience which displayed no less than the usual enthusiasm which she awakes. Michael Raucheisen played excellent accompaniments.
AUGUSTA COTTLOW
A recital, such as Augusta Cottlow gave at Aeolian Hall, January 19, makes one fervently thankful for the modern piano and the orchestral technic of playing it which Liszt innovated. This pianist reaches with deliberate ingratiating fingers into the very depth of her instrument and plucks tonal fruit that is luscious and perfectly mature. Full vibrancy, combined with clever pedal manipulation, give her the power to produce a sostenuto startlingly organ-like. The melody of the Arietta of Beethoven’s sonata, op. Ill, was stated over such an accompaniment, and, later in the movement, this sonority alternated with fluttering flutelike passage work. This adagio, really a theme and variations, was made splendidly cumulative, a rather difficult accomplishment. The maestoso of this same sonata was given with fine breadth and power. Miss Cottlow’s interpretations as a whole give the impression of being naturally musical.
The program Miss Cottlow chose to play was very interesting and representative although a little too long. The opening number was the C sharp major prelude and fugue from the well-tempered Clavichord of Bach, which catches this composer in any but the complacently happy mood some critics accuse him of maintaining. The tracing of the expositions of the theme and counterpoints in the fugue was as distinctly set forth as the main object in a Benda black and white. The sonata already mentioned was followed by a Chopin group containing the nocturne in C sharp minor, in which the pianist attained her highest point. The undulating accompaniment figure was so smooth and fluent that it seemed like a deep water-body, only slightly ruffled by surface motion, on which the melody gracefully glided along like a ship with moonlight caught in its sails.
All the typical Chopin feeling was manifest in the ballade in F. The rubatos so inherent in ballad style, which seem to give the story-teller time for breath and a chance to search for le mot just, were most authentically rendered. The Norse Sonata had strong and colorful treatment. Mac-Dowell’s Norseman somehow makes one enjoy the dreamy eyes and tale-telling lips. A novelty group revealed what Fanny Dillon, Selim Palmgren and Liszt have had to say about birds. Though all agree about the twitterings, Palm-gren’s seemed by far the most interesting. This number was applauded so enthusiastically that Miss Cottlow repeated it. A brilliant rendition of Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz concluded the program. The audience was very appreciative
NEW YORK CONCERTS
(Continued from Page 33).
a certain atmosphere that caused his playing to be unique; he is always the artist and a considerate accompanist.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 18
IRENE BORDONI
On Thursday afternoon, Irene Bordoni, the vivacious and versatile light opera star, made her first appearance in concert before a large audience at Aeolian Hall. There was considerable curiosity and much interest manifest when it became known that this French diseuse was to essay the more serious field of concerts. In the audience were all of the music critics, quite a few opera singers, and, scattered here and there, a few concert singers. And a great many present were stars of current productions on Broadway, where petite Irene is a great favorite.
She was very beautiful to look upon, and her costumes were particularly fascinating. Her program was made up of Chansons heard in various productions, and many songs of the Boulevard which have been brought to America. The group, Chansons Pierreuses, containing J’en Ai Marre and Dans Mon Quartier, proved to be the most attractive of the entire program, and in these Mile. Bordoni’s limited vocal capabilities showed to very best advantage. It was a joy to hear her excellent French. This was perhaps the strangest concert that has been held in old Aeolian Hall in many a day. There could not be anything more different than the program of Thursday afternoon and the usual ones heard there; and taking everything into consideration one rather enjoyed the novelty and the newness of the affair. The nearest approach to anything quite so entertaining is Isa Kramer, and her interpretation of international ballads.
Burton Brown, pianist, played Mile. Bordoni’s acc mpani-ments and also several solos.
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC: JOSEF HOFMANN SOLOIST
The feature of the Philharmonic concerts at Carnegie Hall, Thursday evening, and Fridav afternoon, was a new composition by Rubin Goldmark, A Negro Rhapsody, which had its first performance anywhere. Mr. Goldmark has taken seven negro themes—many of them so called spirituals —and woven them together into a work which perhaps resembles in form the Academic Overture of Brahms more than anything else. It does not need to be said that the workmanship was musicianly, but there was on the whole rather a monotonous effect produced by the work. The tunes do not differ greatly from one another and the orchestration is rather heavy throughout. Best in effect was the Tennessee River tune that was the principal theme for the lively final section. At a first hearing this work did not seem by any means as impressive as his In Memoriam of two years ago, nor did it compare in effectiveness with the work of Henry F. Gilbert on similar lines.
The soloist of the concert was Josef Hofmann, playing Schumann’s concerto. There may be a finer concerto than the Schumann and there may be a finer pianist today than Mr. Hofmann—but where is one to find either ? Certain it is that the combination produced a wonderful bit of music aided by Mr. Stransky’s sympathetic direction of the orchestra. It was good work he had done in the preparation of Goldmark’s piece also, and he finished his program with the Debussy Afternoon of a Faun, and Tschaikowsky’s 1812 Overture.
FRIDA Y, JANUARY 19 RUTH DRAPER
On Friday afternoon, at the Broadhurst Theater, Ruth Draper offered a second matinee of her series here. The house was completely filled. Each time one hears Miss Draper her extraordinary personality and art is more seriously manifest. She has quite captivated her New York audiences and these recitals are taking on an intimate air; there is a desire on the part of many to call out for their favorite encores.
The new numbers for Friday were Five Imaginary Folk
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RECEIVED AT
NEW YORK, January 1, 1923 To LOCAL MANAGERS United States and Canada
Hutcheson's Chopin recital here last Saturday record -breaking. Hall and stage crowded. Many turned away.
Nine encores.
Loudon Charlton Carnegie Hall, New York
Photo by Trinity Court Studio
HUTCHESON
who Has already given five New York recitals this season
Steinway Piano	Duo-Art Records