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February 1, 19 2 3
added comment at this time. In the Beethoven concerto, the pianist showed great depth of feeling, and the slow movement was particularly effective; in the latter selection Mr. Schelling made a memorable impression. The Chopin was given with beauty of tone and grace, and the artist’s own delight in the work was conveyed to his listeners in a most direct and straightforward manner. In fact, the entire concert proved to be enjoyable, and the pianist was rewarded with spontaneous applause during the afternoon. The other concerts of the concertos are being looked forward to with pleasure.
According to the critic of the World: “It was a noteworthy study for fingers, memory and audience. .
Mr. Schelling played the solos after his traditional manner, using a technic on the fortissimos which made them resemble the old Shakespearean stage directions of ‘shouts and murmurs from within,’ and in the lighter cadences sent his notes liquidly pattering and dripping in admirable fashion.” Said the American: “An exceptionally enjoyable demonstration of piano playing that combined technical brilliancy, musicianship and imagination, was offered by Ernest Schelling . . . that began at the unusual hour of four, setting a precedent well worth emulating. .
It was an occasion to remember gratefully—at least for those who are not bored by hearing music of this kind when it is properly rendered.”
CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA
Nikolai Sokoloff, conductor, has wrought a miracle with the Cleveland Orchestra in the' time that elapsed—about a year, if memory serves—between its appearance at Carnegie Hall on Tuesday evening, January 23, and its last previous concert here. On that occasion it was a fairly good orchestra; last week in Carnegie Hall it proved itself worthy of comparison with any orchestra in the country as far as quality of tone, balance of choirs, and the other leading factors in orchestral beauty go. The strings are excellent. Their massed tone is solid, but refined and of much beauty. The concertmaster, too, has a beautiful tone when heard in occasional solo bits. The woodwinds are excellent Particularly good are the oboe and clarinet soloists. The horns were impressively good, also. And the brass was rich and mellow even in the loudest passages. In a word, it is now a first class orchestra. And best of all every man and woman (there are three) in it, plays with’ his or her heart and soul from beginning to end of a concert, as much interested in carrying out Conductor Sokoloff’s wishes as he is in having them do so. It seems to be a real pleasure to the players to make good music and it surely is a pleasure for the audience to hear them.
Sokoloff has a personality and he has magnetism, which is the secret of his success; also he is a fine musician. For a program he had chosen works of three living composers, "to show,” as he said in conversation, “that a program of works of the highest class can be made without resorting to the men of the past.” The items were the second Rachmaninoff symphony—by far that composer’s best work— Loeffler’s Death of Tintagiles and the Strauss Don Juan, t he symphony was sympathetically read and magnificently played, the final movement in particular blooming into unusual^ beauty under Mr. Sokoloff’s persuasive baton. Loeffler’s Death of Tintagiles is a work that deserves to be heard oftener. Written over twenty years ago, it once again demonstrates how much ahead of his time Charles Martin Loeffler was. Though it sounds crystal-clear today, it was extremely modern then. Its orchestration is masterly and Mr. Sokoloff and his men gave the exact touch to every passage. Samuel Lifschey played the solo Viola d’amore with finish. The Don Juan was another masterpiece of brilliant orchestral playing. Following Richard Strauss himself, Mr. Sokoloff is a little more deliberate as to tempos than many of our “dashing” conductors, with the result that details of the well known poem are exhibited with a clarity and understanding that are wanting in a more hurried reading.
there was tremendous applause after each number of the program. At the close there were no less than eight recalls for Mr. Sokoloff, who asked his men to rise and share the acknowledgment with him. Think of a cold Carnegie Hall audience remaining for eight recalls at the end of a concert 1 That speaks for itself. There is no need for a reporter to praise Mr. Sokoloff and his men. On the eighth recall, Mr. Sokoloff made a little speech, saying how glad he was for the friendly reception, how good it was for the cause of music to have the various symphony orchestras of the country exchange concerts in each other’s home cities, and how happy he would be to come back again. Among those present when he does will be
H. o. o.
MUSICAL COURIER
including the two tiers of boxes. The chorus of women’s voices, numbering 125 this year, presented a delightful picture to begin with; the color effect, gowns of pink, white and green with a few black and silver, was artistic. The club was assisted by Ernest Davis, tenor; Theodore Celia, harpist; Alfred Boyce, accompanist, and Louis R. Dressier, organist. Attractive programs were given out, which contained the words of all the choruses.
An impressive rendition of Schubert’s song, God in Nature, with organ accompaniment, opened the program. J. Bertram Fox’s Late Wisdom (D’une Prison), composed for the club, had its first performance, and received the hearty applause it well merited for its rich harmonies and poignant melody. John Peel, an Old English hunting song, sung for the first time as arranged by Mark Andrews for the club, was given with much spirit and brisk energy. The chorus painted a beautiful picture in White Silence, by Nicola A. Montani. The rise and fall of tone, the soft legato passages and the decided pauses were effective, the last line, “And this White Silence but the hush of God!” leaving a reverent atmosphere. The harp added much to this number. A delightful lullaby, Rest, composed for the Club by Flora-bel Blackwell, also had its first performance. The Habanera from the ballet, Guernica, by Paul Vidal, was one of the most exquisite things the writer had ever heard a chorus give. The magic of “Night’s haunting stillness . . . where still ocean lies,” with “soft perfumed breezes,” was easily conjured up by the delicacy of tone, the fascinating rhythm and the subtle nuances, which left one almost breathless. The beautiful French in which it was sung, as if by one person, was a delight. It was inevitable that this should be repeated. Felix Fourdrain’s Carnaval, first performance, also offered in French, was rendered with a truly merry carnival spirit. Gertrude Holt sang the solo part in this effectively. Israfel, composed for the club in 1919 by Edgar Stillman Kelley, was admirably interpreted, with the aid of a harp accompaniment. A cantata, The Sea Fairies, •by Mrs. H. H. A. Beach, was presented with solo voices—Mrs. Wilson Hunt Blackwell (first soprano), Mrs. Philip M. Bainbridge (second soprano), and Grace Leslie (alto). All revealed voices of good quality and sang artistically. The closing chorus was H. Waldo Warner’s The Bugles of Fairyland.
Victor Harris has brought the chorus to an enviable degree of excellency. It is well balanced and the tone is beautiful in quality. The attacks and the releases are clean and the enunciation is distinct. Mr. Harris obtains easily a variety of shadings from faintest pianissimos that are always clear to fortissimos that are never forced, and the subtle gradations of dynamics are most admirable.
Ernest Davis, tenor, sang two groups of solos, the first consisting of Puccini opera arias—Che Gelida Manina, from La Boheme, and Addio 1 from Madame Butterfly. Mr. Davis has a tenor voice of clear, resonant and lovely quality. He uses it intelligently and artistically and his interpretations are. aided by his pure diction. As an encore he sang M’appari,־ from Martha, in a flowing legato style that was pleasing. The other arias were given with dramatic fervor. The second group included The Wind and the Lyre (Ware), Myrra (Clutsam), Ah, Love, But a Day (Protheroe) and At the Postern Gate (Branscombe). The latter, one of Gena Branscombe’s most popular recent songs, was particularly delightful, given with vigor and spirit. Recalled for an encore, Mr. Davis sang Victor Harris’ Give a Man a Horse He Can Ride, which was received with great applause.
The large audience manifested enthusiastically its appreciation and enjoyment of chorus, conductor and soloists.
ERNEST SCHELLING
On' Tuesday afternoon Ernest Schelling gave the first of a series of concerto concerts at the Town Hall, drawing a large and interested audience, a large part of which was composed of music students. With the assistance of the New York Symphony Orchestra, Rene Pollain conducting, the pianist was heard in the Beethoven E flat, the Chopin F minor, and the Liszt E flat Concertos, comprising a varied selection that aroused deep appreciation. The concert, by the way, began at four o’clock, an innovation that should prove successful with other artists.
Mr. Schelling rendered the concertos in his mastery manner, revealing a brilliancy of technic, sound musicianship, and an interpretative skill that is too well known to need
NEW YORK CONCERTS
(Continued from page 32)
his group of four English songs, including The Witch Woman, by Deems-Taylor, which was received with all the sincere appreciation it deserved. Several encores were demanded, and after each number his hearers appeared more and more pleased with the ease and grace of his performance.
Margel Gluck’s rendition of Handel’s E major sonata met with equal approval, and her four violin selections by Cottenet, Dvorak-Kreisler, Schumann-Auer and Wieni-awski were most appreciated. Miss Gluck was also forced to respond with several encores.
The well known Cherubini Ave Maria was Sara Fuller’s first offering, followed by Caro Mio Bene (Handel.) Saint-Saëns’ Le Bonheur Est Chose Legere and the Mozart Air, II Re Pastore, were sung with violin obligato which emphasized the bell-like quality and pure tone of her lovely voice. She completed the program with the aria, Linda Di Chamounix, by Donizetti, which afforded an opportunity for displaying her wide range and clear top notes. It was not surprising that the audience, despite the lateness of the hour, remained to recall her again and again.
Miss Fuller and Mr. Baer were ably accompanied by Charles Baker, and Blair Neale assisted Miss Gluck.
JACOB GEGNA
Jacob Gegna, Russian violinist, who has been active in New York for a number of yrears as violin teacher, was heard in recital in Town Hall on Tuesday evening, in a . program comprising: sonata No. 9 in G minor, Senaille; concerto No. 22 in A minor, Viotti; Ciacona (for violin alone), Bach; Serenade, Levenson; Berceuse Slave (which had to be repeated), Gilman; Danse Excentrique, Mitnitzky; Etude Caprice No. 8 (for violin alone), Wieniawski, and Red Seraphin, Gerber-Gegna.
His playing revealed many excellent qualities, notably rich and sweet tone, facile technic, and above all musicianship and the absence of sentimentality, virtues much to be admired. That he pleased his audience was evident by the sincere applause bestowed. Harry Kaufman gave good support as accompanist.
The New York Tribune says in part: “The most admirable features of his playing last night were the firm, round, full tone which he drew from his instrument, and his freedom from all affectation in sentiment as well as bearing.”
THE ST. CECILIA CLUB
The St. Cecilia Club, Mrs. Lancaster Morgan president and Victor Harris conductor, gave its thirty-fifth concert (seventeenth season) at the Waldorf-Astoria, Tuesday evening, January 23. The ballroom was completely filled,
Aeolian Hall	34 West 43rd Street
PIANO RECITAL
EDWIN	HUGHES
Monday Evening, February 5th, at 8:15
PROGRAM
I.	Canzonetta del Salvator	Rosa... )
Eclogue .................. Liszt
Funérailles ..............j
II.	Carnaval ..................Schumann
III.	Intermezzo, Op. 117, No.	1.l_
Ballade, Op. 118, No. 3...:.(Brahms
Sérénade .................) _	,	„
Grande Prélude .......... j Rachmaninoff
Marche Humoresque..........Dohnanyl
IV.	Etude, Op. 25, No. 12.....)
Two Mazurkas ............SChopin
Scherzo, Op. 39...........J
Steinway Piano
Management: HARRY and ARTHUR CULBERTSON Aeolian Hall, New York
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24
RUTH KLUG
A brilliant young talent was presented to New York on the afternoon of January 24 at Aeolian Hall before an audience that manifested its good will and appreciation in an unmistakable manner. Ruth Klug is a young lady who possesses every attribute of successful piano playing—force, vigor, musicianship, taste. She has, too, courage of a high order and, having determined upon its effects, she makes them without hesitation, with bravura. That is the sort of playing people like. It is what people call masterly, and that pretty well describes it.
Miss Klug’s program was well calculated to display the particular trend of her talent. It was also, it should be said in passing, arranged so as to give pleasure. It opened with Chopin's B flat minor sonata, of which the pianist
CARYL BENSEL
AMERICAN SOPRANO
and her MARIONETTE CONCERT COMPANY are now under the management of
507 Fifth Avenue, New York
CHARLES N. DRAKE
“A Singer of Beautiful Songs”
New York Recital
NATIONAL THEATRE
Sunday Evening, February 4th
Management: EMPIRE CONCERTS,
Reimherr
Phone 4013 Harlem
35 Mount Morris Park, New York City.