37
־Dim fiork Шмтхщ finst
FOUNDED 1801
Wednesday, January 10, 1923
Second Only to Kreisler Is Chemet
French Violinist Suggests Also Percy Grainger and Pablo Sarasate
New Symphony by Converse— Frieda Hempel Sings and Bachaus Plays
By Henry T. Finck
“Where I go once I go again,” Mme. Renée Chemet said the other day, not in a spirit of boasting but as a mere statement of a fact.
It could hardly be otherwise if one may judge by the rapt attention and the glowing enthusiasm of her Aeolian Hall audience last night.
Violinists come (mostly from Russia) and violinists go in rapid succession, but a violinist like this Frenchwoman comes but once in many years—in fact, but once in the history of the globe—for Mme. Chemet has a personality, and personalities are never duplicated. They are the spice, the precious mineral salts, the vitamines of music, which without them is stale, flat, and unprofitable.
Sam Franko was one of the enthusiasts who stayed to the end of last night’s recital. He enjoyed particularly Mme. Chemet’s playing- of a Tartini sonata (in G minor) and a Handel (in D major) ; also, a Vivaldi large (with mute) ; and when Sam Franko approves the interpretation of the old classics there is nothing more to be said; he is the supreme judge in that department. That I agreed with him cordially is of no special importance except as a matter of record.
English and French critics have compared Mme. Chemet to Fritz Kreisler, and for good reasors. She has the rhythmic incisiveness and vigor which is perhaps Kreisler’s most distinguishing trait and which prevents hjs— and her—playing from being ever dull for a second. She has his flawless intonation, his golden beauty of tone, h'.s elegance of style, and his instinctively correct phrasing which proc'aims him—and her—every inch an artist.
How Kreislerian were the enrapturing accents and the dazzling rapidity with which she dashed off the swirling Danse Allemande of Mozart! Of course she had to repeat it. She had to repeat also Kreisler’s arrangement of Dvorâk’s gloriously emotional (when thus played) “Songs My Mother Taught Me.” It would have been interesting if the second time she had chosen Maud Powell’s version of this master song, which is also lovely. Mme. Chemet is Maud Powell’s successor in being, next to Kreis’er, the most fascinating of living violinists. And as Kreisler looks every inch a gentleman, she looks every inch a lady—French, at that with a taste for dress suitable to a player and a grace of attitude and movement that greatly add to the impression she makes. No wonder she plays again wherever she plays once.
In the* eighteenth century, Irish style, “The Hol’y Bush.” she had the verve and vitality of Percv Grainger, and in the final brilliant “Habanero” of Sarasate she ran that great virtuoso a close race. She made even Laîo’s “Symphonie Espagnole” interesting, and that’s something to boast of.
Mgr. H. GODFREY TURNER
1400 Broadway New York
Victor Records
MUSICAL COURIER
score which reveals itself easily on the surface. In order to do it justice, the conductor must not have only a full and finical response from his orchestra, but he also must have something within his own head and heart to give them, and together they must be able to follow the subtle and fleeting phases of the symphony, for in it Brahms is in his most changeable and abstruse moods. Mr. van Hoog-straten found the true spirit and meaning of the opus and with fine artistic instinct and admirable technical versatility he made every page edifying and uplifting for the listener. It was a serene, serious, and wholly satisfying proclamation.
Weber’s Freischuetz overture came to a sparkling and delightful hearing under the Van Hoogstraten baton, and the same may be said of the Liszt first Hungarian rhapsody, which was played with unusual dash and brilliancy. One of the most intriguing of the Mozart selections is Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and its delicate and fanciful measures were brought out by Mr. van Hoogstraten with infinite poetry and finesse. Altogether it was a delightful concert and the very fine artist who conducted it had his full share of resounding tributes of appreciation from the hearers.
NEW YORK SYMPHONY: MARIA IVOGUN, SOLOIST
Last Thursday afternoon brought a most edifying concert at Carnegie Hall, where Albert Coates, the visiting English conductor, led the orchestra which Walter Damrosch had turned over to him for a series of concerts during the late winter and early spring. Mr. Coates is no new figure so far as the New York public is concerned, and the previous excellent impression which he had made here in a former season is being repeated and even emphasized during his current appearances in our city. The catholicity of Mr. Coates tastes and inclinations was revealed convincingly in such widely differing selections as the Glinka overture, Russian and Ludmilla, Tschaikowsky’s symphonic fantasy, Francesca da Rimini, and Strauss’ Till Eulerispiegel. In each and every one of these numbers Mr. Coates displayed intense musicianship, glowing fancy, and an absolute command of the technic of the baton. He induced his players to give of their best and the result was a series of performances finished, fascinating and thoroughly stimulative. The audience overwhelmed the conductor with applause and the ovations he received were no more than his just due. One can hardly recall when the Till Eulenspiegel was presented here with more dash, humor and accuracy. Tschaikowsky’s composition does not seem to stand the test of time very well, for the more one hears it the more diffuse and unconvincing it seems to become. After all is said and done, Tschaikowsky will stand or fall by three of his symphonies and nothing else.
Mme. Ivogiin, that charming soprano and always a welcome visitor to our concert platforms, was in her loveliest voice, and the result was that she sang the Handel Sweet Bird aria and one from Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio with irresistible charm and effect. Her voice has a remarkable range and as it is even through all the registers, the ear of the listener is satisfied at all times. In addition to her purely vocal gifts, Mme. Ivogiin also is a serious and thinking interpreter and has an easy command of style. Everything she does is exquisitely polished and finished. Emotional nuances also are in evidence when required by the music Mme. Ivogiin sings, and therefore her delivery never is merely the mechanical sounding of notes and passages. The audience found much to admire in everything the singer did, and she was left in no doubt as to the warmth and genuineness of the success she had achieved.
CANTOR ABRAHAM JOSEF GILBLICHMANN
On January 25, at Town Hall, Cantor Abraham Josef Gilblichmann, tenor, gave a recital of operatic and religious music. The first part of his program consisted of airs from Aida, Lucia and Tosca, which he sang in German. The audience, however, anticipated the final group of Hebrew songs, of his own composition, and, upon his reappearance, greeted him with a storm of enthusiastic applause. He disclosed a tenor voice of wide range and full tone; but while he rendered the operatic numbers with true understanding and fine feeling, it was the last four numbers in Hebrew that prompted his hearers to demand further repetitions. Lazar Weiner accompanied him at the piano.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 26
MAIER AND PATTISON
It would be hard to say which had the more enjoyable evening—the capacity audience at Aeolian Hall, January 26, or Guy Maier and Lee Pattison, who romped through a concert of music for two-pianos. After a year of concertizing from pillar to post, these buoyant artists return as full of vitality, exuberance and zest for their work as ever. For a keen listener the fascination is not how nearly alike, but how subtly different this brace of pianists is. With almost antipodal temperaments and methods of technic, they have fitted themselves together like the curiously shaped pieces of a puzzle picture, with a cohesion so complete that they rarely seem conscious of each other. Some of the most effective points of their work are obtained by the shrewd calculation of this dissimilarity: thus Mr. Pattison leads off in the Mozart sonata in D major with a silvery shimmer of passage work and, where his phrases are answered by the other pianist, an interesting contrast is gained by a little less fluency and a little deeper shading. This richer color was utilized when Mr. Maier dictated the melody of the Brahms Andante, from the sonata, op. 34, and again when he stated the theme of Raff’s Gavotte and Musette with a crisp, dynamic staccato. The recapitulation of this had a slightly fuller and introspective treatment by Mr. Pattison, which was :pot one whit less valid and interesting. When composers have become more alive to the possibilities of two-piano composition, the vagaries and variances of individuals may be used just as the instruments of an orchestra, and toward just such subtlety and variegation of effect.
Whatever difference there may be in color and dynamic effect between the two pianists, there certainly is none in spirit and purpose. The delicate phrasing and minute gradations of tonal volume in the Mozart were unanimous and ravishingly lovely. The rapid filigree work a due was• absolutely clear and unsullied by one note out of its rhyth-
February 1, 19 23
made a vibrant, colorful and thrilling thing. A good foil to this was Beethoven’s sonata, op. 31, No. 2, one of the most popular of all, and in which.Miss Klug proved her understanding of the classics and her willingness to adhere to traditional lines. It was especially satisfactory in the poetic treatment of the slow movement.
A final group was made up of familiar selections from Brahms and Chopin, played with splendid sweep, force and vivacity. Miss Klug’s power of expression, of saying things musically, is very great, and she makes intelligent use of the power of contrast, of sudden dynamic changes, of abrupt alterations of speed. It is original, individual, and surprisingly effective. She was warmly received and played several encores. ,
LUGILLA DE VESCOVI
A most enchantingly picturesque figure stepped out of the tapestry background of the stage at Town Hall, January 24, announced herself as Lucilla de Vescovi, soprano, and proceeded to give a most unique song recital. This singer merely parts her lips and a lyric flood pours forth as natural, even and warm as Italian sunshine. Her tone quality is of equal fullness and power throughout a wide range; the rich, low voice having special dramatic potency.
A notably well built program laid gress stress on Miss Vescovi’s Latin heritage. The opening group was made up of Italian songs of the sixteenth century by Falconierri, Rontani and Monteverdi, together with Danza, Danza by Durante, 1684. Her style is always delicate and rather restrained, which is especially adaptable to the cool serenity typical of this early art. A second group by modern Italians (Donaudy, Liuzzi and Respighi) offered an alluring variety of song lengths, methods and moods. The Madonna Ren-zuola was given with delightfully liquid diction, and there was a fine, broad treatment of the dramatic On High Seas. The Procession, by César Franck, was the signal point in the ensuing French group which also contained works by Chausson, Fauré, Duparc and Pierné. The first Tornadilla in La Maja Dolorosa, by Granados, had the most colorful interpretation of any item offered. Osma’s Song of My Spanish Soil, Your Bright Black Eyes and Seguedilla, by Manuel de Falla, concluded the program. An enthusiastic audience demanded encores at the end and between groups.
Leo Leonard¡ proved to be a colorful accompanist with a fine sense of continuity.
The Herald said: “Mme. Vescovi uses her lovely voice with freedom and ease. She sang, as when heard here before, with admirable feeling and taste.” The Times stated: “In picturesque stage presence and sombre mood, the singer suggested a spirit of that music of the Renaissance which her songs presented.”
MISCHA LEVITZKI
Mischa Levitzki, that master pianist who has won an exalted position in the world of music, gave a recital in Carnegie Hall on Wednesday evening. The terrific storm undoubtedly played havoc with the attendance, as the hall was only about half full; but what it lacked in size was made up in enthusiasm.
Mr. Levitzki was in fine form and played like one inspired. His technical brilliance, clarity, smoothness, tone color and musicianship were outstanding features of his performance. He held his audience under his magic spell throughout the entire concert.
His program was made up of three groups, comprising organ prelude and fugue in A minor, Ba'ch-Liszt; sonata in A major, op. 101, Beethoven; Impromptu, B flat, op. 142, No. 3, Schubert; Erlking, op. 1, Schubert-Liszt; two moment musicales, op. 94, A flat and F minor, Schubert; Marche Militaire, Schubert-Tausig (this latter number being given by special request in place of Schubert’s Reitermarsh, as announced on program) ; Gavotte in old style, op. 3, Levitzki (a very fascinating number) ; Rubin-s.ein’s Staccato etude; Etude de Concert in D flat, Liszt, and as a closing number, the concert arabesque on themes of Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz, Schulz-Evler, in all of which his finished playing won much admiration. He charmed his audience as few pianists are able to do, receiving spontaneous and long continued applause after each number. In addition to the long and trying program, Mr. Levitzki was obliged to give seven added numbers, the audience refusing to depart until the lights were turned out.
The New York Herald said: “There is no need to expand on Mr. Levitzki’s familiar and delightful art. He played last evening with an exquisite touch and a smooth, sustained legato, especially noticeable in the Bach prelude and fugue, which received a fine, vigorous reading. The popular group of the evening proved to be the Schubert compositions. Again Mr. Levitzki’s pure cantilena was in evidence, supplemented .by clarity of tone and a sensitive regard for nuance and phrasing.” The New York Times: “Mischa Levitzki, who has done pioneer work as a New York pianist around the world, was greeted by a large audience in Carnegie Hall last night at his second and last recital of the season. . . . He is to repeat his program in part next Wednesday at the Institute of Musical Art, of which he is an alumnus, a prophet not without honor in his own country and his own place.” The New York World: “Mischa Levitzki played his farewell for the season last night at Carnegie Hall to a rather small house which made up in enthusiasm for what it lacked in numbers.” The New York Tribune : “Technical brilliance and a finished smoothness were, as in his November appearance, the salient characteristics shown by Mischa Levitzki at his second piano recital at Carnegie Hall.”
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC: VAN HOOGSTRATEN, GUEST CONDUCTOR
Willem van Hoogstraten was the guest conductor at the Thursday evening concert at Carnegie Hall, and a very large audience was exceedingly interested in following his expressive and resourceful readings. Mr. van Hoogstraten already had demonstrated ■his worth as a conductor to the satisfaction of our local public, and it can be said without reservation that he again fully justified the high estimates which had been placed upon his abilities when he led a series of concerts last summer at the Lewisohn Stadium.
Brahms' fourth symphony constitutes one of the supreme tests of an orchestral leader’s worth, because it is not a