51
MUSICAL COURIER
February 8, 1923
Faith Looks Up (Schnecker) ; quartet, In Quietness and Confidence (Riesberg) ; postlude, Nachsoiel in D (Whiting). A large congregation attended the service, as usual, and Rev. W. R. McDermott, the much-loved pastor, delivered an interesting sermon.
Baldwin Approaching His 1,000th Recital.
Professor Baldwin, at City College, is giving February organ recitals on Sundays and Wednesdays at four p. m., as he has for a dozen years past, his 872d recital taking place February 4. Works by American composers, or by such living in America, are found on every program, those of this month including Thayer, Diggle, Frysinger, D’Antalffy, Stoughton, Yon, Baldwin, Borowski, Andrews, Rachmaninoff and Edgar B. Smith.
Akline Thomas Sings Via Radio.
Arline Thomas, soprano, pupil of Mme. Dambmann, sang modern songs on radio WJZ. February 3, and received much commendation from listeners as well as from־ the officials. She was recently soloist with the Southland Singers at the Hotel Plaza, and is winning many friends through her fine voice and singing.
Weston-Biggs-Gf.hrken Recital.
^ A. Campbell Weston, Richard Keyes Biggs and Warren H. Gehrken, organist of prominent Brooklyn churches, were associated in a recital under the auspices of the National Association of Organists, at the South Congregational Church, January 29. A social hour with refreshments followed the program.
Leila Hearne Cannes is Given Reception.
The annual reception by the Women’s Philharmonic Society, to the president, Leila Hearne Cannes, was held in studios 819-824 Carnegie Hall, January 28, when members and guests gathered in good numbers to honor this much esteemed lady. Many people prominent in the musical life of New York attended, the special guests of honor being Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni Martinelli, and Roberto Moranzoni.
Real American Concerts to Be Given
The New York State Federation of Music Clubs has a new committee, which is working out a most commendable plan. The American Music Committee, Caroline Lowe chairman, aims to further the cause of American artists and composers and American music. A series of recitals is planned and Mme. Lowe has already had a very fine response from musicians all over the country. On each program music of various kinds—instrumental and vocal—by American composers will be interpreted by American artists. The first of these concerts was scheduled to be given at Wana-maker’s auditorium on Friday afternoon, February 2.
Wright, Alice Campbell and Emily Wentz, contraltos. Each student sang the numbers she particularly wanted to sing as a “tryout.” It proved to be interesting and helpful, and was a charming program, including German and Italian arias by Mozart and Puccini, and songs by Sidney Homer, Arthur Foote, Harry Burleigh and Protheroe. The February musicale will be made up of part songs and folk music. Ida Innes spoke on Music Appreciation.
Platon Brounoff’s Three Recitals.
The well known Russo-American, Platon Brounoff, gave three concerts at public school No. 165 for the Temple of Music, and made a sensation by playing his Spiritual Messages From the Other World, which include music in the style of Mozart, Beethoven, Grieg, Wagner and Tschaikow-sky. He also gave variety to the program by singing songs of different nations, including Chinese, Turkish and Russian. All this his audience applauded enthusiastically proving that Frederic Tracy director of the Music Temple, was wise in engaging Mr. Brounoff.
Kriens Symphony Club's Winter Concert.
The Kriens Symphony Club, 100 players, assisted by Cecil Wilcox, baritone, and Louis Robert, organ, gave a concert in the Wanamaker Auditorium, January 27, which was heard by a very large and well pleased audience. The principal orchestral numbers performed were the overture to Magic Flute (Mozart), España (Chabrier), Moorish March (Moszkowski), and a Wedding March ■by Lontos (manuscript), conducted by the composer. Mr. Wilcox’s numbers lent variety to the program and included vocal pieces by Giordano, Tschaikowsky, Kriens and Damrosch. Anna V. Daly is concertmaster and Anita Fontaine is pianist of the orchestra. The club was founded eleven years ago as a training school for orchestral players, and young performers, are welcomed by conductor Kriens; there is still room for a few players.
American Composers’ Church Program.
Summerfield M. E. Church, Port Chester, features leading soloists at the Sunday night services during the season, some of those recently appearing being Dicie Howell, Anna Pinto, Walter Mills, Ruth Kemper (violinist), etc., and once a month presents a program of home talent. January 28 was devoted to works mostly of living American composers, offering solo, duet, quartet, chorus, violin and organ numbers. Soloists were Cecilia H. Ferrer, soprano; Walter Wason, tenor; Ernest L. Simons, bass, and Rocco Sista, violinist, presenting the following program, all under the direction of F. W. Riesberg:	Prelude, violin and organ,
melody in D (Friml) ; anthem. Art Thou Weary? (Schnecker).; solo, Lead, Kindly Light (Shepperd) ; violin and organ, Prairie Flower (MacMillen) ; duet (tenor and bass) My
GOTHAM GOSSIP
Mozart’s Music at Brick Church.
The Mozart program, given by Dr. Clarence Dickinson, organist, at the Brick Church, January 26, brought, as soloists, Gitla Erstinn, soprano ; Evia Soller, flutist, and Mildred Dilling, harpist. Much variety ensued through this combination, everyone finding something they especially liked. The sweet sounding music of a rondo from a concerto, played by flute and harp; the simple, heart-appealing melody of the lullaby ; the graceful coloratura of the song, Alleluia, sung with fine technic and fluency by Miss Erstinn ; and the brilliant organ numbers, concluding with the overture to Figaro—all this was followed by subdued manifestations of pleasure.
The February 2 program was devoted to American composers, Sue Harvard, soprano, and Francis MacMillen, violinist, assisting. These Friday noon hours of music continue until Easter. Mendelssohn’s St. Paul will be sung at the Friday noon hour of music at the Brick Church, February 9, under the direction of Dr. Dickinson, with Marguerite Hazzard, Pearl Benedict Jones, Alfred Shaw and Frank Croxton, soloists.
Dr. Dickinson’s historical organ lecture recitals in the chapel of Union Theological Seminary began February 6, continuing every Tuesday during the month. The subject this year is Differing Elements of Faith and Worship, emphasized by each of the four great churches, Jewish, Rus-sian-Greek, Roman, and Protestant, as illustrated in their music. February 6, the first program, Jewish, was illustrated by the solo choir of Temple Beth-El, Willem Durieux, cellist, and Jacob Levy, shofar; the second, February 13, Russian-Greek, will be illustrated by the choir of the Russian Cathedral of St. Nicholas ; the third, Roman, by the choir of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and Mary Waterman, violinist; the fourth, Protestant, by the combined choirs of the Brick Church, the Church of the Incarnation, and the Seminary, with Inez Barbour, Mary Allen, James Price and Frank Croxton, soloists, and a quartet ot trumpets, trombones and tympani.
Fourth Thursby Musicale.
The fourth in the series of Friday musicales which Emma Thursby, teacher of singing, is holding jn her studio during January and February, took place January 26. The guests of honor were Count Byron Kuhn de Prorok, of Paris; his fiancee, Alice J. Kenny; Prof. P. A. Maignen, of Philadelphia, a scientist of note, and Enid Watkins, soprano, who made her American debut with the City Symphony Orchestra at Town Hall, February 7. Miss Watkins, accompanied by Viola Peters at the piano, sang numbers by Massenet, Debussy, and Seitz. Several delightful selections, including a Chopin scherzo, nocturne, etude, and a Paderewski number, were artistically rendered by the young Cuban pianist, Manolito Funes. Edna Frandlni, lyric soprano, sang an aria from Boheme and the berceuse from Jocelyn, accompanied by Anita Wolff. Two Japanese dancers, Sei Hara and Masao Takata, from the Imperial Theater, of Tokio, Japan, gave two interesting Japanese dances, with native music arranged for the piano by the violinist and composer, Michael Posner Baxte, who was also present. Leroy Sheilds was at the piano.
Among other distinguished guests were General and Mrs. M. O. Terry, Mrs. T. A. Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. George Zabriskie, Elizabeth A. Hull, and Louis Keila.
Fraternal Association of Musicians.
At the fourth monthly meeting of the Fraternal Association of Musicians, on January 23, at Ethical Culture Hall, the program was shared by two artist-pupils of members— Alton Jones, pianist, pupil of Edwin Hughes, and John A. Carpenter, tenor, pupil of George E. Shea. Mr. Jones played the intricate Bach chromatic fantasy and fugue, three Chopin Preludes, and St. Francois de Panie (Liszt), adding, as encore, the prologue to the suite, The Marionettes (MacDowell), revealing distinctive qualifications as pianist.
Mr. Carpenter, with, inspiring piano accompaniments by his instructor, George E. Shea, sang numbers by Handel, Meyerbeer, Verdi, Quilter, Fay Foster, and several extra numbers. This young man has a well-trained voice of pure quality, and in style and diction is an exponent of an excellent method.
After the concert a nominating committee was chosen for the coming election, and an informal reception was held, the reception chairman, Adelaide Terry Graham, extending every courtesy to members and guests.
First Fiqijé Choral Concert.
The first concert of the newly formed Fiqué Choral, fifty women singers, took place at׳ the Hotel Bossert, Brooklyn, January 30. It was a very successful affair, to judge ,by the attendance and applause. The chorus is in the experienced hands of Carl Fiqué as conductor, with Katherine Noack Piqué at the piano. They sang as the principal work of the evening Grieg’s Olaf Trygvason, the solos being assigned to various members of the chorus, assisted by Nicolaus Laterne, Henry Weimatnn, Frank Schwarzkopf and Adolf Hall. A specially nice voice was heard in the solo, beginning Gods, All Governing, Endless, and there was splendid choral climax in Three Nights Besought־ We, as well as in the final unison chorus, with high A. Choruses by Vincent, Denza, and two works by conductor Fiqué, including They Talk of Marietta (new, first performance), made up the program. Grace Bradley, operatic contralto, showed splendid low tones in Ah, Mon Fils, as well as in her encore, concluding with a group of songs by Wagner, Secchi and Woodman. A reception followed. The officers of the Fiqué Choral are: President, Katherine Noack Fiqué ; honorary vice-president and founder, Edyth Totten; vice-presidents, Mrs. John T. Bladen, Mrs. William Schubert, Mrs. Nathaniel Oberndorfer, Mrs. Charles Kratt. Mrs. Robert G. Hargrave ; recording secre-tarv, Mrs. William B. Garretson, Jr.; Historian, Mrs. G. H. Luther ; librarian, Mathilde Radlauer ; president’s aide, Amy Harvey.
Speke-Seeley Studio Musicale.
The Speke-Seeley January studio musicale was given by Lillian Morlang and Alice Weinberg, sopranos ; Elizabeth