February 8, 1923
MUSICAL COURIER
56
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS
Konecny is a serious, ^ scholarly musician, who puts his whole soul into every sweep of his responsive bow.—Columbus (Neb.) Daily Telegram.
Richard Crooks Again Proclaimed “Sensational”
He was greeted by a packed auditorium. . . . Konecny proved himself a thorough master of the violin.—Colorado Springs (Col.) Daily Gazette.
Beautiful indeed was the music from the bow of Josef Konecny. . . . Perfect in interpretation, finished in production, brilliant in execution, the well-selected variety of compositions delighted and satisfied the ear.—Fort Collisn (Col.) Express.
Konecny is probably the most finished and able violinist ever to have appeared in Fort Morgan, and the concert was the big musical event of the season.—Fort Morgan (Col.) Times.
Comment heard after the recital would indicate that this concert was conceded to be one of the finest things in a musical way that ever has come to Sterling.—Sterling (Col.) Evening Advocate.
A musical program of unusual merit.—Cheyenne (Wyo.) State Tribune.
Of the violin numbers played by Konecny, Vieuxtemps’ concerto in D minor was probably most demonstrative of his technic and interpretative powers. He played it with great dramatic strength and technical brilliancy—Salt Lake City (Utah) Daily Telegram.
Konecny played with ease and a mastery of technical difficulties. • • • The Phantom Caprice of Paganini (No. 6) was a gem as played by Konecny.—Salt Lake City (Utah) Deseret News.
Jean. Barondess, Product of Samoiloff, Wins Success in Cairo
An outstanding success of the operatic season in Cairo is credited to Jean Barondess, American soprano, who received all her training in America under Lazar S. Samoiloff, her only teacher. Miss Barondess in a letter to Mr. Samoiloff, telling about her appearances in Cairo, says: '
ing only 1
for study and worked on Tosca and Butterfly! They““cam‘e‘me three hours before the performance to say the soprario was hoarse, and would I help out, with only a piano rehearsal? I said “Yes;
1 didn t expect anything, but would consider it an orchestra rehearsal, I had seen the world’s best in the part, and I had a few ideas ™y ®wn I sort of liked, so, weak in the knees, I went;
. I had. applause every single spot, and in the last it took ffle some time to join the tenor who was waiting for me ifi open scene; and yOii ought to hear the special round of applause I got, and “BraVo Barondess and “Bene Barondess!” I felt good then. The managers were all excited and came rushing in to thank me, and said if they hadn t known the circumstances under which I did the performance, they would never believe it was my first, The maestros said only an excellent musician could have done that, that I was the first soprano who ever sang the second act in perfect tempo, You know how difficult it is, and I never made one error. They told me the part was mine. I did it three times by request, t like the part, it suits me well, and here’s the funny part; everyone says I make love so well they envied the tenor. I enjoyed that for your special benefit, because vou always said I was so cold.
After that they worked me to death. I sang three, and sometimes, four times a week. I caught a heavy cold and was not well but sang successfully just the same. But, except when in the theater, I spent most of my time in bed.
In six weeks m Cairo, here is my record: Three appearances in I agliacci, three Tosca, three Michael, two Marguerite, two Boheme,
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the following prominent singers:	George Reimherr, Walter Mills, Marion
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“The opening strains of־ the famous tenor aria, sung by the sensational singer, Richard Crooks, were interpreted with a clear quality of tone and expression which more than fulfilled the expectations of the audience.” The preceding sentence appeared in the Worcester (Mass.) Evening Gazette after Richard Crooks had sung there in The Messiah, December 28. And both the Evening Post and the Daily Telegram concurred in this critical opinion. More praise from Rochester follows:
Mr. Crooks has a luscious tenor of incredible sweetness, but still ample enough to be fitted for the exacting demands that Wagner makes upon his heroes. He is a singer whose future career will be watched with interest.—Rochester Evening Journal, December 1.
Richard Crooks is a tenor good to listen to. His voice in the Meistersinger music was delightful. Quality and intonation and nuance were excellent. He sings, too, with a fervor and moving sincerity that win hearty appreciation. He has good command of his mechanics and his singing of text is what is wanted and not always to be had of a singer. The trying Siegfried score he sang no less carefully and less intelligently than the Prize Song. It was plain that Mr. Crooks had definite knowledge of the proper effect to be achieved.—Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, December 1.
Young Mr. Crooks quite amazed his hearers with the fresh vigor and golden tone of his voice. He has acquired a technical equipment that surely will carry him to wide recognition. He 4sang entirely without score, revealing a mastery of phraseology and" diction that seemed to denote many years of study. Above all that, he sings with spontaneous energy, a youthful voice and an unaffected case, apparently born to an irresistible impulse to sing, that commands attention and admiration. In addition to the Siegfried number, Mr. Crooks charmed with his singing of the incomparably beautiful Prize Song from The Mastersingers, in which he won such sincere applause that he was obliged to return again and again.— Rochester Herald, November 29.
Mr. Crooks has an amazing voice. His singing, which is mature and highly effective, is marked by intelligence and great dramatic fervor. His German is remarkably good for an American youth, and his familiarity with the Wagnerian style shows the results of study and hard work. Such vigor and authority as are possessed by Mr. Crooks should carry him far. His promise is unquestionable. —Rochester Times-Union, December 2.
Gustaf Holmquist a Fine Messiah Artist
Having established an enviable reputation as an oratorio artist par excellence, Gustaf Holmquist is much in demand, and the bass-baritone has a record number of Messiah performances to his credit. On December IS, Mr. Holmquist sang The Messiah in Ottumwa (la.) ; again at Dubuque (la.), on December 27, and with the Salt Lake Oratorio Society in Salt Lake City (Utah) on January 1. What the critics had to say of his splendid work on these occasions is appended below. Mr. Holmquist gave a recital for the Treble Clef at Beloit (Wis.), on January 17.
Gustaf Holmquist, the only soloist who was a stranger to the Salt Lake City public, proved himself the best Messiah basso the society has yet engaged. In voice, mastery of the bass role, technic and dignity without affectation, Holmquist’s interpretation won the hearty commendation of chorus, soloists, conductor and audience. After his first air, The People -That Walketh in Darkness, there never was any doubt as to how his part of the program would be handled. His most difficult parts, Why Do the Nations? and The. Trumpet Shall Sound, demonstrated his artistry.—Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City, Utah, January 2.
The soloist new to Salt Lake was the basso, Gustaf Holmquist, and he made a most favorable impression. His voice, the mastery of his role, technic and dignity of rendition won the hearty approval of his audience, fellow soloists and society members. His voice showed a remarkable finish, was especially effective in Why Do the Nations Rage? and The ‘Trumpet Shall Sound. His diction and enunciation in these difficult numbers were excellent, and from the first air he displayed an unusual sureness and brilliancy of rendition and interpretation.—The Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Singing the bass recitatives and arias was Gustaf Holmquist. He was no stranger to Ottumwa. A number of years ago he appeared at the same theater in which he sang last night in a May Festival program, and not so long ago was here at the First Lutheran Church. . . . He was given pronounced applause. His new friends were equally spontaneous in their commendation of his work with those who knew he would please and have longed for the time when they might hear him once more. . .	. With an
excellent voice of extended range and, particularly in the upper tones, of rich, expressive quality, with the requisite poise and routine, Mr. Holmquist was able to show extreme individuality in his work.—Ottumwa Courier, Ottumwa, Iowa, December 16.
Earle Laros Popular in Greensburg
After the piano recital that Earle Laros gave recently in Greensburg, Ind., he immediately was reëngaged for another on the following Sunday afternoon. His tour was so arranged that he was able to keep this date, and he appeared in an entirely different program. The chief number was the Beethoven sonata, Opus. 111. In reviewing the concert, the Greensburg News of January 8, said :
The immense audience, eager with delighted expectancy, that assembled to hear Earl Laros, pianist and composer, was an emphasized testimonial of the high place Mr. Laros has won for himself here, not ohly among musicians, but those without technical knowledge, who delight in hearing him.
It was a memorable experience to be borne on. the wings of music to the realms of the sublime—and the perfectly chosen numbers of Sunday’s program seemed to lend themselves to the sanctity of the day; for at the call of this master pianist, one could hear streams rippling through the meadows, the call of the lark, the fall of waters at the fountain, and the clear soft tones of chimes in some distant cathedral. Music is one oí Heaven’s greatest gifts, and those who were present at yesterday’s concert, were privileged again to realize this while being transported to the classic heights of inspirational compositions through the interpretation of Mr. Laros.
He possesses the touch that brings forth the subtlest and most delicate harmonies in all their elusive^ beauty and the force and power that masters the intensely dramatic passages. He is an artist whom one can listen to again and again—and still wish for more.
Konecny on Coast to Coast Tour
Josef Konecny, Bohemian violinist, and his associate artists—Esther L. Lash, soprano, and Margaret Gary, pianist— are making a coast to coast tour this season, from the State of New York across the continent to the sunny shores of California. Prior to the holidays a total of forty-seven concerts were given in the central west and east. Since the first of the year they have been concertizing in the far west. The following excerpts from the press tell their own story:
.	.	. From fleet arpeggios to broad sweeps of dynamic chords,
the violin recital was brought to a climax in the concerto in D minor of Vieuxtemps.—Marshalltown (la) Times-Republican.
Faultless execution and a wond°rful tone-y-ravishingly beautiful when the composition requires and scintillatingly brilliant in the bravura passages—■won the heartiest approbation of his hearers.
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