MUSICAL COURIER
37
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC: OLGA SAMAROFF SOLOIST
Olga Samaroff was the soloist at the Thursday evening concert, playing the Grieg concerto in A minor, op. 16. She gave an extraordinarily fine rendition of the work, revealing again her pianistic attributes that have placed her in the front ranks of the present day artists.
The first part of the program also included A Night on Bald Mountain, fantasy for orchestra, by Moussorgsky, which interested the large audience, while the latter part was devoted to the first hearing at the Philharmonic concerts of Glazounoff’s symphony No. 4, in E flat, op. 48. Mr. Mengelberg, as would be expected, gave the work a virile reading, bringing out its contrasts most effectively, and receiving, with his men, a hearty demonstration of approval.
ELLY NEY WITH NEW YORK STRING QUARTET
Robert Haven Schauffler has said that the members of a string quartet should be perfectly happy marooned on a desert island if they had only some gnarly Brahms’ opuses to work on. The quintet in F minor, played by the New York String Quartet with the assistance of Elly Ney, at Aeolian Hall, March 1, Certainly justifies^ his statement. Escaping from the modern vertical perplexities, how one’s ear revels in the long lines this composer manipulates and in the weaving of the colorful melody threads of each instrument into patterns as rich, intricate and subdued as an oriental carpet!
Mme. Ney has an unusual insight into the spirit of Brahms and a fine capacity for conveying his message to her
“First time at these concerts.” It was short, delicate and dainty) the score calling for only two oboes, two horns and two trumpets aside from the strings. Next came the novelty, II Beato Regno, by Tommasini, which the composer himself describes as follows: “The poem follows no program, but is inspired by visions of the primitive Italian painters—specially those of Beato Angelico—who loved to represent, against a background of golden sky, choirs of angels and saints singing psalms and liturgical hymns, accompanied, often, by organs, flutes, trumpets and other instruments of antiquity. The Coronation of the Virgin, still to be seen at Florence in the museum of the convent of St. Mark, where Beato Angelico once lived, is among the most marvelous and celebrated of these paintings. The themes of the poem are derived from certain Gregorian chants, which, however, the composer has no intention of reproducing strictly; his purpose is rather to retain, in these melodies, something of the mystic character of the ancient chants, at the same time treating them with the utmost freedom harmonically and rhythmically.”
The orchestration is exceedingly effective. The delicate opening on the high strings is lovely in its effect and the climax, with the full orchestra, assisted by energetic bells, is spirited; but in between there is much length and little variety.
To end with, Sergei Rachmaninoff played his second piano forte concerto. It is a fine, modern work, the finest—at least for this hearer—since Brahms (and much more agreeable to listen to than either concerto by the latter). There is a full supply of fine melodic material in it, some of which might well 'have been taken out and put into the uninteresting first and third concertos by the distinguished composer-pianist.
March 8, 1928
alia zingara, and yet in the romance there was much expression and good tone quality. She was recalled a number of times.
Speaking of Miss Levin’s rendition of the Wieniawski concerto, the Herald writer said: “She performed the composition with ease and musicianly intelligence. Her tone, though not of largest volume, was smooth and musical and her intonation excellent. Her style was tentative in certain passages, but it always showed insight, sensitiveness and feeling. Her technic is admirably schooled. Her rapid passages were clear and her cantabile work lovely.” The World noted the progress of the orchestra and commented upon the Brahms Hungarian dances in this manner: “These bits, with their sudden and intricate changes of tempo, their wandering phrasing and intermittent changes of mood, are the text of a group’s accord and sense of unity. Mr. Foch’s men played them more than just capably —it was a notable illustration of apparently keen rehearsing, of joy in rendering and of clever conducting.”
THURSDAY, MARCH 1
NEW YORK SYMPHONY: RACHMANINOFF SOLOIST
Walter Damrosch returned to his favorite place at the head of the New York Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, on Thursday afternoon. The program began with the Berlioz Carnaval Romain overture. It continued with the Mozart Symphony, the one which happens to be numbered 28 in the B. & H. edition. This was recently presented to Mr. Damrosch by Bruno Walter and it was marked.
“AN ARTIST
OF THE
MOST
SOLID
INTELLECTUAL
FOUNDATION”
Ralph Holmes, Detroit\Times
“CLARA
CLEMENS
is
A SINGER WHO COUNTS״
H. T. Finch, N. Y. Evening Post
CLARA CLEMENS
To Music Clubs and Colleges:
MME. CLEMENS HAS PREPARED A SERIES OF SEVEN HISTORIC PROGRAMS EMBRACING THE GREATEST SONGS OF CLASSIC AND MODERN LITERATURE . . ANY ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS WOULD BE OF SUPREME MUSICAL VALUE TO YOUR COURSE.
Detroit News:
“Her sensitive feeling for differing musical viewpoints born of various nationalities, periods and themes made her delivery a study in musical scholarship and intelligence expressed in terms of performance.”
The Matinee Music Club of Ann Arbor has engaged Mme. Clemens for the complete cycle of historic programs in April.
New York Staats Zeitung:
“Mme. Clemens let the magic of her wealth of expression have full play.
She knows how to create atmosphere and effects strongly felt in songs of mystic and poetic character.”
New York Eve. Post:
“Mme. Clemens’ stage presence was more beautiful than ever and she sang with a depth of feeling that made an indelible impression. She often casts a real spell over an audience.”
NEXT NEW YORK RECITAL: TOWN HALL, MARCH 15th
FOR DATES THIS SPRING AND NEXT SEASON
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CHAS. N. DRAKE -	-	-	- 507 FIFTH AVENUE................NEW YORK
Mason & Hamlin Pianoforte