MUSICAL COURIER
52
March 8, 1923
Italian opérâs. The résonance of the German, the lilting French airs, her perfect enunciation in her English group, and her depth of expression in the operatic selectipns showing a mastery and love of her art that marked her a true artist. Mrs. Bachschmid’s voice is a pure clear soprano that was proven capable of doing full justice to some of the most difficult vocal compositions of the masters. Its coloratura qualities are thrilling, and in all registers her voice rings true. Caro Nome from Rigoletto is a real test pf a soprano instrument, and she did it beautifully. Her other aria was Vissi D’Arte from Pucinni’s Tosca, and in this too there was never in any phrase the least question of the singer’s talent and perfect technic.
Enhancing the effectiveness of her vocal talent, Hazel Bachschmid has a gracious presence and a warmth of disposition that have been important elements in the success which she has gained on the concert stage.
Gould Captures California
Herbert Gould, concert and opera basso, went to California for a series of important concert appearances immediately upon the close of the Chicago season of the Chicago Civic Opera Company. He sang in Los Angeles, Visalia and San Francisco and won a real ovation from his discriminating audiences everywhere.
Ray C. B. Brown in the San Francisco Chronicle said: “His voice is of generous basso depth, rotundity and solidity,” and mentioned his smooth phrasing, and splendid interpretative powers. In the Journal and Call-Post (Charles Woodman, critic) Gould was also praised for his remarkable powers of expression, especially in such difficult feats as Moussorgski’s Song of the Flea.
As soloist with the Ellis Club (a choral organization of great merit) he captured Los Angeles. Here again the critics spoke of his diction, his “notable artistry” and his interpretation of a group of American songs “the best we’ve heard for many moons.” (Florence Reed in the Los Angeles Evening Express.)
“Wins most praise while singing in English” is the headliner for the Daily Times comment at Visalia. The guest soloist (with the Ellis Club in Los Angeles) was “brilliant and enthusing,” wrote the critic, Carl Bronson: in the Evening Herald. And added, “He is imbued with the fire of climax.”
“Vigorous swing and gusto,” writes the Los Angeles Daily Times critic, in describing Gould’s interpretation of the Toreador song from Carmen. And the Los Angeles Examiner wrote of him as “an intelligent and resourceful singer.”
Herbert Gould is already being booked for return engagements by his managers, Harrison and Harshbarger.
Irene Williams in Gosi Fan Tutte
Irene Williams continues to win laurels in Hinshaw’s Cosi Fan Tutte company, the following press excerpts being from two Southwestern States:
The leading role of Leonora, sung by Irene Williams, ,was exquisite. Her voice has resonance, range, power, sweetness and facility. Miss Williams has a charming personality. She is beautiful, young and has opportunity for a great future.—Four States Press, Texarkana, Tex., January 30.
Irene Williams, prima donna soprano of the company, as Leonora, was perfect and her singing and acting was all that could be desired. The role of Leonora afforded her an excellent vehicle for proving herself not only a great singer, but a great actress. Her rendering of the difficult aria, Rash Intruders, took the big audience by storm. She has beauty, youth, and a voice that is a golden flood of melodv. With her marvelous interpretations she displayed the rarest intelligence and artistic finesse that won for her an enduring place in the hearts of every listener. The manner in which she portrayed the sincere yet labile Leonora was the finest exhibition of perfection in the art of singing and acting. In her duet, Haste the Moment, with Mr. House, the beauty and quality of her voice was unusually evident.—The Daily Graphic, Pine Bluff, Ark., January 31, 1923,
Casella an Accomplished Pianist
Not alone as a composer of modern harmonies, but also as a master of beautiful piano playing, Casella was accorded high praise by the critics in his recent Aeolian Hall recital :
H^ is a pianist of great charm and fine instincts. His technic is delightfully clear and finished, his tone delicately colored and his tonal and dynamic effects accurately calculated and balanced. He played with a delightful grace, brilliancy, and crispness, Cesar
HARRIOT EUDORA BARROWS
TEACHER OF SINGING
Trinity Court, Boston	Conrad Building, Providence
MRS. FREDERICK SNYDER
?025 Broadway New York City
Phone Columbus 6441
OLIVE NEVIN
SOPRANO
Mgt. DANIEL MAYER	Aeolian Hall, New York
a rather critical audience. Her numbers were repeatedly encored and her reception such as to list her among the permanent favorites of the music lovers of this city.
Macbeth Makes Prayer of Gardner Song
Under the heading of “I Will Make Prayer of Composer’s Song,” the following interesting article, which needs no further comment here, appeared in the Times-Star on February 16, two days after Florence Macbeth’s concert in Cincinnati:
Under exceedingly dramatic circumstances, the newest song of a Cincinnati composer, Grace G. Gardner, had its public premiere, Thursday night, at Emery auditorium, when it became a prayer for the composer herself. The song, entitled Fear, is a prayer to be relieved of the curse of fear, and was selected recently for the programs of h.r western tour by Florence Macbeth, Metropolitan opera star. Her present tour included her appearance, Thursday night, as soloist for the third year successively with the Cincinnati Orpheus Club, and Miss Gardner had looked forward eagerly to the occasion. Just before Miss Macbeth went on to sing the Gardner number a message was given her from Miss Gardner, who is in Hillsboro at the bedside of the latter’s mother, who suffered a paralytic stroke and is in a serious condition. In her word to the singer, Miss Gardner expressed her great regret at not being able to be present when her song was given. Miss Macbeth was visibly affected. Then with a sudden inspiration she said: “I will make Miss Gardner’s beautiful song a prayer for herself as I sing it.” Those sitting near the stage when the song was sung noticed that the singer closed her eyes as she gave the first phras.-, “Lord, take away from me—fear thoughts that cloud my days,” and again at the dramatic climax as her voice soared, flute-like, “Blot fear from out my mind.” Something of the psychology of the circumstances under which the song was being sung seemed to get over to the vast audience, for they were distinctly arrested, and before their thunderous applause sat for a second as if spellbound as the last words floated out, as triumphantly assuring as a benediction, “I know God grants this boon—to miss- the curse of fear.” The concert was sent out by radio from the WLW station. The “Fear” song was issued last December.
Pietro A. Yon in Williamsport, Pa.
February 8, Pietro A. Yon gave an organ recital in Williamsport, Pa., of which the Williamsport Sun says in part:
Pietro A. Yon, organist of St. Francis Xavier, New York City, and honorary organist of the Vatican, Rome, added Williamsport to the long list of cities which have proclaimed him a genius when he appeared in a concert recital last evening in the Williamsport High School auditorium. . . .Yon pleased the large audience with his brilliance and power. He played the several numbers of the program with remarkable display of skill and with wonderful interpretation. It required only the opening notes of Yon’s first selection to prove to the audience that they were listening to a man who has mastered the organ.
Yon offered his program in three parts. Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach immediately impressed his listeners with his great skill. As he played the audience clamored for more, and the program was far too short it seemed.
Five of the selections of the program were Yon’s own compositions. The finest and most beautiful of the five was his Christmas in Sicily. Beginning with the opening notes the beautiful organ chimes pealed out at regular intervals their Angelus as a background for the simple and melodious melody. As an encore to the first part of the program, Yon responded with Primitive O'rgan, a selection dealing with the primitive organ of the twelfth century, which had only one stop, . . . The last number of the regular program, First Concert Study, by Yon, was a record in velocity and pedal playing, having 1467 notes in succession for the pedal in about three minutes time. . . . As an encore to this, Yon played American Rhapsody, another of his compositions.
Before leaving the city, Mr. Yon made a contribution of $50.00 to the organ fund, this being the first out-of-town gift which the local committee has received.
A Tribute to Nyiregyhazi
William Woodhouse, who was the first to engage Nyiregyhazi for a concert in America, has written R. E. Johnston, the young pianist’s manager, a letter as follows:
Perusing and analyzing those California press notices are surely a cure for the blues, aren’t they? I surely do congratulate you, old man, and I trust you will make a fortune with Erwin. Nobody will be more pleased than I, not even yourself. And, you know, it does tickle our fancy somewhat to think that we probably gave him his first contract with you, and, we believe, his second appearance. Guess, too, that we were the first to give him two appearances in one season and then engage him for the next. We never did it before or since.
I am pleased to see the California papers say so much of his likable personality. It’s a point which I dwell upon a lot when I talk of him. I like him; he is so unaffected; so modest; almost retiring, and let’s pray fervently that he never, never gets that bored look or a swelled-head. I don’t believe he will, for he seems •too sensible. Congratulate him for me, please, upon his western triumphs; it was remarkable, but not more than he deserves, though. I never can find words to fully describe Erwin’s work or self; it’s too big for words; it lasts in the memory. It seems to me, even now I have heard him several times, to be impossible. But impossibilities are easy for him, it seems, It’s going to be a long while before the general public gets to the bottom of the boy’s real greatness, because it is too big to grasp easily. One can’t grasp impossibilities, and Erwin is simply impossible. It simply cannot be, but it is,
You know the ridiculous story of the Irishman who first saw a camel, or a giraffe, or a hippo—don’t remember what it was—but he had never seen it before, and could not take it in, so he said: “It’s a — lie; there’s no such animal,” and he said it when looking at it.
Now Erwin is just like that as a pianist—it’s a darned lie; there cannot be such a player. But there is. I?d better stop, or I’ll be your press agent,—and' \vhile I like that sort of work, I’d have to send in a big bill for if.
Schumann Heink Pleases in Florida
The appended are echqes oi Schumann Heink’s recent success in two of hgr Florida concerts :
{Schumann Hpink sang in tfie Victory Theater last night and a bopk cQuld fie written about the performance. If if covered all the details of her singing it wopld be a big book in a very big bopk. If if cpyered the artistic excellence pf her singing, if it were written by one capable of so covering it, if would be 3 great bopk, a very great book. Brain, mind and heart, the hply trinity of true womanhood, they are the foundations of the Schumann Heink the world worships. And then there is her voice, wonderful in spite of the years, glorious in its fervor, searching in its pathos, inspiring in its intensity, rich with all the colors of the vocal rainbow•—Tampa, Fla., Morning Tribune, February 3, 1923•
WITTGENSTEIN
TçL Cplumbuf 2951 Ampiqo Record#
PIANIST
15 W. 67th STREET, NEW YORK CITY Knabe Piano
AUSTRALIA-NEW ZEALAND-HONOLULU
INTERNATIONAL TOURS. Ltd.
Head Office. 15 Castlereagh Street	Sydney. Australia
E. E. Brooks, Secretary
L, E, Behymer, Los Angeles, American Representative
Frederic Shipman, Managing Director, has made an arrangement with International Tours, by which they will not command his entire time, as heretofore, and he will devote the greater portion of each year to Personally Directed Tours of the U. S. A. and Canada. Mr. Shipman’s address for the next six weeks will be Hotel T entón. Los Angeles.
Mme, Schumann Hpink was greeted by a capacity audience, an audience which was appreciative from the packed balcony to the crowded stage. Frequently she turned to those upon the stage and sang directly to them in the rich, full magnificence of voice which is Schumann Heink’s alone. It seems incredible that time could deal so gently w'Rh that magnificent voice, but last night its richness and beauty ־Vere unimpaired and its tonal color was of a quality and purity rarely equalled by yopnger singers. Madame brought more than her rich voice tc her numbers. Shp fairly radiated the individuality and charm that h^ye endeared her so to all lovers of song—St. Petersburg, Fla,, Times, February 4, 1923•
Hazel Bachschmid Captivates Hearers
Following Hazel Bachschjnjd’s recent appearance m Staunton, Va., the Staunton Leader reviewed the recital in part as follows;
Staunton music lovers were given a rare treat, along with the faculty and students, when Hazel Bachschmid, soprano, was heard in recital at Mary Baldwin Seminary. Mrs. Bachschmid has had the advantage of experience and study that have developed her voice to a high degree of artistry, and her program was a finished, exquisitely done rendition of music that tested her ability in all phases of vocal endeavor. She literally sang her way into the hearts of her hearers. Mrs. Bachschmid‘s program was a happily selected one. It consisted of groups of German, French, and English songs, and two arias from
Edwin Hughes
THE EMINENT AMERICAN PIANIST f
New York City
Steinway Piano
316 West 102nd Street
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MARTINELLI
for six years
Studio: 2231 Broadway, New York
Phone Schuyler 6598
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Vocal Coach
E
IVI
I
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V
o
HENRY F. SEIBERT
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GRACE STEVENSON
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For terms and dates address
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PIAN 1ST
HOTEL ALBERT
42 E. 11th Street, New York Knabe Piano
ANIL DEER
Coloratura Soprano
Western Management:	Adolph Knauer	79 Central Ave., San Francisco
ALFREDO MARTINO
VOCAL TEACHER AND COACH 435 West End Ave., N. Y.	Phone 8743 Schuyler
Harpist
Management:
WALTER ANDERSON
AIVÏMIE LOUISE
DAVID
Phone: 1212 Bryant ::	1452 Broadway, N. Y.
MRS. EDWARD MacDOWELL
Program* of MacDowall Music
Proceeds of these recitals revert snreserTedly to the UacDowell Memorial Association.
Address: PETERBORO, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
STEIN WAY PIANO
RIEMENSCHNEIDER
Organist and Director of Music, Euclid Ave. Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio.
Director, Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music, Berça, Ohio.
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For Récitals or Instruction Address, Berea, Ohio
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¡MACBETH
E	Chicago Grand Opera
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iüüüMcCORMACK
EDWIN SCHNEIDER, Accompanist
Manager: CHARLES L. WAGNER
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