51
MUSICAL COURIER
March 29, 1923
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GABRILOWITSCH
Pianist, Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Writes as follows concerning the
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PIANOS
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Mason & Hamlin Co.
Gentlemen:
/ have never before been so completely satisfied with any piano at my public concerts or in my private use as I have been with the Mason & Hamlin. I believe the Mason & Hamlin Pianos are remarkable in all the essential qualities which go to make up an artistic instrument of the very first quality; they are, in my opinion, in advance of all others because of certain important structural features (notably the Tension Resonator) invented and developed by yourselves, which in my judgment give the Mason & Hamlin piano an exceptional position among the pianos of the world.
(Signed) Ossip Gabrilowitsch
Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Hartford, Conn., festivals during April and May.
Edwin Grasse's Concerto and Engagements.
Concertmaster Dubois played Edwin Grasse’s violin concerto at the Chicago Theater morning concert, March 25. This is the work performed by him for the first time in public with the Peabody Orchestra in Baltimore last year. Mr. Grasse has composed a Festival March for organ and orchestra which will be performed in Baltimore April 3; he will also play the Bruch G minor concerto.
Salter Will Leave Williams College.
Sumner Salter, organist and director of music at Williams College, so well known in New York, completes his work at this college this summer, the trustees having given him this, his seventh year, as his Sabbatical year. Recent organ recital programs given by him include compositions by standard classic and modern composers, including the Americans, Hugo Goodwin, Gottfried H. Federlein, and Will C. Macfarlane.
Grand Opera Society Performances.
The Grand Opera Society of New York, Zilpha Barnes Wood, director, has engagements for several performances of Tales of Hoffman and Martha during the next two months. They are also preparing Faust and Mignon for early presentation.
Oratorio at Wanamaker's.
The last of the winter series of organ concerts will take place in Wanamaker auditorium, on Good Friday afternoon, March 30, at 3 p. m. Dubois’ Oratorio, The Seven Last Words of Christ, will be sung by St. Mark’s Choir, and admission is by complimentary ticket.
Alice Gentle’s New Triumphs
Alice Gentle is having a splendid season and is so busy jumping here and there to fill engagements that she does not even have time for a week’s rest. When she left New York to sing with Andreas De Segurola’s company in Mexico, Miss Gentle had every intention of returning to New York for a short rest before going out again to fill a number of important concert engagements booked for her by her manager, Catherine Bamman. But while she was winning new laurels in Mexico City, she received a wire from L. E. Behymer, of Los Angeles, asking her to make some guest performances with the San Carlo Opera Company in Los Angeles and on the eight weeks’ tour. This offer was accepted. Before joining the company,
ALICE GENTLE
however, Miss Gentle sang in concert in Pueblo, Denver, New Orleans, Beaumont, Tex., and Salina, Kan. In each city she made her usual success, with glowing notices and return dates.
In Mexico City, Alice Gentle was royally received. After her appearance in Tosca, the El Democratat said in part: “The greatest Tosca ever heard in Mexico City,” while the El Heraldo said: “There is but one artist among the present company at the Teatro Iris, and that artist is Alice Gentle.” Before leaving the Mexican capital, Miss Gentle gave a concert under the patronage of Don Adolfo de la Huerta, the Minister of Finance. She was showered with flowers and applause, and white doves were turned loose from the boxes.
Miss Gentle was delighted with the cordial reception given her while in Mexico and says that she loves the Mexicans, who were certainly very charming to her. When she left, there were many music lovers at the train with gifts, most of which, unfortunately, were “wet goods,” which had to be thrown out of the window at the border. Even before then, Miss Gentle and her husband turned their drawing room into a bar room in their efforts to get rid of some of the stuff, but were not entirely successful. As for their own feelings in thus doing away with the wet goods: “Gee, how we hated to see that good stuff thrown out of the window,” is the way Jacob Proeb-stel expressed it in a recent letter to some friends.
This season certainly has been an interesting one for Alice Gentle, and now she is drawing capacity houses in the West with the San Carlo Opera Company and incidentally delighting all her old admirers with the beauty of her singing and the finish of her art. Already indications show that the season 1923-24 will be even more brilliant.
J. V.
Francis Rogers Sings at Settlement School
Francis Rogers, assisted by Ethel Cowl Cole, gave a song recital on March 22, at the Music School Settlement on East Third street, New York.
GOTHAM GOSSIP
Boice Musicale.
March 3, Susan Smock Boice gave a musical tea at her residence studio in which Ethel M. Weller, soprano; Mabel E. Squire, contralto, and Clarence Sauer, violinist, took part. Duets and solos were sung, and Miss Squire showed that she has a smooth voice of velvety quality, with excellent diction and dramatic expression. Miss Weller’s coloratura soprano voice is of lovely quality and she had to sing encores. Both young artists sing with intelligence and sureness, allied with real style, promising still finer things for the future. Violinist Sauer plays with beautiful tone and finished technic, and was repeatedly encored; his numbers included pieces by Wieniawski, Cui, Schubert, Saint-Saëns and others.
Miss Boice plans to hold summer classes both in New York and in the country, and this teacher, who has built for herself such an excellent reputation, should have a prosperous summer season.
Massenet Music at Brick Church.
Clarence Dickinson, music director, presented a program of music by Massenet at his hour of music, March 16, at the Brick Church, with Arthur Kraft, tenor, and Marie Miller, harpist, as guest soloists. The popular French composer was represented by some of his most brilliant and characteristic music, including as organ numbers the overture to Phedre, Religieuse and Angelus, in which Dr. Dickinson showed his exquisite taste as organist. The tenor solos, The Dream, Twilight in a Garden and Lord, Unto Thee Do I Flee, showed Mr. Kraft’s sweet voice. The harp numbers included a minuet, Moonlight, Meditation, and co-operation in the final number, Easter Festival, for organ, harp and bells.
A MacDowell program was given March 23, and Stainer’s Crucifixion will be given at the Friday noon hour of music at the Brick Church, March 30, under the direction of Dr. Dickinson, with James Price, tenor, and William Simmons, baritone, as soloists.
Beginners’ Class Recital by Boice Pupils.
The friends of Susan Smock Boice’s pupils (only a few were invited) were greatly impressed by the improvement made in a month. The students each exclaimed over the advancement made by other pupils—“in so short a time such great gain.” The songs presented were: The Sea (MacDowell, Du bist wie eine Blume (Schumann), Flower Rain (Schneider), The Owl (John Barnes Wells) sung by Constance van Vliet; Voi che Sapete (Mozart), Daybreak (Sandman), Ah, Love But a Day (Beach), sung by Emma L. Hannah; Un bei di (Puccini), I Am Thy Harp (Woodman, Values (Vanderpool), sung by Majal Vores; Bend Low O Dusky Night (Speaks), The Moon Drops Low (Cadman), Song of My Heart (Mana-Zucca), sung by Edna Hippard; Cade la Sera (Milliloti), Si vous l’Areiz (Denza), Eyes of Blue (Chaminade), Requiem (Homer), Serenade (Wolf), Der Gärtner (Wolf), sung by Fritzi Hofbauer.
Speke-Seeley Musicale.
The March musicale by pupils of Speke-Seeley was largely given oyer to the folksongs of many lands. An exceedingly interesting introduction and explanatory notes by Mme. Speke-Seeley added greatly to the interest and charm of the program. Beside the numbers which each pupil sang alone, there were two groups for two voices; these were lovely as sung by Lillian Morlang and Elizabeth Wright.
Following the folksongs, each pupil sang a song of her own choosing; compositions by Haydn, Purcell, Brahms, Mrs. Beach, Del Riego, Gaynor, Hastings and Cox made up this second part.
Those taking part in the program were Lillian Morlang, Alice Weinberg, Christine van Santford, sopranos; Alice Campbell, Elizabeth Wright and Emily Wentz, contraltos.
The next studio gathering will occur April 8, and the main part of the program will consist of arias and concert songs.
Southland Singers’ Concert, April 10.
The Southland Singers, Emma A. Dambmann, founder and president, will give their next grand concert and ball at the Hotel Plaza, Tuesday evening, April 10, with the following soloists: Marjorie A. Barnes, soprano; Mathilde Zimbler, cellist, and John Everett Sarles, baritone. A varied program containing choral numbers, vocal and cello pieces will be given.
Music in Lecture Course.
Included in the free public lectures under the auspices of the Board of Education, City of New York, are many notable musical features. From March 16 to March 22 the following were scheduled: organ recitals at Washington Irving High School, by William A. Goldsworthy, assisted by Grace Liddane, soprano; Immortal Songs, by Gilbert and Sullivan, June Mullin; Music We All Should Know—The Symphony, Marie Josephine Wiethan; The Appreciation of Orchestral Music, Gerald Reynolds; S׳. ngs of the American Indian, Anna A. Flick; Gems from Victor Herbert, June Mullin; The Musical Side of France, Esther Benson; vocal and instrumental concert, under the direction of Frederick N. Tracy; Evolution and Chamber Music, Woelbert String Quartet; Some Native Composers and Poets, Sally Hamlin and Carmen, Marguerite R. Potter.
Blind Institute Anniversary Exercises.
“1831-1923” appeared on the front page of the program, New York Institute for the Education of the Blind, March 22, this showing that the institution is now nearly one hundred years old; Fifteen numbers constituted the make-up of this program, in which there were piano and organ solos, choruses, essays, folk dances, calisthenics, dumbbell drill’ playground activities, and gymnasium exhibitions. The organists were Thomas Manzi and Frances Sievert, the latter of the A. A. G. O. Rose Taub was the pianist, and all the music was by such standard composers as Caldicott, Lem-mens, Mendelssohn, Dubois and Cowen.
An exhibition of the hand work of the pupils preceded and followed the exercises.
Van der Veer for Oberlin Festival.
Nevada Van der Veer will sing the contralto part in Cesar Franck’s The Beatitudes at the Oberlin, Ohio, Spring Music Festival, on May 5. She will also appear at the