April 19, 1923
Southland Singers’ name and emblem. Commander Adam's made an appropriate speech, complimenting Mme. Damb-mann on her untiring, unselfish and efficient work for the society since its organization in 1915. He also spoke of the excellent work it did during the war and in various other ways. Mr. Tebbs was also congratulated for the progress shown under his five years of directorship.
The remainder of the evening was spent in dancing. Thus the Southland Singers’ season of concerts was most delightfully and satisfactorily closed. The Oriole luncheon will be held at the Hotel Astor, on May 12.
MUSICAL COURIER
32
THE UNITED STATES SECTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL
SOCIETY FOR CONTEMPORARY MUSIC HAS BEEN FOUNDED
Saenger Demonstration at Wurlitzer’s
Another demonstration of the Oscar Saenger course in vocal training with the Saenger Victrola records was given at the Wurlitzer Auditorium, April 4. Mr. Flood explained the use of the records in teaching. Interest in these is growing and the auditorium was filled on Wednesday afternoon. A program was given by a chorus of about fifteen voices from the Saenger studios. Selections from Stabat Mater (Rossini) were beautifully sung, with Mrs. Saenger at the piano and Mr. Glover at the organ. The soloists were Phradie Wells, soprano, who has a voice of great power and clarity; Bertha Garver, contralto, whose tones are rich in coloring, and who revealed a wide range, and Norman Yanovski, baritone, who sang with resonant, deep tone quality. All of the soloists received enthusiastic applause, and the ensemble was appreciated for its admirable effects.
Activities of the New York Musicians’ Club
Following the success of its first social evening, held recently, the Musicians’ Club of New York, on April 12, gave a second entertainment of the same kind to which members and their friends were invited. The new room of the club is now furnished, and adds appreciably to the space and comfort at the headquarters. The club has in: preparation several special programs for Music Week; and they will be announced in detail in due time.
Some of the officers and members of the Musicians’ Club of New York are:	Walter Damrosch, Paderewski, Galli!
Curci, Frances Alda, Henry Hadley, Victor Herbert, Dr. Noble, John Philip Sousa, Albert Spalding, etc.
board of directors was elected, consisting of the persons named above, together with J. Alden Carpenter, Chicago; Chalmers Clifton, New York City; Carl Engel, Washington, D. C.; Edward Burlingame Hill, Boston, Mass.; Mrs. Arthur M. Reis, New York City, and Albert Stoessel, New York City.
The officers elected by this board were: Oscar G. Son-neck, president; John Alden Carpenter, first vice-president; Lewis M. Isaacs, second vice-president; William Burnet Tuthill, secretary and treasurer.
To the important position of chairman of the music committee, Chalmers Clifton was elected. The members of the committee named by him, in accordance with the constitution of the Section were: Lawrence Gilman, Richard Hammond, Frederick Jacobi, Paul Rosenfeld, Lazare Sam-insky and Albert Stoessel.
The important duty of this committee was the selection of the compositions that are to be submitted for consideration to the International Selection Committee, meeting in Zurich in May.
The International Selection Committee in turn selects from the compositions confidentially submitted by the United States Section and other. national sections the works that will make up the programs of the six chamber music concerts to be given at the International Music Festival, to be held at Salzburg in August, 1923.
Announcement of American works which the International Selection Committee may decide to include in this year’s festival programs will be made in due time.
_ The delegate chosen to represent the United States Section at the International Festival *and- Conference in Salzburg, is Chalmers Clifton, with deputy delegates, Emerson Whithorne and Lewis M. Isaacs, in the order named.
The United States Section of the International Society for Contemporary Music—an organization that had its inception in the Mozart Festival held at Salzburg in August, 1922, and by the end of that year had spread into nine countries abroad—has Just been founded (March, 1923) in the city of New York.
The Articles of Incorporation have been approved by Judge George V. Mullen, Justice of the Supreme Court, and have been duly filed in the office of the Secretary of State in Albany and in that of the County Clerk in the city of New York:
These articles state: “First: The particular object for which the corporation is to be formed is to further contemporary music, both as an independent organization and also in collaboration with the International Society for Contemporary Music, as its United States Section, so far as may be feasible under American conditions: (1) by means of the regular exchange of information and other assistance and of participation in an Annual International Festival of Music; (2) by the encouragement of performances in the United States of recent works by contemporary American composers, or contemporary composers residing in America or elsewhere; (3) by encouragement of other organizations in the United States having similar purposes; (4) by other means as may be determined by the board of directors of this organization.”
The names of the incorporators are: Mme. Eva Gauthier, Lewis M. Isaacs, Oscar G. Sonneck, William B. Tuthill, Emerson Whithorne.
The final meeting of musicians and others deeply interested in this movement for international amity in art, was held; for the purpose of organization on March 1, when a
Nyiregyhazi in Demand
Day by day, in every way, Erwin Nyiregyhazi, the extraordinary young pianist, is becoming more and more popular, To prove this one need only glance at his list of engagements during the month of April: Philadelphia, 2; Brooklyn, 4; Albany, 6; Boston, 8; Dover, 11; Plainfield, 13; Wilmington, 16; Baltimore, 17; Reading, 19, and New York, 21.
Devora Nadworney’s Engagements April will be a busy month for Devora Nadworney, the contralto, for besides several oratorio engagements she will give a Russian costume recital in Montclair, also appearing in concerts in Newark, Ridgewood, N. J., and at the Hotel Astor, New York.
ances and afforded much pleasure. Marjorie Barnes, a pupil ,of Mme. Dambmann, gave a vividly dramatic rendition of ■.the Erl-King, by Schubert. She revealed a voice of clear, ringing quality, well used, and showed an intellectual grasp of the song as well as artistic conception. She was heard in a later group consisting of Inter Nos (MacFadyen), My Curly Headed Baby (Clutsam) and The Fairy Pipers (Brewer). In all the numbers her excellent diction was a valuable asset. Mathilde Zimbler displayed a facile technic, broad tone and energetic bowing in a vigorous and spirited rendition of Popper’s Hungarian rhapsody. A baritone .. voice of rich, smooth, quality was that of John Everett Sarles. The Tear (Rubinstein), Der Asra (Rubinstein), and Bitterness of Love (Dunn) were sung with emotional feeling, good phrasing and good diction. To close the program the chorus gave an effective interpretation of Grieg’s Landsighting, with incidental solos sung by Mr. Sarles.
The large audience showed its delight in enthusiastic applause and recalled all the artists for encores.
During an intermission Commander Charles E. Adams, a charter member' of the organization, presented a beautiful banner, designed and given to the society by the president, Mme, Dambmann. It was attractively worked out with the
Southland Singers’ Grand Concert and Dance
The Southland Singers, Enima׳ A.'Dambmann president, gave their grand concert and dance at the Hotel Plaza, April 10. The assisting artists "were Marjorie L. Barnes, soprano; Mathilde Zimbler, cellist״ and John Everett Sarles, baritone. The accompanists were Lucille Blabe (for Miss Barnes), May Luddington (for Mr. Sarles), Bella Hecht (for Miss Zimbler) and Henry Stewart (for the chorus). Attractive souvenir programs were given out, which showed the result of much work. The booklet contained an interesting and enlightening article by Mme. Dambmann on interpretation, :Advice .to Aspiring Singers. As an example, she gave her .־־own translation of Schubert’s dramatic song, The Erl-King, with explanations as to how to interpret it intelligently and artistically.
The program opened with two numbers by the chorus— Spring and Youth (Gaines) and Love’s Dreams (Liszt-Harris). A fine body of tone, expressive shading, clean attack and clear diction all attested to diligent rehearsals under Conductor Leroy Tebbs. Later groups included Serenade (J. Laurence Erb), Your Eyes (Barlow), The Wind (Spross) and De San’man’s Song (McKinney). The chorus showed decided improvement over previous appear-
Despite the fact that a German audience is accustomed to lengthy programs of classical music
CARA VERSON
made a distinctly favorable impression by playing modern works of infinite variety and mood in her recital tour of the Continent
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with Brahms D Minor Ballade, to the cold and foggy North and gave us a tragic picture of sorrow and fear.
Her clean immaculate technic surmounted all difficulties; her touch is powerful, like a man’s, yet by no means hard. Her supple wrist lends her tone a richly shaded coloring. Chopin she gave in a distinctly German way, instead of representing him as the languid lion of the Paris Salons.
In the well known Nocturne in F Sharp, she worked up the first part with its rising and ebbing thoughts to a splendid climax.
.... The Mazurka in A Minor and the Etude Opus 25, No. 7, completed the group and the posthumous Waltz in E Minor taken at great speed, became under her hands, a dreamy blossoming picture of exquisite beauty. The strength and dexterity of her left hand was particularly noticeable the melody never being marred, not even in the rolling, energetic octave passages.
Cyril Scott’s moody tone paintings were followed by Debussy, the leader of impressionism, . . . Strange harmonies, chords and sequences gave these works an exotic coloring which, In the perfect way Cara Verson played them, made no strange effect. . . . Cara Verson fathomed all depths, she has a strong sense of adapting herself to the inner meaning of the works she plays, and thus is able to do every composer justice. The packed audience of the Unionsaal thanked her for all numbers with unstinted applause. (Ernest Stiers.)
posers. . . . the grasping of the inner spirit of the works, . . . always evident. Cara Verson performed the works of her countrymen, Burleigh, MacDowell, Withorne, etc.,. with much taste. Her rendering of a more’S.erious work, the Sonatine of Ravel was completely satisfying.
Brandenburger Anzeiger, Jan. 17, 1923:
The greater part of the program was of a modern exotic character. Cara Verson played varied groups of short pieces with pianistic skill and fine technic. The Scotch Poem of MacDowell and the Sonatine of Ravel were her best efforts.
Dresden Volkzeitung, Feb. 11, 1923:
Cara Verson captivated her Dresden audience, with
sympathetic piano pieces which won the listeners by reason of their directness and easily to be grasped meaning. It was certainly very interesting to hear these examples of the best known of the moderns. ... A serious artist. . . . fluent and pearl-like technic.
Braunschweig Allgemeiner Anzeiger, Jan. 30, 1923:
This recital was quite an exception to the rule owing i “16*11^1’national program. Germany, France, Eng-land, Russia, America and Poland were represented. Contnbuting singular and beautiful works.
The American pianiste, Cara Verson, led her audience
i Dresdener Neuste Nachrichtung, Feb. 10, 1923:
“Cara Verson had drawn up a much varied program consisting of a number of charming compositions mostly of foreign origin. Some, as for *instance, the “Prelude C Major of Prokofieff,״ and Godowsky’s “Old Vienna״ (Alt Wien) impressed us particularly so as to live on in our memories. Cara Verson’s style lends itself admirably to these works on account of her clear and accurate way of playing. The artist was many times recalled to bow her thanks for the big applause bestowed on her.
Braunschweig Neuste Nachrichten, Jan. 30, 1923:
A curious program . . . very interesting, new works .are a real artistic treat . . . compositions of real merit . . . her tone was agreeable throughout, of singing quality and the expression of the meaning of the works charming, ... an artistic success.
Sächsische Volkszeitung, Dresden, Feb. 10, 1923:
.... indisputable musicianship and an attractive program. . . . The artist played cleverly and fluently. . . .
impressed most with the Sonatine of Ravel.
Brandenburger Zeitung, Jan. 17, 1923:
.... a fundamental idea in program and the artist entered thoroughly into the spirit of the respective com-