6
DEPRESSION NOTICEABLE AT LEIPSIC’S MESSE
Special Opera Performances and Concerts Given for Guests
Another special musical feature of the Messe was the opening of the Gewandhaus for three concerts. Aside from the regular Gewandhaus subscription series, no others ever take place in this historic hall. The first of these festival concerts had as guest conductor, Gustav Brecher, of Berlin, who on this occasion made his first appearance in Leipsic.
The second concert was conducted by Furtwängler, regular conductor of the Gewandhaus, who achieved a veritable triumph with Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, to which work he gave an interpretation of profound depth. The third concert, with chamber orchestra, was arranged especially for those guests who were connoisseurs enough to enjoy this style of music. Works by Bach, Handel and Tartini were given under the direction of Dr. Karl Straube. Besides these, Bach’s cantata, Non sa che sia dolore, with Clare Hansen-Schulthess, coloratura soprano, as soloist, was heard, as well as Tartini’s D major cello concerto, played by the “father of the cello,” Prof. Julius Klengel.
Vladimir Shavitch Conducts.
The newly organized Leipsic Symphony Orchestra was heard in a Tschaikowsky program under the temperamental Russian, Vladimir Shavitch, a conductor of sure technic and thorough mastery of both score and orchestra. One can prophesy a brilliant future for him. The soloist at this concert was Tina Lerner, who displayed her virtuoso technic and musical qualities in the B flat minor concerto, in which she achieved a notable success.
Finally, mention should be made of a performance in the Schauspielhaus of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, for which Gunther Ramin, organist in the Thomas Church’, has written extraordinarily characteristic and fitting music; •and the ability of Anton Rohden, pianist, who, with Josef Langer, already mentioned in a Leipsic letter, is an artist-pupil of great promise from the master class of Prof. Robert Teichmiiller, well known in America as the teacher of Glenn Dillard Gunn, Ernesto Berumen, Albert Coates, etc.
Dr. Adolf Aber.
Paderewski to Give All-Chopin Program
. Paderewski, who will play an all-Chopin program for his second Brooklyn recital in the Academy of Music Wednesday evening, May 2, has selected for performance the following compositions: Fantasia, op. 49; five preludes, Nos. IS, 16, 21, 17 and 24; two nocturnes, op. IS; ballade’ A flat; scherzo, B flat minor; barcarolle, No. 6■ five etudes’ No. 6, op. 25, No. 10, op. 10, and Nos. 7, 8 and 11 op 25: sonata, op. 35; mazurka, op. 17, No. 4; a valse and polonaise op. 53.
Gadski to Settle in Berlin Permanently
Beriin Apr¡1 3.—Mme. Johanna Gadski has arrived in Berlin. Having built a villa in Zehlendorf, a suburb of Berlin, she and her husband are going to settle there permanently, while her daughter, Lotte Tauscher, who is to be married in June to a Mr. Busch, a relative of the well known St. Louis family, will share the house.	C S
Leipsic, March 15.—Leipsic’s famous commercial fair (Messe) was looked forward to this spring with endless misgivings. Of course it was to be expected that the occupation by the French of the Ruhr Valley would create a delicate disturbance in calculating the conditions of business, since the Leipsic Fair can be looked upon more or less as a barometer for gauging the rise or fall of business conditions generally. There is no doubt that many visitors from the Rhine provinces, who in the past regularly attended the Fair, were absent this year. Some of these absentees were prevented from attending because they were hindered in shipping their goods from the occupied regions by military restrictions. Others, however, feared to leave their families alone.
In spite of these, losses in attendance, Leipsic again presented the agcustomed picture of gay throngs. Thousands crowded in seemingly endless streams through the different display buildings and streets so that a stranger, upon reaching the heart of the city, was reminded of a gigantic swarm of bees. Only late at night would the turmoil calm down when the tired men of business would seek relaxation and diversion, each according to his own taste.
For the benefit of those fond of music, a special series of opera and concerts was arranged. For seven nights the opera offered the finest productions in its repertory: Tosca, Rosenkavalier, Meistersinger, Lohengrin, Don Giovanni, Aida and Maskenball. From these seven works the performance of Rosenkavalier and the Meistersinger, personally directed by Prof. Otto Lohse, chief director of the Leipsic Opera, were especially noteworthy. With this performance of the Rosenkavalier, Margaret Bergan, Leipsic’s new first alto, was heard for the first time in the title rôle, her achievement being one of great proportions.
Playing at her side were two prominent guests. One of these, Beatrice Lauer-Kottlar, of the Frankfurt Opera, and Leo Schiitzendorf, of the Berlin Opera. An equally strong impression was left by the Meistersinger performance in which all the leading parts were sung by celebrated guests.
Special Concerts.
Aside from the opera, special concerts were given during the Fair Week. Of these, perhaps the most importance was attached to the performance given Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis by the Leipsic Riedel Verein in the Thomas Church. This society, one of the justly famed institutions in Leipsic’s renowned past, has, in spite of innumerable difficulties, succeeded in retaining the standard of excellence for which it has long been noted. The condition of the organization has at times been so critical, however, that one thought every performance might be its last. It has only been due to the unbounded idealism of the members and of the indefatigable conductor, Max Ludwig, that this catastrophe in Leipsic’s musical life has been averted. Ludwig has kept the standard of the Verein up to proud heights so that it was able to give the most difficult of Beethoven’s choral works with the greatest ease. Besides the conductor and the choir in general, mention must be made of lise Helling-Rosenthal, Marta Adam. Emil Graf and Dr. Wolfgang Rosenthal, who constituted the quartet of soloists.
MUSICAL COURIER
number of years have elapsed, of course, since she stood at the pinnacle of her art as one of the most famous Wagner singers in Europe. It is with Bayreuth that her fame is mostly connected, especially as a masterful and unforget-able portrayer of Briinnhilde. She appeared in this role first in 1896 and regularly thereafter until 1914. On the occasion of her sixtieth anniversary, the Philharmonic Society gave a great concert in her honor with the still almost girlish-looking prima donna as soloist. This was followed by a banquet at which a number of the city’s prominent musical personages were present.
Reider Mjoen.
which makes itself heard throughout the largest halls and tends to hold one spellbound during her performance. She is a great artist 1
Emmy Leisner a Favorite.
Among the singers, Emmy Leisner, and Ellen Gulbranson stand out prominently by reason of their great popularity. In recent years there has hardly been any foreign singer who has won the hearts of Norwegians as has Emmy Leisner, who is about to give a concert for the benefit of the poor. The mere fact that a German singer is giving a concert for the benefit of some one other than themself is,
STEFI GEYER,
young Hungarian violinist, who is a favorite in Europe and who, it is said, will he in America next season.
mann concerto and Liszt’s in E flat major. Her elegant and refined reading of these works aroused a storm of■ enthusiasm as has rarely been heard in a Norwegian concert hall.
America to Hear Stefi Geyer, Violinist. Another foreign artist who enjoys the favor and popularity of the Norwegian public is Stefi Geyer, of Budapest. She
in these days, a feature that distinguishes her from the great majority of foreign artists. Though her father is Danish and she was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany is nevertheless her artistic fatherland, and it was at the former Imperial Opera in Berlin that she achieved her greatest triumphs.
Sixty Years Young.
Christiania, by the way, has just been celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of Ellen Gulbranson’s birthday. A
GEORG SCHNEEVOIGT IN CHRISTIANIA.
Prof. Georg Schneevoigt, the figure at the extreme left of the picture, is the well known conductor of the Philharmonic Society of Christiania. He has won a name for himself all through Scandinavia, Germany and Holland. Besides his regular work in Christiania he is director of the Stockholm orchestra known as the Concert Society, and frequently appears as guest conductor in other countries, particularly Germany and Holland. The other artists in the row are Inge Ringnaes, the Norwegian pianist; Arthur Schnahel, pianist; Edvard Sylou Kreutz, a loell known Norwegian pianist and teacher, and Hugo Kolberg and Alexander Schuster, respectively concertmaster and principal cellist of the Christiania
Orchestra.
ELLEN GULBRANSON,
the well known Norwegian dramatic soprano, who has just celebrated her sixtieth birthday at Christiania, appearing as soloist with the Philharmonic Society. Mme. Gulbranson’s active operatic career extended from 1896 to 1911!. She was one of the famous Briinnhildes at Bayreuth and known all over Europe as well.
is undoubtedly one of Europe’s most gifted violinists, and next season America is to hear her, too. Her playing is not of the broad powerful masculine type sometimes found among women violinists. Her style and tone are rather of
WOMEN ARTISTS ACTIVE IN NORWAY’S MUSICAL LIFE
Germaine Schnitzer a Popular Pianist—Famous Wagner Singer Celebrates Sixtieth Anniversary—Stefi Geyer Scores
Success
the “minor” dimensions, there being something fairly-like about her playing; but it is perfect in its artistry both technically and musically. Her tone has that concentrated quality
Christiania, March 22.—More than usual, women artists have played a leading part in the musical life of Norway this year. It is significant, moreover, that these musical amazons are not the usual mediocre article that make up the flotsam and jetsam of musical Europe. Norway usually applauds only the artists that have an international stature, and more often than not it serves as a jumping-off place for America. One of this year’s favorites is already in America and one of the others is reported to be preparing for an American tour. The first, Mme. Germaine Schnitzer, the brilliant pianist, appeared twice in the Philharmonic Society’s concerts before her departure, playing the Schu-