MUSICAL COURIER
34
April 26, 1923
Presbyterian Church, Orange, N. J.; Marjorie Lauer, soprano, for the First Congregational Church, Newark; Claribel Adams, soprano, as soloist of St. Mary the Virgin (N. Y.), during the summer months; Margaret Haase, soprano, for the First Reformed Church, Brooklyn, and Joseph Kayser, baritone, for St. Edward the Martyr (N. Y.).
Gustave L. Becker Gives Lecture-Musicale.
April 7 a lecture-musicale was given, based on Beethoven sonatas, by Gustave L. Becker, in his Carnegie Hall studios, Lotta Davidson, violinist, assisting. The sonatas ranged from opus 13 to opus 96, covering also the pastoral,־ Wald-stein, Moonlight and Pathetic sonatas. These were performed by Charlotte Gibbon Buckley, Helen A. Tracy, Estelle Perlitch, Zalic J. •Jacobs, and Mr. Becker himself, who played the Moonlight Sonata, and was associated with Miss Davidson in the sonata for violin and piano, opus 96. Mr. Becker issued invitations for a Novelty Program, April 22.
Theodore Strong for Scientist Church.
Theodore Strong, organist and director, and Mrs. Strong, contralto, of Grace M. E. Church, leave those postiions May 1, when he becomes organist of the Twelfth Church of Christ, Scientist, at Aeolian Hall. April 27 he will give a half hour recital before a lecture at this hall.
Laurie Merrill’s Engagements.
Laurie Merrill, soprano, who appeared at the M. E. Home for the Aged, March 2, in a song recital, will be heard at St. Agatha’s School, April 27, in a costume recital, with Ludmilla Wettche as accompanist.
Culture Forum Concerts.
Adelaide Vilma, coloratura soprano, and Cheste M. Hall, lyric tenor, gave a program before the Culture Eorum, April 14; Albert Sonberg gave a talk on Cooperative Summering for the Friendly Musical Club, April 20, and various other musical and literary features are announced in a folder issued by the Forum.
Sandor Vas, Pianist, in New York.
Sandor Vas, pianist, of Hungarian birth, who studied with Nikisch in Leipsic and has appeared in New York concerts with success, is again in the metropolis.
Clara Clemens’ Second Ann Arbor Recital
Clara Clemens is presenting her series of seven historical song^ recitals under the auspices of the Ann Arbor Music Club this spring and the second program was given April 4; it embraced works exemplifying the first stages of development in song forms, offering Bach, Handel, Gluck, Lully, Rameau, Arne, Purcell, Durante, Cesti, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Through this imposing list of composers Mme. Clemens found splendid opportunities for emotional expression and a fresh display of her versatility.
The Michigan Daily in its review of the concert, remarks that “the singer brought to her music the same lovely voice and interpretive supremacy which have combined to insure for her a distinctive place among the hordes of recitalists. A wider scope for emotional expression was afforded than in the preceding folksong program and Mme. Clemens is a mistress of emotional utterance artistically controlled yet poignantly affecting. In the songs of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven she was at her best; the familiar My Mother Bids My Bind My Hair was richly endowed with poetic feeling, while the caressing tenderness of Mozart’s Wiegenlied induced the audience to demand a repetition.”
The dramatic force that Clara Clemens can bring into play when required has always been an important element in her art and this was again evidenced in her singing of Loewe’s Edward. The Ann Arbor critic says: “Her rendition of the terrifying ballad was a dramatic climax again proving her amazing versatility by a thrilling exposition of music obviously written for a man’s voice.”
Hungarian Pianist Scores Success
Erwin Nyiregyhazi, with Paul Althouse and Queena Mario, furnished the program at the last of the Vernon Room Musicales recently at the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall, Atlantic City._ The Sunday-Gazette of that city said: “The Hungarian pianist simply took his audience by storm; literally speaking, they were swept from their feet. His triumph was assured when he rendered the Hungarian rhapsody No. 2 by Liszt. His audience broke into spontaneous applause before the grand finale of the composition. He was recalled numerous times, and responded with many encores, among them a Brahms waltz. His technic was marvelous. Each note received its full worth and every stroke was made to count. The Valse Triste by Sibelius, with its peculiar movement and wealth of expression was greatly enjoyed.”
Marguerite Sibley in Recital
Marguerite Sibley, mezzo soprano, gave a song recital recently in the Academy of Music Foyer, Philadelphia before^ a capacity audience. That she has many friends’ and admirers in that city was fully evidenced by the large num-ber of floral tributes which she received. The program an interesting and varied one, contained several songs which are not heard frequently. Miss Sibley was equal to the demands of the numbers, being just as effective in the lighter selections as she was in those of a more serious nature. Hers is a pleasing voice which has been well trained In connection with the accompaniments furnished by Agnes Reifsnyder, the well known contralto, it is interesting to note that she shows the same artistry at the piano that she does m her vocal work.
Gladice Morisson Receives Warm Tribute
The Courier des Etats Unis of March 18, comments as 1,״J,0“ uP°n Mme Morisson’s singing at the radio station WEAF, on March 11 (French night): “Mile. Gladice Morisson, the exquisite diseuse-singer of eighteenth century b rench songs, sang with a finished art these melodious songs of yesterday that we all love and admire, especially when they are done so admirably.”
Effa Ellis Perfield Moves
Effa Ellis Perfield has moved her studios to 121 Madison avenue, corner of Thirtieth street.
facts were brought out by Warden Sealy. Mr. Woodman was brief in his talk, with reference also to Dr, Smith, “Noble man, genial personality.” Mr. Wright spoke of the organizing of thirteen chapters, and Messrs. Brewer and Hedden talked on similar lines. There are now annual examinations for membership all over the United States. A Pacific Coast convention of the guild is planned. Dr. . Brewer said that one big result achieved by the guild was the increasing fellowship among members, the getting acquainted; “Once we knocked, now we boost.” Walter Henry Hall (“The only warden who never did anything,” said he of himself) spoke in entertaining fashion and Mr. Baldwin recalled numerous occasions instituted by Dr. Smith when the refreshments served would violate present Volstead laws. In Texas there are 120 members. There is a vision of the times when 10,000 members will be on the roll. Mr. Gale spoke of the fine big services held by the guild in St. Bartholomew’s Church, with procession by the guild, and of subsequent affairs in which combined choirs participated, and thought they should be continued. Mr. Hedden, of the examination committee, spoke of various interesting facts, many of them very humorous, and aptly called himself the “shock absorber.” A vote of thanks was given Chairman Doersam, who, with Warden Sealy, had arranged the dinner, and the interesting affair ended auspiciously. Dr. Dickinson said that he had been seized with a sort of dread premonition that this might happen, whereupon he consulted the secret archivist of the guild, H. G. Weels, resulting in a “poem” of fifteen lines, the metaphors of which seem a little mixed, as follows:
THE GUILD.
’Twas founded and welded together by a SMITH,
Spiced and sweetly savoured by a SALTER,
Pulled into closer fellowship in a goodly HALL,
Hewn and turned to elegance by a skilled WOODMAN,
Kept the Doctor away with a BALDWIN a day,
Was cheered and inspirited (though not inebriated) by a BREWER, Intellectualized by a HE(A)DDEN,
When it had had its rough edges trimmed off WRIGHT An ANDREWS drew the “WARREN’ ” elements together;
Never, never did one give DEM-A-REST!
’Twas fanned into quick life by a brief GALE,
Firmly fixed upon financial feet by a skilful BAIER (Buyer), “Sketchily” adorned by a FEDER-LEIN;
And that’s all to date now really,
Except to make profound salaams to SEALY 1
Public Demonstration by Society of Theater Organists.
The fourth public demonstration of the Society of Theater Organists will be held in Wanamaker auditorium, Wednesday, May 2, as part of the organ festival held by the National Association of Organists during Music Week. The organ will be presented in many phases—as a concert instrument, in conjunction with motion pictures, and choral ensemble. The motion picture demonstrations in the Wanamaker auditorium have attracted large crowds of music lovers who have thus become acquainted with the work of the leading theater organists in New York, in the most advanced type of picture accompaniment.
Firmin Swinnen, of the Aldine Theater, Philadelphia (formerly of the Rivoli, New York) will play the first movement of Widor’s fifth symphony with his own pedal cadenza, which .achieved great popularity when the work was performed as an organ concerto at the Rivoli Theater.
John Hammond, organist of the Eastman Theater, Rochester, will play the feature, The Eternal Flame, with Norma Talmadge. The Eastman Theater is operated in conjunction with the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, one of the most completely equipped schools of music in the world, founded by George Eastman. Mr. Hammond was the first president of the Society of Theater Organists.
There will be a Post Nature scenic, Voices of Gladness, and a comic cartoon, played by J. Van Cleft Cooper of the Rivoli Theater.
Mrs. Bruce S. Keator and Asbury Park Music Week.
Mrs. Bruce S. Keator, so well known in New York musical activities, is general chairman of the Asbury Park Music Week; under her direction there are splendid musical features for every day, consisting of musical services in churches, organ recitals by eminent organists such as Farnam, Sealy, Adams, Gail, Noble, Doane, with assistance of noted artists, such as Hempel, Nevada Van Der Veer, Reed Miller, Virginia Mauret, John Barnes Wells, Bos, etc., and Mrs. Julian Edwards will be visiting hostess from New York.
Krebs Both Composer and Pianist.
S. Walter Krebs, composer-pianist, was heard in a concert, West Side Branch, Y. M. C. A., March 24, Signe Hagen, soprano, sharing the program with him. Mr. Krebs played works by Bach-Tausig, Chopin, Beethoven, Brahms, Liszt, and his own etude. Miss Hagen sang Kreb’s A Song of Tomorrow and Garden of Life, as well as other songs and Vissi D’Arte (Puccini). The music gave much pleasure to the large audience chiefly of young men.
Warford Five Win Favor.
Last week five pupils from Claude Warlord’s studio were engaged as follows: Mary Davis, contralto, for the First
GOTHAM GOSSIP
American Guild of Organists Has Founders’ Dinner.
A Founders’ Dinner, at Hotel Lucerne, April 12, by the American Guild of Organists, brought together many well known musicians, among them leading organists who were associated with Dr. Gerrit Smith in founding the guild some twenty-eight years ago. Sixty persons of both sexes were seated at the long table, among them Messrs. Sealy, Baldwin, Dickinson, Ford, Woodman, Doersam, Schmidt, McAll, Froelich, O’Hare, Andrews, Baldwin, Brewer, Neid-linger, Stubbs, Munson, Williamson of the Evening Post, Oscar Saenger and Charlotte Wells Saenger (the latter a founder), Mesdames Fox, Burndrath, Phelps, Dickinson, Richard T. Percy, Riesberg and others. A letter was read by Warden Sealy, from Rev. Dr. Stires, chaplain of the guild, and other letters followed from present and former members, George W. Chadwick, Charles T. Ives, Henry Holden Huss, Louis Arthur Russell, Arthur Foote (Boston), George F. Read, William C. Carl, Coombs, Dossert, Mac-farlane, Henry Eyer Browne (Talmage’s former organist, and said to be the oldest living member of the guild), etc. On the Warden’s suggestion all the founders present stood and were warmly applauded. Dr. Gerrit Smith, practically the founder of the guild, April 13, 1896, was repeatedly named and his memory honored. Of 145 founders there are still 100 living; 2,300 members are on the rolls, 800 by examination, with 300 headquarters members ; these and other
CHARLES TROWBRIDGE
TITTMANN
Basso
Sings at coming MAY FESTIVALS
BACH (8th time) CINCINNATI (2d time) MARYLAND UNIVERSITY
also with
Washington Choral Society in Elijah
A MASTER Bass
—Allentown, Pa., Morning Call.
Voice oi beautiful quality
—Pitts Sanborn in N. Y. Globe.
Most satisfactory Bass on the whole that (Bach) Festival audiences have heard—Allen in Christian Science Monitor.
Voice is beautiful, vibrant . . . delivery highly intelligent—Walter Damrosch.
Made a pronounced impression
—Karleton Hackett in Chicago Evening Post.
Vocally Compared to WHITNEY, FISCHER, PLANCON
For Recitals, Oratorio, Festival Address Personally
1718 Connecticut Ave. Washington, D. C.
CECIL ARDEN
During her recent concert tour to the coast
sang
“Love Sends A Little Gift of Roses ”
T. B. HARMS, Inc., 62 West 45th St., New York City