MUSICAL COURIER
66
May 10, 1923
season. The following are a few excerpts from the European press:
She •played Paganini’s concerto with virtuoso technic and dash.— Berliner Boersen Courier.
Use Niemack brought home her real success in Mendelssohn’s concerto, by whose rendition she created a conception equally remarkable technically and musicianly. Her tone, distinguished by beauty and power, and a technic of virtuoso assurance and bright polish, were just as fine a recommendation .for her as the sound objectiveness of her musical conception.-—Hamburger Nachrichten.
A remarkable violin talent proved herself youthful Ilse Niemack. Very cleverly she absolved herself of Wieniawski’s concerto in D minor; brilliantly in the allegros and wonderfully singing in the andante. She closed with Sarasate’s Spanish dances as dazzling virtuoso numbers.—Dresdener Nachrichten.
The youthful violin virtuoso possesses a large, noble, luscious and carrying tone, and a technic that needs not fear any difficulties.. Her playing has a winning heartiness of conception.—Munich-Munchener Zeitung.
A mellow, sympathetic violin tone, supported by fluent technic.— Berliner Tageblatt.
Use Niemack has at her disposal a sweet tone. A fluent technic combines itself with a spiritual manner of playing. But the real forte of this young artist is the gentle femininity radiating from her whole being, which appeals to our sympathies like a clear moonlight.—Berliner Boersen Zeitung.
There is something yearning and mellow throughout Use Niemack’s violin playing. Her tone is of bewitching charm; but the artist transcends far the merely tonal. There is somewhere in her the fiery soul of a musician. This gives to her spontaneous and sonorous playing a deeper significance.—Tonkunst, Berlin.
Already there is working in her an individual spirit regulated by well trained taste and outspoken musical feeling.—Hamburger Frem-denblatt.
I never before heard a violin which would give out such beautiful tones on the G string clear up to the bridge.—Osnabriicker Sonntags-bote.
She knows how to bring out wonderful tones from her fine old instrument with strong and beautiful bowing. One had the impression of absolutely sure control of the instrument, of an easy and effortless playing with its difficulties.—Osnabriicker Zeitung.
Richard Crooks Makes Chicago Debut
“Proved to be an artist of first rank,” “Scored heavily,” “Genuine find,” “A sensation,” “A singer-poet,” “Eminently worth while”—such were a few of the salient phrases that showed in the six leading Chicago papers after Richard Crooks appeared there recently as soloist with the Marshall Field Choral Society, singing the burden of the solo work in Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius. Under recent date an editorial about Richard• Crooks appeared in the Hartford Sunday Courant which is worth noting, as follows:
Promising tenors are so rare that when one appears unexpectedly he is apt to attract attention. Richard Crooks made a first appearance with the New York Symphony Orchestra, and sang some Wagner music with surprising facility; we commented in this column at the time on the Crooks voice. A few afternoons ago, with the same organization, this young man sang the Prize Song from Die Meistersinger, and then was heard in the duet for soprano and tenor from the prelude to Die Götterdämmerung.
Not in a long time has an American tenor come before the public with such a fine natural equipment as Mr. Crooks. The quality of tone is warm yet vital, and though it is lyric in character it has dramatic muscle. But one so young should not be set at Wagner; that may come later, with far greater safety.
Mr. Crooks uses his voice well, he has the singing instinct, and a correct idea of interpretation. If he is guided aright, and his head stays sensibly upon his shoulders, we predict for this young man a fine future.
Augusto Ottone, Christine Langenhan and Gustave Freeman, all of whom were in excellent voice and sang with a splendid diction, the program was most meritorious from start to finish. The audience, unable to restrain its enthusiasm, frequently burst into loud applause.
The first part of the program was as follows: By Silent Hearth, from Die Meistersinger, Povl Bjornskjold; Love Death from Tristan and Isolde, Lois Ewell, and King’s Prayer from Lohengrin, Augusto Ottone, Lois Ewell, Christine Langenhan and Gustave Freeman.
In the second part of the program, the first act of Die Walkiire, with Povl Bjornskjold as Siegmund, Lois Ewell as Sieglinde and Augusto Ottone as Hunding, was most interestingly presented.
The musical conductor of the evening was William J. Falk.
The Opera Set also has two companies giving Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci and one giving Rigoletto.
Ilse Niemack a “Remarkable Violin Talent”
Wherever Ilse Niemack has appeared during her European tour this winter she has invariably received the highest praise from the critics. She has frequently been referred to in such terms as these: “phenomenal violin talent,”
ILSE NIEMACK
“sympathetic temperament,” “virtuoso technic,” “big, satisfying tone,” “a deeply gifted nature,” and “an artist with real feeling.” She has just finished a busy season and is now having a vacation and will return later this month to America, where she will be heard in many concerts next
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS
(Continued from page 63)
into a region where the audience really sympathized with the none too sympathetic hero.
The audience seemed to realize that it was really listening to singing which was singing and not vociferating. Both artists proved that even in opera the canons of taste can still be observed and yet receive the recognition of a grateful public.—The New York Sun, April 19.
Arthur Hackett in Faust Symphony
Arthur Hackett has sung the Faust Symphony so often that he has become a recognized authority in the part. His latest success in this work was with the Philadelphia Orchestra, twice in Philadelphia and with that organization in its ■New York series. The following comments emphasize again the outstanding qualities of his art:
An especial word of praise is due Arthur Hackett, who sang with an air of easy mastery, an impeccable intonation, and a power of expression that are rare.—Brooklyn Eagle.
If anything could have added to the thrilling beauty of the program it was Mr. Hackett’s singing. His voice was of rare loveliness.— New York Evening Post.
Then tenor soloist, Arthur Hackett, .was ideal for the part.—New York Evening Telegram.
There, is no quarreling with Mr. Hackett’s lovely singing,—New York Evening Sun.
Mr. Hackett greatly distinguished himself, alike for the fine quality of his tones, and by the skill of his vocalization.—Philadelphia Inquirer.
Mr. Hackett showed a voice of beautiful lyric quality.—Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger.
Rotary Club Enjoys Ethelynde Smith
The accompanying letter was received recently by Ethelynde Smith and refers to the soprano's appearance for the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, Wis. Mr. Laflin is president of the Milwaukee Rotarians.
March 24, 1923.
My dear Miss Smith:
I am writing this letter to again thank you for your very splendid contribution to the success of our program at the recent Conference of the Tenth District, Rotary International. Everyone was delighted with your singing. Your voice was superb, the selections most happy. Your singing was enjoyed by all and from an artistic standpoint, it was an unusual treat. It gives me great pleasure to commend your work most highly, especially to Rotarians.
With very sincere regards and kindest wishes, I am,
Very truly yours,
(Signed) Herbert N. Laflin.
Wagnerian Singers Win Success
The Opera Set, located at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, has formed a company of expert Wagnerian singers to tour, giving excerpts from the great Richard’s Lohengrin, Tannhäuser, The Flying Dutchman, Tristan and Isolde, Die Meistersinger and the entire first act of Die Walkiire. Wherever this organization makes an appearance devotees of the Wagnerian school of opera turn out en masse. A recent engagement in Paterson, N. J., brought forth the following glowing tribute from the Paterscn Call:
The Wagnerian concert was highly appreciated by a large audience. Presented by such prominent artists as Povl Bjornskjold, Lois Ewell,
BALDWIN
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