MUSICAL COURIER
May 17, 1923
Three Samoiloff Pupils in One Week
Lazar S. Samoiloff־ New York singing teacher, introduced three of his artist-pupils during one week. Consuelo Escobar, Mexican coloratura soprano, and Constantin Buketoff, Russian baritone, were heard in a joint recital at Aeolian Hall, April 30. Mme. Escobar’s voice is clear and flexible and Mr. Buketoff has a voice of unusual range and quality, which he uses with great skill. The New York Times said that Mme. Escobar sang “with clearness and brilliancy,” and that “Mr. Buketoff displayed a voice with a wide range of warm tones that was equal to all of the tests to which he put it.”
Helen Lubarsca, dramatic soprano (who will sing leading roles with the De Feo Opera Company in Baltimore in June), appeared with Giuseppe De Luca, baritone of the Metropolitan Opera, and the symphony orchestra, Max Jacobs conductor, at the Century Theater on May 1. She sang the arias from Aida and Cavalleria Rusticana, winning an ovation. Mr. De Luca expressed enthusiastic admiration of her voice and dramatic ability.
During Music Week, fifteen of Mr. Samoiloff’s pupils participated at concerts arranged by Mrs. William Cowen, chairman of the Special Programs Committee.
Ernest Toy and Wife Dubbed Marionettes by Child
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Toy, the former the Australian violinist, the latter the pianist and contralto, have had many jests made on their name, their friends and acquaintances starting right in from the day of their wedding when congratulations poured in in the shape of verses made to rhymn with Toy—each thinking he was original when he said something about “Joy.” The latest is from the lips of a four-year-old. They were to spend Sunday at the home of some friends who have a little daughter, and she naturally wanted to know the name of the expected guests. When told the name was Mr. and Mrs. Toy she seemed much surprised and after thinking for a minute looked up at her mother and said: “Mother, have they wooden legs ?”
Mr. and Mrs. Toy have just received their itinerary from the Swarthmore Association and to judge from the large list of towns they are to be kept very busy. There are fifteen weeks of concerts, with one open date.
Superlatives for Arthur Middleton
“By all odds the best oratorio singer these ears have ever heard” was the verdict of Edward Moore, the music editor of the Chicago Daily Tribune, after Arthur Middle-ton had sung there recently as soloist with the Marshall Field Choral Society in Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius. And five other papers were unanimous in their extravagant praise of the American baritone.
“It is difficult to write of the art of Middleton lest one be tempted to an over use of superlatives.” And the superlatives followed in the criticism that appeared in the Mount Carmel, Pa., Daily, after Arthur Middleton had sung there recently and “scored a recital triumph” in a “magnificently sung” program.
exception of Miss Bock, pianist. Miss Bock has been winning unusual success in her numerous concert appearances this _ season, and Harrisburg also gave her a rousing reception. She has interpretative ability, a facile technic, poise and plays with intelligence. All four of the artists well deserved the applause bestowed upon them at their
BERNARD R. MAUSERT,
director of the Harrisburg Festival.
every appearance. Helen Bahn is to be congratulated upon the accompaniments furnished by her.
Harrisburg Festival Underwritten.
A unique feature of the Harrisburg Festival is the fact that it is underwritten and seats at the performances are free to the public, with the exception of the reservations made for guarantors and patrons. The dates for the 1924 festival will be May 6, 7, 8 and 9.	K. D.
24
HARRISBURG’S FESTIVAL
A BRILLIANT SUCCESS
Under Direction of Bernard R. Mausert, Chorus and Soloists Do Fine Work
Harrisburg, Pa., May 7.—May 1, 2, 3 and 4 were the dates of Harrisburg’s 1923 festival and a most successful one it proved to be from many angles. The auditorium of the Grace Methodist Church was packed for the opening program on May 1, which was made up of Parker's A Wanderer’s Psalm and Bach’s Bide With Us. The chorus was splendid, and plainly showed evidences of the painstaking training of Bernard R. Mausert, organist and choirmaster of the church and director of the festival chorus. Such works as those presented at this concert usually have orchestral accompaniment, but, although it was a very difficult task, Mr. Mausert furnished an entirely adequate accompaniment at the organ. The soloists for the first night were Bianca Sherwood, soprano; Clair Brookhurst, contralto; Bruce Campbell, tenor, and Roland Pease, bass baritone, all of whom cooperated in making the concert a great success. This entire program was repeated on the evening of May 2.
Artists’ Recital.
On the afternoon of May 2 an artists’ recital was given by Miss Sherwood, Miss Brookhurst, Mr. Campbell and Mr. Pease, with Glenn Mower as the accompanist. The program arranged was very interesting, including as it did solo numbers by each of the artists and Lisa Lehmann’s always popular In a Persian Garden.
Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast.
On Thursday and Friday evenings, May 3 and 4, the chorus and soloists presented scenes from The Song of Hiawatha. This well known poem of Longfellow’s, set to music by Coleridge-Taylor, had a particular appeal for Harrisburg music lovers and great enthusiasm was shown on both evenings. The chorus read the difficult music with a fine understanding of the text, there was much beauty in the tone produced, the attacks were clean cut and the balance of parts good.
The soloists included Melvena Passmore, coloratura soprano of the Chicago Opera, who immediately won her audience with her voice of beautiful quality and wide range. Miss Passmore has youth, a charming personality and fine stage presence, all of which contributed toward the success scored by her. Lewis James, tenor, thrilled the audience with his splendid interpretations, and Horace R. Hood, baritone, proved himself an artist of the first rank in his solo work. Last, but by no means least, mention must be made of Mr. Mausert’s work at the organ. He not only played the accompaniments with skill, but at all times had the chorus so well under control that the performances on both nights went off exceptionally smooth.
Second Artists’ Recital.
The second artists’ recital on Friday afternoon was given by Miss Passmore, Mr. James, Mr. Hood and Helen Bock, all of whom were heard as soloists in Hiawatha with thé
FLESCN
r | ,HE return of this famous master violinist after an absence of almost a decade is one of the important musical events of the season of 1923-1924.
Carl Flesch has already been engaged as soloist with the Philadelphia, the Philharmonic, and the Cincinnati Orchestras, and many recital appearances have been booked. His tour will start in January, 1924, and will continue throughout the rest of the musical year.
CONCERT MANAGEMENT ARTHUR JUDSON
Pennsylvania Building Philadelphia
Fisk Building New York