MUSICAL COURIER
May 24, 192 3
53
VOCAL TEACHER AND COACH
Consultation by Appointment Studio : 25 WEST 86th STREET, NEW YORK CITY
Phone: 8107 Schuyler
n. C U R CI
books !on nearly all musical subjects that the list becomes a very long one.
The Messiah.
“A short time ago I went to see a teacher in Boston. She asked me to sing Every Valley, from The Messiah. I did the running passages, as I had always been told, ‘as smooth as possible.’ I was told by the Boston teacher that this was wrong, that they should be done semi-staccato, she giving as her authority some man in London. Is this right? What are the solos that are always done by the tenor singing The Messiah? I understand there are traditional cuts for the work, so that all the numbers marked for tenor are not sung. Thanking you for the information.”
In order to tell you whether the Boston teacher was correct in her statement, it would have to be ascertained who the London man was that she quoted. Not all the London or English singers have the correct traditions, although England may be said to be the home of oratorio. The tenor and bass singers are often referred to as the best interpreters of oratorio anywhere in the w'orld, and it is well known that in the past, men have been heard here who have come over purposely to sing the roles of their special oratorios. One of these was Ffrangçon Davies who made a specialty of Elijah in the oratorio of that name. A well known bass, who lives in London, has for more than twenty-five years sung at the Albert Hall during Christmas time in The Messiah, and his verdict of traditions can be depended upon. Teachers take many liberties with music, for the writer has heard the great soprano aria from The Messiah sung in the tempo of a quickstep, and when, a suggestion was made that it was usually taken much slower, the teacher, whose pupil had sung it, was quite indignant and said this was correct, so-and-so having told her it was generally sung too slow.
A conductor of one of the largest societies appearing each year in oratorio work, said he preferred American women as soloists, for they were thoroughly well acquainted with all the solos from the experience they had in singing in church. Quartet choirs are not employed in English churches as is well known.
If you will consult William R. Chapman, who knows a great deal about this matter, he will probably have his own score of The Messiah with all cuts marked. Take your score with you and it would be well to write for an appointment. Another authority who is in Maine at the present time is C. Mortimer Wiske, of Newark, N. J.» well known as conductor of the Newark Music Festival Association. He is at Bryant’s Pond, Me., and undoubtedly would be glad to help you in the matter.
American Institute Recitals
April 23 Margaret Spotz, pupil of Kate S. Chittenden, dean of the American Institute of Applied Music, gave a recital at headquarters playing works by leading composers, including the Americans Samuel P. Warren, Albert Ross Parsons, MacDowell, and Barratt, beside the Europeans Debussy, Dvorak, Beethoven, Chopin, Sapellnikoff, Brahms, Moszkowski and Paderewski. The young girl has decided pianistic talent, and this is coupled with a well developed technic, the combination giving pleasure to all hearers.
Hugo Kortschak, violin, and Francis Moore, piano, gave an artist recital at the same school, April 27, playing the sonata, op. 23 (Beethoven), and sonata, op. 100 (Brahms), finishing with Albert Stoessel’s sonata in G major.
Another Orchestra Engages Mero for Next Season
Attesting further to her popularity as an orchestra soloist, contracts have been signed for Yolanda Mero to appear with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner, at a pair of concerts in that city on January 25 and 26 next.
JOSIAH ZURO
Director of
THE ZURO GRAND OPERA COMPANY
COACHING	TEACHING
Phone: Circle 0100	744 7th Ave., N. Y. City
Mr. Joffe, Harold Land, Victoria Boshko, Mr. and Mrs. B. Epstein, Olive Alcorn, Eugenia Repelsky, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Kaufman, Mr. Isaacson, Helen Adler, Mr. and Mrs. Gobert, Mr. and Mrs. Remisoff, Mr. Plotnikoff, Mr. and Mrs. Thorner, Alexander Lambert, Mme. Bourskaje, Mme. De Treville, Mme. Schnitzer, Helen Morris, Miss Antik, and several members of the Russian Opera and Chauve-Souris.
Answers to letters received in this department are published as promptly as possible. The large number of inquiries and the limitation of space are responsible for any delay. The letters are answered seriatim.
Removal of Adenoids.
“Please tell me just what effect removal of adenoids and tonsils has upon the voice.”
This is a question that has been asked frequently, and as frequently answered. The opinion of a specialist in throat diseases was asked and he stated that there was no injury to the voice from these operations, always of course supposing them to have been properly performed. It is said that there are many prominent singers before the public who have had one or the other of the operations on the throat without any material harm. Iir fact it has been stated that some voices have gained greatly in every respect.
Violin Making.
“Will you be good enough to advise me where I can obtain a book on violin making and repairing in all its phases? I am a constant and enthusiastic reader of the Musical Courier and thank you in advance for your efforts.”
Charles Scribner & Sons has a book, Strad No. 12, that gives instruction in repairing. O. Ditson, Boston publisher, has issued one on Famous Makers of Violins by G. Hart. There is also one, British Makers of Violins, by W. Masedick. From violin authorities only the name of one book on repairing could be obtained.
Subjects For Club Work.
“Will you kindly suggest some subjects for our Music Club to study next year? We have had opera for two years and are just about ‘burnt out’ on the subject. Our club meets once every month, so if you will suggest some subjects I shall certainly appreciate any information. Some one suggested, at our last meeting, our studying the music of different countries. Do you think this would make an attractive program? If so could you give me some kind of an outline? Thanking you again for past favors.”
The music of different countries would make a good program, but you would require access to a library with a department devoted to music, as the history in the past must of course lead up to what is being done at the present. There are really so many subjects to choose from that it is difficult to decide which will be the subject most interesting to the majority of a club. American music at the moment is a subject attracting great attention, not only in this country but also abroad, where if foreigners do not like us particularly from a musical standpoint they must at least acknowledge that we lead in many musical ways. Here are some subjects that may enable you to make a choice: Ultra modern music, ancient choral music, folk music, Indian music, Chinese and Japanese music, musical instruments of the orchestra, songs and song writers, ballads. You see the subjects are many and varied. As for an outline of any of them, it is necessary to consult good reference books to find facts about the beginnings of music, whatever subject you study. First comes past history and origin, with progress traced down to the present; influence upon nation dr country, cause of survival of certain works. You probably had some such outline in your opera study. Of course this means much work for the president of the club who is responsible, but, as said before, if you have a good musical library to consult it will be of great interest to get at the facts. There are so many
PRINCESS ATALIE SSÄ
ADDRESS: 104 WEST 94th ST., NEW YORK ..... Tel. 1396 Riverside
PpMmillJnStUutg of(DuaU ERNEST BLOCH, Musical Director
2827 EUCLID AVE., CLEVELAND, OHIO Mrs. Franklyn B. Sanders, Executive Director
VIRGINIA GILL Lyric Soprano
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Address: 1014 Division Street	Camden, New Jersey
“From the first gracious bow to the final ‘tick took* of her ‘Clock Song,׳ Anna FItziu, was in perfect harmony with the large audience that greeted her. Anna Fitziu’s tones are clear as a bell and absolutely true and with all of her great love in her voice, she sings straight to the souls of her audience.”—Florida Metropolis.
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Anna FITZIU
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Voice Production and the Art of Singing—June 15th to August 4th
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Cara Verson Tells of Central European Conditions
Cara Verson, pianist, who has just returned from a successful concert tour of Central Europe, when interviewed, had some interesting things to say regarding conditions there:
“Berlin is at present one of the most cosmopolitan cities of Central Europe and ranks first in the number and variety of concerts. The great difficulty, while there, was to make a choice of musical fare. Would one prefer orchestral, a piano or vocal recital, or should it be a performance of Shakespearean tragedy by Moisse? And if one was out of tune with things musical and wanted diversion, there was always an operetta, or the Blau Vogel (the Chauve Souris of Berlin) to fall back upon.
“Of pianists there was an infinite variety: men of the classical school like D’Albert, Lamond and Pembauer, o׳׳ on the other hand those interested in the moderns. I liked Walter Gieseking, who has the happy faculty of blending the best of both schools. I heard him in a most interesting recital of modern compositions of Malipiero, Castelnuova, Scriabin and Hindemith. To be sure, interested as I am in the moderns, I could not entirely grasp the meaning of all that Hindemith has to say. His 1922 suite is very interesting. Gieseking has the most exquisitely refined pianissimo I have ever heard; it is so marvelous that it almost takes one’s breath away. Some weeks later I heard him play the Brahms second piano concerto, and his wonderful interpretation was simply beyond description.
“Of orchestral music I heard much; there were many visiting conductors with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Mengelberg conducted Mahler’s Lied von der Erde and a very interesting concert it was. Koussewitzky gave Scriabin’s Prometheus, among other numbers; Furtwängler included the Five Pieces of Orchestra of Schoenberg (a first hearing) in Berlin, and Scriabin’s Poeme de L’Extase in his program. Bruno Walter gave one of the most beautiful performances of Brahms and Haydn that I have ever enjoyed hearing. Stravinsky’s Sacre du Printemps, because of its ultra modern tendency, almost caused a riot. There was hissing, shouting and whistling, but it was a splendid piece of work. Of Americans Frank Laird Waller was the only orchestral conductor I heard during the winter. He gave an entire Scriabin Abend (which was an innovation) with the Berlin Symphonic Orchestra. His interpretation of the Scriabin Poem de L’Extase was most inspiring. Indeed I liked it better than any that I heard, for he worked it up to a most magnificent finale, with the large bells, extra trumpets, and organ triumphantly announcing the victory of the spiritual over the more earthly love.
“There are apparently few composers in Central Europe these days; I say, apparently, for perhaps the expense of publishing prevents their doing so. Of the moderns, Schoenberg and Hindemith are practically the only ones heard. Pierrot Lunaire of the former was extremely interesting, and some of the numbers have a rare exotic beauty difficult of description. Hindemith’s Junge Magd, for voice and strings, was another novelty I heard.
“Of the composers who are following in the path ot Brahms, Mahler is of course the greatest. His Ninth Symphony is simply stupendous with its chorus of three thousand and its enlarged orchestra. You will probably be surprised that I lay such stress on orchestral concerts, since I am a pianist, but I believe it is invaluable to a pianist to
CARA VERSON
hear as much orchestral music as possible and to study the different instruments and their effects, their range, tone quality, etc., for only by so doing can he introduce into his playing the infinite variety of tone color needful for expressive playing. The singing quality of_ the violins and cellos, the lighter ripple of the harp, the plaintive tone of the oboe and, the less legato, metallic tone of the brasses, all can be produced to a great extent on the piano.”
Louis Aschenfelder Honors Mirovitch
At the Aschenfelder studios on Saturday evening, May 5, a reception, musicale and dance was held in honor of Alfred Mirovitch, given by Louis Aschenfelder and Eugene Mirovitch. Among the 150 guests present were the following: Mana Zucca, Mr. Casel, Mr. and Mrs. Elman, Mr. and Mrs. Zimbalist, Grace Hofmann, Dr. Amey, Dr. and Mrs. Bras-lau, Emma Mirovitch, Mr. Poliakin, Mr. Romanoff, Mr. Pantalieff, Mr. ' and Mrs. Piastro Borrisoff, Rudolph Bochco, S. Hurok, Mrs. and Mrs. F. Fischer, Kurt Hetzel,