11
MUSICAL COURIER
June 14, 1923
RALPH LEOPOLD
who is well grounded in the technic of the keyboard and an atmospheric player who can translate many moods.”
On May 20, Mr. Leopold won an ovation on the occasion of his appearance as soloist in the De Witt Clinton High School auditorium, New York.
Macbeth Closes Owensboro Music Week
Owensboro, Ky., May 9.—Florence Macbeth, coloratura soprano of the Chicago Opera, brought the second annual music week in Owensboro to a brilliant close before an immense audience at the Grand Theater on Friday night, singing before the Kentucky Federation of Music Clubs, who were guests of the Saturday Musicale at the concert. Assisted by George Roberts, the composer-pianist, the prima donna charmed her hearers with her rarely beautiful voice and artistry, responding to enthusiastic encores throughout a program of unusual interest.	S. D.
John Charles Thomas to Continue to Sing
While it is true that John Charles Thomas is busy making a motion picture, it is not true that he will forsake his career as a vocal artist. In spite of repeated denials, every now and then reports bob up announcing that Thomas will devote himself to the silent drama. He is already booked for many appearances next season, and engagements are continually being recorded. Thomas himself declares that it is his big ambition to sing, and nothing can make him give that up. His first New York recital next season will be on Sunday afternoon, October 14, at Aeolian Hall.
light, graceful effects. It has fine balance, accuracy and beautiful tone. Clayton Quasi, of Chicago, was the assisting artist.
Manitoba Festival Great Success.
The annual musical competition festival which took place the week of May 7 was the most successful in the history of Manitoba. The adjudicators were Granville Bantock and H. Plunkett Greene, of England, and T. Tertius Noble, of New York. Public interest in the event was very keen and the large Board of Trade auditorium was crowded every afternoon and evening. About a thousand people were turned away from the concert of prize-winners given Saturday night. Between 4,000 and 5,000 persons took part. A special feature was the excellent singing of the school children’s choirs, for which Winnipeg is noted. One school, the Earl Grey, did so well that it was awarded the Earl Grey Trophy for music, which has not been awarded in recent years. This school obtained 197 of a possible 200 marks. The work of the adult choirs was also notable and there was keen competition for the various shields. At the Wednesday night session, the Winnipeg Male Voice Choir sang several numbers, by request, and made a profound impression on the adjudicators. Coming from England, where male voice singing is made much of, they were astounded at the excellence of the work done here, and declard that they had never heard anything finer. Prof. Bantock was very anxious that the choir should visit England during the world’s fair and take part in musical competitions there. He thought it would be the finest possible advertisement for Canada and Winnipeg that could be devised.
There will be a series of concerts by the various city bands throughout the summer.	I. T.
Levitzki to Return to Pacific Coast
So successful were the appearances that Mischa Levitzki made in Los Angeles and San Francisco in March, that after his tour of the Northern Pacific Coast cities, he returned to California for additional engagements there under the direction of Jessica Colbert. Again he was acclaimed by large audiences and the not unnatural result is that he has been engaged for a similar tour of twelve recitals on the Pacific Coast in February next. The first fortnight will be spent in California in Mrs. Colbert’s territory and the second half of the month he will tour Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and British Columbia, under the local management of Katharine Rice of Tacoma.
Ralph Leopold Wins Ovation
On May 6, Ralph Leopold, American concert pianist, was one of the soloists at the May festival in Hays, Kans., where he was received with unusual enthusiasm.
On May 16 he played in Albany, N. Y. The Knickerbocker Press, Albany, N. Y., issue of May 16, says: “Ralph Leopold gave a fine reading of the Chopin D flat nocturne, a Dohnanyi conceit, a Humoresque by Rachmaninoff and an etude by Leschetizky that marked him as a man
WINNIPEG SCENE OF MANITOBA’S MUSICAL COMPETITION FESTIVAL
Imposing List of Artists Heard During Season—Chorus Singing Made a Citywide Activity
Winnipeg, Man., May 22.—Ending in a blaze of glory with the fifth annual Manitoba Musical Competition Festival, the most successful musical season which the city of Winnipeg has ever known, drew to a close. Artists who have visited the city this season include Johnson, Farrar, Werrenrath, Barclay, Dupre, Bonnet, Graveure, Rubinstein, Garrison, Hess, Rachmaninoff, Cortot, Moiseiwitch, Braslau, Salvi, Bauer, Friedman, Case, Kreisler, Elman, Middleton, and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. In addition, the tour of the Winnipeg Male Voice Choir, which visited American and Canadian cities, did much to put the city on the musical map, while various ambitious efforts by local organizations testified to deep-rooted musical activity.
The Elman concert was under the auspices of the Women’s Musical Club and the sum of $2,000 realized will go towards building a much needed auditorium.
City on High Choral Plane.
The Winnipeg Philharmonic Society gave its final concert for the season assisted by Harold Bauer. This society, conducted by Hugh Ross, the leader of the Winnipeg Male Voice Choir, numbers over 200 mixed voices and specializes in erudite part songs. One of the outstanding numbers presented was Elgar’s Death on the Hill, while Bach’s motet, Blessing, Glory, Wisdom, was given a splendid interpretation. Mr. Bauer gave a fine program and a notable fact connected with it was that the audience allowed him to play Beethoven’s Sonata Appassionata without interrupting with applause between movements.
The Winnipeg Choral and Orchestral Society recently wound up its activities for the season. Conducted by Arnold Dann, the choral section numbers over 200 voices and the orchestral about sixty-five pieces. The program included the prologue from Boito’s Mephistopheles and the Sin-fonia from Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise. This society is doing excellent work and gave enjoyable renditions to its difficult selections.
The Lyric Club held the boards at the Walker Theater for three days with Lionel Monckton’s The Cingalee. Among the principals were Wooten Goodman, Gwendolin Hewett, Kathleen Ogilvie, Donald St. Clair, William Mitchell, Kathleen Mitten and׳ Wilfrid Rigg.
Arthur Middleton was the assisting artist with the Winnipeg Oratorio Society at the presentation of Elijah, under John J. Moncrieff. A fine rendition of the oratorio was given, the soloists being Gertrude Newton, May Clarke, Mrs. Burton Kurth, W. Davidson Thomson and Henry Thompson.
The St. Cecilia Ladies’ Chorus of sixty voices, conducted by Burton Lowell Kurth, gave a delightful concert in the Dominion Theater. This choir sings well, excelling in
NEW YORK CITY
“Anna Burmeister’s program was intrinsically excellent. She is possessed of a voice of valuable natural quality.”—New York Herald.
“She has an unusually good voice of good range. Her voice has been intelligently trained, she phrases smoothly and shows appreciation of various styles. Another good feature of her singing is excellent diction.”—New York Tribune.
CHICAGO
“It was really a delight to listen to tone-production so effortless, a lovely voice homogeneous from register to register, diction that is both refined and cultivated and a singing style pregnant with intelligence and temperamental warmth.”—Chicago Evening American.
“Proved herself mistress of the exacting art of song singing. She grasps the emotional content and picture of a song and can bring them clearly to her hearers. Her voice is a high soprano, excellently schooled. Her singing shoivs style, taste, musicianship throughout.” —Chicago Daily Tribune.
TOLEDO
"Gave one of the most artistic programs that has been heard in some time. She captivated the audience on her first appearance and held them throughout the trying program. She has a highly pleasing voice and displays a finish of unusual excellence. Her interpretations ivere of a high order."—Toledo News, April 25th, 1923.
“She has a beautifully clear, unsually well trained voice, capable of exquisite modulations. Each selection served to heighten the popularity which the singer won with her first appearance on the platform.—Toledo Blade, April 25th, 1923.
“Those who listened to Miss Burmeister wilt welcome her any time she returns. Her voice is soft and ingratiating, her tones are true and she gave a program which wholly satisfied her audience. Applause was insistent.”—Toledo Times, April 25th, 1923.
MINNEAPOLIS
“She will win her way well to the front of professional vocalists.” —Minneapolis Tribune, April 17th, 1923.
Direction : EVELYN HOPPER, Aeolian Hall, New York City
ANNA
BURMEISTER
SOPRANO
SANG WITH
Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (Apr. 16th, 1923),
Chicago Symphony Orchestra (May 11th, 1923)