June 14, 1923
MUSICAL COURIER
16
EDNA THOMAS,
affectionately known as The Lady from Louisiana. Her recitals in New York this past season were of outstanding success. She specializes in Negro songs and French ballads, those familiar on the streets of New Orleans. It is a new art Miss Thomas has brought to blasé New York and she so captivated her audiences that they lost their usual reserve and shouted for their favorite numbers, a demonstration rarely if ever accorded to American singers by their own people. This enthusiasm is generally given only to foreigners by their compatriots. Miss Thomas is noto in London where she will introduce her original songs to the English public, and later on in the season she tvill go to Paris. There can be no doubt of the success of her continental appearances. Miss Thomas will give the first recital of a series in New York early in the fall.
time by the Chopin Club for January 11; Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Conn., in November, and Phillips Academy in Andover early in December. The Boston recital of this organization takes place February 6. Aaron Richmond, the exclusive manager of the Fox-Burgin-Bedetti Trio, reports that these artists are being booked for an active season individually as well as for ensemble concerts.
Longys and Miquelles Leave for the Summer.
Georges Longy, celebrated oboist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conductor of the MacDowell Club and director of the Longy School of Music, sailed from New York with Mme. Longy on the S. S. Lafayette, May 12, for France, where they are to spend the summer on their farm near Abbeville on the Somme. Mr. Longy will be in Paris at the time of the final examinations at the Conservatoire and will utilize the opportunity to search for interesting new music to include in the programs of the MacDowell Club Orchestra of Boston and of his artist-pupils at the Longy School.
Renee-Longy Miquelle, admirable pianist and wife of Georges Miquelle, the popular cellist, sails from New York June 13 on the S. S. France. Mme. Miquelle will devote a great deal of her time to a survey of educational methods in the music schools of Paris with a view to adopting various ideas calculated to enhance further the efficiency of the Longy School of Music in Boston, and in the Providence branch. She will also seek new music for her interesting ensemble concerts with Mr. Miquelle, and plans to attend the classes of eurhythmies directed by her teacher, D’Udine, in Paris, as a guest pupil. Being very much interested in eurhythmies—indeed Mme. Miquelle is one of the pioneers in this country—she will also attend the classes in London under the personal supervision of Dalcroze, the founder of this art. The remainder of her time will be divided between vacationing on her father’s farm and working up her repertoire for next season’s concerts.
Georges Miquelle, who has been engaged to tour with Mme. Melba in the fall, left Boston June 9, motoring to New York with Mme. Miquelle. After seeing her off on the S. S. France a few days later he will drive to Lake Placid, N. Y., where he is to spend the summer playing at the club and preparing his repertory for next year.
Tillotson Pupil Scores.
Raymond Coon, an artist-pupil from the studio of Frederic Tillotson, created a highly favorable impression at a recital which he gave at Mr. Tillotson’s home in the Fenway, Sunday afternoon, May 13, to an audience of ISO guests. Mr. Coon revealed a beautiful tone, fluent technic and uncommon interpretative ability in the following program:	suite :for two pianos (Mr. Tillotson at second
piano), Arensky; Gavotte, Bach; A flat Valse, nocturne in D flat and G minor Ballade, Chopin; The Lark, Glinka-Balakireff; The Jugglers, Moskowsky; La Cathedrale Engloutie, Debussy, and Campanella, Paganini-Liszt. Mr. Coon was assisted by Mary Jacobs, a promising contralto, who gave pleasure in songs by Rachmaninoff, Watts and Kremer. The audience was enthusiastic.	J. C.
Victor Wittgenstein to Play in Europe
Victor Wittgenstein, American pianist, whose appearances in recital in New York as well as in various Southern and Western cities throughout the United States have been looked upon as important musical events, sailed for Europe on the S. S. Reliance, May 29. He intends to remain abroad three months during which period he will visit England, France, Austria and Italy.
On Tune 28, Mr. Wittgenstein will give a recital in Wig-more Hall, London. He will also play in Paris and Vienna.
BOSTON THOROUGHLY ENJOYS THE
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA “POP” CONCERTS
Conductor Agide Jacchia Presents Varied Programs—Petrauska’s Opera Pleases Large Audiences—Longys and Miquelles
Leave for Vacation—Tillotson Pupil Scores—Other Notes
of Negro folk tunes, a Tarantella by Saint-Saëns for flute and clarinet, Mr. Jacchia’s transcription for orchestra of Mendelssohn’s popular rondo capriccioso, and the delightfully primitive dances from Borodin’s opera, Prince Igor. Solo numbers of the week, in addition to those already noted, included the saccharine meditation from Massenet’s Thais, played by Mr. Theodorowicz, the concertmaster of the “pops” orchestra; Iago’s soliloquy from Verdi’s Othello, sung by G. Roberts Lunger, and Wolfram’s song to the evening star from Tannhäuser, played by Mr. Kellar, the first cellist of the orchestra.
Ondricek Pupil Sails.
Tascha Sinaieva (Anna Berstein), the young violinist and artist-pupil of Emanuel Ondricek, sailed for Europe June 2, on the Majestic. While abroad Miss Sinaieva will be heard as soloist with the Colonne orchestra, and, under the auspices of the Rothschild and^ Sassoon families, to whom she is related, this young ■violinist will play in a number of Parisian salons.
Another Ondricek pupil figuring in the news is Marjorie Posselt, who recently was awarded both the state and the district competitions for violin held by the Federated Music Clubs in Boston. Miss Posselt, who is an older sister of the phenomenal little Ruth Posselt, also a pupil of Mf. Ondricek, won fine success abroad last year as soloist with the Bleuthner orchestra in Germany.
Barrows Pupils to Sing in Boston and Providence.
Pupils from the Boston studio of Harriet Eudora Bar-rows, the well known voice teacher and coach, gave a recitai at the Copley Plaza, June 9, while pupils from Miss Bar-rows’ Providence studio will be heard in the Rhode Island capital on June 19.
Performance of Petrauskas’s Opera.
The Devil Inventor, Lithuanian opera in three acts by Mikas Petrauskas, the distinguished Lithuanian composer and singer, was performed Sunday afternoon, May 20, at the Broadway Theater, South Boston, Mass. This was the fourth time that Mr. Petrauskas’ opera had been presented in Boston, and a capacity audience attended the performance. According to reports, the opera went very well, the work of Mr. Petrauskas as conductor and of Messrs. Nava-dauskas and Kriauciunas as leading singers being particularly noteworthy.
The plot of Mr. Petrauskas’ opera deals with the displeasure of Beelzebub with his assistant devils for their failure to tempt men, and the success of the plougher’s devil in concocting a new liquid, whisky, which brings destruction to all who drink it. Mr. Petrauskas has doubtless written an effective score as he is a musician of uncommon attainments. Moreover, the popularity of this opera in Lithuanian communities in this country testifies to its melodic and dramatic appeal.
John W. Peirce to Visit Pacific Coast.
About the middle of July, John W. Peirce, the baritone, plans to take a trip to the Pacific Coast. Mr- Peirce will probably make his headquarters in Seattle for at least a month and will probably give a number of recitals while in the West. This singer is under the management of Aaron Richmond for New England territory and of Harry Culbertson of Chicago for the West and Middle West.
Roland Hayes to Sing Here Next Season.
H. T. Parker announces in the Transcript that Roland Hayes, the thrice admirable Negro tenor, will give a series of concerts in this country next season. The praise of Viennese and Berlin critics has recently been added to the judgment of London and Paris to the effect that Mr, Hayes is one of the great artists of the day. H>s appearances in this country will be anticipated with keen interest by those who have followed his success abroad during the past few years.
Fox-Burgin-Bedftti Trio Bookings.
Great interest on the part of local concert managers and committees is shown in the Fox-Burgin-Bedetti Trio. The artists—Felix Fox, the eminent pianist; Richard Burgin, concertmaster of the Boston Symphony, and Jean Bedetti, the solo cellist of that organization—are too well known as musicians and artists to require extended comment. As a trio their individual abilities contribute to a truly remarkable ensemble. After their recent concert in Providence the reviewer of the Tribune stated : “The flashing loveliness of Brahms, and the tender richness of Saint-Saëns were never better set down than by this exquisite trio last night. The Fox-Burgin-Bedetti Trio deserve by their excellent work to be, classed with those masters of chamber music, the Flonzaleys.” Commenting on this same concert, the Providence Journal wrote: “Together the three musicians make a rare artistic combination. Lovers of chamber music who heard them yesterday enjoyed a performance in which technical precision, musicianship, and finished ensemble were conspicuous qualities.”
Recent bookings include re-engagement in Providence, this
Operatic Recital at N. E. Conservatory.
Boston, June 10.—An innovation that proved interesting and decidedly worth repeating was a recital of operatic excerpts given Tuesday afternoon, June 5, in Jordan Hall by members of the N. E. Conservatory classes in dramatic interpretation. The singers were accompanied by the conservatory orchestra, under the admirable leadership of Wallace Goodrich. Those participating were Hazel Dunlap, Helen L. Goold, Esther E. P. Marshburn, Grace I. Schleif, Melissa Snyder, Susanna C. Thompson and Beatrice M. Woolley, sopranos; Mary T. Hobson, Martha Atwell and Rebecca D. Stoy, mezzo-sopranos; John F. Barron and Arthur R. Jewell, tenors, and Benjamin H. Russell, baritone. The program was well varied and manifestly designed to give the singers an opportunity to disclose their abilities as vocalists and interpreters. It included arias from Gluck’s Orfeo, Verdi’s La Forza del Destino, Pon-chielli’s La Gioconda, Charpentier’s Louise, Verdi’s Aida. Bizet’s Carmen, Mozart’s Nozze di Figaro, Puccini’s Butterfly, Wagner’s Walkiire and Saint-Saëns’ Samson and Delilah, a duet from Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet, a trio from Carmen, and the hackneyed quartet from Verdi’s Rigqletto.
Allowing for the customary deficiencies on occasions of this nature there were a number of pupils whose work revealed talent of a decidedly promising nature. Noteworthy, for example, was the spirited performance of Miss Atweli as Carmen and the musicianly singing of Mr. Barron as Don Jose in the final scene from Bizet’s masterfully written opera; Miss Hobson’s commendable rendition of ״Gluck’s lovely air; the convincing interpretation and charming aspect of Miss Goold in the card scene from the same opera, and the praiseworthy singing of Cio-Cio-San’s familiar aria from Butterfly by Miss Woolley. Mr. Goodrich merits warm commendation for the success of this concert.
Interesting Nights at “Pops.”
A program of unusual interest at the “pop” concerts was that which Mr. Jacchia arranged for Wednesday evening, Norwegian night. For this he selected pieces by Halvorsen, Grieg, Svendsen, Ole Bull, a pot-pourri of Norwegian folk
(Photo by Brazauskas.)
MIKAS PETRAUSKAS
songs, besides a composition from Sibelius, whom Mr. Jacchia probably regards as distantly related to the Scandinavians. The familiar Peer Gynt suite of Grieg and the folksongs seemed to carry the greatest appeal for the audience, which included a goodly proportion of Norwegians.
Monday night was New England Conservatory Night and the glee club of that school sang a number of pieces, with Mr. Chadwick conducting. Interesting items from the week’s programs include two numbers from Debussy’s Little Suite, a fantasia from the opera L’Africaine, the beautiful solo for English horn from the third act of Tristan, a Caribbean Legend by Mr. Sequeira (the young Portuguese composer), effective arrangements for orchestra by Mr. Jacchia
I PERSSON
R
c Vocal Coach and Concert Accompanist
Diction, Interpretation, Languages, etc.
Owing to demand of artists wishing to coach with Mr. Persson, he will keep his studios open all summer—available as accompanist in and near New York.
Associated with Chamlee, Gentle, Eva Gauthier, Marie Tiffany and other noted artists
Studio: 201 West 85th Street, New York Phone: Schuyler 2982