MUSICAL COURIER 18 in Paris. The elder Foersters look forward to greeting their old friend Xaver Scharwenka, who arrives in America about this time, en route to Chicago. Arline Thomas Broadcasts via WEAF. June 18, Arline Thomas, dramatic soprano, radioed a recital per WEAF, New York, singing, entirely in English, songs by Wood, Del Riego, Dunn, Spross, Rogers, D’Hardelot and Robison, with Lucille Blabe at the piano. Miss Thomas is a prominent member of the Southland Singers’ Club and is a pupil of Mme. Dambmann, founder and president. Frank Stewart Adams Gives Recital at Pennsylvania Convention. The third convention, Pennsylvania State Council of the National Association of Organists (Dr. William A. Wolf, Lancaster, Pa., state president), took place June 12 in Philadelphia. Addresses, greetings, recitals (Maitland, Sykes, Fry, Mitchell, Banks, Crazier), organ and orchestra at the Stanley Theater, and a closing recital at St. Clement’s Church, by Frank Stewart Adams, made up a full program. R. E. JOHNSTON BLAMES THE RADIO Says That Former Faithful Patrons Preferred to Stay Home and Listen to Wireless Music—or Play Poker “Was the past season a poor one in the concert business?” asked a Musical Courier writer of R. E. Johnston, the׳ New York manager. “In my opinion it was,” replied R. E. J. “And do you know why it was poor?” “I think I do,” answered Mr. Johnston. “The blame must be laid on some new factor—it may be the radio. Certain it is that in many instances the radio supplies an excuse for not going out of one’s way to attend a concert. While good music was hard to hear, people traveled miles to attend a concert. Suddenly, the radio made its debut and great artists were happy to give their services gratis, because it was a novelty and the publicity was desirable. “However, as the radio became more and more common, the less great artists lent their talent. A poorer grade of performers substituted. But the radio habit was formed! Those who formerly went out of their way to hear a concert would say, ‘Let us stay at home and “listen in.” ’ In many instances, this excuse was merely a conscience soother, for after a few minutes of music the suggestion was made, ‘Let’s play poker,’ or perhaps, ‘Let’s go to the movies,’ etc. “The artist appearing in a nearby town wondered what had become of the hitherto faithful audience. The local manager became wary, and hesitated to give concerts. The results have been felt by every concert manager. Of course, the^ people of ■ whom I have been speaking are not the majority of the class who term themselves ‘ardent music lovers,’ for were such the case the concert business would have been a complete failure. There are enough of them, though, to make their absence ,felt. “Let it not be thought that I attribute conditions solely to the radio. There may be other factors. If there are others, I shall be very glad to know of them.” Harcum School Commencement Musicale The commencement musicale at the Harcum School, at Bryn Mawr, Pa., was the highly gratifying result of the inspiring and painstaking work done by Mrs. Harcum. Four piano students were selected from the members of the ensemble class of Michel Penha (solo cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra) to play concertos with a string quintet from the Philadelphia Orchestra. The effective Tschai-kowsky concerto was performed with characteristic dash and rhythm by Isabelle Rudd, of Toledo, Ohio, who displayed a natural bravura style, splendid technical equipment and singular poise. The playing of Elizabeth Haynes from Washington, D. C., stood out notably for its rhythmic grace and variety of touch in the Grieg A minor concerto. The Concertstiick of Schumann was intelligently given by Elizabeth Gilman, of Ontario, Cal., who showed a fine feeling for the melodic beauty of this composition. Helen Ganz, of Philadelphia, played the Mendelssohn G minor concerto with breadth of tone and conviction. Other pianists whose fine work and talent gave splendid credit to the school were Louise Riley, Lucile Mehl and Duer Councill. Mary Elizabeth Broderick, harpist, who is a pupil of Dorothy Johnston-Baseler, showed much skill and finish in her playing. Special comment was made upon the fine quality of tone and technical facility possessed by Laura Teichgraber, Sarah Horner and Elizabeth Ulf, all of whom are students of Philip Warren Cooke, of Philadelphia, who has charge of the vocal department of the school. The improvement prize was won by Elizabeth Haynes, who was graduated this year with distinction. After giving her public recital a committee of professional musicians voted that her artistic playing justified her return to the school next year to work for the artist’s diploma. At the completion of this artist’s course she will make a formal debut under the auspices of the school and will be given professional engagements to play throughout the country under the auspices of the Harcum Alumnae Association, which has strong branches in many States. Carroll was chairman of the evening, and President Eilert delivered a much applauded address of welcome. Donors of prizes were Isaac H. Blanchard, A. B. King & Co., Inc., G. Frederick Kalkhoff, Clarence S. Nathan and (for the best all-around student) Ernest F. Eilert. The principal address of the evening was by Frederick W. Robinson, director of evening sessions, and dean, School of Business, City College, in which he said many fine and well deserved things of the printer and his art. He also announced future direct co-operation between City College and the Employing Printers’ Association School. With the presentation of certificates to fifty-five graduates the evening closed. Busy Richard Crooks. June 12, Richard Crooks, tenor, sang at Norwalk, Conn., making nothing less than a sensation, for his ringing voice, splendid style and youthful ardor captured everybody. June 20 he sang at the Morris County Golf Club, Convent, N. J., and May 24 the Reading, Pa., Times, Eagle and Telegram-Herald all praised his magnificent voice, reserve force, dramatic qualities, exquisite quality, clean-cut diction, etc. Two January engagements already booked are re-engagements with the Blackstone Morning Musicale, Chicago; a Rochester, N. Y., re-engagement, and an appearance with the Chicago Apollo Club, February 25. Eugenio Di Pirani, a Composer, Author and Teacher. Mr. Di Pirani, whose article, Humoresque, appeared in the last issue of the Musical Courier, has published many IN RESPONSE to many inquiries Alberto Jonas the renowned Spanish Piano Virtuoso and Pedagogue, teacher of many famous pianists, announces that he Never Accepts Pupils During the Summer Mr. and Mrs. Alberto Jonas’ summer address is: Wagner Platz No. 6, Berlin-Friedenau, Germany Alberto Jonas reopens his New York Studio on OCTOBER 1st at 19 WEST 85th STREET Applications may be sent in now to insure acceptance for next fall. Five Assistants for Beginners and advanced pupils. Address: Secretary of Alberto Jonas, 19 West 85th St., New York, N. Y. musical works, books, and is known as teacher of many excellent pianists. Although of Italian birth, he had a thorough German course under the elder Kullak, Frederick Kiel in composition, etc. Mr. Di Pirani has gone to his cottage, State Line, Mass., for the summer. Brounoff’s March, Happiness, Makes Hit. Platon Brounoff gave eleven concerts for the lecture bureau of the Board of Education, and among other numbers he played his latest march, Happiness, which was enthusiastically applauded. He is considering a proposition as to his national American opera, Ramona, to produce and tour the country with it, American soloists and chorus to be featured. Bruno Reibold, Conductor, in America. Bruno Reibold, conductor, formerly well known cellist, active in the musical life of Essen, Germany, has recently arrived in America and purposes locating in New York. He comes of a distinguished musical family, his father being the director of the Düsseldorf Tonkünstler Orchestra, and is highly recommended. Elsa Foerster Sings Elizabeth. Elsa Foerster, whose parents live in Wood Ridge, N. J., unexpectedly won new honors as Elizabeth (Tannhäuser) in the City Opera of Düsseldorf May 20; she sang it without orchestral rehearsal and was complimented by all who heard her. She and her brother expect to spend the summer GOTHAM GOSSIP ===^==^=^== Spivak Pupils’ Recital. Twenty-three young pupils of Samuel Spivak appeared in recital at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Saturday evening, June 9. The varied list of piano selections included numbers by Tschaikowsky, Grieg, Rameau, Dvorak, Schubert, Godard, Godowsky, Scharwenka, Brahms, Liszt, Chopin, Nevin and others. Those participating on the program were Estelle Schlenoff, Miriam H. Silverman, Roma Cohen, Louis Abrams, Eva Isakowitz, Harriet Lerner, Nettie Kash, Edith Shapiro, Evelyn Breindel, Irma Ginsburg, Adele Essner, Bernard Perlman, Herman Biegel, Edna Adler, Labelle Neuwirth, Ruth and Edna Friedman, Selma Tiger, Beatrice Feldman, Frances Rosenthal, Tillie Abramowitz, Ruth Abramowitz and Ruth Baskind. The pianists showed the result of careful training; they played everything from memory, clearly and accurately. Roma Cohen showed rhythmical feeling in an Italian Song by Tschaikowsky and Bernard Perlman played Phantoms (Metcalfe) with decision. Godowsky’s Alt Wien was well rendered by Labelle Neuwirth and Edna Friedman played Scharwenka’s Polish Dance commendably. Miss Friedman displayed fluent and sure technic in a brilliant rendition of Liszt’s second rhapsody. Frances Rosenthal put much expression into her playing of Nevin’s Venetian Love Song. Chopin’s Fan-tasie Impromptu and Bartlett’s Grand Polka de Concert were admirably given by Tillie Abramowitz and Ruth Abramowitz respectively. Pauline Spivak, soprano, accompanied by Mr. Spivak at the piano, sang a group of songs which pleased the audience very much. Josef G. Geiger lent variety to the program with his readings, which included a clever parody of his own on Boots, by Kipling, entitled Ads. Several of his pupils also gave pleasure with recitations: Charlotte Weiss-man, Dorothy Taylor and Omar Livergant, the latter an unusually talented child. The soloists received many huge bouquets and baskets of flowers. Hjaltested, an Usher-Los Kamp Pupil. Ethel Watson Usher and Virginia Los Kamp have a remarkable tenor named Einar Hjaltested, from Iceland, who is attracting attention. He made his debut May 4 before an audience of 4,000 in Jersey City, under the auspices of the Shriners of Hudson County, creating a sensation, and Miss Usher accompanied him. On May 13 he was acclaimed by a large audience at the Harris Theater, New York, at the Elks’ benefit, and again proved himself a real artist. Among their artist-pupils re-engaged in their church positions are La Grange Beattie, soprano, soloist at the Harlem-New York Presbyterian Church; May Gill, contralto, and Charles Weber, tenor, soloists of the same church; C. Ronald Greene, bass soloist at the Broadway Tabernacle; Charles Mertens, bass soloist, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brooklyn; Noel Ludlow, bass soloist, Westfield, N. J., Congregational Church. T. Douglas Braden has recently been engaged as bass soloist of the Harlem-New York Presbyterian Church, New York. Among pupils in Kingston, N. Y., Caroline Sager Rich, soprano, and Mildred Messinger, contralto, are re-engaged as soloists in St. James’ Methodist Episcopal Church, and Helen Luter, soprano, and Greta Linkletter, contralto, have been re-engaged as soloists at Elmendorf Presbyterian Church, as well as Milton Schiebel, baritone soloist of the same church. Miss La Grange Beattie made a successful appearance at the Masonic Temple with Kathryn Platt Gunn, violinist; Paulding de Nike, cellist; Henry Allan Price, reader, and Miss Usher, accompanist. Among the artists giving radio recitals recently were May Gill, Charles Mertens and C. Ronald Green. Amy Grant Talks to Young Musicians’ Guild. On invitation of Mrs. Julian Edwards, Amy Grant gave a talk before the Young Musicians’ Guild at the May 31 evening, taking as her subject, Twenty Years for a Career. She said that one should settle down to the thought that it takes fifteen or twenty years to learn any art; give up trying to become famous in three years; spread the thought that perfection in art takes a long time, etc. She said that music is expressed feeling, that one should learn to know the great works, attend concerts seriously, listen and learn all the time, all of which is reproduced in detail in the June issue of the printed organ of this Guild. She is expected to give a recital of Blue Bird at the July gathering. Guild members are to go on a hike June 24. Music at Employing Printers’ Commencement. Samuel Furedi, cellist, played solos at the annual commencement exercises of the school, New York Employing Printers’ Assocjation, Inc., Ernest F. Eilert president, at the Washington Irving High School, June 12, with such spirit and effectiveness that he had to add an encore, a gavotte by Popper. Other musical features included trios for violin, cello and piano, by Nevin, Moszkowski, Tschaikowsky and Pierne, played by Bessie Riesberg Bull, S. Furedi, and F. W. Riesberg, as well as an opening organ solo by the latter. Four valedictories were given by Lelaud M. Gray, Val. J. Wolfe, Herbert O. Thielitz, and Albert O. Adams, and George _W. Miller was introduced as the best all-round student, with an average^of 99 per cent. W. S. FRANTZ PROSCHO WS 419 Fine Arts Building, Chicago Author of “The Way to Sing.”—Published by C. C. Birchard, Boston, Mass. Amelita Galll-Curci Says : ^ ״ , THE AMBASSADOR — NEW YORK Dear Mr. Proschowsky— February 23, 1923. ״ ass°ciate(? with 7ou f9r th