25
MUSICAL COURIER
June 2 8, 1923
BERLIN
(Continued from page 5)
These are very “modern” and difficult to characterize after one hearing, except that they show the same desire for bizarre and weird orchestral effects as the last Schonberg, or as the other Schonberg disciple, Anton vori Webern. At first hearing, however, they were not as convincing and incisive in their expression, nor imbued with the same fanatic sincerity which reconciles one to much that is incomprehensible. The titles of the two pieces might have been reversed without influencing one’s impression in the least.
Zemlinsky’s Maeterlinck Songs.
Orchestral songs are rarely good. There is a lack of balance between the usual lyric poem and the enormous orchestral apparatus which precludes harmonic unity from the outset. The Maeterlinck songs of Alexander Zemlinsky, op. 13, however, constitute one of the exceptions that prove the rule. They treat Maeterlinck’s suggestive balladesque verses with• the delicacy of a Debussy, though by no means
The Philharmonic Society of New York
Founded 1842
Season 1923-1924 Opens at Carnegie Hall, October 25th
Conductors: WILLEM VAN HOOGSTRATEN	WILLEM MENGELBERG
Associate Conductor: HENRY HADLEY
6 Subscription Series: 18 Thursday Evenings, 18 Friday Afternoons, 6 Saturday Evenings and 12 Sunday Afternoons at Carnegie Hall. 10 Concerts on 6 Tuesday Evenings and 4 Sunday Afternoons at Metropolitan Opera House. 6 Sunday Afternoons at Brooklyn Academy of Music.
EMINENT SOLOISTS IN FIFTY-TWO APPEARANCES
Kochanski, Zimbalist, Salmond, Huberman, Schelling, Schulz, Nikisch, Flesch, Mero, Van Vliet, Landowska, Guidi, Gabrilowitsch, Spalding, Morini, Levitzki, Bachaus, Bauer, Giannini, Koshetz, Thibaud, Grainger
Tours: Plainfield, N. J., Bridgeport, Conn., Yale University, Smith College, Mt. Holyoke Seminary, Dartmouth College, Princeton University, Worcester, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Lancaster, Pittsburgh
New Subscriptions Accepted: Friday Afternoons, balcony seats only. Thursday Evenings, a few parquet and upper box seats. Saturday Evenings, some choice seats in parquet and upper boxes. Sunday Afternoons, a very few parquet seats. Metropolitan Opera House series, some desirable seats in all parts of the house. Brooklyn, orchestra seats only.
ARTHUR JUDSON, Manager	D. EDWARD PORTER, Associate Manager
Offices: 718 Fisk Building, New York	Steinway Piano
of marks, has accomplished its purpose; but its chief merit is the first production of Schonberg’s Gurrelieder in Berlin. Barbara Kemi>'s Concert Triumph.
Right into the middle of the Austrian Music Week—which, by the way, also comprised a special performance of
“If one permitted oneself the free use of superlatives, adjectives would run riot over the available space.”—New York World.
“One of the most remarkable pianistic geniuses of all time.”—New York Evening Mail.
“Amazing, electrifying—a born virtuoso.”—Boston Post.
“Like Paderewski and Rachmaninoff rolled into one.”—Kansas City Star. “Second to none.”—Syracuse Herald.
“Evangel of the pianoforte.”—Los Angeles Record.
ERWIN NYIREGYHAZI
Management of R. E. Johnston, 1451 Broadway, New York
KNABE PIANO
AMPICÖ RECORDS
Photo by Mishkin, N. Y.
MME. CHARLES CAHIER
© Mishkin.
Schreker’s Schatzgräber at the Staatsoper—fell an orchestral concert conducted by Max von Schillings, with Barbara (Continued on page 27)
MRS. SCHILLINGS,
otherwise Barbara Kemp of the Metropolitan and Berlin operas, who on her reappearance in concert in Berlin received a tremendous ovation.
in the same style. There are, it is true, touches of impressionism in his score, but it is infinitely richer in melodic content and continuity than Debussy or Ravel. Zemlinsky follows every nuance of the poetry and creates a definite mood in each song. The genuine musicianship and individuality of these songs makes one wonder why this composer is so rarely heard. It is a curious circumstance that he is the teacher of Schonberg and that this “novelty” was composed in 1910!
Zemlinsky, by the way, who conducted the accompaniments to these six songs himself, proved himself to be an orchestral leader of the finest mettle, authoritative and sensitive to every poetic inflection. Mme. Felicie Mihacsek-Hiini of Vienna was an excellent. and mellow-voiced interpreter of the songs.
As a sort of curiosity, Eduard Steuermann, the Viennese
PROMINENT CHARACTERS OP THE AUSTRIAN MUSIC WEEK IN BERLIN.
(I) Anton Webern, Viennese composer, whose Passacaglia had a striking success in the Austrian Week in Berlin. {2) Paul Pella, organizer and conductor of the Austrian Music Week. (3) A. von Zemlinsky, conductor of the Austrian Music Week in Berlin. (J!) Dr. Heinr. Jalowetz, conductor, Austrian Music Week in Berlin. (5) Alban Berg, Austrian composer, whose orchestral pieces were a feature of the Austrian Music Week.
pianist and Schonbergian, performed the tour de force of performing Schonberg’s chamber symphony upon the piano, in his own arrangement of course. The feat was much appreciated as such, though nothing was added to the understanding of the work. Steuermann has probably few equals as an interpreter of ultra-modern and ultra-complicated music, but he seems to have placed himself exclusively in the service of Schonberg’s muse.
The Austrian Music Week as a whole, which is reputed to have cost its generous backers some hundred odd millions
Marie SUNDELIUS
Soprano
Metropolitan Opera Company IS SI IM G I NG
THE HEART CALL......F. W. Vanderpool
SMILIN’ THROUGH......Arthur A. Penn
M. WITMARH & SONS, NEW YORK
This Sign
For Melody
Songs of
1 lie Better
Kind