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January 5th 1882.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
157
The Beethoven Society have been most ener-
getic in their endeavor to give good music, and we
are largely indebted to them for the introduction
of many important works, such as Max Bruch'a
MR. SHERWOOD S RECITAL
"Lay of the Bell," Beethoven's "Mass," the "Eli-
at the Academy of Fine Arts, under the manage-
jah," etc.
ment of Mr. Miller, the Boston piano manufac-
Sometimes, however, although the effort has
turer, fully sustained his reputation as an artist of
been earnest, it has failed to produce the best re-
uncommon power, intelligence, and cultivation.
sults. I t was so in this concert. The Hymn of
He held the attention of his audience for an hour
Praise lost its character from the very slow time
and a half, with his artistic appreciation and
in which the different numbers were taken.
playing of examples from Schumann, Schubert,
This was particularly the case in the soprano
Bach, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Raff, Grieg, and
solo, with chorus, "Praise ye the Lord, O ! my
Lizst, which composed his programme.
spirit," in which the slow tempo deprived the
music of all its brightness and flow of movement.
ATJDRAN'S COMIC OPERA,
ROCHESTER.
Miss Heckle, who sang the soprano part, should
" La Mascotte," with Jennie Winston and Amy
ROCHESTER, December 26, 1881.
study the tempo of an important solo before she
Gordon, having proved a great success at the r I _ E first musical event since my last letter was gives it before the public.
Eight Street Theatre, it will be continued until JL the Philharmonic Society's concert, which took
It is impossible for the people to understand a
the 27th inst., to be followed by "Boccaccio."
place at the Grand Opera House on the evening of classical work when it is poorly given. To this
"Patience" will be sung next week at Wood's, by the 14th inst. before a good-sized and select audi- fact we owe the so-called lack of appreciation of
the Church Choir Company, who were so popular ence.
classical music.
at the Lyceum recently.
Movement in music is as important as the notes
The orchestra was reduced in numbers, but of a
A church building, recently used by Congrega- much better quality than it has been heretofore. themselves. A bright number may be dragged
tionalists, corner of Unity and Paul streets, Frank- The soloists, Mrs. Bromley, soprano, and Mr. into very dullness by faulty time and delivery.
ford, this city, has been leased for five years, by Freygang, harpist, seemed to please the rather
The text word in this performance of the "Hymn
Messrs. Geo. R. Hainan and W. H. Schultz, who cold and critical audience, particularly the latter, of Praise" was also very bad. It was almost
will convert it into an opera house, seating about whose excellent playing is sure to elicit enthusiasm laughable to hear the well known duet, " I waited
six hundred people.
for the Lord," sung "I tarried for the Lord."
from even the most indifferent listener.
"Why tarry ye?" one is tempted to ask. The
The rendition of " The Mascotte" by the Wilbur
THE GERMANIA ORCHESTRA
text, with its long treasured associations, would
are giving delightful Thursday afternoon promen- Opera Company, at the Corinthian Academy, was old
ade rehearsals at the Academy of Fine Arts, under a surprise to many, although, musically speaking, have been the better for public performance.
THE MOZART SOCIETY.
the direction of Wm. Stoll, Jr. Below is the pro- the company is not strong, yet the acting is very
good, especially that of Harry Brown as "Prince
gramme of December 22:
This society made its first appearance in public
March, No. 2—To "Schiller's Turandot," V. Lorenzo." John Brand, as " Pippo" was the best last Tuesday evening. They had the assistance of
Lachner; Overture—"La Dame Blanche," Boil- vocalist of the troupe, and may indeed be voted an Miss E. Aline Osgood, the concert vocalist; Mr.
dieu; Waltz—" Souviens Toi ? " Waldteufel; excellent singer as well as actor. The chorus was Emil Leibling, pianist, and an orchestra of thirty-
Symphony, No. 3—Im Walde, F major, op. 153, of fair size for a traveling company, but they car- three men, under the direction of Mr. Balatka.
J. Raff; a. Am Tage—Allegro; b. In der Dam- ried no orchestra with them, depending upon our
The Mozart Society is a mannerchor of some
merung—Largo; Overture—"King Lear," H. local musicians to do the work with one rehearsal. fifty voices, embracing many of our leading
Berlioz ; Finale — " Wassertriiger," Cherubini ; Judged from our standpoint, this seems an error singers. The programme was as follows: Overture
into which nearly all opera companies are falliug. to Rienzi, Wagner, orchestra; "Calm Sea and a
Fantasie—"Kutsehke Polka," Stansy.
Messrs. W. H. Bo we & Co. have just issued a Possibly, judged from a managerial standpoint, it Happy Voyage," Fisher, Mozart Society; air,
selection of songs, transposed for bass and alto : is not an error, but a necessity. More's the pity, "Reine de Saba," Gounod, Mrs."Osgood; "Spring's
•'The Wanderer," in A minor, Schubert; " Yeo- for what is an opera (and particularly a French Awakening,'" Kreutzer, Mannerchor; "Larghetto,"
man's Wedding Song," G, by Ponitowaski; "Blue one. where so much depends on orchestral effect) 4th symphony, Beethoven, orchestra; "The Balmy
Alsatian Mountains," C, by Adams; and "Valen- without a good orchestra? If an accompaniment is Days," Kiiepen, Mrs. Osgood, Messrs. Knorr
and Broderick, chorus and orchestra; "Concert-
tine's Farewell," from " Faust," to be followed by all that is needed, a good pianist will suffice.
Following closely after "The Mascotte" came stuck," Weber, Mr. Leibling; finale to "Arminus,"
others. They will prove very acceptable to basses
Hoffmann, Messrs. Knorr and McWade, chorus,
particularly."
RALPH CECIL.
THE COMLEY BARTON COMPANY,
and orchestra; "The Better Land," Cowen, Mrs.
one of the fifteen companies singing " Patience " Osgood; serenade, Abt; "Storm at Sea," Duenner.
throughout
the
country.
They
gave
"Patience"
INDIANAPOLIS.
at the Grand Opera House to good houses, and As this occasion was the introduction of the
INDIANAPOLIS, December 23.
the "twenty lovesick maidens" (eighteen in club to Wie public, much interest was felt in the
r
T^HE engagement of the Strakosch Opera Com- this company, as I counted them) turned the concert, and a very fine audience of our society
L pany at the Grand Opera House, December heads of as many, and more, enthusiastic boys. people had assembled to hear them.
In the singing of Mrs. Osgood, I must express
13 and 14, was fairly successful in spite of very The company was only fair, but, under the excel-
bad weather. The operas given were "Lucia di lent direction of Alfred Cellier, the music was care- disappointment. She is a very graceful lady,
Lammermoor," with Mme. Gerster in the leading fully and conscientiously rendered, and "Patience" with most attractive appearance, and by her ease
of manner and brightness wins the admiration of
role, and "II Trovatore," Mile. Leslino appearing was a decided success.
her audience. But from a musical point of
as Leonora. The disagreeable weather seemed
There seemed to be more preparation than usual view tlin matter stands, in my very humble
to have a depressing effect upon the audience, and for the Christmas music this year, and in some of the
although Gerster sang better than when she ap- churches very choice programmes were excellently opinion, thus: Her voice is uneven in its develop-
peared here last season, the performance was not rendered. The Saturday and Sunday papers de- ment. She uses harsh chest tones upon the lower
notes—tones that no singer can make agreeable,
interrupted by very hearty applause.
voted several columns to the publication of the
"II Trovatore" would have been a very enjoy- various programmes, so that " the stranger within and which are not the legitimate sounds of a culti-
able performance, no doubt, had the theatre been our gates " could satisfy his taste. In the after- vated organ. Had more care been taken in the
warmer. As it was, the audience, wrapped in noon, at the Brick Church, a service of song was development of her voice, these notes would have
overcoats and cloaks, endured rather than enjoyed held, in which the regular choir were assisted by had a smooth and flowing character, that would
the performance Mile. Leslino's voice is very a chorus composed of members of the Opera Club have been at once natural and pleasing. The
part of her voice is clear and pretty, but is
strong, but has little else to recommend it, and and a string orchestra. The programme included upper
the statement that she is a great favorite through- Nos. 5 and 0, from Sullivan's " Festival TeDeum;" very light.
This want of body to the tone comes from a
out Europe leads one to think that the Europeans the " Inflammatus," from Rossini's "Stabat Mater;"
have very peculiar tastes. Signor Lazzarini sang "Adeste Fidelis" (Novello arrangement), and some false method in breathing. Had the muscles of
better than usual, and Signor Sweet received a selections by Buck, Wilson, and others. Also the the diaphragm been called into activity during
"Andante," from Haydn's symphony in C, played the years of study, and the throat been left free
very hearty encore.
from all contraction, a rich round tone would
by organ and string orchestra.
MISS KELLOGG'S FAREWELL.
have been developed, which, in a voice of the
Dr.
Mandeville
and
his
bride
returned
from
their
In spite of the rain which fell in torrents last
timbre of Mrs. Osgood's, could only have been
night, quite a large audience gathered at English's wedding tour on Thursday last, and are " at home beautiful.
after
December
21."
Opera House, both to welcome and bid farewell
It was with regret that I observed this inade-
The ladies of the Opera Club hold a reception
to Miss Clara Louise Kellogg. No other singer
quate method of breathing, for it prevents this
has ever been so popular with Indianapolis as Miss between the hours of two and eight P. M. , on New lady from the full use oi the powers of voice
Kellogg, and her reception last night was very Year's Day, at D. W. Powers' new reception rooms. which nature has so bountifully given her.
enthusiastic. Her voice has changed but little This is a very happy idea, for it furnishes the
In ballads she is at her best, and is able, by clear
since her last appearance here, three years ago, friends of the Club an opportunity of paying their enunciation, to make them interesting. But in
respects
personally.
The
evening
will
be
devoted
but what change there is, is not for the better, and
these the unevenness of her voice is apparent.
it is, perhaps, well enough for her to retire now to a private social for the members,
A full expression of the different emotions and
K
H
L
while her star is still in the ascendant. Brignoli's
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
-
sentiments that are found in vocal music is only
voice is only a wreck of its former self, but it is a
possible when the singer has complete control of
CHICAGO.
noble wreck with which many tenors of the present
the voice, and that can only be by the command
day would suffer by comparison. While Miss
CHICAGO,
December
24.
t
of the breath.
Poole's voice is full and sweet, she does not use it
E BEETHOVEN SOCIETY gave their first
An example of a contracted habit of vocal utter-
to good advantage, and Tagliapietra marred the
concert on Thursday evening of last week, ance was illustrated in the gentlemen soloists.
effect of his singing by keeping his eyes fixed on presenting Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise and the They had good voices, but it seemed as if they
the score, abstaining from even so much as a Christmas Oratorio of Saint-Saens for a pro- wished to choke themselves to death, and had
glance at the audience. Adamowski was well re- gramme. They had the assistance of Mrs. every chance in their favor.
ceived, but Liebling's piano solo fell flat, as piano Schoonhoven, Miss Heckle, Mrs. Hail, Miss Car-
A good voice that is under a faulty control is
solos frequently do.
penter, Mr. Knorr, and Mr. Levinsen, as soloists, like an uncut diamond,—it never shines.
A GOOD COMIC OPERA COMPANY.
with an orchestra of thirty-five men, under the
The Mozart Society bid fair to win for them-
The Emelie Melville Opera Company opened a direction of Mr. Wolfsohn. The chorus numbered selves a good name in this city, and will gain in
(Continual on page 160.)
three nights' engagement at the Park Theatre last one hundred persons.
STAFF CORRESPONDENCE.
(Continued from page 155.)
night. "The Royal Middy" was given in a very
creditable manner, and "Boccaccio" to-night, and
"Madame Favart" to-morrow night, complete the
engagement. This is the best comic opera com-
pany that has appeared here this season, and de-
serves a larger house than that which greeted the
initial performance.
Theodore Thomas's Orchestra will give a sym-
phony concert at the Park Theatre Thursday
evening of next week.
The Light Infantry will repeat the "Pirates" at
English's, January 12, for the benefit of their
director, Prof. Pearson.
N.