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January 20th, 1882.
178
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
has received a most hearty welcome in Chicago,
and is pronounced by the papers and musical
critics to be one of the best violinists in the world.
The managers of the college some time since
opened a department of history of music, free to
all the pupils of the college, and placed it under
the competent charge of Mr. John J. Haltstaedt,
whose lectures are already among the most enter-
taining and instructive features of the college
course.
Harmony and composition. This important
branch of musical education is under the manage-
ment of Mr. A. Ruff, who makes a specialty of
instruction in harmony, single and double counter-
point, canon and fugue. He has given much time
and study to the theory of music, and is considered
by the best authorities in Europe a competent and
conscientious teacher.
The department of elocution is in the excellent
hands of Mrs. Anna Cowell Hobkirk, a lady who
has a national reputation as an elocutionist, and
also many years experience upon the dramatic
stage, where she achieved wide-spread fame. The
readings of Mrs. Hobkirk's pupils at the college
GrEO. H . WlIiSON.
entertainments have been a special feature of the
BOSTON, January 9, 1882.
programmes, and many of her pupils have obtained
excellent and well-paying positions.
THE CHICAGO MUSICAL COLLEGE.
The best idea of the present standard of the
r
I "^HIS institution is the oldest school of musical school can be gathered from the remarks made by
_L culture in the West, and enjoys a reputa- Dr. F. Ziegfeld on the occasion of the last com-
tion second to no other in the United States. It mencement exercises:
"In connection with the graduating exercises of
was founded in 1867 by Dr. F. Ziegfeld, who has
from the first conducted the school on the plan this, the fourteenth annual commencement of the
favored by the best European conservatories, of Chicago Musical College, and as preliminary to
which he is a distinguished graduate. The insti- the awarding of the diplomas, gold medals and
tution first occupied rooms in Crosby's Opera teachers' certificates, it seems proper that I should
House, but soon outgrew its accommodations, and very briefly lay before you a few hints as to the
an entire building on Wabash avemie was fitted growth of the college, its methods and results
up in handsome style for its use. Surrounded It was established in 1867, commencing in a small
by an able corps of teachers, Dr. Ziegfeld had way; it has steadily grown and commended itself
already achieved a large patronage and great suc- to the public until now it can boast that nearly one
cess when the fire of 1871 swept away building, thousand pupils have studied within its walls dur-
furniture, pianos, organs, and a valuable collec- ing the school year which closes to-night, while in
lection of music. But this institution had a fu- the years which have passed it has sent out into
ture before it. Conflagrations could not burn up their spheres of usefulness many fine players and
its reputation or damp its managers. A new singers. I think you will all admit that such
building was at once secured at 493 Wabash ave- results prove that the college has secured the
nue, with branches in other sections of the city, services of the best teachers that could be found.
and a new career of prosperity began. As soon as The college occupies spacious rooms in Central
the Central Music Hall, the pride of our city, was Music Hall building, a branch at 44Loomisstreet,
erected, Dr. Ziegfeld secured elegant rooms in in the West Division of the city, and also addi-
this building, and to-day the school stands higher tional localities in the South and North Divisions
in public esteem than ever before. It is evident which are not publicly advertised, as they are for
that this esteem is not merely local. The presi- the personal convenience of pupils. Many pupils
dent and directors of the celebrated Leipzig Con- are also taught at their own residences. The ser-
vices of twenty teachers are employed to cover
servatory say:
this broad field. Pupils who have a thorough
"From Mr. Ziegfeld's artistic accomplishments knowledge of our method of instruction, and who
and his conscientiousness as a teacher, we feel safe manifest the ability to impart their knowledge to
in concluding that the instruction of the college others, receive, after a very strict examination, the
is of the most thorough description. The scholars teacher's certificate. The regular diploma and
who have come to us from this institution have gold medal are awarded to pupils who have com-
shown such careful and symmetrical development pleted the whole course prescribed by the authori-
that we are convinced that the Chicago Musical ties of the Chicago Musical College, after a very
College is a most reliable school."
searching examination, and these pupils leave the
Such praise as this is praise indeed, and yet from college as graduates of the institution. The regu-
our knowledge of this college and the many pupils lar graduates are also entitled to the teacher's
of surprising excellence it has graduated, we are certificate.
conviced that the estimate of the Leipzig Conser-
"I have no hesitation in recommending to public
vatory directors is a just one. The method pur-
sued in this college is very thorough. None but patronage any graduates of this institution who
musical instructors of the highest order of merit have received the diploma and gold medal, or who
are employed as members of the faculty, and can show its teacher's certificate. You may rely
mediocrity in any department would not be suf- upon it that those entrusted to their care will be
fered for a moment. Dr. Ziegfeld is a compeer of in good hands. In this respect the college oc-
the leading musicians of the old world, and enjoys cupies a normal position, which entitles it to com-
the personal friendship of nearly all the great pare without prejudice with any similar institu-
artists of the day. His pride in the profession of tion even in the older Eastern cities. I have thus
his choice is so great that he could not be induced briefly set before you the prominent facts in rela-
to countenance a sacrifice of art to any financial tion to our school. As the president of the col-
lege, and, in behalf of its faculty, I thank you,
consideration.
and gentlemen, for the patronage you have
To this fact is due the artistic triumph of the ladies
upon it, and the confidence you have
Chicago Musical College. The soirees given by bestowed
in it, and I assure you, in the future as in
this institution are always musical events, and are reposed
shall be our joint endeavor to keep the
an important factor in the training of the pupils. the past, it up
to its present high standard and to
On these occasions the best class of music is pro- institution
improve every department, whenever and wher-
duced.
ever the opportunity occurs. It only remains for
The piano is under the personal direction of Dr. me to bestow the rewards of merit which have
F. Ziegfeld. The vocal department is in the been earned by faithful application—the diploma
hands of Mr. L. A. Phelps, a graduate of the Chi- and gold medal of the college—to twelve ladies,
cago Mnsical College, who returned in August, and the teacher's certificate to ten others, to all of
1879, from his five years' study abroad with Luigi whom I desire to extend the best wishes of the
Vanuccini, at Florence, and Francesco Lamperti, college for their future success."—Chicago Weekly
of Milan, Italy. Mr. Phelps has met with unpre- Herald.
cedented success in Chicago, and is without doubt
the most popular instructor of vocal music in the
Northwest, and unsurpassed by any in the United Verdi is spending the winter at Genoa.
Statos.
An amusing performance of "The Rat-Charmer
Mr. Louis Falk, whose reputation as a musician of Hamelin" was given at the Germania Theatre on
and skill as an organist, are well known all over December 17. Mr. Merton sang the title role
the country, has the organ department in charge. effectively and in an artistic manner. Some of the
Mr. Edouard Heimendahl, the celebrated solo vio- minor parts, however, could have been materially
linist, is at the head of the violin department. He improved in other hands.
PERFORMANCES
VOCAL METHODS.
rT^O the Editor of THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TBADE
_L REVIEW—Dear Sir: I take the liberty of
sending you the circular of the most radical man
in Boston, as regards music in general, but partic-
ularly concerning the voice. You may find it in-
teresting, and I can tell you from personal ex-
perience how excellent are the results from his
sensible teaching: not agreeing with your editorial
in the present number of your review. I had the
misfortune to waste three years with one of the
so-called "best teachers" in Boston. I send this
for your edification without Mr. Davenport's
knowledge. The matter on the last page of the
circular does not need a defense, though it may
be less understood by the very class it ought to
benefit. Mr. Davenport is wholly impersonal in
his criticism, being a well-known writer on musical
subjects; he attacks a system rather than an indi-
vidual, and is always sure of a throng of readers.
I enjoy your paper, and think you ought to
know something of Mr. D.'s principle of teaching
and action.
Very respectfully,
PHILHARMONIC CONCERT.
r
T^HE third Philharmonic Concert of the present
JL season, and at the same time the one hun-
dred and ninety-sixth concert given by this society,
took place at the Academy of Music January 14.
Haydn's D major symphony (in the Breitkopf
and Hartel edition, the No. 2,) is an interesting ex-
ample of the regulation symphonies, as we may
call many of the works of some of the old com-
posers.
In placing it in the Philharmonic programme,
Mr. Thomas must have been actuated by one of the
impulses of veneration which now and then
come over every musician. The intrinsic poetical
merit of such a symphony is comparatively small
now, but its value as a study, in counterpoint and
musical form, makes it attractive to the student,
and to the musician its historical position adds in-
terest to its production.
There is in every community a small band of
ardent admirers of old Father Haydn's works, who
will go into ecstacies whenever any of his too nu-
merous compositions are played. There was an
opportunity at the Philharmonic concert for a little
raving, especially as it was played nearly to per-
fection.
If a genius composes as much as Haydn did, no
doubt can exist that a good deal of bad and indif-
ferent matter will be sent down to posterity.
Taking only a few classes of his composition, we
calculate that he composed overtures to plays and
operas and also symphonies, in all combined, 125;
compositions for wind instruments with strings,
about 66; he composed 77 quartettes and 68 trios;
20 piano concertos and 53 piano sonatas.
These are only a portion of his instrumental
works, to say nothing of his vocal compositions,
consisting of his 14 masses, his oratorios, "The
Creation," '"The Seasons," etc., etc. Many of his
works were never printed, but remain in manu-
script. We welcome an occasional production of
a Haydn work for reasons above given, but feel
that much more real benefit cbuld be derived if
our modern composers were cultivated.
The interest in the concert was centred upon the
Beethoven's No. 4 piano concerto, Rafael Joseffy
soloist. The acknowledged high position which
Joseffy occupies has been disputed in only one di-
rection, and that is the claim his admirers made
that he was a Beethoven interpreter. It was until
this time generally admitted that he is exception-
ally skillful as a pianist, especially as a Chopin and
a Liszt pianist, but as an interpreter of the immor-
tal concertos of Beethoven, he failed to satisfy a
class of dilletanti. After his performance of the
No. 4 concerto at the Philharmonic concert, there
can be no further dispute as to Joseffy's position
in the rank of great living pianists.
This was an occasion where a Beethoven con-
certo really became imposing, and where the
profound idea was thoroughly and comprehen-
sively exposed. Every measure had its distinct
value, and the whole work became a symphony,
just as it was intended by the master. Josefty's
playing portrayed a clear, concise and intellectual
idea, presenting to our understanding in distinct
forms and with poetic intensity what a Beethoven"
concerto is. He selected the Rubinstein cadeuzas,
playing them, and, in fact, the whole work, with
perfect technique.
In the andante he showed us what effects legato
playing can produce. The most refined effects
that can be drawn out of the piano depend upon
the proper applications of the legato. Every great
teacher is constantly impressing a study of this
particular branch of pianoforte playing upon his
pupils; it is looked upon as the best means of pre-
senting the piano as a musical instrument, as the
technique is secondary when the legato is essential.
Joseffy gave us the most delicate and cultivated
example of it in the andante, and by means of it he
brought out the chiaoscuro which is usually hidden,
but which is so important to a perfect production
of a great concerto.
His recall was decidedly pronounced, and af-
ter vainly endeavoring to elude it, he was com-
pelled to play an encore, very properly selecting
a Bach aria e praeludium, arranged by himself, and
played with noble tone, broad phrasing, and, as a
matter of course, with his exceptional perfect
technique. The position of Josefl'y as a master
pianist cannot be successfully attacked after the
brilliant furore on the occasion referred to. It*
was an artistic success of the very highest order.
Schumann's No. 3 symphony, the Rhenish, was
rendered with splendid effect. The andante, and
especially the religioso movements, must be se-
lected as the best numbers played by the society