Music Trade Review

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THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
March 5th, 1882.
those drawn by Patti, Oscar Wilde, Kellogg, Cary, ruses from "The Magic Flute, "Kreutzer's "Charm
and the Stoddart Lectures, all of which were im- of Love," the well known Handel "Largo" (with
Miss Cary), and several other selections.
mense.
Every seat ' 'from pit to dome" was occupied, At its next concert, which will be given nest
camp-chairs were in great demand, and the active Thursday evening, the popular Apollo Club will
and vigilant ushers had to hustle around to pre- go back to first principles, and give a programme
vent tired auditors from seeking resting-places on from which the ladies' chorus will be excluded.
The principal soloists will be Madame Carreno
the stairways.
The causes of the rush were several. The con- and Miss Emily Winant, and the programme is a
cert was the closing entertainment of the Slayton varied and attractive one. The club will sing
Lyceum Course, of which the sale of season tick- choruses and part songs by Hatton, Abt, Mohring,
ets has been nearly sufficient to fill the hall. The Dudley Buck, and others. Madame Carreno's
sale of single tickets, too, was large, for Litta is numbers are a Prelude and a Polonaise, by Chopin,
"THE JOLLDT BACHELOBS"
a great favorite with Chicagoans, and, in addition and the Liszt "Rhapsodie Hongroise, No. 4." Miss
for the first time in this city.
to those who freely paid their dross to enter and Winant will sing Adam's "Cantique de Noel," and
There is but little in the music that is attractive to hear, the holders ©f that desirable commodity an aria from Weber's "Abu Hassan."
to musicians; one or two of the choruses are technically known as "paper," were out in alarm-
THE CHICAGO MAY FESTIVAL
rather pretty, but the solos are light, trashy, and ing force, and crowded the paying element out of
promises to be a grand affair, and an immense
devoid of melody.
all comfort.
The libretto is thin and pointless, and quit* in Mile. Litta was enthusiastically received, and success in every way. Theodore Thomas was in the
city last Friday and Saturday, and expressed ap-
keeping with the music.
never sang better.
proval and admiration of the work thus far accom-
The company, with possibly one or two excep- she I think
Litta
has
but
one
superior
in
America
tions, was poor, and awakened little or no enthusi- as a concert singer of florid and bravura music. plished by the choruses under Mr. Tomlin's di-
rection.
asm in the audience.
She has a most beautiful trill, and her staccato pas- The festival will take place the last week in
The last two evenings of the week, 17th and sages
are
unequalled.
18th, Rice's Company presented "Evangeline" The company is good, bad, and indifferent in May.
Theodore Thomas's Orchestra is to give us prom-
and "Babes in the Woods" respectively.
enade concerts at the Exposition Building the
The company, in the main, was a poor one, hav- streaks.
Miss Nellie Bangs is a young pianiste who pos- coming summer, as of yore, and our musical hori-
ing sadly deteriorated since their last visit here; sesses
fine touch and very fair technique. Miss zon and middle-distance are, I am proud to say,
and with such a cast the bright and sparkling Hattie a McLain
has a rich contralto voice, but a
"Evangeline" will soon lose its charm.
lackadaisical style, and Mr. John Skelton bright and cloudless.
"Babes in the Woods" was even worse than sleepy,
MINOB NOTES.
is a clever cornetist. Mr. Montrose Graham has a
"Evangeline," and that was bad enough.
disagreeable baritone, and he sings out of tune The Strakosch Troupe comes to McVicker's
The Mapleson Company are announced for two with blissful unconsciousness and amusing self- Theatre for one week in March, and return for
performances this week. "Faust" will be pre- complacency.
another week April 3.
sented Friday evening, and "Carmen" Saturday Mr. Harry Cleveland is not a good tenor, but he A soiree musicale will be given at Apollo Hall
afternoon.
M.
had the good sense to refrain from appearing as a on the evening of March 3. The participants will
soloist. The regular personnel of the troupe was be pupils of the Chicago Musical College.
Joseffy favors us with two concerts at Central
augmented for the occasion by the engagement of
CHICAGO.
Mr. Otto Oesterle, the flutist, and the St. Cecilian Music Hall, one the afternoon of March 4, and the
CHICAGO,
February
2.
other on the evening of March 8. Herr Joseffy
r
I "tWO concerts and a two weeks' season of comic Quartette.
will have the assistance of Mr. Frederick Bosco-
JL opera are the material furnished by the past With the Litta concert, closed the Slayton Ly- vitz at the concerts here.
fortnight to your Chicago scribe, of which the ceum Course for this season. The course has been
financially successful, and it has given us some Miss Amy Fay will give a matine"e concert at
concert of the
fine concerts and several entertainments, in which Hershey Hall next Tuesday afternoon. In addi-
BEETHOVEN SOCIETY,
innocuous mediocrity was the predominating tion to the popular pianiste, Messrs. Eddy and
Heimendohl aud Miss Jennie Dutton will appear.
last Thursday evening, was the event of most dig- characteristic.
nity and greatest musical value.
Now I come to my favorite theme—light opera. The programme offered is well selected and inter-
The work chosen for presentation was Gade's Manager Hess claims that in the "Acmes" he has esting.
cantata, "The Crusaders," which was produced in a company capable of giving acceptably any Miss Adelaide Johnson, a young artist, and a
this city for the first time.
operas, excepting those that are strictly "grand;" tenant of the Music Hall building, was severely
The title, "The Crusaders," suggests martial, and the troupe is certainly one of the most com- injured some time ago by an elevator accident,
romantic, and dramatic ideas, which have afforded plete organizations of the kind now in existence. and is now an invalid. Mrs. Carpenter, the lessee
the Scandinavian composer a fair field for the dis- The company has been at the Grand Opera House of the building, is working up a benefit for Miss
play of his poetic fancy; and the contrasts devel- for the past two weeks, and has given "Olivette," Johnson, which will shortly be given. Mr. Louis
oped by the intertwining of the heroic and the re- "The Mascotte," "The Chimes of Normandy," Falk, Mr. Emil Liebling, the Chickering Quar-
ligions elements are sometimes startling.
"Fra Diavolo,"and "The Widow," the last named tette, and others have volunteered, and the audi-
There are three solo parts in the cantata—Ar- receiving its first production on any stage last ence should be a large one.
The Amateur Club gave a concert on Thursday
mida, the sorceress; Binaldo, and Peter the Hermit— Friday evening.
which were assigned to Mrs. Schoonhoven, Mr. H.
A very large audience was in attendance, and afternoon at Chickering Hall, which was the last
A. Bischoff, and Prof. James Gill respectively.
if frequent encores and very evident enjoyment are of its series, and one of the most successful. Mr.
There are also the same number of divisions to any criterion, the new opera made a big hit. The Mollenhauer admirably executed two violin solos,
the work: 1. "In the Desert;" 2. "Armida;" 3. libretto of "The Widow," it is alleged, is by Frank and the members of the club contributed to a
"Toward Jerusalem;" of which the second is the H. Nelson—a gentleman whose whereabouts and lengthy but enjoyable programme.
most beautiful, and the only one in which Armida identity are involved in mystery—and the music Mr. Emil Liebling gave the sixth soiree of his
series at Chickering Hall last Saturday evening.
appears.
is by M. Calixa Lavalee, a Montreal organist.
The most effective numbers are the choruses,
Of the two collaborateurs, M. Lavalee has been The favorite pianist was aided by several of his
those of the pilgrims being especially grand and the most successful in his share of the work. pupils, and Miss Addie Nichols, recitationist. The
inspiring, while the "Chorus of Sirens" is quaint There is an abundance of pretty melodies, which programme included numbers by Weber, Mozart,
and delicate, reminding one of a singular idea in are strung along and dragged in ad lib. The plot Mendelssohn, Tausig, Rubinstein, and Sarasate.
Berlioz's "Damnation." The honors of the even- is intricate, but there are some funny incidents A series of four lectures is to be given at Apollo
ing fell to Mrs. Schoonhoven, who has a beautiful and complications developed in the three acts, and Hall, on the evenings of March 10, 17, 24, and 31,
soprano voice, strong, clear, and of unusual com- the opera is so well sung and so cleverly acted by Prof. Roswell Park. The subject to be con-
pass.
sidered is "Physiology of the Vocal Organs," and
that it will probably be a "go."
In oratorio singing this lady has no equal in our The "Acmes" made their greatest success in the lectures promise to be of interest and value to
the students of singing and elocution.
local ranks of sopranos, and she always sings wjth
"FRA DIAVOLO,"
There is much strife and dissension between the
exquisite feeling and rare intelligence. Mrs.
Chicago Lady Quartette, an organization composed
Schoonhoven's one noticeable fault is a peculiarity
which
has
never
been
better
given
in
this
city.
of pupils of the Hershey School, and another four
of enunciation, which she appears to be over-
Miss Adelaide Randall was so naive and charming who are known as the Chicago Ladies' Quartette.
coming.
Mr. Bischoff has not been heard here, where he in the difficult "bed-chamber scene," that she was The slight variation in the titles is a source of
annoyance and confusion to all who have any deal-
was once very popular, for several years, and it is awarded a double recall.
observed with regret that time has not dealt le- By the way, the rapt interest of the audience in ings with either. And now, after the Chickering
niently with what was once a clear, ringing tenor, that same scene was funny to witness. It was an Quartette have established a fine and well merited
for his voice broke badly several times. However, interest unanimous and concentrated, and was reputation, appear four individuals, calling them-
he retains some beautiful tones and considerable evinced by snickers and guffaws in the gallery, and selves "The Original Chickerings," whose origi-
resonance, and he sang the music of Binaldo spir- oblivious and breathless expectancy in the parquet. nality consists only in the phenomenal badness of
Apparently, an alarm of fire in the immediate their singing. There seems to be a dearth of
itedly.
The music allotted to Peter the Hermit is not in vicinity would have made no diminution in the names somehow.
Prof. Gill's best range, and years of teaching have size of the audience. It was a spectacle to make
CINCINNATI.
entirely eliminated from his voice whatever quali- the Reverend Herrick Johnson and your corre-
ties of sweetness and sympathy it may have once spondent grieve.
CINCINNATI, O., February 22.
possessed. The chorus and the orchestra were not Misses Randall, Eisner, and Searle, and Messrs.
/CINCINNATI
is
"music mad" is heard on all
Mark
Smith,
Wilkie,
and
Henry
and
James
Peakes
large, but their work left nothing to be desired.
\_J sides, and indeed recent events seem to jus-
A single hearing is inadequate for judging of the have endeared themselves to all who love fun and tify
the statement.
merits of such a composition as "The Crusaders," music in delightful combination.
Concerts are announced for next week by two It has frequently happened that rain and mad
but it is a melodious and symmetrical work, and
of our local choral societies. The Mozart Society of even one night's duration have caused the most
made a most favorable impression.
gives its second concert at Central Music Hall, brilliant stars in the theatrical firmament to shed
The audience that greeted the
with Miss Cary as the solo attraction. Mr. Wil- their lustre upon empty seats. Now, however,
IJITTA COMPANY
liam Lewis, the violinist, will also assist, and is the record is different.
last Thursday evening was the largest ever seen in represented on the programme by a "Romanza," Commencing with Thursday last, Cincinnati has
Central Music Hall this season, not excepting by Max Bruch. The society will sing two cho- had little but rain and mud, which, with the
The society already has a membership of about
120, with every prospect of a much larger num-
ber soon. The first rehearsal takes place this
week.
Among the numbers to be presented at the first
concert, which it is understood is to take place
some time before the close of the present season,
are the "Stabat Mater," "The Heavens are Tell-
ing," from "The Creation," and "The Hallelujah
Chorus," from "TheMessiah."
On two evenings of last week, Stevens's Com-
pany presented