Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Franz Rummel, the distinguished pianist,
gave his first recital at Chickering Hall last
Tuesday afternoon before a fashionable and
critical audience that filled every part of the
Hall. Although Mr. Rummel was not in the
best of trim, having Tjeen seriously unwell in
Boston—so much so that it was thought for a
time that the recital would have to be post-
poned—he gave a most satisfactory exhibi-
tion of his artistic powers. His progam con-
sisted of the familiar "Andante and Varia-
tions " of Haydn, Beethoven's Sonata, op.
n o , Schumann's great Fantasie in C major
op. 17 and smaller compositions by Chopin,
Brahms, Taussig, Brassin and Liszt.
The beautiful Chickering grand on which
he played these interesting numbers was a
tonal delight. It spoke correctly and beauti-
fully every wish of the interpreter. At times
majestic, again ravishing in a riot of beauty,
again peaceful with a delicacy of tone that
was positively bewitching. In many respects
I never heard the qualities of the Chickering
grand better or more advantageously dis-
played.
Mr. Rummel's magnificent work at this
concert on Tuesday is so correctly and
cleverly "placed" by the critic of the Tribune
and Times and it so aptly voices The Review's
opinion, that I take pleasure in reproducing
them. The Tribune says:
This recital showed him to be in some respects
a riper artist than he was when he closed the last
preceding chapter of his activity in New York,
some five or six years since. His development has
led him to a more reflective and introspective style
of performance thaii he used to cultivate; it at
times, indeed, verges on what seems somewhat
too obviously the product of calculation and study.
But, on the whole, Mr. Rummel's playing has
been refined and mellowed, and none of his ad-
mirers will be sorry to note that many of the
rough edges have been smoothed away, many of
the boisterous extravagances pruned down, with-
out sensible loss of the splendid virility, the large
and comprehensive grasp, the power to under-
stand and interpret big things in a big way, that
have won him admirers even among those who
were most sensible of disturbing elements in. his
effects that most deeply stirred the blood. To say
this is to say that the development of his artistic
powers—that concert-goers in this city have had an
opportunity of observing steadily advance ever
since he first appeared here as a young man twenty
years ago and more—has been carried further for-
ward. Whether it has been carried in some di-
rections further than need be a more extended
hearing of Mr. Rummel's playing will help make
clear.
Sensuous charm has not been a conspicuous
factor in Mr. Rummel's playing. It is not now;
but it seemed yesterday as if there had come to him
a clearer insight into the poetry of great music. His
tone is still sometimes harsh; but it is more fre-
quently clarified and beautified, shaded and varied
in color than ever before; and in certain passages
yesterday he attained singularly fine effects.
The center of gravity in Mr. Rummel's pro-
gram came at the beginning, in Beethoven's
Sonata, Op. no, and Schumann's Fantasie, Op. 17.
His performance of the sonata was one of deep in-
sight into its purport. In clarity of exposition, in
beautiful adjustment and sense of proportion, it
was beyond reproach. It was a product of pro-
found study; but there was also much of the poetry
of the composition reproduced in it, especially in
the arioso dolente. The fugue at the end- was
played not merely in a way to disclose its struct-
ural significance, but as well the deeper signifi-
cance Unas as music. The Schumann fantasie is the
sort of music in which Mr. Rummel is most thorough-
ly at home. He brought out its masculine side, as
well as that richly imaginative strain that makes
its title peculiarly apposite. There was something
of the tenderness of the third movement missing;
but, on the whole, it was a performance to be
highly valued.
Mr. Rummel also played a succession of shorter
pieces of which the most interesting were the bar-
carolle and two preludes by Chopin and a caprice
and an intermezzo from Brahms' Op. 76.
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That Mr. Rummel made an especially favor-
able impression at this recital is evident from
the general tone of the criticisms by all the
leading critics. The following is from the
Times:
Mr. Rummel's recital was a very entertaining
exhibition of the best features of modern piano
playing. While it was not announced as a
historical recital, the program was arranged so
that there was a constant advance from the sim-
pler and severer style of the early writers to the
high coloring and brilliant effects of the new ro-
manticists. Mr. Rummel's command of style was
displayed most advantageously. He showed clear-
ly his understanding of historical correctness, and
made no attempt to play Haydn with the tone-
color of Liszt. The familiar theme and variations
he played perhaps a trifle wildly, but certainly with
correct understanding, with repose, and rhythmic
justice.
The Beethoven sonata Mr. Rummel played
nobly. His intellectual grasp of the composition
was complete, and he adjusted his technical means
most admirably to the revelation of it to the audi-
ence. The "Song of Complaining' was sung very
beautifully, with just the right sobriety of tone,
with infinite delicacy of accentuation, and with
profound feeling. The passages in imitation of
recitative were played most vocally, and in the
fugue the pianist showed his excellent command
of polyphonic utterance. It was as a whole, how-
ever, that his reading of the sonata was admirable.
It carried conviction and satisfaction and the sense
of high artistic repose. It is in repose that Mr.
Rummel seems to have grown most. His old un-
restrained impetuosity is quite gone, and in its
place we have a depth of feeling, mellowed by
time and study and guided by a strong musical
nature.
This was shown again in the Schumann fantasie,
which Mr. Rummel plays now with less abandon
than formerly, but with a greater variety of sig-
nificant details. Indeed, it must be said that his
reading of the composition yesterday seemed to be
a trifle too sober in temper, yet it was certainly
very beautiful in its intellectual dignity and its re-
fined sentiment.
In the latter part of his program the pianist let
loose the reins of his technic and treated the audi-
ence to a fine display of tone-coloring. In his com-
mand of the singing tone Mr. Rummel has certain-
ly made progress. His performance of Liszt's
twelfth rhapsody, for instance, was simply lus-
cious in its softer passages, and was poetic all
through. Indeed, we have never heard this same
rhapsody played more poetically, though it has
often been given with more glitter. Mr. Rummel
is very fond of the Brassin nocturne, which was
on his program yesterday, and he played it ad-
mirably. But it is unnecessary to go further into
detail. Suffice it to say for the present that Franz
Rummel is an artist who combines intellect, tem-
perament, and technic in the production of piano
playing of a very fine kind. This public should
not miss the present opportunities of hearing him.
From the publishing house of Ch. Dela-
grave, 15 Rue SoufHot, Paris, I have received a
critical review of the musical season in the
French capital during 1896-97 entitled " La
Musique a Paris." M. Gustave Robert, the
celebrated critic of the Revue Illustre'e, is the
author of this volume, which contains some
260 pages. In his book he covers a wide
range, noting the best productions by the
leading orchestral masters and not ignoring
worthy efforts in the amateur field.
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The great success of the German Charity
Ball, held recently, and which netted a hand-
some sum for the German charities of this
city, was due in no little measure to the inde-
fatigable labors and enthusiasm of that mod-
est and popular member of the music trade,
Robert C. Kammerer, of Geo. Steck & Co.
Mr. Kammerer was chairman of the box
committee, and his brother workers are a unit
in testifying to his effective work. Of course
you will never hear " B o b " Kammerer say
anything about this. He is one of those who
believe in the good old motto, " Deeds, not
words." Mr. Kammerer has a big follow-
ing in German circles, and were he ambitious
it would not be difficult to predict where he
might land.
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At the Rummel concert on Tuesday, an
event occurred, not on the program, which
for a time caused much excitement.
As
Prof. Rummel finished his last number,
Rhapsodie Hongroise No. 12, by Liszt, and
after four or five encores on this piece,
suddenly six burly men made their appear-
ance on the stage, almost pushing Prof.
Rummel off. The audience, which had risen,
and was just leaving, still continuing its ap-
plause, turned to the stage and roared en
masse: " Leave that piano alone; take those
men away," and amid loud shouts and cries,
the management, with the help of Prof.
Rummel and the audience, wrested the piano
away from the interlopers, and then the
bravos and applause were renewed with vigor,
and Prof. Rummel once more was obliged to
play another encore before the excited and
delighted audience would leave the Hall.
The facts are these: the piano that caused
so much pleasure and trouble was to be
shipped by express to reach Montreal for a
concert at that place on Feb. 10th; there be-
ing only one train a day, 6:30 P.M., these
men having strict orders to box and put on
board that train that piano, and Prof Rum-
mel being obliged to play so many encores
and the men's determination to obey orders
—hence the excitement. 'The train was lost,
but the Chickering piano reached Montreal
on time nevertheless.
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James F. Broderick, of the Straube Piano
Co., Chicago, was a visitor to The Review
sanctum on Wednesday. He is making his
initial trip in the interest of his firm, and the
well-filled book which he showed The Re-
view is the best testimony of his success. He
traveled through Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania,
Maryland and several Eastern States. Mr.
Broderick has a legion of friends in all parts
of the country, and they have all been glad
to welcome him in his new role of manu-
facturer. He is now formulating plans which
will materially augment the prosperity of the
Straube Piano Co.
In the latest issue to hand of our esteemed
Parisian contemporary, Le Monde Musical, I
notice that M. Edmond Gouttie"re, vice presi-
dent of the Chambre Syndicate des Instru-
ments de Musique, Paris, has been named
Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, as a re-
cognition of his efforts to promote the in-
terests of the industry of which he is a lead-
ing representative.
The day after the honor was conferred,
his employees presented him with a superb