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1559. 


KLEIN 


MUSICAL  NOTES,   1889. 


A' 


MUSICAL  NOTES 


An  Annual  Critical  Record 


OF 


IMPORTANT   MUSICAL   EVENTS 


BY 


£)ermcmn  Klctn. 


FOURTH  YEAR,  JAN. — DEC.,  1889. 


LONDON  &  NEW  YORK 
NOVELLO,    EWER     AND    CO, 

1890. 


PREFACE. 


HITHERTO  the  scope  of  MUSICAL  NOTES  has  been  confined  to  a 
record  of  the  year's  Music  in  London,  together  with  an  account 
of  the  various  leading  Festivals  as  they  occur. 

In  the  present  issue  a  new  departure  is  essayed.  The  ordinary 
contents  are  supplemented  by  a  series  of  articles,  embodying  in 
concise  form  the  history  of  the  past  year  in  all  the  important 
musical  centres  of  the  kingdom.  This  fresh  material,  as  the 
signatures  will  in  most  cases  testify,  has  been  furnished  by 
writers  of  recognised  ability,  possessing  a  perfect  knowledge  of 
the  proceedings  in  their  respective  districts.  It  is,  therefore,  to 
be  relied  upon  as  being  accurate  and,  so  far  as  is  possible, 
complete. 

My  object  is  primarily  to  increase  the  value  of  this  Year-book 
by  making  it  a  more  comprehensive  work  of  reference.  I  hope, 
at  the  same  time,  that  I  am  widening  its  sphere  of  usefulness  by 
imparting  to  its  contents  a  national  as  distinguished  from  a 
metropolitan  interest.  To  keep  pace  with  the  ever-active  growth 
of  musical  life  and  labour  in  this  country  may  be  no  light  task  ; 
but  I  feel  that  these  NOTES — still  the  sole  "  brief  or  abstract 
chronicle  "  of  our  musical  year — ought  no  longer  to  exclude  from 
their  pages  some  regular  record  of  the  work  that  is  accomplished 
among  the  great  music-loving  population  of  provincial  England. 

HERMANN  KLEIN. 


1 074075 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

ALBENIZ,  Senor.     Debut 69 

,,     at  Crystal  Palace 104 

ALBERT  HALL  CONCERTS.     Miscellaneous — 

Carter,  William                6 

Patti  Concerts      6,  107,  119 

State  Concert  in  the  Shah's  honour 78 

AMES,  J.  C.     Pianoforte  Concerto  in  C  minor  (Op.  8)         35 

ARIOSTI.     Third  "  Lesson  "  for  Viola  d'amore        114 

BACH  CHOIR          20,  46 

BACH,  Emil.     Pianoforte  Concerto  in  C  minor        71 

BACH,  J.  Sebastian.     Church  Cantata,  "  Wachet  auf!  " 20 

,,                 ,,        "  Halt'  im  Gedachtniss "           ...  20 

Prelude  and  Fugue,  arranged  for  orchestra 105 

BACKER-GRONDAHL,  Madame.    Debut 23 

Suite  for  Pianoforte        84 

BARNETT,  J.  F.     Sonata  for  Pianoforte,  in  A  minor           127 

BARRETT,  Dr.  W.  A.     Madrigal,  "  On  a  Mossy  Bank,"  at  Bristol          ...  138 

BEETHOVEN.     Allegretto  in  C  minor,  for  Pianoforte          ...  53 

"Bagatellen"                              „             „        ...                                 ...  53 

"  Unfinished "  Pianoforte  Concerto  in  D       ...         ...         ...         ...  81 

BELLINCIONI,  Mdlle.     Debut      60 

BENOIT,  Peter.     Oratorio,  "  Lucifer "            ...  31 

BERLIOZ.     Marche  Funebre,  for  "  Hamlet "            ...         23 

"  L'Enfance  du  Christ  "  revived           ...  126 

BIZET.     "  Pecheurs  de  Perles "  revived        ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  42 

BLAUWAERT,  M.     Debut 33 

BONAWITZ,  J.  H.     "Requiem"            34 

Introduction  and  Scherzo  for  Pianoforte  and  Orchestra     127 

BRAHMS.    Variations,  with  Fugue,  on  a  Theme  by  Handel         17 

Four  Trios  for  Female  Voices  (Op.  17)          51 

"  German  Requiem,"  revived 33 

,,                 ,,         at  Leeds 100 

Symphony  (No  4)  at  Crystal  Palace 24 

Sonata  for  Pianoforte  and  Violin  in  D  minor  (No.  3,  Op.  108)      ...  48 


viii  INDEX. 


PAGE 


BRAUN,  Charles.     Cantata,  "  Ritter  Olaf,"  at  Liverpool 167 

BRERETON,  W.  H.     Debut  at  Philharmonic 35 

BRIDGE,  Dr.  J.  F.     Overture,  "  Morte  d' Arthur,"  at  Crystal  Palace      ...  24 

BRISTOL  ORPHEUS  GLEE  SOCIETY.    At  St.  James's  Hall 52 

BUCK,  Dudley.     Cantata,  "  The  Light  of  Asia  "     19 


CARMICHAEL,  Miss  Mary.     "  Four  Songs  of  the  Stuarts  " 49 

CARPENTER,  Miss  Nettie.     Debut  at  Crystal  Palace  112 

CATANEO,  Signora.     Debut         77 

CHAMBER  CONCERTS. 

Bauer,  Ethel  and  Harold  29,  41 

Carrodus,  J.  T.     ...         29 

Cusins,  W.  G 70 

Eissler,  Mdlles.  Marianne  and  Clara 50 

Gardner,  Charles 70 

Halle,  Sir  Charles  47,  68 

Hann,  Messrs.      ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...     118 

Heckmann,  Robert          119 

Kiver,  Ernest        49 

Lohr,  Harvey       ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...       39 

Ludwig  and  Whitehouse  50,  69 

Meyer,  Waldemar  51 

Musical  Artists' Society  119 

Musical  Guild       52,  69,  117 

Nicholl,  William 49 

Ralph,  Mrs.  Francis       128 

Robinson,  Miss  Winifred  ...         51 

Sarasate,  Senor 47,  68,  104 

Sergison,  W.  de  Manby 6,29,71 

Shinner  Quartet 53 

Thomas,  John       ...       71 

Thorne,  E.  H 71 

Tua,  Signorina  Teresina  70 

Wurm,  Miss  Mathilde 118 

CHERUBINI.     Posthumous  Quartet  in  E         47 

,-      in  F         48 

„  „      in  A  minor         68 

CLIFFE,  Frederic.     Symphony  in  C  minor  (Op.  i),  at  Crystal  Palace     ...       35 
,,  „  ,,  Philharmonic      ...       65 

COBB,  Gerard  F.     Pianoforte  Quintet  in  C 118 

COCKLE,  George.     Comic  Opera,  "The  Castle  of  Como,"  produced       ...     108 
CORDER,  Frederic.     Cantata,  "  The  Sword  of  Argantyr,"  produced       ...       95 

COWEN,  Frederic  H.     Re-appearance  in  England 22 

Old  English  Idyll,  "  St.  John's  Eve  " 122 

CRESER,  Dr.  William.     Cantata,  "  The  Sacrifice  of  Freia,"  produced   ...       96 

CROTTY,  Leslie.     Debut  in  Italian  Opera        59 

CRYSTAL  PALACE  CONCERTS      10,  23,  35,  64,  103,  in,  122 


INDEX.  ix 


PAGE 


D'ANDRADE,  Antonio.     Debut 43 

DUNCAN,  Mdlle.  H61ene  de.    Debut 85 

DUNKLEY,  Ferdinand.     Prize  Orchestral  Suite        87 

DVORAK,  Antonin.     String  Quartet  in  E  (Op.  80)     39 

"  Silhouettes  "  for  Pianoforte  (Op.  8) 40 

DYER,  W.  Fear.  Cantata,  "  Second  Advent  of  the  Redeemer,"  at  Bristol  143 

ELLICOTT,  Miss  Rosalind.     Cantata,  "  Elysium,"  produced         89 

Pianoforte  Trio  in  G,  at  Bristol 144 

Reverie  for  Violoncello  and  Pianoforte,  at  Bristol 143 

Romance  and  Polonaise  for  Violin,  at  Bristol 141 

EWAN,  Miss  Minnie.     Debut      60 

FACCIO,  Signer.     Debut 77 

FERGUSON  A.  F.    Deb ut  at  Oxford       176 

FESTIVALS. 

Easter  Oratorios  at  Mile  End 34 

Gloucester 88 

Leeds          93 

Lincoln  and  Peterborough         ...         72 

"  Reid  "  (Edinburgh)       151 

FILLUNGER,  Fraulein  Marie.     Debut 15 

GARGANO,  Madame.    Debut      59 

GEISLER-SCHUBERT,  Fraulein.     Debut          16 

,,     at  Philharmonic      21 

GOLDBECK,  Robert.     Comic  Opera,  "  Newport,"  recited 55 

GOLDMARK.     Overture  to  "  Sakuntala"         122 

GOUNOD.     "  Rom6o  et  Juliette  "  at  Covent  Garden,  in  French 58 

GRIEG,  Edvard.     Re-appearance  at  Popular  Concerts      13 

"  Landkjending  "  (Op.  31)          123 

GRIEG,  Madame.     Debut  at  Philharmonic     22 

GUILDHALL  SCHOOL  OF  Music  39,  72,  84,  127 

HACKNEY  CHORAL  ASSOCIATION  2,33,110 

HALL,  Charles  J.,  Mus.  Doc.     Cantata,  "  Dante's  Vision,"  produced    ...  18 

HALLE  CONCERTS.     Manchester  Band  in  London 113,124 

HALL,  Miss  Marguerite.     Philharmonic  Debut       35 

HAMPSTEAD  CONSERVATOIRE  OF  Music.     Inaugural  Concert     2 

HANDEL.     Music  to  Smollett's  "Alceste  " 52 

Oratorio,  "  Theodora,"  revived,  at  Manchester        173 

HANDEL  SOCIETY 52 

HATTERSLEY,  F.  Kilvington.     Pianoforte  Sonata  in  G  minor,  at  Leeds  183 


INDEX. 


'AGh 


HAYDN.     Oratorio,  "  The  Seasons,"  revived...                     2 

Symphony  in  B  flat         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  44 

HEAP,  Dr.  C:  S.     Cantata,  "  The  Maid  of  Astolat,"  at  Birmingham      ...  136 

HEGNER,  Otto.     Debut  at  Crystal  Palace       ...                     10 

Orchestral  Concerts  at  St.  James's  Hall        ...                     102 

Suite  for  Pianoforte,  in  G          103 

HERKOMER,  Hubert.     Music-Play,  "  An  Idyl "                                          ...  60 

HESS,  Willy.     Debut  in  London          2 

HIGHBURY  PHILHARMONIC  SOCIETY      21,  52 

HOFFMANN,  Heinrich.      Serenade  for  Flute  and   Strings    (Op.    65),    at 

Birmingham  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  136 

HOPKINS,  Jerome.     Dialogue-Oratorio,  "  Samuel "            6 

HUDSON,  J.  W.     Pianoforte  Trio  in  D,  at  Bristol 141 

HUMMEL.     Sonata  in  F  sharp  minor  (Op.  81),  at  Popular  Concerts       ...  15 

HUNTINGTON,  Miss  Agnes.     Dlbut 7 

HYDE  PARK  ACADEMY  OF  Music          84,  128 

ISNARDON,  M.    Debut     ...  80 


JOACHIM,  Dr.     Re-appearance  at  Popular  Concerts            ...         ...         ...  25 

Presentation  of  Testimonial      ...  38 

KINSEY,  Haigh.     Pianoforte  Trio,  at  Liverpool       ...         ...         ...         ...  170 

KREUZ,  Emil.     "  Liebesbilder,"  for  Viola  and  Pianoforte,  at  Cambridge  148 

KRUSE,  Johann.     Debut             15 

LALO,  Edouard.     Overture,  "  Le  Roi  d'Ys  " 10 

Rhapsody  for  Orchestra in 

LAMOND,  Frederick.     Two  "  Clavierstiicke "  (Op.  i)          ...         ...         ...  40 

Pianoforte  Trio  in  B  minor  (Op.  2)      40 

Sonata  for  Pianoforte  and  Violoncello,  in  D  major...         ...         ...  40 

Symphony  in  A,  at  Glasgow      164 

LANGER,  F.     Concerto  for  Flute  and  Orchestra      ...         ...         ...         ...  127 

LEEDS  CHORUS.     Appearance  in  London      14 

LEMMENS-SHERRINGTON,  Madame.     Re-appearance          33 

LESTELLIER,  M.     Re-appearance       ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  57 

LITA,  Mdlle.     Debut       ...  57 

LIVERPOOL  PHILHARMONIC  SOCIETY.    Jubilee         165 

LOHR,  Harvey.     Pianoforte  Quartet  in  E  minor  (Op.  15) 39 

LONDON  BALLAD  CONCERTS      6,  118 

LONDON  SYMPHONY  CONCERTS 2,13,112 

LONDON  SUNDAY  SCHOOL   CHOIR        28 


INDEX.  xi 


PAGE 


MACBETH,  Allan.     Cantata,  "  The  Land  of  Glory,"  produced  at  Glasgow  162 

MxcCuNN,  Hamish.      Cantata,  "The  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel,"  at  the 

Crystal  Palace          10 

MACFARREN,  G.  A.     Opera,  "  Robin  Hood,"  revived          87 

MACKENZIE,  Dr.  A.  C.     "  Dream  of  Jubal  "  in  London      8 

,,               ,,          at  Gloucester...         88 

,,               ,,          at  Liverpool  ...         ...         ...  166 

Cantata,  "  Cotter's  Saturday  Night,"  produced  at  Edinburgh      ...  152 

"  Pibroch  "  for  Violin  and  Orchestra  at  Leeds         97 

,,             in  London    ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  105 

MACPHERSON,  C.  S.     Symphony  in  C 2    7 

MANCINELLI,  Luigi.     Sacred  Cantata,  "  Isaias,"  in  London        ...          ..  8 

Orchestral  Suite,  "  Cleopatra" 21 

MARTUCCI,  Giuseppe.     Pianoforte  Trio  in  E  flat  (Op.  62) 48 

MARX,  Madame  Berthe.     Debut          47 

MASSENET.     Interlude  from  "  Esclarmonde"           103 

MASSIMI,  Massimo.     Debut       43 

MATTEI,  Tito.     Comic  Opera,  "  The  Prima  Donna,"  produced 108 

McGucKiN,  Barton.     Debut  in  Italian  Opera           58 

MENDELSSOHN.      "  Elijah,"  on  the  Handel  Orchestra       64 

Fugue  intended  for  "  Athalie  " 72 

"  St.  Paul"  at  the  Crystal  Palace       ...         in 

MONTARIOL,  M.     Debut 42 

MONTEITH,  Miss  Zippora.     Debut       9 

MORGAN,  R.  Orlando.     Cantata,  "  Zitella,"  produced       39 

MOZART.     "  Notturno-Serenade  "  for  four  Orchestras       124 

MUSICAL  GUILD.     Formation 52 

NEAL,  Miss  Lizzie.     Debut  in  Oratorio          ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  2 

NEVILLE,  Oscar.     Comic  Opera,  "  Faddimir,"  produced 41 

NOVELLO'S  ORATORIO  CONCERTS         i,  8,  19,  33 

OBITUARY. 

Atkins,  Robert  A.            87 

Bottesini,  Giovanni          86 

Bridgeman,  John  V 92 

Clay,  Frederic       ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  121 

Colborne,  Dr.  Langdon  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  92 

Cooke,  Grattan     ."       92 

Farnie,  H.  B 92 

Formes,  Carl         130 

Gungl,  Josef         18 

Henselt,  Adolph  von       ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  109 

Hueffer,  Francis 7 

Marriott,  Charles  H 130 

Mason,  T.  Monck            92 


xii  INDEX. 

PAGE 

OBITUARY. — continued. 

Metra,  0 109 

Monk,  Dr.  W.  H 30 

Moscheles,  Madame        130 

Murska,  lima  di    ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  7 

Ouseley,  Sir  Frederick  A.  Gore           41 

Patti,  Carlotta      73 

Puzzi,  Giacinta    ...         ...         ...          ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  87 

Romer,  Francis 86 

Rosa,  Carl...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  41 

Smith,  Sydney      30 

Steinway,  Charles  F.  T.            ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  30 

Tamberlik,  Enrico           30 

Tamplin,  Augustus  L.    ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  55 

Varesi,  Felice       30 

Vaughan-Edwardes         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  30 

Watson  W.  Michael       ...  109 

Winterbottom,  William ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  92 

Zoeller,  Carli        86 

OPERA. 

Comic         7,  41,  54,  85,  108,  120 

English,  at  Olympic  Theatre     6 

,,       at  Princess's  Theatre 87 

Italian,  at  Her  Majesty's           ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  59 

„       at  the  Lyceum 74 

Royal  College  of  Music ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  82 

Royal  Italian,  at  Covent  Garden         42,  56,  78 

State  performance  in  the  Shah's  honour       ...         ...         ...         ...  78 

OSBORN,  Miss  Marian.     Debut  at  Crystal  Palace 122 

PACHMANN,  Madame  de.     Re-appearance  at  Popular  Concerts 25 

PACINI,  Mdlle.  Regina.     Debut 60 

PALERMINI,  Signer.     Debut       60 

PARKER,  Henry.     Comic  Opera,  "  Mignonette,"  produced            54 

PARRY,  Dr.  Hubert.     Symphony  in  E  ("  English  ")            44 

Symphony  in  E  minor 81 

"Ode  on  St.  Cecilia's  Day,"  produced  at  Leeds      98 

,,                 ,,                 ,,       in  London         no 

PEARCE,  Dr.  C.  W.     Choral  Scena,  "  Enceladus,"  at  Bristol       143 

PHILHARMONIC  SOCIETY  21,  34,  44,  65 

PIANOFORTE  RECITALS. 

Albeniz,  Senor      69,  85 

Backer-Grondahl,  Madame        ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  84 

Barnett,  Miss  Emma       127 

Bartlett,  Miss  Agnes       119 

Bonawitz,  J.  H.    ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  69 

Bradley,  Orton      ...         41 

Bright,  Miss  Dora  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  5,  29 

Douste,  Mdlle.  Jeanne 17,  54 

Frickenhaus,  Madame 53 


INDEX.  xiii 

PACE 

PIANOFORTE  RECITALS. — continued. 

Friedheim,  Arthur,  and  Tivadar  Nachez       85 

Geisler-Schubert,  Fraulein        ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  16 

Goldbeck,  Robert :         28 

Grieg,  Edvard       28 

Hegner,  Otto         5,  16,  103 

Janotha,  Mdlle 54 

Lamond,  Frederick         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  40 

Pachmann,  Vladimir  de 54,69,85 

Pauer,  Max           ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  28 

Schirmacher,  Miss  Dora            53 

Schonberger,  Herr           ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  53 

Schubert,  Johannes         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  85 

Stavenhagen,  Herr          29 

Wild,  Miss  Margaret      28 

Wurm,  Miss  Mathilde 41 

Yates,  Mrs.  Charles         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  29 

Zimmermann,  Miss  Agnes        40 

PIANOFORTE  AND  VOCAL  RECITALS. 

Armbruster,  Carl.     "  Tristan  und  Isolde  "    ...         ...         ...         ...         6 

Max  Heinrich  and  Emanuel  Moor       ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  6,  17 

,,  ,,         and  Schonberger  119 

PIATTI,  Alfredo.     Sonata  in  F,  for  Violoncello  and  Pianoforte  (No.  3)  ...         5 
PLANQUETTE,  Robert.     Comic  Opera,  "  Paul  Jones,"  produced  ...         ...         7 

POPULAR  CONCERTS         :        ...  3,  14,  25,  37,  106,  114,  125 

POPULAR  MUSICAL  UNION         33,  119 

PROMENADE  CONCERTS 87 

PROUT,  Ebenezer.     Overture,  "  Rokeby  "      24 

Cantata,  "  Damon  and  Phintias,"  produced  at  Oxford        ...         ...     178 


RAFF.     Pianoforte  Quartet  in  C  minor  (Op.  202)     ...         ...         68 

REEVES,  Sims.     Morning  Concert       84 

RICHTER  CONCERTS         ...     45,  66,  81 

RoGER-MicLos,  Madame.     Debut        87 

„     at  Crystal  Palace 103 

ROSA,  Carl.     Death         41 

ROYAL  ACADEMY  OF  Music         39,  83,  117,  126 

ROYAL  AMATEUR  ORCHESTRAL  SOCIETY        ...         ...         51 

ROYAL  CHORAL  SOCIETY i,  8,  20,  31,  34,  106,  no,  122 

ROYAL  COLLEGE  OF  Music         38,82,107,126 

ROYAL  SOCIETY  OF  MUSICIANS ...         no 

SACRED  CONCERTS  20, 34 

SAINT-SAENS,  Camille.     Poeme  Symphonique,  "  Phaeton,"  at  Crystal 

Palace  24 

SAPELLNIKOFF,  M.    Debut         34 


xiv  INDEX. 


PAGE 


SARASATE  CONCERTS        ...    46,  68,  104 

SARASATE,  Senor.     Duet,  "  Navarra,"  for  two  Violins        ...         ...         ...  68 

SCHLA'GER,  Mdlle  Toni.     Debut             ...  59 

SCHLESINGER,  Seb.     "  Reed  Songs " ...         ...         ...  18 

SCHOLZ,  Dr.  Bernhard.     Symphony  in  B  flat  (Op.  60)       104 

SCHUBERT,  Johannes.     Debut ...         ...         ...  85 

SCHUTT,  Eduard.     Pianoforte  Trio  in  C  minor  (Op.  27)     ...         39 

SCOTCH  CONCERTS            ...            6,  119 

SEQUIN,  M.     Debut          57 

SEMBRICH,  Madame.     Re-appearance 71 

SHEDLOCK,  J.  S.     Pianoforte  Quartet  in  A  minor    ...         ...         ...         ...  29 

SIMPSON,  F.  J.     Overture,  "  Robert  Bruce  "            ...  in 

SINDONA,  Signor.     Debut           ...         60 

SITT,  Hans.     Violin  Concerto  at  Gloucester 89 

SLAUGHTER,  Walter.     Comic  Opera,  "  Marjorie,"  produced         ...         ...  85 

SOLOMON,  Edward.     Musical  Version  of "  Area  Belle  "     ...         ...         ...  54 

Comic  Opera,  "The  Red  Hussar,"  produced           ...         ...         ...  120 

SOUTH  LONDON  CHORAL  ASSOCIATION 126 

SPARK,  Dr.     Oratorio,  "  Immanuel,"  at  Leeds        ...         ...  183 

SPIES,  Fraulein  Hermine.     Debut       ...         ...         ...  66 

SPOHR.     Sonata  for  Harp  and  Violin  (MS.)  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  50 

"Fall  of  Babylon,1' revived        ...         ...  no 

STAINER,  Sir  John.     Elected  Professor  of  Music  at  Oxford           ...          73,  180 

STANFORD,  Professor  C.  Villiers.     Symphony  in  F  (No.  4,  Op.  31;         ...  12 
Choral  Ballad,  "  The  Voyage  of  Maeldune,"  produced  at  Leeds...  99 
,,                             ,,                 ,,                   in  London    ...         ...  no- 
Pianoforte  Trio  in  E  flat,  at  Oxford 177 

Sonata  for  Pianoforte  and  Violoncello,  in  D  minor  (Op.  39)          ...  115 

Suite  in  D,  for  Violin  and  Orchestra  (Op.  32),  at  Manchester      ...  23 

j,                 ,,                 ,,                 ,,                     in  London  ...         ...  23 

STEPANOFF,  Madame.     Debut  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  82 

STOCK  EXCHANGE  ORCHESTRAL  SOCIETY        ...          51,  128 

STRAUSS,  Richard.     Two  Movements  from  Symphonic  Fantasia,  "  Aus 

Italien"       113 

STROLLING  PLAYERS'  ORCHESTRAL  SOCIETY 52. 

SULLIVAN,  Sir  Arthur.     Oratorio,  "The  Prodigal  Son,"  revived...         ...  91 

Comic  Opera,  "  The  Gondoliers,"  produced 128 

"Macbeth"  Music  at  Leeds     ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  101 

„             ,,             Crystal  Palace 112 

SYMPSON,  Christopher.     Thirteen  "  Divisions  "  for  Division  Viol            ...  lift 

TALAZAC,  M.     Debut  in  Italian  Opera            ...  42 

TAMAGNO,  Signor.     Debut          76 


INDEX.  xv 


PAGE 


THOMAS,  A.  Goring.     Contralto  air  for  "  Nadeshda  "         ......         ...  71 

TONIC  SOL-FA  CHOIRS,  Association  of.     At  Crystal  Palace            ...         ...  72 

TOULMIN,    Miss    Mary.      "  Christmas    Carol  "    for    Solo,    Chorus,    and 

Orchestra     ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  126 

TSCHAIKOWSKV.     Solemn  Overture,  "  1812  "...         ...         ...         ...         ...  2 

Orchestral  Suite  in  D  (Op.  43)  ............         ......  34 

Pianoforte  Concerto  in  B  flat  minor  at  Philharmonic         ......  34 

Re-appearance  at  Philharmonic           ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  34 

VERDI.     "  Otello  "  produced  at  the  Lyceum             ............  74 

VICINI,  Signer.     Debut    ..................         ......  59 

VIGNE,  Mdlle  Jane  de.     Debut  ............         .........  56 

VINCENT,  Dr.  Charles.     Cantata,  "  The  Mermaid,"  produced      ...         ...  51 

VOCAL  RECITALS. 

Heinrich,  Max      ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  _j.i 

Henschel,  Mr.  and  Mrs  ...................           17,  127 

Kellie,  Lawrence...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  54 

Lara,  Isidore  de...  ..................      29,  41,  85 

Spies,  Fraulein  Hermine  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  70,  85 

WADDINGTON,  Sidney  P.     Pianoforte  Concerto  in  G  minor          ...         ...  38 

WAGNER.     Overture  to  "  Die  Feen  "  ..................  ^ 

Album-Sonata  in  C  flat  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  48 

Closing  Scene,  Act  I.,  "  Die  Walkiire  "          ............  67 

Closing  Scene,  Act  I.,  "  Siegfried  "     .........         ......  67 

"  Die  Meistersinger  "  produced  in  Italian     .........         ...  78 

Duet  from  "  Die  Feen  "...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  ij 

Excerpts  from  "  Parsifal,"  with  chorus          ............  67 

WARMUTH,  Signor.     Debut        ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  6O 

WEBER.     Entr'acte  from  "The  Three  Pintos  "       ............  3 

Hymn,  "  In  constant  order  "  (Op.  36)            ............  83 

WESTMINSTER  ORCHESTRAL  SOCIETY  ...............    27,  52,  127 

WILLIAMS,  C.  Lee.     Cantata,  "  Bethany,1'  produced          .........  go 

WIND  INSTRUMENT  CHAMBER  Music  SOCIETY          ...         ...         ...     27,  50,  117 

WINGHAM,  Thomas.     Andante  from  E  flat  Serenade,  at  Crystal  Palace  35 

String  Quartet  in  G  minor         ..................  49 

WONSOWSKA,  Mdlle.     Debut      .....................  y0 

WOOD,  Charles.     String  Quartet,  at  Cambridge      ...         ...         ...         ...  i<z 

WOOLNOTH,  C.   Hall.      Choral   Ballad,  "The  Skeleton   in  Armour,"  at 

Glasgow         ...            ...................  r60 


YSAYE,  M.     Debut  at  Philharmonic 


ZANDT,  Miss  Marie  Van.     Re-appearance    ...............       56 

ZAVERTHAL,  L.     Symphony  in  C  minor         ...............       ^o 


MUSICAL  NOTES. 

1889. 


JANUARY. 

ONE  musical  year  in  London  starts  very  much  like  another,, 
and  these  Notes  must  perforce  open  once  again  with  the  record 
of  a  "  Messiah  "  performance  at  the  Royal  Albert  Hall  on  New 
Year's  Day.  On  the  present  occasion  Madame  Albani,  Madame 
Patey,  Mr.  Charles  Banks,  and  Mr.  Watkin  Mills  were  the 
soloists. 

At  the  next  Concert  of  the  Royal  Choral  Society,  on  the  i6th, 
M.  Peter  Benoit's  Oratorio  "Lucifer"  was  to  have  been  given, 
but  that  event  being  postponed,  Berlioz's  "  Faust "  was  substi- 
tuted, the  performance  deriving  a  special  interest  from  the  first 
appearance  under  this  Society's  auspices  of  Miss  Marguerite 
Macintyre.  The  young  Scottish  vocalist,  who  was  destined  in 
course  of  the  year  to  considerably  advance  her  reputation  as  an 
Oratorio  and  Concert  singer,  gave  the  music  of  Margaret  a  highly 
satisfactory  rendering.  Her  clear,  sympathetic  tones  fairly  filled 
the  vast  building,  while  her  phrasing  was  marked  by  singular 
purity  and  charm.  The  audience  honoured  Miss  Macintyre  with 
a  hearty  greeting,  and  bestowed  upon  her  liberal  applause.  Mr. 
Tver  McKay  was  the  Faust  and  Mr.  Watkin  Mills  the  Mephis- 
topheles.  The  choruses  were,  as  usual,  magnificently  sung  under 
Mr.  Barnby's  guidance. 

The  performance  of  "  Elijah  "  at  the  Novello  Oratorio  Con- 

B 


MUSICAL  NOTES. 


certs  on  the  23rd  was  the  first  of  the  season  heard  in  central 
London.  It  was  an  exceedingly  good  performance,  the  choir 
being  in  superb  form.  Madame  Nordica,  Madame  Patey,  Mr. 
Edward  Lloyd,  and  Mr.  Henschel  were  the  principal  singers, 
while  a  new  contralto,  Miss  Lizzie  Neal,  created  a  decidedly 
favourable  impression  by  her  rendering  of  "  Woe  unto  them." 
Dr.  Mackenzie  conducted. 

On  the  I4th  Haydn's  charming  but  neglected  Oratorio  "  The 
Seasons"  was  revived  by  the  Borough  of  Hackney  Choral 
Association,  under  the  able  direction  of  Mr.  Ebenezer  Prout. 
It  had  not  been  given  in  its  entirety  in  the  metropolis 
since  1877,  when  it  was  performed  by  the  Sacred  Harmonic 
Society.  The  Hackney  choristers  sang  as  well  as  usual,  and 
the  solos  were  safely  entrusted  to  Mrs.  Hutchinson,  Mr.  Henry 
Piercy,  and  Mr.  Robert  Hilton. 

A  series  of  Concerts  in  the  newly-erected  Hall  of  the  Hampstead 
Conservatoire  of  Music  was  inaugurated  on  the  28th  by  a  perform- 
ance of  "  The  Golden  Legend,"  given  in  a  Concert-room  capable 
of  accommodating  an  audience  of  700,  and  band  and  chorus  of 
nearly  300.  Mr.  G.  F.  Geaussent,  the  Principal  of  the  Conser- 
vatoire, conducted,  and  Mr.  Carrodus  led  the  orchestra.  The 
solos  were  sustained  by  Miss  Annie  Marriott,  Madame  Marian 
Mackenzie,  Mr.  Lloyd,  Mr.  Henschel,  and  Mr.  J.  T.  Hutchinson. 
On  the  26th  Dr.  J.  F.  Bridge's  Cantata  "  Callirhoe  "  was  given 
at  the  Bow  and  Bromley  Institute,  Mr.  McNaught  conducting. 

At  the  London  Symphony  Concerts,  on  the  I5th,  Mr.  Henschel 
introduced  at  the  end  of  a  not  very  interesting  programme  a 
Solemn  Overture,  entitled  "  1812,"  by  Tschaikowsky,  who  has 
herein  endeavoured  to  illustrate  the  events  of  that  memorable  year 
— so  fatal  to  Napoleon,  so  glorious  for  the  Russians.  But  it 
seemed  a  noisy,  bombastic  composition,  and  sadly  needed  an 
explanatory  analysis.  Far  preferable  items  of  the  Concert  were 
the  performance  of  Wagner's  "  Siegfried  Idyll  "  and  the  violin 
playing  of  Mr.  Willy  Hess,  Sir  Charles  Halle's  Manchester  chef 
d'attaque.  On  the  22nd  there  were  included  in  the  scheme  an 


JANUARY,  3 

Entr'acte  from  Weber's  posthumous  Opera  "  The  Three  Pintos," 
and  Mendelssohn's  "  Hear  my  prayer,"  the  solo  in  the  latter 
being  sung  by  Mrs.  Henschel  and  the  choruses  by  Mr.  McNaught's 
Bow  and  Bromley  Choir.  The  Entr'acte,  heard  for  the  first  time, 
proved  to  be  a  graceful,  delicately-scored  piece.  Weber  left  this 
comic  opera  in  an  unfinished  state,  and  the  work  of  completing 
it  was  carried  out,  at  the  request  of  the  composer's  descendants, 
by  Herr  Mahler.  "The  Three  Pintos"  was  only  produced  in 
course  of  the  year  1888  at  Munich.  At  the  Symphony  Concert  of 
the  2Qth  Mr.  Hamish  MacCunn  conducted  his  Overture  "The  Land 
o'  the  Mountain  and  the  Flood,"  which  was  finely  played  and 
rapturously  applauded.  Herr  Hans  Wessely  gave  a  finished 
rendering  of  a  Ballad  in  F  sharp  minor  (Op.  39),  for  violin,  com- 
posed by  Mr.  Henschel,  who  also  conducted  a  first-rate  perform- 
ance of  Brahms's  Symphony  in  D  (No.  2)  and  Glinka's 
"  Komarinskaja,"  a  Fantasia  on  two  Russian  national  songs. 

The  resumption  of  the  Popular  Concerts  on  Monday,  the  7th, 
after  the  customary  Christmas  recess,  was  marked  by  no  features 
of  particular  interest.  Beethoven's  Quartet  in  E  flat  (Op.  74), 
executed  by  Madame  Neruda,  Messrs.  Ries,  Straus,  and  Piatti, 
opened  the  Concert ;  Rubinstein's  Sonata  in  D  (Op.  18),  per- 
formed by  Mdlle.  Janotha  and  Signor  Piatti,  brought  it  to  a 
termination.  The  solo  works  were  of  unusually  trifling  dimen- 
sions. Mdlle.  Janotha  was  down  only  for  Chopin's  Barcarolle, 
but  added  his  Berceuse  as  an  encore,  playing  both  beautifully. 
Madame  Neruda  gave  pieces  by  Spohr  and  Leclair,  and,  in  spite 
of  four  recalls,  declined  to  play  again.  Mr.  Santley  sang  a  couple 
of  Lieder  by  Brahms  and  Gounod's  "  Nom  de  Marie,"  accom- 
panied by  Mr.  Sidney  Naylor.  On  the  Saturday  following  a  large 
crowd  went  to  hear  Beethoven's  "  Kreutzer  "  Sonata,  played  by 
Madame  N6ruda  and  Sir  Charles  Halle.  The  "  Kreutzer  "  came 
last  in  the  scheme,  first  place  being  worthily  assigned  to  Mozart's 
glorious  Quintet  in  G  minor  (No.  6),  which  was  executed  by 
Madame  Neruda,  Messrs.  L.  Ries,  Hollander,  Gibson,  and  Piatti. 
Sir  Charles  Halle  was  heard  alone  in  Schubert's  Fantasia  Sonata 

B  2 


MUSICAL  NOTES. 


in  G  (Op.  78),  and  merited,  by  an  admirable  performance,  the  loud 
applause  he  received.  Mrs.  Henschel  sang  Purcell's  "  Nymphs 
and  Shepherds,"  Goring  Thomas's  "  Midi  au  Village,"  and 
Massenet's  "  Serenade  de  Janette."  All  three  were  given  to 
perfection,  Mr.  Henschel  being  at  the  piano.  Madame  Haas  was 
the  pianist  on  Monday,  the  I4th.  She  gave  a  conscientious  and 
refined  interpretation  of  Chopin's  Impromptu  in  F  sharp  major, 
and  sustained  the  pianoforte  part  in  Brahms's  A  major  Quartet. 
Beethoven's  first  "  Rasoumouski  "  Quartet  opened  the  Concert. 
The  vocalist  was  Miss  Florence  Hoskins,  a  student  at  the  Royal 
College.  In  marked  contrast  to  the  small  attendance  at  this 
Concert  was  the  crush  on  Saturday,  the  igth,  when  Beethoven's 
Septet  was  played  by  Madame  Neruda,  Messrs.  Hollander, 
Lazarus,  Paersch,  Wotton,  Reynolds,  and  Piatti.  The  scheme 
opened  with  Haydn's  famous  Quartet  in  C  (Op.  76,  No.  3),  which 
contains  the  variations  on  "  God  preserve  the  Emperor." 
Madame  Haas  added  to  the  favourable  impression  already  created 
by  her  rendering  of  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  A  flat  (Op.  no).  Mr. 
Santley  sang.  On  the  succeeding  Monday  Madame  Haas  joined 
Signor  Piatti  in  Mendelssohn's  duet  Sonata  in  B  flat  (Op.  45),  and 
performed  Bach's  Organ  Prelude  and  Fugue  in  A  minor,  as 
arranged  for  piano  by  Liszt.  The  piece  de  resistance  of  this 
programme  was  Schubert's  Octet  (Op.  166),  gloriously  given  by 
Madame  Neruda,  Messrs.  Ries,  Straus,  Lazarus,  Paersch, 
Wotton,  Reynolds,  and  Piatti.  Contrary  to  latter-day  custom, 
the  Octet  was  put  last  in  the  programme,  and  given  without 
break.  Miss  Helen  d' Alton  was  heard  to  advantage  in  Maud 
Valerie  White's  charming  song,  "  Come  to  me  in  my  dreams." 
The  audience  at  the  afternoon  Popular  Concert  of  the  26th 
was  large  but  not  crowded.  Beethoven's  Quintet  in  C  (Op.  29) 
was  magnificently  rendered  by  Madame  Neruda,  Messrs.  Ries, 
Hollander,  Gibson,  and  Piatti.  Mdlle.  Janotha  played  Schu- 
mann's "  Carnival  "  ;  and,  as  an  encore,  the  same  composer's 
"  Arabeske  "  ;  being  also  heard  with  Madame  Neruda  in  Beet- 
hoven's Sonata  in  G  major,  for  pianoforte  and  violin  (Op.  30, 


JANUARY.  5 

No.  3).  Mr.  Brereton  was  the  vocalist.  An  interesting  Concert 
was  that  of  the  28th,  when  Miss  Fanny  Davies  made  her 
rentree>  and  executed  Schumann's  "  Fantasiestucke "  (Op.  in), 
of  which  three  strikingly  original  pieces  only  the  third  had 
hitherto  been  heard  at  the  "  Pops."  They  were  beautifully 
played;  and,  an  encore  being  insisted  upon,  Miss  Davies  gave 
Mendelssohn's  Capriccio  in  E  minor.  On  the  same  evening 
a  new  Sonata  for  violoncello  and  pianoforte,  in  F  (No.  3), 
by  Signer  Piatti,  was  performed  for  the  first  time.  As  in  his 
previous  Sonatas,  the  composer  here  shows  a  strict  adherence  to 
orthodox  form,  and  lays  out  his  materials  with  the  skill  of  an 
accomplished  musician.  The  themes  are  melodious  and  effective, 
notably  in  the  slow  movement,  a  Romanza  full  of  feeling  and 
passion.  The  Sonata  met  with  emphatic  favour,  the  composer 
and  his  talented  coadjutor,  Miss  Fanny  Davies,  being  recalled 
amid  loud  applause.  Miss  Marguerite  Hall,  who  had  only  just 
returned  to  England,  appeared  and  sang,  with  entire  acceptance, 
songs  by  Schubert  and  Goring  Thomas. 

On  the  28th  little  Otto  Hegner  gave  the  first  of  a  series  of 
Recitals  at  St.  James's  Hall.  He  played  with  neatness  and 
decison  the  first  of  Bach's  six  Partitas  (in  B  flat),  and  also 
attempted  Beethoven's  "  Waldstein "  Sonata  in  C  (Op.  53). 
There  were  passages  in  the  Sonata  which,  owing  to  the  size  of 
his  hands,  he  could  not  grasp,  but  it  was  altogether  a  phenomenal 
performance  for  a  boy  of  twelve.  In  the  opening  movement  he  was 
somewhat  excited ;  but,  by  the  time  he  arrived  at  the  Finale,  he 
had  fully  recovered  his  self-possession.  He  was  heard  besides  in 
Schumann's  "  Vogel  als  Prophet  "  and  in  a  Nocturne  and  Waltz 
by  Chopin  ;  and  concluded  the  Recital  with  one  of  the  well- 
known  Rhapsodies  by  Liszt.  There  was  a  large  but  not  very 
enthusiastic  audience. 

Miss  Dora  Bright,  a  pupil  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Music, 
gave  the  first  of  three  Recitals  at  Princes'  Hall  on  the  3Oth. 
Among  other  works  she  was  heard  in  Schumann's  Fantasia  in  C 
(Op.  17).  She  made,  however,  the  best  impression  in  some  new 


MUSICAL  NOTES. 


Studies  by  Mr.  Walter  Macfarren,  and  in  two  effective  little 
pieces  from  her  own  pen. 

A  series  of  three  Recitals,  given  by  Mr.  Max  Heinrich  and  Mr. 
Emanuel  Moor,  began  at  Steinway  Hall  on  the  i6th.  On  the 
following  day  Mr.  W.  de  Manby  Sergison  gave  the  first  of  ten 
winter  Concerts  at  62,  Warwick  Square. 

Madame  Patti  appeared  at  the  Royal  Albert  Hall  before 
crowded  audiences  on  January  8th  and  22nd,  and  February  28th, 
these  being  the  last  Concerts  in  which  she  took  part  in  London 
previous  to  her  leaving  for  a  tour  in  South  America. 

At  the  London  Ballad  Concert,  on  the  i6th,  new  songs  by  Miss 
Hope  Temple,  Mr.  Molloy,  and  Mr.  Stephen  Adams  were  intro- 
duced. The  birthday  of  Burns  was  commemorated  as  usual,  on 
the  25th,  by  Concerts  at  the  Albert  Hall  and  St.  James's  Hall. 

A  "dialogue-oratorio,"  "Samuel,"  composed  by  Mr.  Jerome 
Hopkins,  was  performed  for  the  first  time  at  Princes'  Hall,  on  the 
28th,  under  the  composer's  direction.  The  characteristic  feature 
of  this  work  is  that  it  requires  "  a  singing  and  a  speaking  troupe" 
for  its  interpretation,  declamation  in  the  speaking  voice  entering 
largely  into  its  scheme. 

Mr.  Carl  Armbruster  commenced,  on  the  28th,  a  series  of  three 
Afternoon  Recitals  at  the  Portman  Rooms,  in  course  of  which 
Wagner's  "  Tristan  und  Isolde  "  was  sung,  with  a  pianoforte 
accompaniment,  one  act  being  given  at  each  Recital.  As  a  "  set- 
off"  against  the  disadvantage  of  there  being  no  orchestra,  the 
"  friends  of  Wagner's  musical  dramas,"  to  whom  Mr.  Armbruster 
specially  appealed,  were  vouchsafed  a  rendering  without  a  single 
cut.  The  chief  solo  parts  were  sustained  by  Miss  Pauline 
Cramer  (Isolde),  Miss  Margaret  Hoare  (Brangdne),  Mr.  William 
Nicholl  (Tristan),  Mr.  W.  Cunliife  (Kurwenal),  Mr.  B.  H.  Grove 
(Marke),  and  Mr.  Henry  Phillips  in  the  three  minor  characters. 

A  short  season  of  English  Opera  began  at  the  Olympic  Theatre, 
on  the  26th,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Valentine  Smith.  "  Mari- 
tana,"  "  The  Bohemian  Girl,"  and  other  favourite  operas  were 
given,  and  low  prices  of  admission  were  charged.  Mr.  Valentine 


JANUARY.  7 

Smith  was  supported  by  a  tolerably  capable  troupe,  including 
Miss  Clara  Perry,  Miss  Susetta  Fenn,  Mr.  C.  H.  Victor,  and  Mr. 
Henry  Pope,  with  a  good  band  and  excellent  conductor  in  Mr. 
Isidore  de  Solla.  The  chorus  and  mise  en  scene  were  not  all  that 
could  be  desired,  and,  on  the  whole,  the  venture  failed  to  prosper. 
"  Paul  Jones,"  which  successful  comic  opera  ran  throughout 
the  year,  was  brought  out  by  the  Carl  Rosa  Light  Opera  Com- 
pany, on  the  i2th,  at  the  Prince  of  Wales's  Theatre,  under  the 
management  of  Mr.  Horace  Sedger.  "  Paul  Jones "  was  an 
English  adaptation  of  M.  Robert  Planquette's  "  Surcceuf,"  pro- 
duced on  October  6,  1887,  at  the  Folies  Dramatiques  Theatre, 
Paris.  The  French  libretto  of  Messrs.  Chivot  and  Duru,  freely 
adapted  by  the  late  Mr.  H.  B.  Farnie,  embodied  a  picturesque 
story  ;  and  the  music,  if  not  equal  to  the  composer's  "  Cloches  de 
Corneville"  or  "Rip  van  Winkle,"  proved  sufficiently  bright  and 
pleasing  to  satisfy  the  general  ear.  It  may,  however,  be  asserted, 
without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  the  attraction  chiefly  account- 
ing for  the  long  run  of  the  piece  was  furnished  by  the  representa- 
tive of  the  hero,  Miss  Agnes  Huntington,  an  American  contralto 
new  to  the  English  stage.  Miss  Huntington's  beauty  and  com- 
manding presence,  her  fine  voice  and  sympathetic  artistic  style, 
won  for  her  an  immediate  triumph.  The  other  chief  characters 
were  impersonated  by  Miss  Wadman,  Miss  Phyllis  Broughton, 
Mr.  H.  Ashley,  Mr.  H.  Monkhouse,  and  Mr.  Frank  Wyatt. 

OBITUARY. — lima  di  Murska  (operatic  singer),  Munich,  I4th  ; 
Francis  Hueffer  (musical  critic  of  The  Times),  London,  igth. 


MUSICAL  NOTES. 


FEBRUARY. 

THE  Sacred  Cantata  "  Isaias,"  written  by  Signer  Luigi  Man- 
cinelli  and  produced  under  his  direction  at  the  Norwich  Festival 
of  1887,  was  performed  for  the  first  time  in  London  by  the  Royal 
Choral  Society  on  the  aoth.  Comparatively  slight  interest  was 
evinced  in  this  event,  and  the  Albert  Hall  was  by  no  means  well 
filled.  Yet  this  ought  not  to  have  been  the  case,  remembering 
the  curiosity  which  the  work  excited  at  Norwich,  and  the  enthusi- 
astic reception  accorded  it  there.  The  music  of  "  Isaias  "  is  of 
that  bold,  unconventional  character  which  must  ever  make  it 
interesting  to  musicians,  and,  despite  certain  inequalities,  it  is  a 
composition  of  undoubted  merit.  The  beautiful  numbers  that 
come  early  in  the  Cantata  once  more  made  a  deep  impression. 
A  finer  rendering  of  the  choruses  could  not  have  been  wished  for; 
and  the  solos  were,  on  the  whole,  satisfactorily  given  by  Madame 
Nordica,  Miss  Lena  Little,  Mr.  Barton  McGuckin,  Mr.  Alec 
Marsh,  and  Mr.  Lucas  Williams.  The  Cantata  was  conducted 
by  Mr.  Joseph  Barnby,  whose  Psalm,  "  The  Lord  is  King," 
opened  the  Concert.  At  the  performance  of  "  Elijah,"  given  by 
this  Society  on  the  2nd,  Madame  Nordica,  Madame  Belle  Cole, 
Mr.  Charles  Banks,  and  Mr.  Henschel  constituted  the  leading 
solo  quartet ;  and  the  contralto  solo,  "  Woe  unto  them,"  was 
expressively  rendered  by  Miss  Julia  Neilson. 

The  "  Dream  of  Jubal,"  a  "poem  with  music,"  written  by  Mr. 
Joseph  Bennett  and  composed  by  Dr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie  for  the 
Jubilee  of  the  Liverpool  Philharmonic  Society,  was  heard  in 
London,  for  the  first  time,  on  the  26th,  at  Novello's  Oratorio 
Concerts,  and  received  with  every  sign  of  favour,  the  Lancashire 


FEBRUARY. 


verdict  being  endorsed  with  emphasis  by  a  large  and  representa- 
tive audience.  In  this  very  original  work  the  author  depicts 
Jubal,  "  the  father  of  all  such  as  handle  the  harp  and  pipe,"  as  being 
discontented  with  his  powers  and  thrown  into  a  deep  sleep,  wherein 
an  angel  appears  and  reveals  to  him  in  a  series  of  visions  the 
varied  possibilities  that  attend  the  after-development  of  his  art. 
Amid  appropriate  scenes,  he  hears  in  turn  a  chorus  of  praise  in 
Divine  worship,  a  song  of  comfort  in  bereavement,  a  patriotic 
march  and  chorus  of  victory,  a  song  of  a  labourer  in  the  harvest 
field,  a  funeral  march  and  chorus  in  honour  of  a  hero,  and  a  duet 
of  lovers.  At  the  conclusion  of  all  this  he  awakes,  and,  bearing 
his  "  chorded  shell  "  to  the  altar,  dedicates  the  wondrous  gift  to 
God,  a  chorus  of  invocation  ending  the  work.  The  peculiarity  of 
this  composition  is  that  the  story  is  recited  in  spoken  verse,  the 
reciter  being  accompanied  throughout  by  the  orchestra,  while  the 
choruses  and  solos  are  restricted  to  the  events  of  the  dream,  as 
above  set  forth,  and  the  final  invocation.  The  effect  is  striking, 
and  to  some  extent  new.  Mr.  Bennett's  "  poem  "  is  worthy  to 
be  so  called.  His  verse  is  elegant,  his  diction  refined,  and  his 
language  in  all  cases  poetic  and  expressive.  The  music  may  be 
described  in  a  word  as  in  Dr.  Mackenzie's  best  vein.  Always 
original,  forcible,  and  appropriate,  it  is  full  of  melodic  charm  and 
technical  resource,  while  more  than  one  climax  rises  to  a  height 
of  veritable  grandeur.  Thanks  to  a  magnificent  performance, 
the  beauty  and  dramatic  power  of  the  work  made  an  unmistak- 
ably deep  impression  on  all  who  heard  it.  The  choruses  were 
superbly  sung ;  the  soprano  and  tenor  solos  were  rendered  to  per- 
fection by  Miss  Macintyre  and  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd;  and  the 
difficult  task  allotted  to  the  reciter  was  fulfilled  with  conspicuous 
ability  by  Mr.  Charles  Fry.  The  composer,  who  conducted,  was 
awarded  a  hearty  ovation  at  the  close.  The  new  work  was 
preceded  by  Saint-Saens's  Psalm  "The  Heavens  declare,"  in 
which  Miss  Liza  Lehmann  sang  with  fervent  feeling  the  soprano 
solo  ;  Miss  Zippora  Monteith,  an  American  soprano,  made  her 
debut;  and  Miss  Lizzie  Neal,  Messrs.  Lloyd,  Andrew  Black, 


io  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


Lucas  Williams,   D.    Hughes,  and  L.  Huxtable  assisted  in  the 
concerted  music. 

The  first  Saturday  Concert  (eleventh  of  the  series)  at  the 
Crystal  Palace,  after  the  customary  recess,  took  place  on  the  gth. 
Mr.  Manns  was  warmly  greeted  by  a  crowded  audience — attracted 
chiefly  by  the  announcement  that  Otto  Hegner  would  play.  This 
veritable  "  wonder-child "  was  heard  in  Beethoven's  C  minor 
Pianoforte  Concerto  (No.  3),  the  same  work  that  Josef  Hofmann 
played  here  at  the  opening  Concert  of  the  winter  season,  October 
8th,  1887.  Otto's  performance,  however,  was  as  far  superior  to 
his  rival's  as  was  his  rendering  of  the  C  major  Concerto  (No.  i)  last 
April,  when  compared  with  that  given  by  Josef  at  the  Philharmonic 
Concert  of  June,  1887,  even  allowing  in  each  instance  for  the 
respective  differences  of  age.  Hegner  was  perfectly  at  ease  from 
the  moment  he  sat  down.  From  a  technical  standpoint  the 
Concerto  was  "child's-play"  to  him;  by  far  the  most  difficult 
thing  in  it  was  the  elaborate  though  ill-fitted  cadenza  written  for  him 
by  his  harmony  master,  Herr  Glaus,  of  Bale.  His  exquisite 
phrasing  of  the  slow  movement,  and  the  crisp,  pearly  delicacy  of 
his  touch  in  the  Rondo,  sent  the  audience  fairly  into  raptures,, 
and  he  was  recalled  with  enthusiasm.  Hegner  afterwards  played 
some  solo  morceaux,  and  added  an  encore  without  evincing  the 
slightest  fatigue.  The  programme  opened  with  a  novelty — the 
Overture  to  Lalo's  Opera  "  Le  Roi  d'Ys,"  which  clever  though 
unequal  work  had  been  very  frequently  given  at  the  Paris  Opera 
Comique  since  its  production  there  in  May,  1888.  Lalo  stands  high 
among  modern  French  composers ;  he  is  a  man  of  original  ideas 
and  distinct  creative  power.  Unfortunately  he  was  already  sixty- 
one,  and  "  Le  Roi  d'Ys "  was  his  first  real  success.  The 
Overture,  which  is  in  irregular  form,  is  based  on  themes  heard  in 
course  of  the  Opera,  and  is  a  picturesque,  cleverly-scored  piece. 
Miss  Emily  Spada  was  the  vocalist.  At  the  Concert  of  the  i6th 
was  produced  for  the  first  time  in  England  Mr.  Hamish  Mac- 
Cunn's  Cantata  "  The  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel,"  written 
expressly  for  the  Glasgow  Choral  Union,  and  performed  by  that 


FEBRUARY.  ir 


Society  in  December,  1888.  This  work  is  Gaelic  to  the  core,  as. 
well  befits  a  composition  founded  on  one  of  Scott's  poetic  master- 
pieces, and  written  by  a  young  Scotch  musician  who  has  from 
the  very  outset  betrayed  a  marked  predilection  for  the  use  of 
themes  inspired  by  the  national  melodies  of  his  country.  The 
libretto,  written  by  Mr.  MacCunn's  father,  is  somewhat  dis- 
jointed, but  the  shortcoming  could  scarcely  have  been  avoided 
without  adding  considerably  to  the  length  of  the  Cantata,  which, 
from  a  dramatic  standpoint,  has  at  least  the  merit  of  being  con- 
cise. The  central  figure  of  the  story  is  the  gallant  Sir  William 
of  Deloraine.  He  rides  from  Branksome  Hall,  at  the  bidding  of 
Lady  Buccleuch,  to  Melrose  Abbey,  and  there,  with  the  aid  of 
the  Monk  of  St.  Mary's  Aisle,  obtains  from  the  tomb  of  the 
Wizard,  Michael  Scott,  the  "  Mighty  Book  "  that  shall  prove  a 
charm  and  defence  against  the  English  invaders.  On  his  way 
back  Sir  William  interrupts  a  clandestine  meeting  between  Lady 
Margaret  of  Branksome  and  Lord  Cranston,  whose  family  is  at 
feud  with  the  Buccleuchs ;  and  in  the  combat  that  follows 
between  the  Knights,  Deloraine  is  wounded.  Later  on,  when  the 
English  Borderers  appear  at  Branksome  and  are  met  with 
defiance  at  the  hands  of  its  noble  mistress,  it  is  agreed  that  their 
dispute  shall  be  settled  by  single  combat,  Sir  Richard  Musgrave 
representing  the  English  and  Sir  William  of  Deloraine  the  Scottish 
sides.  The  wounded  Deloraine  is  unfit  to  fight,  but,  through  the 
influence  of  the  Mighty  Book,  Lord  Cranston  is  enabled  to  per- 
sonate him  and  overcome  the  English  champion,  whereupon 
there  is  a  reconciliation,  and  Cranston  is  accepted  by  Lady 
Buccleuch  as  her  daughter's  affianced  husband.  In  his  setting 
Mr.  Hamish  MacCunn  once  more  makes  manifest  the  marked 
peculiarities  of  style  and  powerful  grasp  of  his  subject  that 
characterised  his  previous  works.  His  distinctive  melodies  serve 
here  a  double  purpose.  They  emphasise  the  Scotch  surroundings 
and  they  supply  a  chain  of  Leitmotives  that  enhance  in  a  notable 
degree  the  dramatic  interest  of  the  story.  The  orchestra  plays  a 
highly  important  part,  and  the  masterly  skill  with  which  it  is 


12  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

written   for   throughout    again    excites    mingled  admiration  and 
wonder  at  the  command  of  orchestral  resource  possessed  by  this 
young  musician.     The  narrative  is  carried  on  by  the  chorus,  and 
number  after  number  surprises  by  the  extraordinary  variety  and 
intensity   of  its  descriptive  power,  the  finest  of  all   being  that 
which  depicts  the  midnight  visit  of  the  monk  and  the  knight  to 
the  wizard's  tomb — a   grandly-impressive    scene.     The   "  storm 
and   stress  "  pervading  most  of  the  music  are  agreeably  relieved 
by   the    duet    between   the    River   and    the     Mountain    Spirits, 
who  foretell  that  the  feud  will  not  end  "  Till  pride  be  quelled  and 
love  be  free  " ;  and  also  by  the  charming  number  describing  the 
stolen  meeting  of  the  lovers.     The  solos,  however,  are  compara- 
tively  few    and    unimportant,   while  the  treatment   of  the  final 
chorus,  "  0  Caledonia  !  stern  and  wild,"  scarcely  rises  in  dignity 
or  power  to  the  general  level  of  the  work.     Mr.  MacCunn  was 
enthusiastically  applauded  when  he  came  upon  the  platform  at 
the  conclusion  of  the  performance.     Mr.  Manns  conducted,  and 
the  solos  were  sung  by  Madame  Nordica,  Miss   Marie  Curran, 
Mr.  Iver  McKay,  and   Mr.  Andrew  Black,  the   last-named  artist 
particularly  distinguishing  himself  in  the  baritone  solos.     The 
band  did  its  work  splendidly,  but  the  choir  sang  out  of  tune  and 
with  very  little  spirit.    Another  important  novelty,  brought  forward 
at  the  Concert  of  the  23rd,  was  the  Symphony  in  F  major  (No.  4, 
Op.  31),  composed  by  Professor  Villiers   Stanford,  and  first  pro- 
duced under  his  direction  at  Berlin,  on  January  14.     It  was  now 
conducted  with   characteristic  energy  and  skill   by  Mr.   August 
Manns,  who  secured  an  exceedingly  fine  performance.     Dr.  Stan- 
ford has  prefaced  this  Symphony  with  the  motto,  "  Thro'  Youth 
to  Strife,  Thro'  Death  to  Life."     It   is   an  extremely  interesting 
work,  revealing  rare  breadth  of  conception,  elaboration  of  detail, 
and  musicianly  resource ;  but   the  listener  must  not   expect  to 
find  in  its  four  movements  a  clearly-defined  illustration  of  the 
various  conditions  which  the  motto  indicates.     It  was,   indeed, 
expressly  declared  that  the  composer's  aim  had  been  "only  to  reflect 
the  general  sensations  of  the  motto."    He  has  at  least  been  success- 


FEBRUARY.  13 


ful  in  the  opening  Allegro,  which  plainly  suggests  the  joyous 
animation  and  bright  aspirations  of  youth.  The  Intermezzo  and 
Trio,  in  which  Dr.  Stanford  has  embodied  some  phrases  from  his 
music  to  "  yEdipus  Rex,"  form  a  graceful  and  interesting  section, 
but,  beyond  a  slightly  agitated  character,  the  music  has  in  it  little 
that  conveys  the  idea  of  "  Strife."  Thenceforward  it  is  as  well  to 
ignore  the  purport  of  the  motto  and  appreciate  for  their  own 
beauties  alone  the  singularly  beautiful  slow  movement  and  the 
remarkably  elaborate,  powerfully-wrought  Finale.  These  two 
divisions  comprise  by  far  the  finest  portion  of  the  Symphony. 
Mr.  Manns  took  unsparing  pains  to  secure  a  good  performance, 
and  fully  accomplished  that  object.  The  new  Symphony  was 
loudly  applauded  by  a  large  audience.  Other  noteworthy  items 
of  the  Concert  were  Miss  Fanny  Davies's  rendering  of  Carl 
Reinecke's  Pianoforte  Concerto  in  F  sharp  minor  (Op.  72),  and  a 
splendid  delivery  of  Beethoven's  Air,  "Ah  perfido,"  by  Fraulein 
Marie  Fillunger. 

Mr.  Max  Pauer  appeared  at  the  London  Symphony  Concert  on 
the  5th,  and  gave  a  capital  reading  of  Beethoven's  "  Emperor  " 
Concerto.  Tschaikowsky's  ugly  Solemn  Overture,  "  1812,"  was 
repeated,  and  the  remainder  of  the  programme  was  familiar.  At 
the  Concert  of  the  following  week  one  of  the  largest  audiences  of 
the  season  attended  to  hear  Beethoven's  "  Eroica  "  Symphony 
and  a  Wagner  selection  performed  in  commemoration  of  the  latter 
composer's  death-day,  the  I3th.  The  Bayreuth  master  was  again 
represented  at  the  Concert  of  the  igth  by  the  Overture  to  his 
Opera  "  Die  Feen,"  written  in  1833,  when  he  was  a  young  man 
of  twenty.  This  piece,  now  heard  in  England  for  the  first  time, 
betrays  a  curious  diversity  of  styles.  In  the  slow  introduction 
appear  a  stately  martial  theme  and  a  chorale-like  passage,  both 
gems  of  the  Spontini-Meyerbeer  influence  that  was  to  be  developed 
at  its  fullest  six  years  later  in  "  Rienzi."  The  opening  subject  of 
the  Allegro  is  distinctly  suggestive  of  Weber  alike  in  its  romantic 
character  and  symphonic  style  of  treatment ;  but  the  graceful 
second  subject  given  out  by  the  flute  brings  to  mind  "  Tann- 


i4  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

hauser"  and  "Lohengrin" — showing  that  amid  the  contending 
influences  now  at  work  the  composer's  individuality  had  already  a 
place.  The  "working-out,"  again,  is  suggestive  of  Beethoven, 
and  it  is  marked  by  strong  dramatic  colouring,  though  lacking  in 
clearness.  The  Coda  so  distinctly  foreshadows  that  of  the  "  Flying 
Dutchman "  Overture  that  one  can  scarcely  help  thinking 
Wagner  had  it  in  his  mind  when  he  wrote  the  later  work.  Both, 
anyhow,  belong  to  the  romantic  style  of  Weber.  From  the  above 
remarks  it  may  be  gathered  that  the  Overture  proved  interesting 
to  Wagnerian  students,  and  Mr.  Henschel  earned  deserved 
thanks  for  bringing  it  to  a  hearing  in  this  country.  On  the  same 
evening  Beethoven's  Violin  Concerto  was  performed  by  Mr. 
Johann  Kruse,  a  young  Australian  artist,  whose  debut  at  the  "  Pops  " 
this  month  is  referred  to  below.  The  regular  series  of  the 
London  Symphony  Concerts  now  terminated,  but  an  extra  Con- 
cert was  given  on  the  afternoon  of  the  27th,  the  feature  of  the 
occasion  being  the  London  debut  of  a  portion  of  the  Leeds  Festival 
Chorus,  under  the  direction  of  their  able  conductor,  Mr.  Alfred 
Broughton.  A  large  crowd  attended  and  did  not  go  away 
disappointed.  The  singing  of  the  famous  Yorkshire  choristers  in 
Mendelssohn's  "  Walpurgis  Night"  and  the  Finale  of 
Beethoven's  Choral  Symphony  was  a  thing  to  be  remembered. 
The  bright,  penetrating  tone  and  rich  quality  of  the  voices 
{numbering  in  all  160),  their  clean,  simultaneous  attack,  and  the 
marvellous  vigour  and  precision  with  which  they  followed  the 
beat,  constituted  quite  a  revelation  for  London  amateurs. 
Altogether,  the  visit  was  an  immense  success,  and  it  crowned  in 
worthy  fashion  the  long  series  of  artistic  endeavours  that  marked 
Mr.  Henschel's  undertaking. 

The  programme  of  the  Saturday  Popular  Concert  on  the  2nd 
contained  nothing  calling  for  mention,  beyond  Emmanuel 
Bach's  Sonata  in  C  minor,  for  piano  and  violin,  executed  by  Sir 
Charles  and  Lady  Halle.  Mr.  Max  Pauer  re-appeared  on  the 
following  Monday,  and  gave  a  masculine,  but  not,  as  regards 
poetic  sentiment,  a  wholly  satisfactory  rendering  of  Schumann's 


FEBRUARY.  15 


4i  Etudes  Symphoniques."  The  same  evening  the  new  German 
soprano,  Fraulein  Marie  Fillunger,  made  a  favourable  debut  in 
London,  displaying  a  powerful,  well-cultivated  organ  and  excep- 
tional dramatic  feeling  and  intelligence.  Mr.  Johann  Kruse, 
who  made  his  first  appearance  at  the  Popular  Concerts  on 
the  gth,  is  a  native  of  Australia  and  a  pupil  of  Dr.  Joachim. 
He  had  visited  London  the  previous  season,  when  his  playing 
in  private  circles  was  greatly  admired,  and  led  to  his  present 
engagement.  Mr.  Kruse  is  a  thoughtful  and  capable  inter- 
preter of  Chamber  music,  his  method  and  style  being  distinctly 
redolent  of  the  Berlin  "  Hochschule."  His  intonation  was 
at  times  faulty,  but  this  was  thought  to  be  due  to  nervousness. 
Mr.  Kruse  was  leading  violinist  in  Schubert's  D  minor  Quartet, 
and  here,  as  in  Beethoven's  String  Trio  in  C  minor  (Op.  9, 
No.  3),  played  with  Mr.  Straus  and  Signer  Piatti,  he  infused 
considerable  vigour  and  feeling  into  his  performance.  Mr. 
Max  Pauer  brought  forward  for  the  first  time  at  the  "Pops" 
Hummel's  Sonata  in  F  sharp  minor  (Op.  81),  a  work  distinguished 
by  exacting  mechanical  difficulties  and  constant  succession  of 
bravura  passages  rather  than  musicianly  interest  of  a  deeper 
kind.  Miss  Marguerite  Hall  sang,  Miss  Mary  Carmichael 
accompanying.  On  Monday,  the  nth,  the  same  violinist  and 
pianist  again  appeared.  Mr.  Kruse  "led"  Beethoven's  Quartet 
in  E  flat  (Op.  74),  and  introduced  a  Sonata  in  G  minor  by  Tartini ; 
and  also  took  part  with  Mr.  Max  Pauer  and  Signer  Piatti  in 
Brahms's  Trio  in  C  minor  (Op.  101).  Miss  Liza  Lehmann  was 
the  vocalist.  The  programmes  of  the  i6th  and  i8th  consisted 
wholly  of  well-worn  materials,  save  that  at  the  latter  Concert 
Signer  Piatti's  new  Sonata  in  F  was  repeated,  and  at  the  former 
Mrs.  Henschel  introduced  a  charming  setting,  by  Mr.  F.  Corder, 
of  Tennyson's  lines,  "  O  sun  that  wakenest."  On  the  23rd  the 
re-appearance  of  Edvard  Grieg  and  his  accomplished  wife  caused 
an  enormous  attendance.  An  apology  was  made  for  Madame 
Grieg  on  account  of  sore  throat,  but  her  artistic  singing  of  her 
husband's  songs  proved  nevertheless  delightful.  The  Norwegian 


16  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


composer  played  two  of  his  "  Scenes  from  National  Life"  (adding 
another  piece  as  an  encore),  and  joined  Signer  Piatti  in  his  Sonata 
in  A  minor,  for  piano  and  cello  (Op.  36).  These  distinguished 
artists  also  took  part  in  the  Concert  of  the  25th.  Grieg's  solos 
consisted  of  the  "  Improvisata,"  from  his  Op.  29,  the  "  Albumblatt," 
from  Op.  28,  and  the  "  Stabbe-Lat,"  from  the  set  of  twenty-three 
Norwegian  Dances  (Op.  17)  ;  while  with  Madame  Neruda  he 
played  his  well-known  Pianoforte  and  Violin  Sonata  in  F  major 
(Op.  8).  How  all  these  things  were  given  it  is  needless  to  say. 
Grieg  has  been  aptly  described  as  the  "  Scandinavian  Chopin,'* 
and  he  deserves  the  name,  not  only  in  virtue  of  the  tender  poetic 
sentiment  and  ineffable  grace  of  his  compositions,  but  the 
exquisite  charm  and  perfection  of  touch  and  technique  that  he 
brings  to  bear  upon  their  interpretation. 

For  Recital-givers  and  their  patrons  this  was  a  busy  month. 
The  average  attendance  at  Otto  Hegner's  Recitals  grew  larger  as 
they  went  on.  On  the  i8th  he  played  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  E 
flat  (Op.  31,  No.  3).  The  Minuet  was  a  trifle  hurried,  but,  taken 
for  all  in  all,  it  was  an  amazing  exposition  of  precocious  musical 
intelligence.  Among  Otto's  other  achievements  were  a  brilliant 
performance  of  Weber's  Rondo  in  E,  a  neat  and  delicate  reading 
of  Chopin's  Nocturne  in  D  flat,  and  a  delightful  display  of  sure, 
even  fingering  in  one  of  Bach's  English  Suites.  The  third  Recital 
of  the  series  took  place  on  the  25th. 

Fraulein  Geisler-Schubert,  a  grand-niece  of  the  famous  com- 
poser, gave  a  Pianoforte  Recital  at  Princes'  Hall  on  the  i3th,  and 
proved  herself  worthy  of  the  great  name  she  bears.  She  is  a 
pianist  of  a  very  high  order,  and  interprets  Schubert's  music  to 
perfection.  Her  reading  of  his  romantic  Fantasia  Sonata  in  G 
(Op.  78)  was  technically  all  that  could  be  wished.  But,  in 
addition  to  digital  skill,  Fraulein  Geisler  possesses  a  charming 
touch,  and  she  plays  with  feeling  and  intelligence.  Moreover, 
without  any  trace  of  exaggeration,  she  gives  a  vivid  and 
sympathetic  rendering  of  the  work  in  hand.  Among  other 
things  she  took  part  with  those  excellent  artists,  Messrs.  Straus 


FEBRUARY.  17 


and  E.  Howell,  in  the  master's  Pianoforte  Trio  in  B  flat 
(Op.  99). 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henschel  gave  two  of  their  enjoyable  Vocal 
Recitals  on  the  i5th  and  22nd.  The  selection  at  the  first 
included  a  duet  from  Wagner's  youthful  opera  "  Die  Feen,"  an 
interesting  novelty,  listened  to  with  curiosity  by  an  audience  that 
crowded  Princes'  Hall.  Like  the  overture  referred  to  above,  the 
duet  recalls  the  style  of  the  composer  of  "  Der  Freischiitz  "  in  a 
singularly  marked  degree.  It  deals  with  a  sufficiently  trite 
dramatic  situation — an  unexpected  reunion  of  two  lovers,  who 
tease  each  other  about  their  doings  since  they  parted,  a  pretended 
quarrel  ending  up  with  a  happy  reconciliation.  It  is  just  one  of  those 
bright,  joyous  duets,  interspersed  with  neat  and  effective  dramatic 
touches,  such  as  Weber  himself  might  have  penned.  The  voice 
parts  and  the  accompaniment  are  brimful  of  tripping  melody,  and 
a  spirit  of  gaiety  and  humour  pervades  the  whole.  Needless  to 
add  that  the  piece  was  delightfully  sung  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Henschel,  Mr.  Frantzen  being  at  the  piano.  The  programme  of 
the  second  Recital  consisted  wholly  of  compositions  by  Mr. 
Henschel,  including  his  "  Serbisches  Liederspiel,"  the  Trio  from 
his  Both  Psalm,  and  several  new  songs.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henschel 
were  assisted  by  Miss  Marguerite  Hall,  Miss  Lena  Little,  Mr. 
Shakespeare,  and  Mr.  Max  Heinrich. 

The  scheme  of  Mdlle.  Jeanne  Douste's  Recital  at  Princes'  Hall, 
on  the  i4th,  was  made  up  of  compositions  by  Schumann  and 
Brahms.  The  former  master's  Sonata  for  pianoforte  in  G  minor 
(Op.  22)  received  an  especially  good  rendering.  Included  in  the 
Brahms  selection  was  a  set  of  twenty-five  Variations  with 
Fugue  on  a  theme  by  Handel,  marked  in  the  programme  "  first 
time."  Whether  an  absolute  novelty  or  not,  this  composition 
proved  full  of  interest  as  well  as  scholarly  resource,  and  was 
admirably  executed  by  Mdlle.  Douste.  The  vocalist  was  Herr 
Oscar  Niemann. 

At  his  third  and  last  Recital  at  Steinway  Hall  on  the  I3th,  Mr. 
Max  Heinrich  sang  a  selection  of  songs  by  Brahms,  and  was 

c 


i8  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

associated  with  Miss  Lena  Little  in  duets  by  Dvorak,  Cornelius, 
and  Schumann.  He  also  introduced  a  cleverly-written  and 
interesting  set  of  "  Reed  Songs "  by  Mr.  Seb.  Schlesinger,  a 
talented  amateur  composer  well  known  in  New  York,  and  now 
residing  in  London. 

In  the  theatre  of  the  University  of  London,  on  the  23rd,  was 
performed  a  Cantata,  entitled  "  Dante's  Vision,"  composed  by 
Mr.  Charles  John  Hall  as  his  exercise  for  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Music.  The  event  was  of  more  than  ordinary  interest,  inasmuch 
as  it  was  the  first  occasion  of  a  work  being  performed  with  full 
orchestra  at  the  London  University.  The  solos  were  sustained  by 
Miss  Kathleen  Grant,  Mr.  Percy  Palmer,  and  Mr.  C.  Ackerman, 
and  the  choruses  were  sung  by  the  choir  (men  and  boys)  of  St. 
John's,  Waterloo  Road. 

OBITUARY. — Josef  Gungl  (dance-music  composer),  Weimar,  ist. 


MARCH.  19 


MARCH. 

AT  the  Novello  Oratorio  Concerts  on  the  igth  was  performed 
a  Cantata,  entitled  "  The  Light  of  Asia,"  the  composition  of  an 
American  musician,  Mr.  Dudley  Buck,  the  words  being  taken 
from  Sir  Edward  Arnold's  richly  imaginative  poem  of  the  same 
name.  This  work  attracted  considerable  attention,  not  merely  on 
account  of  its  subject,  but  because  it  was  the  first  choral  compo- 
sition of  important  dimensions  by  a  leading  American  composer 
yet  heard  in  this  country.  "  The  Light  of  Asia  "  is  not  cast  in  the 
mould  calculated  to  win  for  it  popularity  with  general  audiences. 
One  great  defect,  to  begin  with,  is  that  an  acquaintance  with  the 
original  poem  is  requisite  in  order  to  thoroughly  understand  the 
motive  of  the  story,  and  to  realise  the  nature  of  such  beings  as  the 
divinely-sprung  Sidddrtha  and  the  pure,  noble,  womanly  Yasod- 
hara.  Another  difficulty  is  the  total  absence  of  dramatic  incident 
and  contrast ;  the  entire  work  is  in  narrative  form,  and  this 
engenders  a  sense  of  monotony  before  the  end  is  reached.  The 
solos,  which  should  afford  the  necessary  relief,  are  inferior  in 
interest  to  the  choruses  and  concerted  numbers.  Oratorio  lovers 
found  plenty  to  admire  in  the  scholarly  counterpoint  and  fugue 
of  Mr.  Buck's  choruses ;  they  enjoyed  his  massive,  flowing  har- 
monies and  graceful,  expressive  melodies  ;  they  admired  his 
refined  instrumentation,  and  marked  many  a  delicate  touch  of 
fancy  in  his  ensemble  writing.  On  the  other  hand,  for  individuality, 
power  of  characterisation,  and  dramatic  effect  (save  in  the  use 
of  representative  themes)  they  looked  in  vain.  The  numbers 
that  made  most  effect  at  St.  James's  Hall  were  the  picturesque 
scene  of  Sidddriha's  temptation,  the  Spring-song,  and  the  Wedding 

c  2 


20 


MUSICAL  NOTES. 


hymn,  the  dreamy  chorus,  "  Softly  the  Indian  night  sank  o'er  the 
plain,"  and  the  two  really  charming  duets  for  Yasodhara  and 
Sidddrtha.  These  duets  lost  nothing  in  the  hands  of  Madame 
Nordica  and  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd,  who  threw  all  possible  fervour 
and  expression  into  their  music.  The  bass  solos  had  an  admir- 
able exponent  in  Mr.  Andrew  Black.  The  band  and  chorus  did 
their  work  in  a  manner  that  earned  the  highest  praise  ;  while  Dr. 
Mackenzie  conducted  with  infinite  care  and  zeal,  making  the 
most  of  his  opportunities,  and  altogether  securing  a  highly  poetic 
reading  of  the  work. 

On  Ash  Wednesday,  the  6th,  there  was  a  performance  of 
Gounod's  "  Redemption  "  at  the  Albert  Hall,  with  Miss  Robert- 
son, Madame  Patey,  Mr.  Charles  Banks,  Mr.  Robert  Hilton,  and 
Mr.  Watkin  Mills  as  soloists.  Sacred  Concerts  took  place  on  the 
same  day  at  the  Crystal  Palace  and  St.  James's  Hall,  and  the 
crowd  that  attended  the  latter  was  agreeably  surprised  to  find 
Mr.  Sims  Reeves  able  to  fulfil  his  engagement.  This  was  the 
first  time  the  veteran  tenor  had  been  well  enough  to  sing  in  public 
for  several  weeks. 

The  Bach  Choir  gave  a  most  interesting  Concert  at  St.  James's 
Hall  on  the  5th,  the  scheme  including  two  Church  Cantatas  by 
the  Leipsic  Cantor,  now  introduced  for  the  first  time.  They 
proved  to  be  worthy  examples  of  a  numerous  family,  particularly 
the  Cantata  framed  upon  the  hymn  "  Wachet  auf!"  The 
choruses  in  this  are  after  Bach's  best  manner.  The  two  duets 
for  soprano  and  baritone  (sung  by  Miss  Liza  Lehmann  and  Mr. 
Plunket  Greene)  were  also  interesting.  In  the  second  Cantata, 
"  Halt'  im  Gedachtniss  " — the  opening  chorus  set  to  these  words 
is  singularly  fine — the  solos  were  sung  by  Miss  Emily  Himing 
and  Mr.  Charles  Wade.  The  best  piece  of  choral  singing  heard 
during  the  evening  was  in  the  splendid  eight-part  Motet,  "  Singet 
dem  Herrn."  At  this  Concert  Dr.  Joachim  (who  had  made  his 
rentree  at  the  "Pops"  on  the  previous  evening)  gave  a  magnificent 
performance  of  Sebastian  Bach's  fine  Concerto  in  A  minor,  and 
the  equally  fine,  though  more  familiar  Sonata  in  G  minor.  Both 


MARCH.  21 

works  were  given  from  memory,  and  with  an  energy  and  feeling 
and  a  mastery  of  detail  characteristic  in  the  highest  degree  of  the 
performer's  individuality.  After  each  effort  he  was  recalled  again 
and  again  amid  spontaneous  and  hearty  plaudits.  Professor 
Stanford  conducted  the  Concert  with  judgment  and  tact,  and  Mr. 
Frederic  Cliffe  presided  with  ability  at  the  organ. 

At  the  fourth  Concert  of  the  Highbury  Philharmonic  Society, 
on  the  25th,  the  chief  feature  in  the  programme  was  Frederic 
Clay's  Cantata  "  Lalla  Rookh."  This  graceful  work  was  well 
given  under  Mr.  G.  H.  Betjemann,  the  chorus  singing  well,  and 
the  orchestra  showing  a  very  creditable  degree  of  efficiency. 
Following  the  Cantata  came  three  movements  from  "  Cleopatra," 
an  Orchestral  Suite  written  by  Signer  Luigi  Mancinelli — a 
Funeral  March,  Barcarolle,  and  Triumphal  March — performed 
for  the  first  time  in  London. 

The  Philharmonic  Society  inaugurated  its  seventy-seventh 
season  on  Thursday  evening,  the  25th,  with  more  than  usual 
eclat.  The  large  and  brilliant  crowd  that  attended  was  attracted 
in  a  great  measure  by  the  co-operation  of  the  distinguished  Scan- 
dinavian musician,  Edvard  Grieg,  whose  popularity  was  just  now 
extraordinary.  The  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales,  with  Prince 
Albert  Victor  and  Princess  Victoria,  arrived  just  after  the  com- 
mencement of  Sterndale  Bennett's  "  Parisina  "  Overture,  wherein 
the  magnificent  Philharmonic  orchestra  was  not  heard  to  the  best 
advantage :  nor  did  its  real  form  stand  revealed  in  the  Schumann 
Pianoforte  Concerto,  which  came  next.  Indeed,  the  entire 
rendering  of  this  most  fascinating  of  pianoforte  works  was 
distinctly  unsatisfactory.  The  soloist,  Fraulein  Geisler-Schubert, 
was  either  indisposed  or  paralysed  by  nervousness.  She  played 
innumerable  false  notes,  and,  save  in  the  Intermezzo,  never 
seemed  to  have  a  firm  grasp  of  her  theme.  Yet  had  Schubert's 
grand-niece  proved  herself  an  artist  of  such  undeniable  capacity 
that  it  was  impossible  to  visit  her  present  shortcomings  with 
severe  criticism.  The  piece  de  resistance  of  the  Concert,  however, 
was  the  performance  of  Grieg's  "  Peer  Gynt  "  Suite  (Op.  46).  It 


22  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

was  subsequently  stated  on  authority  that  Grieg  was  amazed  by  the 
playing  of  the  Philharmonic  band.  Never  had  he  heard  before 
such  a  pianissimo,  such  nuances,  such  transitions  from  light  to 
shade  !  His  astonishment  was  fully  shared  by  the  audience, 
who  enjoyed  the  additional  pleasure  of  realising  for  the  first  time 
(thanks  to  Mr.  Joseph  Bennett's  admirable  analysis)  the  true 
significance  of  these  poetic,  exquisitely  -  scored  movements. 
Ibsen's  hero,  Peer  Gynt,  was  now  understood  to  be  a  peasant  lad 
with  fantastic  ideas  and  great  ambitions,  who  travels  far,  has 
many  loves,  goes  home  to  find  his  mother  on  her  death-bed, 
wanders  forth  again,  and  ultimately  returns  old  and  grey  to  settle 
down  with  his  faithful  betrothed  Solveig,  who  has  waited  for  him 
since  his  youth.  To  know  the  exact  source  of  Grieg's  inspiration 
was  to  enjoy  his  music  the  more ;  certainly  the  delicious 
"  Anitra's  Dance  "  and  the  wondrously  tender  passage  illustrating 
the  "  Death  of  Aase  " — dying  as  her  wayward  son  sits  by  her 
bedside  and  relates  his  adventures — impressed  as  they  necessarily 
failed  to  impress  in  a  mere  abstract  sense  when  Mr.  Henschel 
introduced  the  Suite  at  the  London  Symphony  Concerts.  The 
final  "Dance  of  the  Imps" — chasing  and  tormenting  Peer  Gynt 
in  the  subterranean  halls  of  the  King  of  the  Dovre  Mountains — 
made  a  tremendous  effect,  and  after  three  recalls  Grieg  returned 
to  the  Conductor's  desk  and  repeated  it.  The  Concert  was  an 
unqualified  triumph  for  the  Norwegian  composer  and  his  wife, 
who  made  her  Philharmonic  debut,  and  sang  in  her  usual  quaint, 
impulsive,  and  expressive  manner.  Dr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie,  who 
conducted  the  Concert  in  Mr.  Frederic  Cowen's  absence,  secured 
excellent  performances  of  his  "  Burns "  Rhapsody  and  Beet- 
hoven's Fourth  Symphony. 

At  the  second  Philharmonic  Concert,  on  the  28th,  Mr.  Cowen 
resumed  his  duties  as  Conductor  of  the  Society,  and  was  very  heartily 
welcomed  on  his  return  from  Australia,  where  he  had  directed  the 
whole  of  the  musical  performances  given  in  connection  with  the 
Melbourne  Centennial  Exhibition.  The  only  works  he  now  had 
to  conduct  were  Schubert's  "  Unfinished  "  Symphony,  Mendels- 


MARCH.  23 

sohn's  "  Midsummer  Night's  Dream  "  music — each  admirably 
given— and  the  vocal  pieces  sung  by  Mdlle.  Antoinette  Trebelli. 
The  novelty  of  the  evening,  Professor  Villiers  Stanford's  Violin 
Suite  in  D  (Op.  32),  enjoyed  (as  at  Berlin  last  January,  and  still 
more  recently  at  Manchester)  the  advantage  of  an  interpretation 
at  the  hands  of  Dr.  Joachim,  to  whom  it  is  dedicated.  This 
work  impressed  by  merits  of  a  technical  kind  rather  than  the 
charm  of  spontaneous  grace  or  attractive  melody.  In  it  Dr. 
Stanford  has  employed  the  titles,  and  to  a  certain  extent  the 
form  and  rhythms,  of  the  old  Suite  movements,  but  his  themes, 
save  in  one  or  two  instances,  are  not  striking,  while  the  task  set 
the  leading  instrument  cannot  be  said  to  possess  interest  in  a  degree 
commensurate  with  its  difficulties.  The  dulness  of  the  Overture,  the 
Allemande,  and  the  Ballade  is  only  partially  relieved  by  the  livelier 
Tambourin  and  the  final  Gigue  in  Rondo  form.  Dr.  Joachim  played 
the  Suite  with  marvellous  skill,  and  was  recalled,  together  with 
Dr.  Stanford,  who  conducted.  A  distinct  success  was  won  by  a 
Norwegian  artist,  Madame  Backer-Grondahl,  in  Grieg's  A  minor 
Pianoforte  Concerto,  which  the  composer  now  came  forward  to 
conduct.  Madame  Backer-Grondahl,  who  finished  her  studies 
under  Von  Billow  and  Liszt,  possesses  a  superb  technique,  and 
adds  to  rare  brilliancy  of  style  the  charm  of  a  full,  rich  tone  and 
singularly  delicate,  sensitive  touch.  The  beauty  of  the  perform- 
ance, materially  enhanced  as  it  was  by  the  exquisite  refinement 
with  which  the  accompaniments  were  executed  under  the  master's 
guidance,  made  such  an  impression  that  both  composer  and 
interpreter  met  with  an  ovation,  and  had  to  return  thrice  to  the 
platform.  Mdlle.  Antoinette  Trebelli  greatly  pleased  in  her  two 
operatic  airs,  one  the  "  Non  mi  dir  "  from  "  Don  Giovanni,"  the 
other  "Sombres  forets,"  from  "  Guillaume  Tell,"  her  efforts 
being  loudly  applauded  by  the  large  audience  that  filled  the  hall. 

The  only  fresh  items  at  the  Crystal  Palace  Concert,  of  the  2nd, 
was  a  short  but  impressive  "  Marche  Funebre,"  written  by 
Berlioz  for  the  last  scene  of  "  Hamlet."  It  is  the  third  of  three 
pieces  for  orchestra  and  chorus,  published  during  the  lifetime  of 


24  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

the  composer  as  "  Tristia  "  (Op.  18).  The  choral  element  in  it 
is  of  a  simple  kind  :  it  consists  of  the  repetition  of  an  "  Ah  "  on 
a  note  passing  from  forte  to  piano.  The  March  has,  as  superscrip- 
tion, the  last  nine  lines  in  the  play,  beginning  "  Let  four  captains 
bear  Hamlet  like  a  soldier  to  the  stage."  The  piece  was  admir- 
ably executed  and  warmly  received.  Fraulein  Marie  Fillunger 
sang  "  With  verdure  clad,"  to  the  German  words.  The  Concert 
concluded  with  Beethoven's  Choral  Symphony,  with  Fraulein 
Fillunger,  Madame  Belle  Cole,  and  Messrs.  Chilley  and  Watkin 
Mills  as  solo  vocalists.  On  the  following  Saturday  Brahms's 
Fourth  Symphony  was  played  for  the  first  time  before  a  Sydenham 
audience,  as  was  also  Dr.  Bridge's  Overture  "  Morte  d' Arthur  "  ; 
and  Madame  Neruda  was  heard  in  the  Beethoven  Violin  Concerto. 
Mr.  Plunket  Greene  sang.  At  the  Concert  of  the  i6th  M.  Ernest 
Gillet  played  Raff's  Violoncello  Concerto  in  D  and  a  couple  of 
solos.  The  orchestral  selection  embraced  Beethoven's  Pastoral 
Symphony,  and  the  Overtures  to  "  Oberon  "  and  "  Die  Meister- 
singer."  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd  sang  an  air  from  Gluck's  "  Iphigenia" 
and  some  songs  by  Dvorak.  The  scheme  of  the  23rd  was  of  a  less 
familiar  order.  Included  in  it  was  a  new  Overture  to  Sir  Walter 
Scott's  "  Rokeby,"  written  expressly  for  these  Concerts  by  Mr. 
Ebenezer  Prout.  It  is  a  clear,  straightforward,  musicianly  work, 
full  of  graceful  ideas,  and  orchestrated  with  the  skill  of  a  master. 
Splendidly  played,  the  Overture  was  received  with  emphatic 
applause,  in  response  to  which  the  composer  bowed  his  acknow- 
ledgments from  the  gallery.  Raff's  "  Lenore  "  Symphony,  not 
played  here  since  1881,  afforded  the  audience  a  more  or  less 
interesting  forty  minutes ;  and  Liszt's  Pianoforte  Concerto  in  A 
received  an  attentive  hearing,  for  the  sake  of  Herr  Stavenhagen's 
extraordinary  manipulation  of  the  solo  part.  This  artist,  who  is 
deemed  the  greatest  of  all  Liszt's  pupils,  treated  every  tour 
de  force  as  though  it  were  a  trifle.  Saint-Saens's  Poeme  Sym- 
phonique  "  Phaeton,"  new  to  this  repertory,  closed  the  Concert. 
It  is  a  striking  bit  of  "tone-painting,"  and  as  closely  suggestive 
of  the  fate  that  befel  the  son  of  Apollo  as  anything  in  music  could 


MARCH.  25 

very  well  be.  This,  like  everything  else  in  which  the  orchestra  was 
concerned  during  the  afternoon,  received  a  splendid  rendering, 
and  Mr.  Manns  put  down  his  baton  covered  with  laurels. 
On  the  3oth  Dr.  Joachim  went  down  to  Sydenham  and 
delighted  a  large  audience  with  a  masterly  performance  of  his 
"Hungarian  "  Concerto  and  some  Bach  solos.  Miss  Lena  Little 
appropriately  sang  a  contralto  scena  from  the  great  violinist's 
opera  "  Marfa."  Schumann's  D  minor  Symphony,  Mendelssohn's 
"  Hebrides "  Overture,  and  Beethoven's  "  Leonora  "  Overture 
(No.  3)  completed  a  strong  programme. 

At  the  Saturday  Popular  Concert,  on  the  2nd,  Madame  de 
Pachmann  was  the  pianist,  now  making  her  first  appearance  here 
since  the  days  when  she  was  Miss  Maggie  Okey.  Her  delicate 
touch  and  irreproachable  mechanism  were  delightfully  manifested 
in  some  short  pieces  by  Raff,  Rubinstein,  and  Weber,  after  which 
she  was  thrice  recalled.  Madame  Neruda  led  Brahms's  fine 
Septet  in  G,  and  Miss  Liza  Lehmann  sang,  among  other  things, 
Dessauer's  pretty  bolero  "  Le  Retour  du  Promis."  Dr.  Joachim's 
re-appearance  on  Monday  was  as  usual  the  occasion  of  a  gala 
evening.  A  larger  crowd  may  have  been  associated  with  this 
annual  event,  but  never  a  heartier  display  of  warmth.  The 
great  violinist  and  his  companions,  Messrs.  Ries,  Straus,  and 
Piatti,  were  recalled  twice  after  a  magnificent  interpretation  of 
Beethoven's  E  minor  Quartet  (Op.  59),  and  they  wound  up  the 
Concert  with  an  equally  fine  rendering  of  Haydn's  Quartet  in  B 
flat  (Op.  64,  No.  5).  Dr.  Joachim's  glorious  playing  in  the 
Adagio  from  Spohr's  Sixth  Concerto  roused  a  perfect  storm  of 
applause,  and  he  added  for  an  encore  the  Scherzo  (Op.  135),  by 
the  same  composer.  Miss  Agnes  Zimmermann  was  the  pianist, 
and  Miss  Lehmann  again  sang.  At  the  succeeding  afternoon 
Concert  the  combined  appearance  of  Grieg  and  Joachim  drew  one 
of  the  largest  crowds  ever  seen  at  a  Popular  Concert.  It  was  the 
first  occasion  on  which  these  eminent  musicians  had  been  heard 
together  in  a  London  Concert-room.  Dr.  Joachim  led  off  with 
Mozart's  String  Quintet  in  D  (No.  8),  with  Messrs.  Ries, 


26  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Hollander,  Gibson,  and  Piatti  for  his  coadjutors.  Next  came 
Madame  Grieg,  accompanied,  of  course,  by  her  husband,  whose 
songs,  "  A  lovely  evening  "  and  "  Hope,"  she  sang  charmingly. 
Then  the  composer  returned  alone  and  played  his  deliciously 
quaint  Suite  "  in  the  old  style  "  ("  Aus  Holbergs  Zeit "),  which, 
as  arranged  for  string  orchestra,  was  given  at  the  last 
Birmingham  Festival.  His  lovely  touch  and  refined  phrasing 
found  ample  scope  for  display  in  this  clever  imitation  of  harpsi- 
chord music.  The  succeeding  item  was  that  which  brought  the 
two  heroes  of  the  afternoon  together — viz.,  a  Sonata  by  Grieg  in 
G  minor,  for  pianoforte  and  violin  (Op.  13),  not  previously  given 
at  these  Concerts.  Although  not  less  characteristic  of  its 
composer's  style  than  the  familiar  work  in  F  (Op.  8),  it  scarcely 
conveys  the  same  impression  of  spontaneity  and  freshness ;  it  is 
more  elaborate  in  treatment  and  development,  and  presents 
greater  executive  difficulties.  Nevertheless,  the  Sonata  is 
piquant  and  interesting,  while  the  rendering  it  now  received  was 
only  to  be  expressed  by  the  word  perfection.  The  composer  and 
his  gifted  associate  vied  with  each  other  in  the  brilliancy  and 
charm  of  their  playing,  and  roused  their  auditors  to  a  display  of 
unrestrained  enthusiasm.  Afterwards  Madame  Grieg  sang  more 
songs,  and  this  memorable  Concert  concluded  with  a  fine  perform- 
ance of  the  Fragments  from  an  unfinished  Quartet  (Andante  and 
Scherzo)  by  Mendelssohn.  Another  attractive  constellation  was 
provided  at  the  evening  Concert  of  the  nth,  when  Madame 
Neruda  and  Dr.  Joachim  performed  in  their  own  incomparable 
manner  Bach's  D  minor  Concerto  for  two  violins.  The  pro- 
gramme further  included  Beethoven's  Quartet  in  F  minor 
(Op.  95),  Schumann's  "  Faschingsschwank  aus  Wien,"  played  by 
Miss  Fanny  Davies,  and  some  songs  artistically  interpreted  by 
Miss  Marguerite  Hall.  On  Saturday,  the  i6th,  Beethoven's 
Quartet  in  C  minor  (Op.  18,  No.  4)  received  an  ideal  interpreta- 
tion at  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Joachim,  Ries,  Straus,  and  Piatti  ; 
and  the  same  master's  "  Sonata  Pastorale"  was  given  by  Mdlle. 
Janotha  in  her  best  manner.  Dr.  Joachim  was  heard  with  Mr. 


MARCH.  27 

Straus  in  Spohr's  Duo  Concertante  for  two  violins  in  A  minor 
(Op.  67),  and  with  Mdlle.  Janotha  and  Signer  Piatti  in  Schu- 
mann's F  major  Pianoforte  Trio  (Op.  80).  Fraulein  Fillunger 
sang  songs  by  Schubert  and  Brahms.  On  the  Monday  fol- 
lowing Dr.  Joachim  gave  Tartini's  "  Trillo  del  Diavolo,"  while 
Madame  de  Pachmann  played  three  Chopin  Studies.  Mr.  Santley 
was  the  vocalist  both  at  this  and  at  the  afternoon  Concert  of  the 
same  week,  the  programmes  of  which  were  wholly  familiar.  On 
Monday,  the  25th,  Miss  Davies  and  Dr.  Joachim  played  the 
"  Kreutzer"  Sonata  ;  and  on  the  3oth  Herr  and  Madame  Grieg 
appeared  for  the  last  time.  The  Norwegian  musician  introduced 
his  characteristic  "  Lyric  Pieces  "  (Op.  43),  and  with  Madame 
Neruda  he  played  his  duet  Sonata  in  C  minor  (Op.  45),  already 
heard  more  than  once,  but  a  fresh  addition  to  the  Popular  reper- 
tory. It  has  never,  perhaps,  been  so  splendidly  performed.  The 
"  Queen  of  Violinists  "  also  led  Dvorak's  String  Quartet  in  E  flat 
(Op.  51)  and  Schubert's  Allegro  assai  in  C  minor. 

The  Wind  Instrument  Chamber  Music  Society,  an  institution 
newly  formed  under  the  Presidency  of  Lord  Chelmsford,  for  the 
purpose  of  performing  works  written  for  wind  and  stringed 
instruments,  started  operations  this  month.  The  Society,  in 
addition  to  giving  Concerts,  aimed  also  at  promoting  the  publica- 
tion of  works  and  offered  prizes  for  new  compositions.  Thus 
twenty  guineas  were  now  offered  for  a  Quintet  for  flute,  oboe, 
clarinet,  bassoon,  and  horn.  Three  Concerts  were  given  during 
the  season  at  the  Royal  Academy  of  Music,  and  the  first  of  these 
took  place  on  the  22nd.  Three  works  were  then  given— 
namely,  Beethoven's  Quintet  in  E  flat  (Op.  16),  a  Quintet  in  the 
same  key  by  Mozart,  and  a  Sonata,  bearing  the  title  of  "  Undine," 
for  pianoforte  and  flute,  by  Reinecke.  The  executants  were— 
flute,  Mr.  Vivian  ;  oboe,  Mr.  Malsch  ;  clarinet,  Mr.  G.  A.  Clinton  ; 
horn,  Mr.  Borsdorf ;  bassoon,  Mr.  T.  Wotton  ;  and  pianoforte, 
Mr.  Eugene  Dubrucq. 

The  Westminster  Orchestral  Society  gave  a  Concert  on  the 
1 3th,  at  which  was  performed  for  the  first  time  a  Symphony  in  C, 


28  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

written  by  the  Society's  Conductor,  Mr.  C.  S.  Macpherson.  It 
proved  to  be  a  work  of  unequal  merit,  the  two  middle  movements 
being  the  best  of  the  four.  At  the  same  Concert  Miss  Winifred 
Robinson  played  Dr.  Mackenzie's  Violin  Concerto,  the  composer 
conducting,  and  Miss  Kate  Norman  and  Mr.  Ernest  Birch  sang. 

The  Annual  Festival  of  the  London  Sunday  School  Choir  took 
place  at  the  Royal  Albert  Hall  on  the  evening  of  the  23rd.  The 
executive  forces  occupied  the  whole  of  the  available  space,  and, 
in  addition  to  a  body  of  some  1,500  voices,  selected  from  the 
various  metropolitan  districts,  there  was  a  band  of  eight)' 
instrumentalists,  whose  co-operation  furnished  a  new  and  valuable 
feature  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Society.  To  this  was  partly 
attributed  the  marked  advance  now  shown  over  the  performances 
of  previous  years.  The  Conductor,  Mr.  Luther  Hinton,  made 
manifest  a  perfect  control  over  his  executants.  The  first  part  of 
the  programme  consisted  of  sacred  music. 

Perhaps  the  most  attractive  and  eventful  of  the  month's 
Recitals  was  that  given  at  St.  James's  Hall,  on  the  2Oth,  by  Herr 
Grieg,  with  the  assistance  of  his  accomplished  wife  and  M.Johannes 
Wolff.  This  excellent  violinist  joined  the  composer  in  the  duet 
Sonata  in  C  minor  (Op.  45),  while  the  latter  was  heard  alone  in 
his  Suite  "  Aus  Holbergs  Zeit,"  and  some  short  solos — namely,  a 
delicate  Berceuse  in  G,  the  Humoreske  (one  of  his  earliest 
pianoforte  pieces)  in  G  sharp  minor,  and  the  "  Norwegian  Bridal 
Procession."  The  clever  and  genial  Norwegian  Dances  (Op.  35), 
for  four  hands,  were  charmingly  rendered  by  the  husband  and 
wife.  Madame  Grieg  sang  besides  some  of  the  best  known  of  the 
composer's  songs. 

Mr.  Max  Pauer  gave  a  Recital  at  Princes'  Hall  on  the  7th. 
Mr.  Robert  Goldbeck,  a  pianist  from  New  York,  gave  a  soiree 
musicale  at  Steinway  Hall  on  the  igth,  and  exhibited  elegance  and 
refinement  of  style  in  various  pianoforte  works,  including  a 
Concerto  of  his  own  composition.  On  the  2Oth  Miss  Margaret 
Wild  executed  a  long  and  exacting  programme  of  pianoforte 
music  at  her  Recital  at  Princes'  Hall. 


MARCH. 


29 


Mr.  Carrodus  gave  a  series  of  "  Drawing-room  "  Concerts  at 
the  new  Hampstead  Conservatoire  Hall,  assisted  by  his  sons  and 
other  talented  artists.  Among  the  works  performed  may  be 
mentioned  a  Quintet  in  A,  by  Kuhlau,  for  flute  and  strings, 
wherein  the  wind  instrument  was  played  by  Mr.  W.  O.  Carrodus, 
a  young  executant  of  much  promise  ;  also  a  Pianoforte  Quartet 
by  Mr.  H.  R.  Rose,  who  himself  presided  at  the  piano.  At  the 
Concert  of  the  i8th  Mr.  Carrodus  "  led  "  a  Piano  Quartet  in  E 
flat  by  his  master,  Molique  ;  and  another  of  his  sons,  Mr.  E. 
Carrodus,  distinguished  himself  in  a  solo  for  contra-bass. 

Herr  Stavenhagen,  an  incomparable  interpreter  of  the  music  of 
his  late  master,  Liszt,  gave  at  his  Recital  at  Princes'  Hall,  on  the 
27th,  magnificent  performances  of  the  difficult  Sonata  in  B 
minor  and  two  of  the  Paganini-Liszt  Studies.  Herr  Stavenhagen 
also  gave  Haydn's  Variations  in  F  minor,  Schumann's  Papillons 
(Op.  2),  and  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  A  flat;  and  though  at  times 
too  demonstrative,  his  playing  showed  intelligence  and  feeling 
of  a  high  order.  The  programme  concluded  with  an  unprinted 
version  of  Liszt's  Rhapsody  (No.  13).  There  was  a  large  and 
enthusiastic  audience. 

The  programme  of  Miss  Dora  Bright's  third  and  last  Pianoforte 
Recital,  on  the  2/th,  comprised  pieces  by  Sir  G.  A.  Macfarren, 
Dr.  Mackenzie,  Mr.  G.  J.  Bennett,  and  others.  Miss  Bright 
played  the  last  four  of  Mr.  Walter  Macfarren's  twelve  new 
Studies,  and  gave  a  satisfactory  reading  of  Beethoven's  Sonata  in 
D  minor  (Op.  31,  No.  2). 

Miss  Ethel  and  Master  Harold  Bauer  gave  a  Concert  of 
Chamber  Music  at  Princes'  Hall,  on  the  26th,  when,  among  other 
items,  they  performed  Sonatas  for  piano  and  violin  by  Brahms 
(Op.  100)  and  Grieg  (Op.  45) — both  difficult  works  and  exceedingly 
well  played.  Concerts  and  Recitals  were  also  given  this  month 
by  Mr.  Isidore  de  Lara,  Mr.  de  Manby  Sergison,  and  Mrs. 
Charles  Yates. 

An  interesting  Pianoforte  Quartet  in  A  minor,  by  Mr.  J.  S. 
Shedlock  was  played  for  the  first  time  on  Sunday  evening,  the 


30  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

loth,  at  one  of  the  South  Place  Institute  Concerts,  given  under 
the  direction  of  that  talented  musician.  The  work,  which  is  in 
the  usual  four  movements,  created  a  highly  favourable  impression, 
and  was  warmly  applauded. 

OBITUARY. — Dr.  W.  H.  Monk  (organist,  composer,  and  teacher), 
London,  ist ;  Sydney  Smith  (pianist  and  composer),  London, 
3rd ;  Enrico  Tamberlik  (operatic  singer),  Paris,  I3th  ;  Felice 
Varesi  (operatic  singer),  Milan,  i8th ;  Charles  F.  T.  Steinway 
(pianoforte  manufacturer),  Brunswick,  Germany,  25th  ;  Vaughan- 
Edwardes  (concert  singer),  Kingston-on-Thames,  26th. 


APRIL.  31 


APRIL. 

CONSIDERABLE  interest  attached  to  the  production,  by  the 
Royal  Choral  Society,  on  the  3rd,  of  M.  Peter  Benoit's 
Oratorio,  "  Lucifer."  As  the  first  important  choral  work  that 
emanated  from  the  "  leading  light  "  of  the  new  Flemish  musical 
school — a  work  composed  in  1865,  produced  at  Brussels  in  1866, 
and  given  in  Paris  in  1883  with  marked  success — "  Lucifer  "  had 
special  claim  to  a  hearing  in  a  country  so  peculiarly  the  home  of 
oratorio  as  this.  It  is  not,  perhaps,  the  form  of  oratorio  we  most 
like  or  are  most  accustomed  to.  It  lacks  the  relief  afforded  by 
regular  solo  numbers  interspersed  amid  choruses,  concerted 
pieces,  and  declamatory  passages — a  shortcoming  that  must  be 
partly  attributed  to  the  Flemish  poet,  Emanuel  Kiel,  whose 
picturesque  verse  stops  short  at  many  a  point  where  descriptive 
or  reflective  utterances  for  a  single  voice  would  supply  the  neces- 
sary relief,  besides  creating  links  between  the  various  scenes. 
There  is  no  connected  story,  and  little,  if  any,  dramatic  action. 
Lucifer  is  the  only  personage  who  appears,  mankind  being  unre- 
presented save  in  a  collective  sense  as  the  recipient  of  the 
blessings  and  gifts  of  nature.  The  three  Elements,  Earth, 
Water,  and  Fire,  whose  aid  Lucifer  invokes  in  his  attempt  to 
incite  man  to  rebellion  against  God,  are  embodied  by  solo  singers 
—Earth  by  a  bass,  Water  by  a  tenor,  and  Fire  by  a  soprano  and 
a  contralto  in  combination.  The  supreme  climax  of  the  subject, 
which  would  be  the  actual  battle  between  the  forces  of  Lucifer 
and  Heaven,  is  passed  over  altogether.  Perhaps  the  author  did 
not  think  music  capable  of  describing  it,  or  perhaps  it  was  the 
composer  who  regarded  as  sufficient  the  task  of  illustrating  the 


32  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

means  employed  by  the  elements,  without  venturing  to  depict  the 
struggle  itself.  Unfortunately  the  result  of  this  omission  is  to 
deprive  the  work  of  what  coherent  dramatic  interest  it  might 
possess,  and  to  leave  it  a  more  or  less  disconnected  series  of 
"tone-pictures."  M.  Benoit's  music  possesses  the  originality 
which  comes  of  systematic  striving  after  the  unconventional 
rather  than  a  natural  and  spontaneous  inspiration.  He  splashes 
his  colour  upon  the  canvas  with  an  effect  that  may  sometimes  be 
striking,  but  is  more  often  crude  and  coarse.  His  capacity  for 
developing  his  themes  is  extremely  limited,  and  he  is  thus  led  to 
indulge  in  excessive  repetition,  with  a  result  that  is  undeniably 
monotonous.  Benoit  makes  comparatively  sparing  use  of  the 
lighter  materials  of  his  art,  preferring  to  rely  upon  massive  choral 
effects,  elaborate  antiphonal  treatment,  and  contrasts  and  sur- 
prises of  the  most  startling  kind.  The  better  to  carry  out  this 
purpose,  he  has  written  nearly  the  whole  of  the  choruses  for 
double  choir,  a  device  which  enables  the  composer  on  occasion  to 
fling  his  exclamatory  phrases,  like  re-echoing  thunderbolts  of 
sound,  from  side  to  side  of  the  orchestra.  In  this  manner  some 
remarkable  effects  are  obtained,  as,  for  example,  in  the  number 
that  describes  Lucifer's  defeat,  where  Death  mocks  him  with  a 
weird  "  Ha !  ha  !  ha !  "  Benoit's  infelicitous  employment  of 
Leitmotives  serve  to  recall  the  fact  that  "  Lucifer  "  was  written  a 
quarter  of  a  century  ago,  when  Benoit  knew  more  of  Berlioz  than 
of  Wagner.  On  the  other  hand,  that  he  then  knew  how  to  write 
graceful,  rhythmical  melody  is  clearly  manifested  by  the  charming 
solos  for  the  tenor  and  bass  voices.  If  "  Lucifer  "  did  not  satisfy 
as  a  work,  it  at  least  supplied  the  medium  for  an  interesting 
experience,  for  more  striking  choral  effects  have  rarely,  if  ever, 
been  heard  in  the  Albert  Hall.  The  ease  with  which  Mr. 
Barnby's  intelligent  singers  surmounted  every  formidable  obstacle 
evoked  the  warmest  admiration.  The  placid  beauty  of  the 
opening  chorus,  the  tumultuous  agitation  of  the  number  that 
follows,  the  noble  impressiveness  of  the  "  Hosanna  "  in  the  third 
part,  and  the  broad,  massive  grandeur  of  the  final  chorus  of 


APRIL, 


33 


praise  were,  indeed,  very  finely  realised.  The  performance,  on 
the  whole,  was  excellent.  Of  the  Belgian  vocalists  who  came 
over  to  take  part  in  it,  M.  Blauwaert,  who  sang  the  part  of 
Lucifer,  displayed  a  superb  low  baritone  voice  and  good  declama- 
tory method.  M.  Constantin  de  Bom  (an  amateur)  undertook 
the  tenor,  and  M.  Henri  Fontaine  the  bass  solos.  Madame 
Lemmens-Sherrington  and  Madame  Patey  jointly  sustained 
the  music  allotted  to  Fire ;  the  former  re-appearing  after  a 
lengthened  absence — her  organ  wonderfully  well  preserved,  and 
her  style  as  artistic  as  ever.  There  was  a  moderate  attendance, 
but  no  lack  of  applause,  certain  numbers  being  very  warmly 
received.  Mr.  Barnby  conducted  in  masterly  fashion. 

A  first-rate  performance  of  Handel's  "  Saul"  was  heard  at  the 
last  of  the  Novello  Oratorio  Concerts  on  the  gth.  Mr.  Lloyd  was 
not  well  enough  to  sing,  but  his  place  was  efficiently  filled  by  Mr. 
Henry  Piercy,  who  has  rarely  been  heard  to  such  good  advantage. 
The  other  solos  were  well  sustained  by  Miss  Anna  Williams, 
Madame  Patey,  Mr.  Gawthrop,  and  Mr.  Watkin  Mills.  The 
band  and  chorus  were  in  their  best  form.  During  the  "  Dead 
March  "  the  audience  remained  upstanding  as  a  mark  of  respect 
to  the  late  Duchess  of  Cambridge.  Dr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie,  who 
conducted  with  his  usual  care  and  spirit,  received  a  hearty 
ovation  at  the  end  of  the  evening.  The  subsequent  decision  not 
to  resume  these  Concerts  occasioned  widespread  regret.  Distin- 
guished throughout  by  high  artistic  aim  and  exceptional  com- 
pleteness of  execution,  the  discontinuance  of  this  undertaking 
constituted  a  serious  loss,  so  far  as  the  Metropolis  is  concerned, 
to  music  generally  and  oratorio  in  particular. 

On  the  I5th  the  Borough  of  Hackney  Choral  Association 
revived  Brahms's  "  German  Requiem,"  not  heard  in  London  since 
its  performance  by  the  Bach  Choir  some  years  before.  The  solos 
were  sung  by  Madame  Eleanor  Farnol  and  Mr.  W.  G.  Forington, 
and  Mr.  Ebenezer  Prout  conducted.  On  the  6th  the  Popular 
Musical  Union  gave  their  first  performance  of  Gounod's  "  Re- 
demption "  at  the  People's  Palace,  Mile  End,  under  the  leadership 

D 


34  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


of  Mr.  W.  Henry  Thomas.  A  Concert  of  Sacred  Music  was 
given  at  Princes'  Hall  on  the  i7th,  at  which  Mr.  J.  H.  Bona- 
witz's  "  Requiem  "  and  a  selection  of  miscellaneous  pieces  were 
performed.  The  solos  were  undertaken  by  Miss  Alice  Steel, 
Miss  Louise  Bourne,  Mr.  Charles  Karlyle,  and  Mr.  Max  Heinrich, 
who  proved  equal  to  their  somewhat  exacting  task.  Mr.  Bona- 
witz  conducted.  In  the  miscellaneous  part  the  ladies'  choir 
(trained  by  Mr.  Charles  Karlyle)  sang  a  difficult  "Ave  Maria," 
by  Lachner.  Another  "  Ave  Maria,"  for  soprano  solo,  by  Luzzi, 
was  neatly  sung  by  Miss  Alice  Steel,  who  joined  Messrs.  Karlyle 
and  Heinrich  in  a  Trio  by  Astorga.  Mr.  Heinrich's  rendering  of 
"  With  joy  the  impatient  husbandman,"  from  the  "  Creation," 
was  warmly  applauded. 

The  Good  Friday  musical  entertainments  in  and  near  London 
were  eagerly  patronised.  The  Royal  Choral  Society  gave  its 
usual  "  Messiah  "  performance,  the  solos  being  sung  by  Madame 
Nordica,  Madame  Belle  Cole,  Mr.  Banks,  and  Mr.  Mills.  This 
was  the  Society's  last  Concert  of  the  season.  At  the  Crystal 
Palace  and  the  Alexandra  Palace  there  were  capital  Sacred  Con- 
certs, and  in  the  evening  an  immense  crowd  assembled  in  St. 
James's  Hall  at  the  bidding  of  Mr.  Ambrose  Austin,  to  hear 
Rossini's  "  Stabat  Mater  "  and  a  selection  of  "  Gems  from  the 
Oratorios."  The  newly-arranged  Easter  Musical  Festival  at  the 
Great  Assembly  Hall,  Mile  End  Road,  started  with  "The 
Messiah,"  Miss  Anna  Williams,  Madame  Marian  McKenzie,  Mr. 
Harper  Kearton,  and  Mr.  Egbert  Roberts  being  the  soloists. 
This  highly  creditable  undertaking  continued  with  performances 
of  "  St.  Paul,"  "  Elijah,"  and  "  Belshazzar." 

A  large  and  enthusiastic  audience  greeted  the  famous  Russian 
composer,  Tschaikowsky,  on  his  re-appearance  at  the  Phil- 
harmonic Concerts  on  the  nth.  He  was  accompanied  this  time 
by  a  protege,  M.  Sapellnikoff,  who  played  his  Pianoforte  Concerto 
in  B  flat  minor  (Op.  23),  first  introduced  at  the  Crystal  Palace  in 
1876,  and  therein  displayed  a  technique  of  astonishing  brilliancy 
and  vigour.  Tschaikowsky  also  conducted  his  Orchestral  Suite 


APRIL. 35 

in  D  (Op.  43),  a  work  of  considerable  charm  and  rare  musicianly 
resource,  now  heard  by  an  English  audience  for  the  first  time. 
Of  its  five  divisions,  the  Fugue,  the  quaint  Divertimento,  and  the 
characteristic  Intermezzo  proved  most  deserving  of  admiration ; 
but  the  greatest  effect  was  made  with  the  curiously-scored 
"  Marche  Miniature,"  an  apparent  attempt  to  imitate  a  musical- 
box,  the  repetition  of  which  was  insisted  upon.  The  final  Gavotte 
movement  and  its  noisy,  inappropriate  Coda  are  decidedly  weak. 
The  work  was  splendidly  given,  and  at  the  end  the  composer  was 
recalled.  Mozart's  Symphony  in  E  flat  and  the  Overture  to 
"  Lurline "  respectively  opened  and  closed  the  Concert,  these 
items  being  conducted  by  Mr.  Cowen.  The  vocal  element  was 
supplied  by  Miss  Marguerite  Hall  and  Mr.  W.  H.  Brereton,  who 
made  their  debuts  at  the  Philharmonic  Concerts,  and  were 
both  recipients  of  loud  applause. 

Berlioz's  "  Faust  "  was  given  at  the  Crystal  Palace  Concert  on 
the  6th  before  a  full  audience.  Mrs.  Hutchinson  took  Madame 
Valleria's  place  as  Margaret  at  the  last  moment,  Mr.  W.  H. 
Brereton  was  the  Mephistopheles,  and  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd  the  Faust. 
There  was  only  a  moderate  attendance  at  the  next  Concert— 
the  last  of  the  series.  The  programme  included  the  Andante  from 
Mr.  T.  Wingham's  graceful  Serenade  in  E  flat  (first  time  here), 
and  a  new  Pianoforte  Concerto  in  C  minor,  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Arnes,  an 
English  pianist  and  composer,  who  had  studied  in  Stuttgart  and 
Dresden.  The  Concerto  introduced  by  that  admirable  player, 
Mr.  Oscar  Beringer,  is  marked  Op.  8  in  the  list  of  Mr.  Ames's 
works,  which  further  embraces  such  ambitious  efforts  as  a  String 
Quartet,  a  Choral  setting  of  a  Psalm,  a  Pianoforte  Trio,  and  a 
Violin  Concerto.  However,  the  composition  now  heard  did  not 
create  a  very  lively  impression.  Schubert's  Symphony  in  C  and 
Sterndale  Bennett's  "  Naiades  "  Overture  were  also  in  the  scheme. 
Miss  Macintyre  sang. 

One  feature  in  Mr.  Manns's  annual  benefit  Concert  at  the 
Crystal  Palace,  on  the  aoth,  alone  sufficed  to  render  it  memorable. 
This  was  the  production  of  a  new  Symphony  in  C  minor  (Op.  i), 

D  2 


36  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

composed  by  Mr.  Frederic  Cliffe.  Mr.  Cliffe,  a  native  of 
Bradford,  was  one  of  the  students  at  the  National  Training  School, 
and  is  a  Professor  at  the  Royal  College  of  Music.  He  came 
forward  with  little,  if  any,  reputation  as  a  composer,  and,  that  he 
had  never  written  any  serious  works  of  importance  was  suffi- 
ciently indicated  by  the  Opus  number  of  his  present  effort. 
Surprise  that  a  young  musician  should  offer  a  Symphony  as  his 
Opus  i  deepened  into  astonishment  when  the  coup  d'essai  proved 
to  be  worthy  in  all  respects  of  the  eulogium  of  the  eminent 
analytical  writer  who  described  it  to  Sydenham  amateurs.  The 
latter  were  genuinely  delighted.  They  scarcely  waited  for  the  last 
chord  before  calling  up  the  composer,  and  then,  after  cheering  him 
heartily,  they  paid  him  the  rare  compliment  of  bringing  him 
forward  a  second  time.  Truth  to  tell,  Mr.  Cliffe's  Symphony  in 
C  minor  is  a  work  of  surpassing  merit,  so  rich  in  promise  that  if 
the  young  composer  can  only  go  on  as  he  has  begun,  there  must 
be  a  brilliant  future  in  store  for  him.  No  appreciative  listener 
could  fail  to  be  struck  with  the  beauty  and  originality  of  Mr. 
Cliffe's  themes,  the  clearness  and  power  that  mark  their  develop- 
ment, the  rare  sense  of  symmetry  and  contrast  pervading  each 
movement,  and  the  fertile  command  of  orchestral  resource  dis- 
played throughout.  Mr.  Cliffe  is  a  man  with  ideas,  and  he  knows, 
it  is  evident,  how  10  express  them.  The  musician  who  can  take 
a  simple-  phrase  out  of  his  slow  movement,  and  enlarge  and 
glorify  into  the  wonderfully  grandiose  Coda  that  forms  the  ending 
of  this  Symphony,  must  be  made  of  more  than  common  stuff. 
Not  that  this  is  the  only  device  imparting  homogeneity  to  the 
various  sections  of  the  work.  Perhaps  some  day  an  "analyst" 
will  discover  the  frequent  recurrence  all  through  of  the  two  beats 
which  start  the  opening  Allegro,  and  try  to  invent  a  meaning  for 
them,  as  was  done  for  the  "  four  taps  "  in  Beethoven's  Symphony 
in  the  same  key.  Of  the  four  movements,  the  Scherzo  is  perhaps 
the  least  striking,  while  the  slow  movement,  or  Ballade,  is  the 
most  attractive  and  spontaneous.  Madame  Nordica,  Madame 
Tremelli,  Mr.  Brereton,  and  Herr  Stavenhagen  took  part  in  the 


APRIL.  37 

Concert,  and  Mr.  Manns  received  a  hearty  farewell  greeting  at 
its  close.  The  famous  Conductor  had  deserved  well  of  his 
supporters.  He  had  conducted  an  interesting  series  of  Concerts 
with  indefatigable  energy  and  consummate  skill ;  and  he  had 
wound  up  his  labours  by  bringing  to  the  front  a  young  native 
composer  of  exceptional  promise. 

Madame  Neruda  and  Dr.  Joachim  repeated  at  the  Monday 
Popular  Concerts  of  the  ist  their  matchless  performance  of 
Bach's  Concerto  in  D  minor,  for  two  violins.  Both  at  this  and 
the  following  afternoon  Concert  the  work  done  was  of  an  entirely 
familiar  nature,  Miss  Fanny  Davies  playing  short  compositions 
by  Mendelssohn,  while  Mr.  Max  Heinrich  and  Miss  Florence 
Hoskins  were  the  vocalists.  The  audiences  were  now  in- 
variably crowded,  as  they  usually  are  when  the  last  of  the 
"  Pops  "  is  drawing  near.  On  the  8th  Dr.  Joachim  played 
Bach's  "  Chaconne  "  and  led  Beethoven's  Posthumous  Quartet  in 
B  flat — two  masterpieces  in  which  he  is  inimitably  grand. 
Madame  Frickenhaus  played  the  Sonata  Appassionata.  On  Satur- 
day, the  I3th,  the  instrumental  scheme  was  all  Beethoven — the 
String  Quintet  in  C,  the  Violin  Romance  in  F,  the  "  Moonlight  " 
Sonata,  and  the  "  Kreutzer  "  Sonata — a  combination  that  caused 
the  largest  crush  of  the  season,  and  the  biggest  rush  for  balcony 
seats  ever  experienced  at  a  "  Pop."  Dr.  Joachim's  coadjutors 
were,  in  the  Quintet,  Messrs.  Ries,  Straus,  Gibson,  and  Piatti ; 
and  in  the  Romance  and  the  "  Kreutzer,"  Mdlle.  Janotha.  Mr. 
Hirwen  Jones  sang.  At  the  final  Concert  of  the  series,  on  the 
Monday  following,  the  most  attractive  item  in  an  attractive 
programme  was  the  Schumann  Pianoforte  Quintet  in  E  flat 
(Op.  44),  performed  by  Miss  Agnes  Zimmermann,  Messrs. 
Joachim,  Ries,  Straus,  and  Piatti.  This  was  a  superb  treat,  in- 
tensely appreciated.  Next  in  order  may  be  placed  the  Haydn 
Quartet  in  B  flat  (Op.  76,  No.  4),  executed  by  the  same  matchless 
combination  of  string  players.  Signer  Piatti's  perfect  rendering 
of  the  Largo  and  Allegro,  by  Veracini,  elicited  a  demonstration  of 
unusual  warmth,  and  so,  too,  did  the  performance  of  some  of  the 


38  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


Hungarian  Dances,  by  Dr.  Joachim  and  Mdlle.  Janotha.  Miss 
Fanny  Davies  was  entrusted  with  the  only  pianoforte  solo  —  a 
distinction  well  earned  by  her  services  during  the  season  and 
thoroughly  justified  by  her  charming  playing  in  Chopin's 
Barcarolle.  Another  English  favourite  at  the  "  Pops,"  Miss  Liza 
Lehmann,  was  the  only  vocalist  of  the  evening.  She  sang  an 
old  English  song,  "  Oh  listen  to  the  voice  of  Love,"  Schubert's 
"  Schlummerlied,"  and  "  Hark,  the  lark,"  and  her  own  pretty 
song  "  If  thou  wilt  be  the  falling  dew,"  winning  equal  acceptance 
in  all.  Mr.  Frantzen  accompanied.  After  the  Concert  a 
portion  of  the  audience  met  in  another  part  of  the  building,  for 
the  purpose  of  witnessing  the  presentation  to  Dr.  Joachim  of  a 
Stradivarius  violin,  subscribed  for  by  his  English  friends  and 
admirers  in  honour  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  his  first  appear- 
ance in  public.  In  presenting  the  gift  on  behalf  of  the  subscribers, 
Sir  Frederick  Leighton  delivered  one  of  his  most  elegant  speeches  ; 
and  Dr.  Joachim,  when  he  had  recovered  from  his  emotion,  made 
a  reply  full  of  simple  modest  feeling,  genuine  gratitude,  and 
kindly  allusions  to  dear  friends,  some  living,  some  now  no  more. 
The  wonderful  "deep  red"  Cremona  cost  £1,200,  and  the  fine 
Tourte  bow  accompanying  it  was  obtained  as  a  favour  for  £50. 
Dr.  Joachim  was  right,  therefore,  when  he  described  the  gift  as 
a  noble  one.  But  more  than  all  was  its  value  great  as  embody- 
ing the  unbounded  admiration  and  esteem  in  which  the  "  king 
of  violinists  "  is  held  by  English  amateurs. 

At  the  Royal  College  of  Music  Orchestral  Concert,  on  the 
4th,  a  Pianoforte  Concerto  in  G  minor  by  a  student,  Mr.  Sidney 
P.  Waddington,  was  played  for  the  first  time.  It  proved  to  be  a 
clever  and  elaborate  work,  and  in  all  respects  an  achievement 
full  of  high  promise.  The  difficult  solo  part  was  splendidly  played 
by  another  student,  Miss  Polyxena  Fletcher.  At  the  close  the 
composer,  who  had  played  the  drums,  was  twice  called  forward. 
The  scheme  also  included  the  Overture  to  "  Die  Meistersinger," 
Brahms's  double  Concerto  for  violin  and  cello  (Messrs.  Jasper 
Sutcliffe  and  W.  H.  Squire),  Bizet's  Suite  "  L'Arlesienne,"  and 


APRIL. 


39 


the  Septet  from  Goetz's  "Taming   of  the   Shrew."     Professor 
Stanford  conducted. 

Some  good  work  was  done  at  the  Royal  Academy  Orchestral 
Concert  on  the  aoth.  Miss  Amy  Clapshaw  displayed  a  pleasing 
voice  and  style  in  "  Bel  raggio,"  and  Mr.  Edwin  Houghton  a  bright, 
resonant,  tenor  voice  in  an  air  from  Dr.  Parry's  "  Judith."  Mr. 
Gerald  Walenn  gave  evidence  of  decided  progress  in  his  violin 
solo,  and  of  the  pianists  chief  praise  may  be  awarded  to  Miss 
Dora  Matthay  and  Mr.  Gilbert  R.  Betjemann.  The  only  work 
by  a  student  in  the  scheme  was  Mr.  Theo.  Ward's  Andante  for 
organ,  harps,  and  stringed  orchestra,  already  performed  by  the 
Strolling  Players'  Orchestral  Society.  Dr.  Mackenzie  conducted. 
The  balance  of  the  choir  was  anything  but  satisfctory,  male  voices 
being  still  in  an  absurd  minority. 

At  the  Guildhall  School  Concert  on  the  3rd  was  performed  a 
new  romantic  Cantata  for  female  voices,  entitled  "  Zitella," 
written  by  Mr.  D.  H.  Parry,  and  composed  by  Mr.  R.  Orlando 
Morgan.  The  work  was  admirably  given  under  Mr.  Weist  Hill, 
and  well  received. 

A  String  Quartet  in  E,  by  Dvorak  (Op.  80),  was  heard  for  the 
first  time  in  England,  among  a  group  of  other  more  or  less 
interesting  novelties,  at  Mr.  Harvey  Lohr's  eighth  annual  Con- 
cert, given  at  Princes'  Hall  on  the  5th.  The  most  striking  of  the 
four  movements  contained  in  this  thoroughly  characteristic  work 
is  the  Andante  con  moto  in  A  minor,  based  upon  a  beautiful, 
original  melody  of  the  Slavonic  type.  The  Scherzo  is  genial  and 
graceful,  while  the  final  section  is  full  of  animated  spirit  and  con- 
trapuntal resource.  Capitally  played,  Dvorak's  Quartet  made  an 
impression  that  led  to  its  speedy  repetition.  Also  new  to  London 
amateurs  were  a  Pianoforte  Trio  in  C  minor  (Op.  27),  by  Eduard 
Schutt,  a  well-designed,  melodious  work  ;  and  Mr.  Harvey  Lohr's 
Pianoforte  Quartet  in  E  minor  (Op.  15),  the  latter  of  which 
(published  by  Breitkopf  and  Hartel)  consists  of  the  four  usual 
movements,  all  remarkably  clear  in  structure  and  development 
and  characterised  by  considerable  melodic  charm.  This  effective 


40  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

work  was  very  well  received.  Mr.  Lohr  played  as  solos  some 
pieces  of  his  own,  and  a  set  of  twelve  "  Silhouettes"  (Op.  8),  by 
Dvorak,  one  of  the  Bohemian  composer's  early  pianoforte  works, 
now  given  here  for  the  first  time  publicly.  The  string  players 
who  assisted  were  Messrs.  Szczepanowski,  S.  D.  Grimson,  W. 
Richardson,  and  W.  E.  Whitehouse. 

The  young  Scotch  pianist,  Mr.  Frederick  Lamond,  evinced  a 
gratifying  amount  of  improvement  at  his  Recital  on  the  loth. 
He  made  his  re-appearance  in  the  metropolis  after  an  absence 
of  three  years,  and  the  meagre  audience  that  occupied  St.  James's 
Hall  justly  made  up  for  paucity  of  numbers  by  unusual  warmth 
of  approbation.  Mr.  Lamond.  now  came  before  us  not  only  a 
brilliant  executant,  but  a  refined  and  finished  artist,  and  he  more 
especially  proved  himself  such  by  his  interpretation  of  Beethoven's 
Sonata  in  A  flat  (Op.  no).  On  the  iyth  he  gave  a  second 
Recital,  which  was  much  better  attended.  He  now  appeared  in 
the  double  capacity  of  pianist  and  composer,  the  programme 
containing  two  "  Clavierstiicke,"  Nos.  6  and  7,  from  his  Op.  I, 
a  Pianoforte  Trio  in  B  minor  (Op.  2),  and  a  Sonata  for  violoncello 
and  piano,  in  D  major.  Of  these  works  the  Trio  is  at  once  the 
most  ambitious  and  the  most  imbued  with  strength  and  feeling; 
but  it  is  like  its  companions  in  that  it  betrays  a  want  of  restraint 
fraught  with  very  wearisome  results  for  Mr.  Lamond's  hearers. 
The  young  Scotchman  has  ideas,  but  his  form  is  vague,  his  move- 
ments are  diffuse,  his  style  is  rhapsodical.  There  is  evidence  in 
Mr.  Lamond's  music  of  a  talent  for  composition,  and  he  may  one 
day  write  with  less  of  the  headstrong  spirit  of  youth  and  more 
regard  for  the  "canons  of  art."  Mr.  Straus  and  Signer  Piatti 
acted  as  Mr.  Lamond's  coadjutors,  and,  like  himself,  threw  all 
their  intelligence  and  energy  into  the  work  in  hand.  In  his  solos 
the  Recital-giver  once  more  impressed  by  the  earnest  sentiment 
and  charm  of  his  playing. 

Miss  Agnes  Zimmermann's  Recital,  on  the  4th,  drew  a  numerous 
assemblage  to  Princes'  Hall,  and  among  other  things  finely 
played  by  this  talented  artist  may  be  mentioned  a  particularly 


APRIL.  41 

impassioned  and  intellectual  rendering  of  Schumann's  Pianoforte 
Sonata  in  G  minor.  Recitals  were  also  given  in  course  of  the 
month  by  Miss  Mathilde  Wurm,  Miss  Ethel  and  Master  Harold 
Bauer,  Mr.  Max  Heinrich,  Mr.  Isidore  de  Lara,  and  Messrs. 
Ernest  Paxon  and  Orton  Bradley. 

Little  can  be  said  in  favour  of  "  Faddimir,"  a  comic  opera  by 
Mr.  Arthur  Reed  and  Mr.  Oscar  Neville,  produced  at  the 
Vaudeville  Theatre  on  the  2gth.  The  music  might  have  passed 
muster  had  the  book  been  less  extravagant  and  nonsensical,  but 
as  it  was  the  combination  was  barely  tolerable.  The  plot 
depended  solely  for  its  motive  and  humour  upon  the  question 
whether  the  inhabitants  of  a  Russian  town  were  or  were  not  to  be 
compelled  to  wash  themselves  with  soap  !  The  chief  parts  were 
taken  by  Mr.  Eric  Thome,  Mr.  Herbert  Reeves,  Mr.  Wilfrid 
Shine,  Miss  Lily  Linfield,  and  Miss  Florence  Perry. 

The  news  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Carl  Rosa,  in  Paris,  on  the 
morning  of  the  3Oth,  came  as  a  shock  to  the  whole  country.  By 
the  decease  of  this  popular  impresario  English  Opera  was  deprived 
of  its  champion  and  its  chief  source  of  strength.  Carl  Rosa  had 
during  the  last  few  years  of  his  life  become  associated  with 
various  branches  of  musical  and  theatrical  enterprise,  and  he  had 
shown  that  their  transfer  to  a  limited  company  could  be  attended 
by  advantage  to  himself  and  profit  to  his  shareholders.  His 
name  will,  however,  be  always  associated  with  the  prosperous 
revival  of  opera  in  the  vernacular,  more  especially  between  the 
years  1875  and  1885,  when,  thanks  to  his  courage  and  enthusiasm, 
native  musicians  were  brought  to  the  front  as  opera-writers,  the 
works  of  Wagner  and  other  modern  composers  were  given  for  the 
first  time  in  the  English  language,  and  the  lyric  stage  in  the 
provinces  was  raised  to  a  higher  level  than  it  had  ever  before 
attained. 

OBITUARY. — Sir  Frederick  Arthur  Gore  Ouseley  (composer; 
Professor  of  Music  at  Oxford  University),  Hereford,  6th;  Carl 
Rosa  (founder  of  the  Carl  Rosa  Opera  Company),  Paris,  30th. 


42  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


MAY. 

THE  Royal  Italian  Opera  season  began  at  Covent  Garden  on 
Saturday,  the  i8th,  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Augustus 
Harris,  whose  operatic  interests  had  shortly  before  been  made 
identical  with  those  of  the  Carl  Rosa  Company.  On  the  opening 
night  Bizet's  Opera  "  Les  Pecheurs  de  Perles  "  was  given  in  the 
presence  of  a  brilliant  and  crowded  assemblage,  who,  if  they  were 
not  enchanted  with  the  music  of  Bizet's  early  opera,  manifestly 
enjoyed  the  performance,  and  did  not  tire  of  gazing  round  the 
elegant  house,  radiant  in  all  the  glory  of  fresh  decorations  and 
filled  from  the  floor  to  the  first  tier  with  the  cream  of  the  British 
aristocracy,  headed  by  Royalty  in  the  persons  of  the  Princess  of 
Wales,  her  daughters,  and  the  Duchess  of  Edinburgh.  Miss  Ella 
Russell,  as  Leila,  and  Signer  F.  d'Andrade,  as  Zurga,  made  the 
chief  successes,  their  duet  in  the  last  act  kindling  the  one  spark  of 
enthusiasm  for  which  the  music  afforded  a  loophole.  M.  Talazac, 
formerly  leading  tenor  at  the  Opera  Comique,  was  not  quite  at 
home  in  his  part  or  in  the  new  locale.  The  tnise  en  scene  was  a  vast 
improvement  on  that  of  1887,  and  some  alterations  made  by 
Signer  Mancinelli  tended  slightly  to  strengthen  the  final  scene. 
The  orchestra,  with  Mr.  Carrodus  as  chefd'attaque,  was  again  superb 
at  all  points  ;  while  the  chorus  was  quite  equal  to  that  of  the 
previous  year.  In  "  Faust,"  on  the  2Oth,  Miss  Macintyre  proved 
herself  a  sympathetic  and  engaging  Marguerite,  though  scarcely 
strong  enough  dramatically  in  the  later  scenes.  M.  Montariol, 
a  Belgian  tenor,  made  a  successful  debut  as  Faust,  displaying  an 
agreeable  and  tolerably  powerful  voice.  M.  Winogradow,  the 
Russian  baritone,  made  a  capital  Valentine.  Signor  Castelmary 


MA  Y.  43 

was  an  effective  Mephistopheles,  and  Madame  Scalchi  was  the 
Siebel.  "  Carmen,"  on  the  following  night,  was  given  under  the 
direction  of  that  capable  and  experienced  chef  d'orchestre,  Signor 
Arditi,  who  met  with  a  warm  greeting.  Madame  Marie  Roze  was 
the  Carmen,  and  her  rendering  of  the  character  as  to  all  save  its 
vocal  requirements  was  quite  perfect.  Miss  Macintyre's  beautiful 
voice  was  heard  to  rare  advantage  in  the  music  of  Michaela. 
Signor  Francesco  d'Andrade  was  the  Toreador,  and  his  brother, 
Signor  Antonio  d'Andrade,  was  received  with  favour  on  making 
his  first  bow  here  as  Don  Jose.  The  new  tenor  had  a  rather 
small  voice  of  good  telling  quality,  which  he  used  with  skill : 
moreover,  he  was  an  actor  of  some  intelligence  and  power.  A 
performance  of  "  La-Traviata,"  with  Miss  Ella  Russell  in  the 
title-part,  was  followed  by  one  of  "  Aida,"  on  the  second  Saturday 
of  the  season,  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales  being  present. 
An  encouraging  amount  of  success  was  won  by  Madame  Valda  in 
the  part  of  A'ida  and  by  Signor  Antonio  d'Andrade  in  that  of 
Radames.  The  lady  sang  with  artistic  feeling,  and  presented  a 
picturesque,  interesting  embodiment.  The  tenor,  albeit  over- 
weighted, compensated  for  physical  shortcomings  by  an  abundance 
of  earnest  spirit  and  vigour.  His  brother  made,  as  usual,  a 
superb  Amonasro ;  Madame  Scalchi  acted  better  than  she  sang  as 
Amneris ;  and  Signor  Abramoff  was  the  Ramphis.  Signor 
Mancinelli  conducted  the  performance  of  "Aida,"  and  also  that  of 
a  companion  masterpiece  of  the  modern  Italian  school,  to  wit, 
Boito's  "  Mefistofele,"  given  before  another  brilliant  audience  on 
the  28th.  In  the  latter  work  Miss  Macintyre  now  sustained  the 
part  of  Marguerite  as  well  as  that  of  Helen  of  Troy,  and  did  it  equal 
justice.  Signor  Massimo  Massimi,  a  Russian  tenor,  with  a  small 
voice  and  most  unimpressive  style,  made  an  unsuccessful  debut  as 
Faust.  Signor  Novara,  who  undertook  the  difficult  role  of 
Mefistofele  at  a  moment's  notice,  fairly  earned  on  his  merits  the 
suffrages  of  the  audience.  Mr.  Barton  McGuckin,  who  was  to 
have  made  his  Italian  debut  in  "  Lohengrin,"  on  the  3Oth,  had  the 
misfortune  a  day  or  so  before  to  injure  an  ankle.  His  place  in 


44  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

this  opera  was  taken  by  Signer  A.  d'Andrade.  Madame  Nordica 
made  her  rentree  as  Elsa,  a  character  she  had  never  previously 
undertaken.  She  invested  it  with  rare  sympathy  and  charm,  and 
acted  throughout  with  admirable  intelligence.  The  music  lay  well 
within  her  means,  and  the  fresh,  bright  quality  of  her  voice 
enhanced  the  beauty  of  more  than  one  familiar  passage.  Madame 
Fiirsch-Madi  was  an  interesting  Ortrud,  Signer  F.  d'Andrade  a 
splendid  Telramund,  Signer  Castelmary  an  excellent  King,  and 
Signor  Abramoff  an  efficient  Herald. 

The  special  attraction  at  the  fourth  Philharmonic  Concert  on 
the  gth  was  the  debut  of  a  Belgian  violinist,  M.  Ysaye,  who  gave 
an  intelligent,  though  somewhat  affected,  reading  of  the  Beet- 
hoven Concerto.  He  exhibited  a  fine  tone  and  a  superb  mecanisme, 
but  critical  hearers  objected  to  his  restless,  fussy  style,  and  the 
lack  of  breadth  and  dignity  in  his  phrasing.  The  fact  remains 
that  he  made  a  complete  conquest  over  his  audience,  and  was  so 
enthusiastically  received  that  the  Philharmonic  directors  at  once 
engaged  him  for  their  next  Concert.  Mr.  Cowen  conducted  one 
of  Haydn's  Symphonies — an  early  work  in  B  flat,  only  recently 
published,  and  now  given  for  the  first  time  in  London — and  his 
own  clever,  if  unequal,  Symphony  in  F  (No.  5),  which  showed  off 
the  splendid  orchestra  to  rare  advantage.  Mdlle.  Tremelli  was 
the  vocalist ;  but  neither  in  a  Rossinian  air  nor  the  "  Voce 
di  donna"  from  Ponchielli's  "  Gioconda  "  was  the  style  of  the 
singer  satisfactory.  At  the  fifth  Concert  of  the  series  (the  23rd) 
M.  Ysaye's  performance  of  the  Mendelssohn  Concerto  was  a 
brilliant  display  of  virtuosity,  and  a  decided  improvement  upon 
his  reading  of  the  Beethoven.  He  again  had  an  ovation.  Mdlle. 
janotha  played  Beethoven's  Pianoforte  Concerto  in  G,  and  Herr 
Carl  Meyer,  of  Cologne,  sang  Wolfram's  Fantasy  ("  Tann- 
hauser")  and  a  Ballad  by  Loewe  with  declamatory  power  and 
feeling.  The  most  interesting  item  in  a  long  programme  was  a 
new  Symphony  in  C,  for  small  orchestra,  composed  in  1887  by 
Dr.  Hubert  Parry.  This  was  received  with  the  unqualified 
favour  due  to  a  work  of  singular  beauty  and  merit.  The  essen- 


MAY. _45 

tially  English  character  of  the  themes  was  at  once  recognised, 
and  the  work  quickly  became  known  as  the  "  English  "  Symphony. 
Elaborate  in  construction  and  detail,  it  yet  came  out  on  first 
hearing  as  clear  and  comprehensible  as  a  Suite  of  Handel's  or  an 
Overture  of  Mozart's.  It  is  brimful  of  life  and  spirit,  the  vigour 
of  the  quick  movements  being  at  times  extraordinary.  The 
Finale  gives  the  idea  of  a  succession  of  lively  Old  English  tunes 
and  dances;  actually,  it  is  a  set  of  elaborate  variations  on  a  single 
theme.  The  slow  movement,  in  grateful  contrast,  contains  a 
delicious  flow  of  suave  melody,  and  is  exquisitely  scored.  The 
new  Symphony  was  played  by  the  Philharmonic  orchestra  (minus 
trombones,  tubas,  contrafagotti,  or  the  heavier  "  percussion " 
instruments)  with  a  refinement  and  delicacy  beyond  all  praise, 
the  composer  conducting. 

The  Richter  Concerts  began  on  Monday,  the  6th,  with  a  wholly 
familiar  programme,  embracing  the  Overture  to  "  Die  Meister- 
singer,"  the  Prelude  to  "  Parsifal,"  Brahms's  Variations  on  a 
theme  by  Haydn,  Liszt's  Second  Hungarian  Rhapsody,  and  Beet- 
hoven's "  Eroica  "  Symphony.  With  the  orchestra  at  its  highest 
level  of  excellence,  and  the  baton  in  the  hands  of  Dr.  Hans 
Richter,  it  may  be  taken  for  granted  that  these  pieces  were  mag- 
nificently played.  Each,  too,  was  applauded  with  enthusiasm  by 
a  crowded  and  fashionable  audience.  At  the  second  Concert,  on 
the  I3th,  the  bonnes  benches  of  an  unusually  varied  programme 
were  Beethoven's  "  Leonora  "  Overture  (No.  3),  Mozart's 
"  Prague  "  Symphony,  and  Wagner's  "  Good  Friday's  Spell  " 
from  "  Parsifal."  Glinka's  "  Komarinskaja,"  clever  as  it  is, 
becomes  monotonous  ;  and  Schumann's  Symphony  in  B  flat 
(No.  i)  was  not  faultlessly  given.  On  the  other  hand,  a 
week  later,  the  execution  of  a  Wagner  programme  (in  honour  of 
the  master's  birthday)  constituted  the  finest  performance  of  a 
series  of  Wagnerian  excerpts  ever  heard  under  Hans  Richter's 
direction.  The  great  Conductor  and  his  men  were  heart  and  soul 
in  their  work,  and  whether  realising  the  poetic  beauty  of  the 
"  Siegfried-Idyll,"  the  sublime  grandeur  of  the  "  Trauermarsch," 


46  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

the  profound  passion  of  the  "  Tristan  "  music,  or  the  sonorous 
energy  of  the  "  Walkiirenritt,"  the  result  in  each  case  approached 
as  near  to  perfection  as  could  be.  In  the  love  duet  from  "  Die 
Walkiire  "  Miss  Anna  Williams  declaimed  the  part  of  Sieglinde, 
and  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd,  as  heretofore,  that  of  Siegmund.  At  the 
Concert  of  the  27th  the  indisposition  of  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd  pre- 
vented the  promised  introduction  of  the  "  Schmiedelieder,"  from 
"  Siegfried."  In  the  regretted  absence  of  the  English  tenor  an 
overflowing  crowd  consoled  itself  by  listening  to  a  repetition  of 
some  of  the  instrumental  excerpts  played  at  the  previous  Con- 
cert, in  addition  to  Beethoven's  "  Pastoral  "  Symphony  and 
Mendelssohn's  "Athalie"  Overture. 

The  Bach  Choir  gave  an  afternoon  performance  of  Dr.  Parry's 
Oratorio  "Judith,"  at  St.  James's  Hall,  on  the  6th,  before  a 
crowded  assemblage.  Miss  Anna  Williams,  Miss  Lena  Little, 
Mr.  Edward  Lloyd,  and  Mr.  Watkin  Mills  were  the  soloists,  and 
Professor  Stanford  conducted.  The  work  was  again  well  received, 
the  composer  being  called  at  the  end  of  each  part.  The  choruses 
were  by  no  means  irreproachably  given,  the  balance  being  imper- 
fect and  the  attack  wanting  in  vigour.  Miss  Lena  Little  sang 
the  music  of  the  Queen-mother  for  the  first  time,  and  proved 
herself  a  worthy  exponent  of  the  lovely  ballad  which  she  sings  to 
the  children.  The  great  mistake  of  the  afternoon  was  giving  the 
Oratorio  in  its  entirety ;  it  merely  served  to  emphasise  the 
advantage  gained  by  the  "cuts"  introduced  in  the  preceding 
performances. 

Senor  Sarasate  made  his  first  appearance  for%the  season  at  St. 
James's  Hall  on  Saturday,  the  nth,  inaugurating  with  his  accus- 
tomed success  a  series  of  six  Concerts,  four  of  which  were 
orchestral.  The  audience  was  large,  and  the  gifted  Spanish 
virtuoso  received  a  hearty  and  spontaneous  welcome.  He  per- 
formed three  works — viz.,  Max  Bruch's  Second  Concerto  (D 
minor,  Op.  44),  Raffs  morceau  caracteristique,  "  La  Fee  d'Amour," 
and  his  own  Fantasia  on  Airs  from  "  Carmen,"  displaying  in 
each  the  transcendent  powers  of  execution  and  indescribable 


MA  Y.  47 

charm  of  style  which  have  won  for  him  a  unique  position  among 
the  popular  violinists  of  our  day.  Mr.  Cusins  conducted,  and, 
in  addition  to  an  excellent  rendering  of  the  accompaniments, 
secured  a  creditable  performance  of  Liszt's  Symphonic  Poem 
"Tasso"  and  Mendelssohn's  Overture  to  "  Athalie."  On  the 
following  Saturday  Senor  Sarasate  played  the  Mendelssohn  Con- 
certo and  the  Violin  Concerto  in  G  by  Emile  Bernard.  His  first 
Chamber  Concert  on  the  25th  did  not  draw  the  same  overflowing 
crowd  ;  but  it  was  a  very  large  audience,  and  not  a  whit  less 
demonstrative.  The  Concert  began  with  Weber's  Duo  Concertante 
(Op.  48),  a  work  written  for  clarinet  and  pianoforte.  The 
arrangement  for  violin  is  ineffective,  and  it  was  surprising  that 
Senor  Sarasate  should  have  shown  so  little  respect  for  the  inten- 
tions of  a  great  master  as  to  bring  forward  this  unwarrantable 
piece  of  work.  He  also  took  part  in  Schubert's  "  Rondeau 
Brillant,"  Raff's  Sonata  in  A  (Op.  78),  and  four  of  Dvorak's 
"  Slavonic  Dances."  The  virtuoso's  coadjutor  in  these  composi- 
tions was  Madame  Berthe  Marx,  a  new  pianist  possessing  an 
undoubtedly  fine  technique  and  crisp,  but  not  very  sensitive  touch. 
The  lady  played  as  solos  Chopin's  Barcarolle  and  a  Study  by 
Rubinstein,  exhibiting  plenty  of  control  over  the  keyboard,  but 
little  command  of  varied  expression. 

Sir  Charles  Halle  began  his  weekly  Chamber  Concerts  at  St. 
James's  Hall  on  the  loth,  the  programme  containing  as  a  novelty 
one  of  the  recently-published  Quartets  of  Cherubini.  The  open- 
ing A  llegro  maestoso,  in  the  key  of  E  major,  is  classic  both  in  form 
and  character.  The  Larghetto  is  graceful,  though  somewhat 
long.  The  Scherzo,  written  for  muted  strings,  has  a  good  deal 
of  character,  but  appears  patchy.  The  bright  Finale  is,  on  the 
whole,  the  most  satisfactory  of  the  four  movements.  A  point 
worthy  of  notice  is  the  humour  displayed  by  the  composer  in  the 
Codas  of  the  Larghetto  and  Finale.  The  quartet  was  admirably 
interpreted  by  Madame  Neruda  and  Messrs.  Ries,  Straus,  and  F. 
Neruda.  The  programme  concluded  with  Dvorak's  fine  Piano- 
forte Quintet  in  A  (Op.  81).  Sir  Charles  Halle  played  two  of 


48  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


Schubert's  Impromptus,  and  took  part  with  Madame  Neruda  in 
Beethoven's  Sonata  in  G  (Op.  96).  The  only  unfamiliar  item  in 
the  scheme  of  the  following  week  was  a  new  composition  from 
the  pen  of  Signor  Giuseppe  Martucci,  whose  Pianoforte  Trio  in 
E  flat  (Op.  62)  revealed  a  style  as  advanced  as  that  of  his  country- 
man, Signor  Sgambati,  and  lucid  and  interesting  in  about  the 
same  degree.  Forty  minutes  of  this  tedious  kind  of  music  proved 
rather  trying,  despite  such  talented  interpreters  as  Madame 
Neruda,  Sir  Charles  Halle,  and  Herr  F.  Neruda.  On  the  24th 
was  performed,  for  the  first  time,  an  Album-Sonata  in  C  flat, 
written  by  Wagner  in  1853  for  his  wife's  friend,  Frau  Wasendonck. 
The  composition  consists  of  a  single  movement,  not  in  strict  form, 
but  very  pleasing  and  effective  in  character,  and  decidedly  redolent 
of  Beethoven.  It  was  listened  to  with  curiosity  and  the  player 
was  much  applauded.  Sir  Charles  also  played  with  Lady  Halle 
the  new  Sonata  by  Brahms  in  D  minor  (No.  3,  Op.  108),  introduced 
this  month  by  Miss  Fanny  Davies.  A  week  later  another  of  the 
posthumous  quartets  of  Cherubini  was  brought  forward — that  in 
F  (No.  5) — by  many  regarded  as  the  finest  of  the  series. 

The  Sonata  by  Brahms,  for  pianoforte  and  violin  (D  minor, 
Op.  108),  to  \\hich  reference  has  just  been  made,  was  performed 
for  the  first  time  in  England  at  a  Concert  given  by  Miss  Fanny 
Davies,  in  Princes'  Hall,  on  the  yth.  The  new  work  proved  to 
be  nowise  inferior  in  charm  and  grace  to  the  preceding  Sonata 
for  the  same  instruments  (Op.  100).  That  it  is  its  equal  in  all 
other  respects  may  be  taken  for  granted,  since  Brahms  only  gives 
to  the  world  music  stamped  with  the  impress  of  his  individuality 
and  power,  and  replete  with  evidence  of  his  unlimited  technical 
resource.  The  Adagio,  based  upon  a  lovely  melody  taken  from 
one  of  his  own  songs,  is  the  gem  of  the  four  movements,  but  all 
are  models  of  clearness  and  symmetry,  and  the  Sonata  may  be 
listened  to  with  delight  from  first  to  last.  Miss  Davies  and  Herr 
Ludwig  Straus  played  it  admirably,  and  were  warmly  recalled. 
The  popular  young  pianist  was  heard  alone  in  Sterndale  Bennett's 
Toccata  and  Schumann's  Sonata  in  F  sharp  major.  She  also 


MA  Y.  49 

accompanied  the  latter  composer's  "  Spanisches  Liederspiel  " — 
restoring  the  usually  omitted  "  Spanische  Romanze " — the 
vocalists  being  Fraulein  Fillunger,  Miss  Hilda  Wilson,  Mr.  W. 
Shakespeare,  and  Mr.  Ffrangcon  Davies. 

Mr.  Ernest  River's  annual  Concert,  given  at  Princes'  Hall  on 
the  evening  of  the  same  day,  was  made  noteworthy  by  the  first 
performance  in  public  of  a  String  Quartet  in  G  minor,  by  Mr. 
T.  Wingham,  heard  a  few  weeks  previously  at  the  Brompton 
Oratory.  It  is  a  short  but  interesting  work  in  the  usual  four  move- 
ments, each  of  which  reveals  the  hand  of  the  skilled  and  earnest 
musician.  The  opening  A  llegro  confuoco  is  bright  and  energetic  and 
the  themes  are  well  contrasted.  The  second  movement  is  an  Arietta 
con  variazioni,  founded  on  the  melody  composed  by  Samuel  Webbe 
to  the  hymn  "  O  Roma  felix,"  sung  on  the  Festival  of  St.  Peter 
and  St.  Paul.  The  variations  are  scarcely  such  in  the  strict 
sense  of  the  term,  the  theme  being  repeated  in  each  as  a  canto 
fermo  with  varied  contrapuntal  treatment,  while  the  concluding 
variation  is  in  the  form  of  a  canon  with  double  counterpoint. 
The  Minuet,  written  as  a  canon  on  the  octave,  is  another  striking 
example  of  scholarly  resource,  while  the  Finale  terminates  with 
an  effective  reference  to  the  melody  of  the  hymn.  This  clever 
work  was  ably  played  by  Messrs.  Szczepanowski,  George  Wilby, 
Ellis  Roberts,  and  Charles  Ould,  and  so  well  did  it  please  the 
audience  that  the  composer  had  to  leave  his  place  in  the  hall  and 
bow  his  acknowledgments  from  the  platform. 

Mr.  William  Nicholl  gave  the  last  of  a  pleasant  series  of 
Chamber  Concerts  at  Steinway  Hall  on  the  3rd.  The  programme 
consisted  (with  the  exception  of  a  couple  of  violin  solos  played  by 
Miss  Lucy  Riley)  of  sets  of  songs  by  various  composers,  so  well 
contrasted  in  character  as  to  preclude  any  sense  of  monotony. 
First  came  Brahms's  "  Gipsy  Songs  "  (Op.  103),  well  interpreted 
by  Miss  Louise  Phillips,  Miss  Marguerite  Hall,  Mr.  William 
Nicholl,  and  Mr.  Wilfred  Cunliffe.  Then  Grieg's  "  Reminiscences 
of  Mountain  and  Fjord  "  were  alternately  rendered  by  Miss  Hall 
and  Mr.  Nicholl;  and  "Four  Songs  of  the  Stuarts,"  composed  by 

E 


50  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


Miss  Carmichael  (given  for  the  first  time),  were  divided  in  similar 
fashion  between  Miss  Phillips  and  Mr.  Cunliffe.  Miss  Car- 
michael's  new  songs  won  special  favour.  The  Concert  ended 
with  "Three  Songs  of  the  North,"  arranged  by  Mr.  Malcolm 
Lawson,  and  tastefully  sung  by  Mr.  William  Nicholl. 

Messrs.  Ludwig  and  Whitehouse  gave  their  second  Chamber 
Concert  at  Princes'  Hall  on  the  i/j-th,  when,  aided  by  Messrs. 
G.  Collins,  A.  Gibson,  and  H.  Heydrich,  they  did  justice  to 
Brahms's  Quintet  in  F  (Op.  88)  and  Beethoven's  Quartet  in  B 
flat  (Op.  18,  No.  6).  Grieg's  duet  Sonata  in  C  minor  was 
spiritedly  played  by  Mr.  Ludwig  and  Madame  Haas,  while  Mr. 
Whitehouse's  violoncello  solos  elicited  warm  applause.  Miss 
Liza  Lehmann  sang. 

A  MS.  Sonata  for  harp  and  violin,  by  Spohr,  was  introduced 
at  Princes'  Hall,  on  the  8th,  by  Mdlles.  Marianne  and  Clara 
Eissler,  to  whom  the  score  was  recently  presented  by  the  com- 
poser's niece.  It  is  a  thoroughly  characteristic  work,  rich  in 
melodic  charm,  and  most  effectively  written  for  both  instruments. 
It  was  played  with  grace  and  finish  by  the  two  sisters,  whose 
programme  further  included  violin  and  harp  solos,  and  some 
pianoforte  pieces  executed  by  Miss  Freda  Eissler. 

Concerts  were  given  at  St.  James's  Hall,  on  the  ist  and  8th,  by 
the  String  Band  of  the  Royal  Artillery,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
L.  Zaverthal.  At  the  second  Concert  a  new  Symphony  in  C 
minor,  composed  by  the  Conductor,  was  produced  with  great 
success,  the  Scherzo  being  especially  noticeable  for  the  brightness 
of  the  subject  and  the  ingenuity  of  its  construction.  The  clever 
scoring  of  the  whole  work  further  testified  to  the  musical  ability 
of  the  composer. 

The  Wind  Instrument  Chamber  Music  Society  gave  the  third 
and  last  of  its  opening  series  of  Concerts  at  the  Royal  Academy 
of  Music,  on  the  3rd.  A  Concertstiick,  by  Rietz  (Op.  41),  and 
Rubinstein's  Quintet  (Op.  55)  for  pianoforte  and  wind  instru- 
ments were  the  principal  works  performed,  the  executants  being 
Messrs.  Vivian,  Malsch,  Clinton,  Borsdorf,  T.  Wotton,  and 


MA  Y.  51 

Eugene  Dubrucq.  Four  Trios,  by  Brahms,  for  female  voices, 
with  accompaniment  of  horns  and  harps  (Op.  17),  were  also  given 
by  a  select  choir  of  Academy  students. 

Herr  Waldemar  Meyer  gave  a  Chamber  Concert  at  Princes' 
Hall  on  Wednesday  afternoon,  the  22nd,  at  which  he  played, 
among  other  pieces,  Bach's  "  Chaconne,"  Handel's  Sonata  in  A, 
and  a  Suite  for  violin  and  pianoforte  by  Franz  Ries.  In  the 
rendering  of  these  compositions  Herr  Meyer  exhibited  his  usual 
excellent  qualities,  and  he  had  an  able  coadjutor  in  Herr  Gustav 
Ernest.  Some  vocal  pieces  were  sung  by  Frau  Schoepffer, 
a  Dresden  artist,  who  displayed  a  powerful  soprano  voice  and 
good  artistic  style. 

Miss  Winifred  Robinson's  programme,  at  her  Chamber  Concert 
at  Princes'  Hall  on  the  31  st,  included  Dvorak's  duet  Sonata  in 
F  (Op.  57),  executed  with  Miss  Fanny  Davies  ;  the  Adagio  and 
Rondo  from  Spohr's  Ninth  Concerto  ;  and  Mendelssohn's  Trio  in 
C  minor  (Op.  66),  the  violoncello  part  in  this  being  undertaken  by 
Mr.  C.  H.  Allen  Gill. 

Dr.  Charles  Vincent  gave  a  Concert  on  the  gth,  at  the  Drill 
Hall,  Hampstead,  when  his  Cantata  "  The  Mermaid,"  for  ladies' 
voices,  was  performed  for  the  first  time.  The  libretto,  founded 
upon  Hans  Andersen's  fairy  tale,  is  the  work  of  Mr.  Lewis 
Novra.  The  music  is  easy,  tuneful,  and  pleasant.  The  work 
was  given  under  the  composer's  direction. 

The  Amateur  Choral  and  Orchestral  bodies  of  the  metropolis 
were  extensively  occupied  throughout  the  present  month,  which, 
as  usual,  was  one  of  the  busiest  of  the  whole  year.  Their  doings, 
however,  must  necessarily  be  recorded  with  the  utmost  possible 
brevity.  The  Royal  Amateur  Orchestral  Society,  now  in  its  seven- 
teenth season,  gave  exceedingly  attractive  Concerts  at  the  St. 
James's  and  Princes'  Halls,  and  performed  well-chosen  programmes 
with  great  spirit  and  care,  under  Mr.  George  Mount.  The  same 
observation  applies  to  the  Stock  Exchange  Orchestral  Society 
and  Male  Voice  Choir,  directed  by  Mr.  George  Kitchin,  which 
rising  body  made  a  distinct  advance,  and  gained,  by  its  really 

E  2 


52  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


excellent  performances,  the  unqualified  commendation  of  con- 
noisseurs. The  Strolling  Players'  Orchestral  Society  also  gave  a 
number  of  agreeable  and  fashionably-attended  Concerts,  under  the 
Conductorship  of  Mr.  Norfolk  Megone.  The  Westminster 
Orchestral  Society  ended  its  series  of  Concerts  of  works  by  living 
English  composers  on  the  2gth.  Mr.  Hamish  MacCunn's 
Ballad  "  The  Ship  o'  the  Fiend,"  Mr.  Goring  Thomas's  graceful 
Airs  de  Ballet,  Mr.  Cowen's  "  Welsh  "  Symphony,  and  Miss  Dora 
Bright's  Pianoforte  Concerto  (played  by  the  composer)  were  the 
principal  compositions  heard  on  this  occasion.  On  the  2gth,  at 
the  Portman  Rooms,  the  Handel  Society  performed  Bach's 
"  Magnificat,"  Mozart's  Symphony  in  D,  and  Handel's  music  in 
Smollett's  "  Alceste."  Mr.  F.  A.  W.  Docker  conducted.  Among 
the  suburban  societies  which,  at  about  this  time,  finished  up  their 
season's  work  in  creditable  style,  may  be  mentioned  the  Highbury 
Philharmonic  Society,  which,  on  the  6th,  attacked  Berlioz's 
"  Faust,"  and,  under  Mr.  G.  H.  Betjemann's  able  guidance, 
scored  a  distinct  success  ;  the  Clapham  Choral  Society  (under 
Mr.  Walter  Mackway),  the  St.  Mary's  Choral  Society  (under 
Mr.  Sidney  Hann),  the  Primrose  Hill  Choral  Society  (under  Mr. 
George  Calkin),  the  North-East  London  Choral  Society  (under 
Mr.  John  E.  West),  the  Streatham  Choral  Society  (under  Mr. 
Charles  S.  Macpherson),  the  St.  James's  Choral  Society  (under 
Mr.  R.  Felix  Blackbee),  and  the  West  Hackney  Choral  Society 
(under  Mr.  F.  L.  Kett). 

The  Bristol  Orpheus  Glee  Society  paid  a  visit  to  London  on 
the  28th  and  gave  a  Concert  at  St.  James's  Hall,  under  the 
direction  of  its  talented  Conductor,  Mr.  George  Riseley.  The 
refinement  and  delicacy  with  which  this  well-balanced  and  well- 
trained  body  of  voices  executed  a  varied  selection  of  part-songs 
elicited  hearty  and  unanimous  praise.  A  wish  was  expressed 
that  the  Society  might  repeat  its  visit  another  year. 

The  Musical  Guild,  a  Concert  Society  consisting  of  ex-scholars 
and  ex-students  of  the  Royal  College  of  Music,  gave  the  first  of  a 
series  of  four  Concerts  of  Chamber  Music  at  the  Town  Hall, 


MAY. 53 

Kensington,  on  the  22nd.  This  project  received  abundant 
encouragement  from  the  College  authorities,  many  of  whom  were 
among  the  audience  that  assembled  to  start  the  new  undertaking. 
The  opening  piece  of  the  programme  was  Schubert's  Quintet  in 
C  (Op.  163),  which  received  a  highly  meritorious  rendering  at  the 
hands  of  Messrs.  Jasper  Sutcliffe,  Wallace  Sutcliffe,  Emil  Kreuz, 
W.  H.  Squire,  and  J.  T.  Field.  Schumann's  Pianoforte  Trio  in 
F  (Op.  80)  was  performed  by  Miss  Annie  Fry,  Miss  Winifred 
Holiday,  and  Mr.  W.  H.  Squire;  and  the  remaining  pieces 
comprised  a  pianoforte  solo  played  by  Miss  Marian  Osborn,  a 
viola  solo  for  Mr.  Emil  Kreuz,  and  some  songs  given  by  Miss 
Anna  Russell  and  Mr.  Daniel  Price,  Mr.  Frederic  Sewell  accom- 
panying. The  vocal  pieces  included  refined  compositions  by  Mr. 
Charles  Wood  and  Mr.  W.  E.  Duncan,  also  former  pupils  at  the 
Royal  College.  The  programme  of  the  second  Concert,  on  the 
29th,  included  Mozart's  String  Quintet  in  G  minor,  Bach's 
Concerto  in  D  minor  for  two  violins  (played  by  Messrs.  Haydn 
Inwards  and  Arthur  Bent),  and  Mendelssohn's  Octet  in  E  flat 
(Op.  20). 

The  Shinner  Quartet  gave  a  Concert  at  Princes'  Hall  on  the 
I5th,  when,  under  the  leadership  of  that  painstaking  young 
violinist,  Miss  Emily  Shinner,  an  interesting  programme  was 
gone  through.  In  Brahms's  Quintet  in  F  minor  these  clever 
ladies  had  the  assistance  of  Miss  Agnes  Zimmermann. 

The  more  important  Recitals  of  the  month  may  be  briefly 
passed  in  review.  Madame  Frickenhaus  had  a  numerous  audience 
at  Princes'  Hall  on  the  4th.  Her  rendering  of  Beethoven's 
Sonata  in  E  (Op.  109)  was  marked  by  especial  refinement  and 
intelligence.  Miss  Dora  Schirmacher's  Pianoforte  Recital  on  the 
I5th  in  the  same  hall  was  chiefly  interesting  for  the  first 
performance  in  England  of  three  short  pieces  by  Beethoven, 
published  in  1888  by  Breitkopf  and  Hartel.  The  first  of  these 
was  an  Allegretto  in  C  minor — a  crisp,  characteristic  little  move- 
ment, written  about  1796 — and  the  others  were  "  Bagatellen," 
written  in  1797.  Herr  Schonberger  was  heard  at  his  best  at  the 


54  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Princes'  Hall  on  the  2ist.  His  choice  of  works  was  also 
irreproachable,  excepting  perhaps  the  Liszt  transcriptions  of 
Bach's  Organ  Fugues,  which  satisfied  only  as  a  medium  for 
technical  display.  Herr  Schonberger  pleased  his  hearers  by 
his  thoughtful,  refined  interpretation  of  Beethoven's  early  Sonata 
(Op.  2,  No.  3),  and  another  admirable  performance  was  that  of 
Schubert's  Sonata  in  C  minor. 

M.  Vladimir  de  Pachmann  gave  the  first  of  two  Chopin 
Recitals  at  St.  James's  Hall  on  the  27th.  The  meagre 
attendance  was  dispiriting,  but  this  admirable  artist  has  never 
interpreted  his  favourite  master  more  delightfully.  His  scheme 
included  the  Sonata  in  B  flat  minor,  the  Fantasia  in  F  minor,  the 
Allegro  de  Concert  in  A,  the  Ballade  in  G  minor,  and  various 
minor  pieces.  On  the  following  day  Mdlle.  Janotha  gave  an 
attractive  Recital  at  the  same  Hall,  assisted  by  Madame  Neruda  and 
Madame  Antoinette  Sterling.  On  the  3Oth  Miss  Jeanne  Douste 
gave  a  Pianoforte  Recital,  the  programme  of  which  consisted  exclu- 
sively of  works  by  Chopin.  Her  selection  included  the  Mazurka 
in  F  sharp  major,  which,  as  Mr.  Ernst  Pauer  clearly  demonstrated 
some  years  ago,  was  never  written  by  Chopin  at  all,  but  by  Karl 
Mayer.  The  Mazurka  is  included  in  the  Klindworth  edition  of 
Chopin's  works,  but  it  appears  with  a  note  frankly  stating  its 
authenticity  to  be  doubtful.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  publisher, 
Gotthard,  was  deceived  by  a  Polish  Countess,  who  came  to  him 
in  distress,  and  sold  him  the  manuscript  as  the  autograph  of  "her 
illustrious  compatriot,"  whereas  it  was  undeniably  Mayer's 
composition,  and  copied  out  after  his  death  in  imitation  of  Chopin's 
handwriting.  Mr.  Lawrence  Kellie  gave  Vocal  Recitals  at 
Steinway  Hall  on  the  7th  and  28th,  at  which  he  brought  forward 
numerous  songs  from  his  own  pen. 

A  so-called  romantic  Comic  Opera  in  three  acts,  entitled 
"  Mignonette,"  by  Messrs.  Oswald  Brand  and  Henry  Parker,  was 
produced  at  the  Royalty  Theatre  on  the  4th,  but  met  with  no 
success. 

A  capital  musical  version  of  the  old  farce,  "  The  Area  Belle," 


MAY. 55 

bearing  the  title  of  "  Penelope,"  composed  by  Mr.  Edward 
Solomon  to  lyrics  written  by  Mr.  George  P.  Hawtrey,  was 
produced  at  the  Comedy  Theatre  on  the  gth,  and  most  favourably 
received.  On  the  same  afternoon  Mr.  Robert  Goldbeck  gave,  at 
Devonshire  House,  a  Concert  performance  of  the  music  of  his 
"  American  Opera  Comique,"  entitled  "  Newport."  The  solos 
were  undertaken  by  Miss  Florence  Wright,  Miss  Sybil  Grey,  Miss 
Rosina  Brandram,  Messrs.  William  Foxon,  Wallace  Brownlow, 
and  John  Thorman.  A  small  chorus  and  orchestra  assisted, 
while  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goldbeck  helped  in  the  accompaniments  at  a 
grand  pianoforte. 

OBITUARY. — Augustus  L.  Tamplin  (organist),  London,  8th. 


56  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


JUNE. 

THE  Italian  season  at  Covent  Garden  pursued  its  course  in  a 
manner  satisfactory  to  manager  and  opera-goers  alike.  On 
Saturday,  the  ist,  Madame  Albani  returned  in  "  La  Traviata  " ; 
another  old  favourite,  Signer  Cotogni,  playing  Germont  pere.  In 
the  following  week  six  performances  were  given,  starting  with 
"  La  Sonnambula,"  which  was  revived  for  the  rentrees  of  Miss 
Marie  Van  Zandt  and  M.  Edouard  de  Reszke.  The  young  prima 
donna,  cordially  welcomed  after  a  lengthy  absence  from  the 
London  operatic  stage,  afforded  veritable  pleasure  by  an  embodi- 
ment as  fresh  and  interesting  as  when  it  introduced  her  to  us  at 
Her  Majesty's  some  eight  years  before.  Her  voice  had  slightly 
increased  in  power,  while  her  vocalisation  was  characterised  by 
the  same  delightful  neatness  and  charm  as  of  yore.  M.  Edouard 
de  Reszke  imparted  unusual  dignity  to  the  part  of  the  Count,  and 
sang  his  music  with  rare  beauty  of  voice  and  style.  M.  Montariol 
was  the  Rlvino,  and  Mr.  Randegger  conducted.  On  the  Tuesday 
M.  Jean  de  Reszke  re-appeared  in  "A'ida,"  and  started  for  the 
season  with  a  brilliant  triumph.  Madame  Nordica  was  a 
sympathetic  A'ida;  Mdlle.  Jane  de  Vigne,  a  young  mezzo-soprano 
with  a  pleasing  voice  and  well-cultivated  style,  made  a  successful 
debut  as  Amneris,  and  Signor  Cotogni  played  Amonasro.  "  Le 
Nozze  di  Figaro  "  drew  a  full  house  on  the  Wednesday,  the 
cast  being  strong  at  all  points.  Madame  Albani  as  the  Countess, 
Miss  Ella  Russell  as  Susanna,  and  Signor  Cotogni  as  Figaro 
repeated  familiar  impersonations  with  all  the  old  success  ;  while 
Miss  Marie  Van  Zandt  made  a  charming  Cherubino,  and  Signor  F. 
d'Andrade  essayed  the  part  of  the  Count  with  the  best  possible 


JUNE. -57 

results.  Altogether  it  was  an  exceedingly  good  performance  of 
Mozart's  comic  masterpiece  that  Signor  Arditi  conducted.  On  the 
Thursday  "  Rigoletto  "  served  to  re-introduce  Madame  Melba, 
whose  performance  as  Gilda  revealed  a  manifest  improvement, 
both  from  a  vocal  and  histrionic  standpoint,  in  the  abilities  of 
this  talented  artist.  M.  Lassalle  also  made  his  first  bow  for 
the  season  as  the  Jester,  a  part  he  had  not  played  here  before. 
He  sang  in  French,  presenting  an  embodiment  that  was 
picturesque,  interesting,  and  full  of  strength.  M.  Montariol  was 
the  Duke,  Madame  Scalchi  sang  Maddalena  in  her  usual  style, 
and  Signor  Novara  made  a  first-rate  Sparafucile.  On  the  Friday 
"Faust"  was  given  with  an  almost  complete  change  of  cast. 
Madame  Nordica  was  the  Marguerite,  and  her  rendering  of  the 
character  once  more  afforded  unalloyed  pleasure.  M.  Talazac  was 
seen  to  better  advantage  as  Faust  than  in  his  previous  impersona- 
tions. M.  Lassalle  made,  as  heretofore,  a  splendid  Valentine, 
and  another  performance  hors  ligne  was  M.  Edouard  de  Reszke's 
Mephistopheles.  The  week  wound  up  with  a  brilliant  performance 
of  "  Lohengrin,"  the  cast  including  M.  Jean  de  Reszke  as 
Lohengrin,  with  Madame  Albani  as  Elsa,  M.  Edouard  de  Reszke 
as  the  King,  and  a  new  Belgian  baritone,  M.  Seguin,  as 
Telramund.  On  Tuesday,  the  nth,  M.  Lassalle  was  too  indisposed 
to  appear  in  "  Guillaume  Tell,"  and  the  title-part  was  filled  by 
M.  Seguin,  who  sang  it  in  French,  and  acquitted  himself  on  the 
whole  remarkably  well.  He  displayed  a  voice  of  excellent  quality, 
if  somewhat  limited  range,  and  sang  and  acted  like  a  thorough 
artist.  Mdlle.  Lita,  a  Roumanian  soprano,  made  a  not  very 
successful  debut  as  Mathilde.  M.  Lestellier  re-appeared  after 
several  years'  absence  in  the  part  of  Arnold;  but  his  voice  sounded 
worn,  and  he  took  his  high  notes  with  difficulty,  besides  not 
invariably  singing  them  in  tune.  M.  Edouard  de  Reszke  was  of 
immense  assistance  in  the  great  trio,  while  the  Choral  Finale  in 
the  Gathering  of  the  Cantons  was  magnificently  rendered.  In 
"  Don  Giovanni,"  two  days  later,  Signor  F.  d'Andrade  filled  the 
part  of  the  hero  with  distinction  and  grace,  but  M.  Lestellier  gave 


58  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


no  more  satisfaction  as  Don  Ottavio  than  he  had  as  Arnold. 
Signer  Ciampi  appeared  as  Leporello,  Miss  Van  Zandt  making  a 
charming  Zerlina,  Madame  Valda  a  thoroughly  competent  Elvira, 
and  Madame  Fiirsch-Madi  a  dramatic  Donna  Anna.  The  general 
performance,  under  the  experienced  guidance  of  Signer  Arditi, 
left  little  to  be  desired. 

On  Saturday,  the  I5th,  Gounod's  "  Romeo  et  Juliette "  was 
produced  at  Covent  Garden  for  the  first  time  in  French.  The 
representation  commanded  the  favour  of  a  brilliant  audience,  and 
remained  a  regular  attraction  until  the  end  of  the  season.  The 
general  opinion  was  that  the  opera  was  far  more  enjoyable  when 
heard  in  the  original  tongue  than  it  had  ever  proved  when  sung 
in  the  Italian  version.  Moreover,  M.  Jean  de  Reszke's  Romeo 
approached  more  nearly  to  the  Shakespearian  ideal  than  that  of 
any  singer  or  actor  seen  during  the  last  two  or  three  generations. 
He  was,  indeed,  Romeo  in  all  but  the  boy-lover's  years  ;  and  even 
that  disparity  was  forgotten  in  the  admiration  aroused  by  his 
handsome  presence,  his  refined,  noble  bearing,  and  his  impas- 
sioned style.  The  great  tenor  had  in  Madame  Melba  a  Juliette 
not  unworthy  to  share  his  success.  She  looked  the  part  fairly 
well,  she  sang  with  rare  vocal  grace,  employing  her  beautiful 
voice  with  invariable  taste  and  aplomb ;  and,  thanks  to  increased 
emotional  intensity,  she  was  able  to  do  adequate  justice  to  the 
histrionic  requirements  of  the  role.  In  the  various  duets  of  the 
opera  these  two  artists  won  an  emphatic  triumph.  M.  Edouard 
de  Reszke  was,  as  in  days  gone  by,  an  incomparably  fine  Frere 
Laurent;  while  M.  Montariol  as  Tybalt,  M.  Winogradoff  as 
Mercutio,  M.  Seguin  as  Capulet,  Signor  Castelmary  as  the  Duke, 
Mdlle.  Jane  de  Vigne  as  Stefano,  and  Madame  Lablache  as 
Gertrude  complete  an  ensemble  calculated  to  fill  the  habitues  of  the 
Grand  Opera  with  envy.  The  opera  was  mounted  in  magnificent 
style,  the  chorus  (which  sang  in  French  very  creditably) 
appearing  in  new  costumes.  Signor  Mancinelli  was  the 
Conductor.  On  Monday,  the  I7th,  Mr.  Barton  McGuckin  made, 
as  Lohengrin,  his  first  appearance  in  Italian  Opera.  Although 


JUNE. 59 

somewhat  nervous  at  the  outset,  he  sang  his  music  with  his 
accustomed  declamatory  vigour  and  finish.  He  looked  the  part 
well,  and  acted  it  intelligently.  Mr.  McGuckin  obviously 
possessed  the  sympathies  of  his  audience,  and  fairly  divided 
honours  with  Madame  Albani.  On  the  following  night  "  Les 
Huguenots  "  was  given  with  a  powerful  cast.  M.  Jean  de  Reszke 
again  made  a  glorious  Raoul,  and  Signer  F.  d'Andrade  a  capital 
Nevers.  The  Marcel  of  M.  Edouard  de  Reszke  and  the  St.  Bris  of  M. 
Lassalle  were  new  assumptions  here,  and  both  proved  remarkably 
fine  in  every  respect.  Miss  Ella  Russell  appeared  as  the  Queen 
and  Madame  Scalchi  as  Urbano.  The  part  of  Valentine  was 
entrusted  to  a  well-known  Viennese  artist,  Mdlle.  Toni  Schlager, 
who  now  made  her  London  debut.  She  was  terribly  nervous  ; 
but  this  did  not  prevent  her  achieving  a  considerable  success. 
She  exhibited  the  qualities  of  dramatic  singer  and  an  actress  of 
experience.  Her  upper  notes,  however,  had  lost  their  freshness, 
and  she  did  not  look  the  character.  The  choruses  in  Meyerbeer's 
masterpiece  were  grandly  given,  but  the  band  was  noisy,  and  at 
times  even  rough.  After  this  there  succeeded  a  series  of  repeti- 
tions until  the  2gth,  when  "  II  Trovatore "  was  given,  with 
Mdlle.  Schlager,  Madame  Lablache,  M.  Lestellier,  and  Mr. 
Leslie  Crotty  in  the  cast,  the  last-named  artist  making  his  first 
appearance  on  the  Italian  stage  in  this  country. 

Mr.  Mapleson  began  a  season  of  Italian  Opera  at  Her  Majesty's 
on  Saturday,  the  ist,  with  a  representation  of  "  II  Barbiere  di 
Siviglia,"  given  under  the  direction  of  Signor  Bevignani.  Only  a 
section  of  the  chorus  was  available,  but  in  other  respects  there 
was  little  fault  to  be  found  with  the  manner  in  which  Rossini's 
opera  was  rendered.  Madame  Gargano,  a  light  soprano,  with  a 
flexible,  well-trained  voice,  and  considerable  stage  experience, 
made  a  favourable  debut  as  Rosin  a ;  Signor  Vicini,  a  new  tenor, 
acquitted  himself  creditably  as  Almaviva ;  and  Signor  Padilla 
was  the  Figaro.  The  house  being  re-decorated  and  re-upholstered 
throughout,  presented  an  unusually  bright  appearance.  On  the 
following  Tuesday  "  La  Sonnambula "  was  performed,  with 


60  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Mdlle.  Regina  Pacini,  a  youthful  soprano,  also  new  to  the  London 
boards,  as  Amina.  Madame  Gargano  appeared  on  the  Thursday 
in  "  Lucia  di  Lammermoor."  Another  new  tenor,  Signor 
Warmuth,  made  a  fairly  acceptable  Edgar  do,  and  Signor  Galassi 
was,  as  in  byegone  days,  a  good  Enrico.  A  week  later  "  Faust  " 
was  mounted,  with  Mdlle.  Zelie  de  Lussan  (who  appeared  as 
Carmen  at  Covent  Garden  one  night  during  the  1888  season) 
as  the  Marguerite.  She  made  a  sympathetic  and  pleasing 
exponent  of  the  character.  Mdlle.  Bellincioni  made  her  debut  as 
Siebel,  and  Signor  Palermini,  another  new-comer,  proved  himself 
the  possessor  of  an  agreeable  baritone  voice  and  artistic  method 
in  the  part  of  Valentino.  Signor  Runcio  re-appeared  as  Faust,  and 
Signor  Darvell  was  a  moderate  Mephistopheles.  Later  on  "  II 
Trovatore "  was  given,  with  Mdlle.  Dotti,  Mdlle.  Tremelii, 
Signor  Warmuth,  and  Signor  Galassi  in  the  cast  ;  but  it  did  not 
draw.  In  fact,  the  audiences  here  were  consistently  meagre.  A  new 
tenor,  Signor  Sindona,  made  his  first  appearance  in  Lucia,  and 
met  with  little  success  ;  but  somewhat  better  results  attended  the 
debut,  on  Tuesday,  the  25th,  in  "  Rigoletto  "  of  Miss  Minnie  Ewan, 
a  young  American  soprano  of  considerable  promise.  She  sang 
Gilda's  music  very  prettily  indeed.  Signor  Galassi  sustained  his 
old  part  of  Rigoletto,  Signor  Warmuth  made  a  passable  Duke,  and 
Mdlle.  Bellincioni  was  the  Maddalena.  This  opera  was  mounted 
with  new  dresses  and  scenery  ;  but  it  proved  to  be  only  the  final 
flicker  before  the  candle  went  out.  The  house  did  not  open  on 
the  Saturday  night  for  the  repetition  of  "  Faust,"  and  the  first 
appearance  of  Madame  Sembrich,  announced  for  the  following 
Monday,  never  took  place.  Truth  to  tell,  Mr.  Mapleson  was 
au  bout  de  ses  ressources  ;  for  the  season  had  been  one  of  steady  loss, 
and  agencies  were  at  work  that  proved  too  powerful  for  the 
veteran  impresario  to  battle  against. 

Several  performances  were  given  this  month  of  Professor 
Herkomer's  new  pictorial  music-play,  entitled  "  An  Idyl,"  the 
production  of  which  created  a  lively  curiosity  in  artistic  circles. 
To  say  that  it  represented  a  distinct  advance  upon  the  experi- 


JUNE.  6 1 

ment  of  the  preceding  year  is  to  tell  but  the  barest  truth.  The 
marvellous  realism  of  the  scenes  and  the  effects  of  light ;  the 
quaint  simplicity  of  the  story  and  the  personages  ;  the  charm  and 
interest  of  the  music,  and  the  unique  conditions  marking  the  per- 
formance could  not  fail  to  imbue  the  spectator  with  a  profound 
admiration  for  the  genius  of  the  man  from  whose  brain  and  fingers 
the  whole  thing  emanated.  The  points  of  difference  between  Mr. 
Herkomer's  earlier  "  romantic  fragment  "  and  the  present  piece  are 
that  the  latter  is  in  three  acts  instead  of  one,  that  it  embodies  a  clear 
and  dramatic  story,  that  it  contains  some  accompanied  dialogue, 
and  that  the  musical  setting  generally  is  on  a  more  elaborate  scale. 
A  series  of  graceful  lyrics  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Joseph  Bennett 
supplies  the  groundwork  for  solos,  recitatives,  and  choruses,  these 
being  connected  by  a  continuous  melodrame  (music  illustrating 
action  without  words),  which  the  composer  has  contrived  to  invest 
with  rare  appropriateness,  and  at  times  with  dramatic  power. 
Added  to  these  features  of  progress  there  was  now  an  increase  in 
the  size  of  the  stage  and  a  consequent  enlargement  of  the  various 
pictures,  which  included  a  beautiful  sunlit  scene.  The  rising  of 
the  curtain  discloses  the  narrow  street  of  an  English  village  in 
the  fourteenth  century,  with  a  blacksmith's  forge  on  one  hand,  a 
row  of  quaint  old  houses  on  the  other;  and  in  the  background, 
beyond  the  old  cross  at  the  meeting  of  the  roads,  a  stretch  of 
undulating  landscape,  growing  dim  amid  the  warm  grey  twilight 
of  harvest-time.  John,  the  smith,  and  his  assistants  take  from 
the  roaring  fire  of  the  forge  a  lump  of  red-hot  iron,  and  proceed 
to  beat  it  upon  the  anvil,  their  hammers  keeping  time  with  the 
rhythm  of  the  music.  The  old  people  sit  on  benches  and  watch 
the  work.  They  sing  a  chorus,  "  Sinks  the  sun  adown  the  west," 
peaceful  and  flowing  in  character,  interrupted  by  a  tripping  pas- 
sage for  the  boys  as  they  dance  round  in  a  ring.  Anon  a  hunting 
party  passes  through  the  village,  then  the  sound  of  the  Angelus 
is  heard,  and  then  a  kind  of  berceuse  is  played  by  the  orchestra 
as  an  aged  Granny  gathers  the  children  round  and  tells  them  a 
story.  Meanwhile,  the  smith  has  been  approaching  the  end  of 


62  MUSICAL  NOTES, 

his  day's  labour.     He  has  sung  his  bright  old-fashioned  song, 
"  Dobbin  waits  in  penthouse  here,"  beating  time  on  the  anvil  as 
at  first,  and  his  men  have  taken  off  their  aprons  and  put  up  the 
shutters  of  the  smithy.     Now  the  moon  begins  to  rise — as  it  only 
does  at  Bushey  and  in  nature — and  the   reapers   return   singing 
their  animated  chorus  in  6-8  measure,  a  cleverly-written  number, 
ending  with  a  quaint  ecclesiastical  cadence.     Edith,  the  smith's 
pretty  daughter,  heads  the  band ;  she  is  warmly  embraced  by  her 
father,  and  Dick-o' '-the- Dale,  her  manly  lover,  watches  her  with 
anxious  glance,  for  she  is  not  so  tender  and  kind  as  usual.     It  is 
now  nearly  dark,  and  a  dance  is  called  for,  but  there  is  no  one  to 
play  the  rebeck  Edith  is  holding,  until  suddenly  young  Fitz-Hugh, 
the  lord  of  the  hall,  who  has  for  some  time  been  gazing  upon  the 
scene,  comes  forward  and  gently  takes  the  instrument  from  her 
hand.     He  mounts  the  anvil  and  quickly  sets  all  dancing  to  an 
old  jig,  a  brisk,  lively  tune  (9-8  time),  at  the  conclusion  of  which 
the  villagers  disperse  and  make  for  home.     Edith  lingers  dream- 
ingly  at  the  threshold,  and  in  the  soft  moonlight  the  enamoured 
Fitz-Hugh  steals  up  and  addresses  her  in  sweet  words  and  suavest 
melody.     His  song,  musically  speaking,  may  be  a  trifle  rhapso- 
dical, but  it  is  very  impassioned,  and  evidently  goes  straight  to 
the  maiden's  heart.     Ultimately  she  tears  herself  away  and  rushes 
indoors,   whilst   Fitz-Hugh    departs    trolling   a   serenade.      His 
retreating  figure  is  watched  by  the  old  smith,  who  has  come  out 
again  and  is  deeply  moved  by  what  he  fears  will  be  a  dark  cloud 
in  the  sky  of  his  daughter's  happiness.     The  orchestral  melodrame 
here  grows  almost  tragical  in   its  intense  agitation,  and  so  con- 
tinues until  the  curtain  has  fallen  upon  the  scene.     A  rather 
lengthy  introduction  precedes  the  second  act,  the  scene  of  which 
is  laid  in  the  interior  of  the  smith's  dwelling.     The  blue  moonlight 
streams  in  at  the  window,  and  on  the  other  side  of  the  room 
stands  the  fireplace5  aglow  with  burning  logs,  above  which  hangs 
the   steaming   pot    containing   the   family   supper.      The    music 
changes  to  a  gay  theme  as  Meg,  the  servant-maid,  and  Jack,  the 
apprentice,    proceed   to    lay   the    supper-table.     They   sing   and 


JUNE.  63 

quarrel  and  chase  each  other,  the  first  violin  meantime  perform- 
ing sundry  realistic  skakes  and  runs.  Then  the  smith  and  the 
others  enter  and  take  their  places.  When  grace  is  said  all  rise 
and  turn  towards  the  crucifix,  and  there  is  a  little  religious  bit  of 
music  that  reminds  one  of  Gounod.  As  the  meal  is  served  we 
hear  a  charming  passage  for  orchestra,  and  then  comes  the  talk 
at  the  supper-table,  uttered  by  each  in  turn  to  a  quaint  pastoral 
theme  with  varied  accompaniment.  Allusions  are  made  to  the 
young  lord's  behaviour ;  Edith  protests  ;  the  others  reply;  ultim- 
ately the  smith,  commanding  silence,  leaves  the  table.  When 
they  are  alone  he  calls  his  daughter  to  his  side,  and,  meaning  to 
warn  her  of  her  danger,  sings  her  an  old  ballad,  "There  lived  a 
maid  in  Avondale,"  relating  the  fate  that  befel  a  winsome  lass 
who  deserted  her  true  lover  for  a  "gay  young  lord."  Edith 
understands,  for  when  left  alone  she  repeats  snatches  of  the 
ballad,  and  then  bursts  into  tears.  As  she  does  so  the  voice  of 
Fitz-Hugh  is  heard  singing  a  serenade  full  of  melodious  grace, 
accompanied  by  a  harp.  The  girl's  agitation  is  complete  when 
the  daring  young  fellow  enters  the  room ;  but  happily  Dick  is  at 
hand,  and  he  leads  her  out.  Then  comes  an  interview  between 
the  two  men,  embodying  at  once  the  best  dramatic  situation  and 
most  dramatic  music  in  the  play.  The  opening  recitative,  with 
trombone  accompaniment,  wherein  Dick  begins  to  upbraid  the 
youthful  lord,  contains  some  rather  long  and  awkward  pauses  ; 
but  the  solo  is  interesting  and  expressive,  and  works  up  to  a 
really  admirable  climax.  Fitz-Hugh,  moved  by  Dick's  appeal, 
leaves  the  place.  Edith  re-enters  to  find  her  lover  weeping,  but 
she  quickly  throws  herself  into  his  arms,  and  amid  another  pas- 
sionate strain  of  music  the  act  ends.  The  third  scene,  showing 
the  village  street  once  more  under  the  rich  light  of  a  noonday 
sun,  opens  with  a  delicate  passage  for  the  strings  and  wood-wind, 
leading  to  a  flowing,  subdued  melody,  during  which  a  couple  of 
strolling  mummers  enter  the  lonely  scene.  In  the  most  comic 
manner  they  sing  a  fragment  of  an  old  ballad,  and  accompany 
each  other,  pausing  ever  and  anon  as  they  look  up  at  the  houses 


64  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

for  the  gifts  which  no  one  bestows.  The  reason  why  the  village 
is  deserted  soon  becomes  apparent.  A  religious  chant  is  heard  in 
the  distance,  and  the  sound  of  an  organ.  The  bells  peal,  boys 
enter  singing  a  pretty  "  flower  chorus  "  as  they  strew  the  path 
with  blooms,  and  soon  a  bride  and  bridegroom,  no  other  than 
Edith  and  Dick,  are  seen  heading  the  procession  on  its  way  back 
from  church.  Thus  all  ends  amid  smiles  and  happiness,  while 
the  young  lord  himself  comes  down  from  the  hall  to  wish  the 
newly-wedded  couple  every  joy,  and  add  his  congratulations  to 
those  expressed  by  the  villagers  in  strains  of  full,  rich  harmony. 
To  sum  up,  Professor  Herkomer's  score  revealed  a  wonderful 
wealth  of  ideas,  and  his  mastery  of  orchestral  colour  and  device 
excited  the  surprise  of  musicians.  The  performance  of  this 
remarkable  play  was  excellent.  The  Professor  himself  imperson- 
ated with  great  success  the  homely  smith,  Miss  Dorothy  Dene 
made  a  charming  representative  of  Edith,  and  the  other  parts 
were  all  in  well-trained  hands.  The  chorus  was  thoroughly  com- 
petent, and  the  band  worthy  of  a  conductor  such  as  Dr.  Hans 
Richter,  who  honoured  alike  himself  and  the  gifted  painter  in 
directing  this  notable  artistic  undertaking. 

Mendelssohn's  "  Elijah  "  was  performed  on  Saturday  afternoon, 
the  22nd,  upon  the  Handel  Orchestra  of  the  Crystal  Palace, 
with  a  chorus  of  2,900  and  a  band  of  363  players,  Mr.  August 
Manns  conducting.  Glorious  weather  favoured  the  undertaking, 
and  the  attendance  was,  in  consequence,  enormous.  More  than 
24,000  persons  passed  the  turnstiles,  these  figures  being  largely 
in  excess  of  the  previous  record  for  any  but  Handel  Festival  Con- 
certs, and  then  only  for  certain  rare  performances  of  "  The 
Messiah  "or  "Israel  in  Egypt."  The  summer  Concerts  at  which 
the  "  Redemption  "  and  "  Golden  Legend  "  were  given  on  a 
Handel  Festival  scale  were  not  attended  by  anything  near  the 
above  numbers ;  while  the  sale  of  reserved  seats  was  also  without 
precedent — all  of  which  goes  to  show  that  the  popularity  of 
"  Elijah"  is  founded  on  a  solid  basis,  and  that  amateurs  gladly 
seized  the  opportunity  to  hear  it  under  the  unique  conditions 


JUNE. 65 

attained  at  Sydenham.  How  grandly  the  "  Baal  "  choruses,  the 
"  Thanks  be  to  God,"  the  "Be  not  afraid,"  and  other  massive 
choruses  would  sound  might  have  been  imagined  beforehand  ; 
and  the  realisation  was  assuredly  on  a  level  with  one's  highest 
anticipations.  Scarcely  once  throughout  the  entire  afternoon  did 
the  huge  choir  waver  or  hesitate  in  its  attack.  The  quality  and 
volume  of  tone  were  magnificent,  and  some  of  the  effects  created 
in  the  numbers  referred  to  were  supremely  fine.  Truly,  the 
cheers  which  rewarded  Mr.  Manns  were  well  and  bravely  earned. 
Madame  Albani  sang  the  whole  of  the  soprano  solos,  and  in 
"  Hear  ye,  Israel,"  her  clear  tones  rang  through  the  vast  space 
like  the  ringing  notes  of  a  clarion.  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd  also  made 
a  fine  effect  in  "  If  with  all  your  hearts,"  and  Madame  Patey 
had  an  ovation  after  "  Rest  in  the  Lord."  In  the  absence  from 
England  of  Mr.  Santley,  Signer  Foli  was  entrusted  with  the 
music  of  the  Prophet,  and  although  it  was  at  times  too  high  for 
him,  he  acquitted  himself,  on  the  whole,  exceedingly  well.  The 
concerted  pieces  went  capitally,  efficient  service  being  here  lent 
by  Miss  Emily  Squire,  Miss  Jessie  King,  Mr.  Maldwyn  Hum- 
phreys, Mr.  Ffrangcon  Davies,  and  Mr.  Plunket  Greene.  Mr. 
A.  J .  Eyre  presided  at  the  organ. 

The  most  conspicuous  feature  in  the  Philharmonic  Concert  of 
the  6th  was  a  terrific  thunderstorm.  It  did  its  best  to  upset 
Madame  Backer-Grondahl  during  the  performance  of  Beethoven's 
"  Emperor  "  Concerto,  and  to  destroy  some  of  the  most  delicate 
effects  in  Mr.  Frederic  Cliffe's  new  Symphony  in  C  minor. 
Fortunately  the  elements  outside  came  off  only  second  best  in  the 
struggle.  The  Scandinavian  pianist — an  executant  and  inter- 
preter of  the  first  order — maintained  her  coolness  in  a  wonderful 
manner.  A  more  beautiful  or  successful  rendering  of  this  Concerto 
has  not  been  heard  for  a  long  time,  and  the  audience  would  not 
be  satisfied  until  Madame  Grondahl  had  returned  three  times  to 
the  platform.  Mr.  Cliffe  conducted  the  performance  of  his 
Symphony,  which  was  received  with  a  degree  of  enthusiasm  not 
inferior  to  that  which  marked  its  production  at  the  Crystal  Palace 


66  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


a  few  weeks  before.  Connoisseurs  agreed  that  it  was  a  most 
extraordinary  work  for  an  Opus  i,  and  it  is  certainly  replete  with 
rare  interest  and  technical  ability  from  the  first  bar  to  the  last. 
The  Overtures  to  "  Anacreon  "  and  "Die  Zauberflote,"  the 
introduction  and  closing  scene  from  "  Tristan,"  and  some  vocal 
pieces  (artistically  sung  by  Fraulein  Fillunger),  made  up  the 
balance  of  the  programme,  Mr.  Cowen  wielding  the  baton  as  usual. 
At  the  afternoon  Concert,  on  the  22nd,  which  brought  the  Phil- 
harmonic season  to  a  close,  the  instrumental  works  performed 
under  Mr.  Cowen's  direction  were  the  "  Eroica  "  Symphony,  the 
Overture  to  the  "  Flying  Dutchman,"  and  Sullivan's  Overture 
"  Di  Ballo."  M.  de  Pachmann  played  Chopin's  Andante  Spianato 
and  Polonaise  (Op.  22),  and  for  an  encore  Henselt's  Study  "  Si 
oiseau  j'etais."  Signorina  Teresina  Tua  also  appeared,  and  after 
executing  splendidly  Max  Bruch's  Violin  Concerto  in  G  minor, 
was  likewise  called  upon  for  a  bis.  The  clever  Italian  artist  gave 
a  movement  from  one  of  Bach's  Sonatas.  Fraulein  Hermine 
Spies  (a  German  mezzo-soprano  whose  debut  at  the  Richter  Con- 
certs is  recorded  below)  was  the  vocalist,  and  her  courage  in 
attempting  the  contralto  air,  "  Return,  O  God  of  Hosts,"  from 
Handel's  "  Samson,"  was  rewarded  by  complete  success — that  is, 
if  rapturous  applause  may  be  accounted  such.  Still,  despite  her  good 
English  accent  and  broad,  artistic  delivery,  the  audience  naturally 
preferred  her  rendering  of  a  couple  of  Germn  Lieder.  In  these 
(accompanied  by  Herr  Francesco  Berger)  Fraulein  Spies  was 
simply  incomparable.  The  Philharmonic  season  of  1889  was  both 
artistically  and  pecuniarily  satisfactory. 

At  the  Richter  Concert,  on  the  3rd,  the  famous  Viennese  chef 
d'orchestre  conducted  fine  performances  of  Weber's  "  Euryanthe  " 
Overture,  Wagner's  "  Tannhauser "  Overture,  an  excerpt  from 
the  "  Nibelungen,"  and  Brahms's  Symphony  in  F,  No.  3.  The 
chief  attraction  of  the  evening,  however,  was  the  singing  of 
Fraulein  Hermine  Spies,  who  achieved  a  distinct  success,  despite 
the  fact  that  she  began  badly  with  Gluck's  "  Che  faro."  Fraulein 
Spies  spoiled  the  air  by  her  incorrect  Italian  pronunciation.  But 


JUNE.  67 

in  the  songs  by  Schubert,  Schumann,  and  Brahms  she  fairly 
surpassed  every  other  Lieder  singer  who  had  preceded  her  in 
English  Concert-rooms.  The  voice  is  a  rich,  mellow  mezzo- 
soprano,  beautifully  produced,  and  capable  of  the  most  delicate 
modulations  of  colour — a  gift  which  enables  Fraulein  Spies  to 
achieve  highly  effective  dramatic  contrasts.  For  example,  in  "  Der 
Tod  und  das  Madchen  "  one  might  have  imagined  the  utterances 
of  Death  and  the  Maiden  to  be  delivered  by  two  different  singers  ; 
so  again  in  the  dialogue  of  Brahms's  "  Vergebliches  Standchen," 
despite  the  speed  at  which  this  was  taken.  The  talents  of  the  new 
artist  commanded  instant  and  emphatic  recognition.  On  the 
following  Monday  evening  there  was  a  crowded  room,  the  scheme 
including  Schubert's  glorious  Symphony  in  C,  Schumann's 
"  Manfred  "  Overture,  Dvorak's  "  Symphonic  Variations,"  Hans 
Sachs's  Monologue  from  Act  II.  of  "  Die  Meistersinger,",  and, 
for  the  first  time,  the  long  closing  scene  from  Act  III.  of  "  Die 
Walkure."  Miss  Fillunger  and  Herr  Carl  Mayer  sang  splendidly 
in  the  last-named  excerpt,  the  only  familiar  portions  of  which 
were  Wotan's  "  Abschied  "  and  the  "  Feuerzauber."  There  was 
a  brilliant  crowd  at  the  Richter  Concert  given  on  the  24th  in 
conjunction  with  the  Wagner  Society,  whose  annual  gathering 
in  honour  of  the  master's  memory  was  thereby  made  to  assume  a 
form  worthy  of  its  object.  The  Richter  Choir  assisted,  and  took 
part  in  an  extensive  selection  from  Wagner's  works,  including 
Sachs's  "  Address  to  Walther  "  (sung  by  Mr.  Max  Heinrich)  and 
the  closing  chorus  from  "  Die  Meistersinger  " ;  the  "  Verwand- 
lungsmusik"  and  "  Graal-Feier,"  from  Act  I.  of  "  Parsifal  "  ;  and 
the  "  Kaisermarsch,"  which  was  performed  as  originally  written, 
with  chorus.  The  "  Parsifal  "  excerpt  was  exceedingly  interesting, 
and,  although  the  voices  were  not  always  refined  nor  the  bells 
quite  in  tune,  the  effect  of  this  beautiful  music  was  quite  impres- 
sive. The  closing  scene  from  Act  I.  of  "Siegfried"  was  also 
given  for  the  first  time  at  these  Concerts.  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd 
sang  the  music  of  Siegfried,  and  Mr.  William  Nicholl  that  of 
Mime,  and  the  former's  rendering  of  "  Schmiedelieder"  (Smithy 

F  2 


68  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

songs)  created  quite  a.  furore.  Mr.  Lloyd  also  sang  the  "  Farewell 
to  the  Swan,"  from  the  last  act  of  "  Lohengrin,"  declaiming  this 
also  with  the  rarest  intelligence  and  charm  of  style.  The 
Overture  to  "  Rienzi  "  and  Sachs's  Monologue,  "  Wahn,  Wahn  !  " 
made  up  the  balance  of  one  of  the  most  attractive  Wagner 
schemes  and  one  of  the  best  executed  ever  heard  in  this  country. 
Dr.  Hans  Richter  conducted  with  consummate  ability,  and  was 
again  and  again  enthusiastically  applauded. 

Senor  Sarasate  at  his  third  Concert,  on  the  ist,  performed  the 
Beethoven  Concerto  (playing  a  marvellous  cadenza  in  the  first 
movement),  Saint-Saens's  Concerto  in  B  minor  (No.  3),  and  his 
own  "  Zigeunerweisen."  There  was  again  an  enormous  attend- 
ance. A  week  later  the  Spanish  artist  gave  his  second  Chamber 
Concert  with  the  co-operation  of  Madame  Berthe  Marx.  They 
played  together  the  "  Kreutzer "  Sonata,  Schubert's  Fantaisie 
(Op.  159),  and  Raff's  "  Fee  d'Amour."  Several  encores  were 
asked  for  and  granted,  one  being  evoked  by  Madame  Marx's 
execution  of  the  Liszt  Rhapsody  (No.  12).  The  lady  certainly 
exhibited  a  fine  technique.  St.  James's  Hall  was  filled  to  its 
utmost  capacity  at  the  last  Concert  of  the  series,  on  the  I5th, 
and  the  demonstrations  that  marked  the  final  appearance  of  the 
famous  fiddler  were  of  the  heartiest  description.  He  was  heard 
in  Mackenzie's  Violin  Concerto,  in  Lalo's  "  Symphonic  Espag- 
nole "  for  violin  and  orchestra,  and  in  a  Duet  for  two  violins, 
entitled  "  Navarra,"  composed  by  himself  and  played  with  Miss 
Nettie  Carpenter.  The  band,  admirably  conducted  by  Mr.  Cusins, 
was  also  heard  in  Beethoven's  "little  "  Symphony  in  F,  and  the 
Overture  to  Lalo's  Opera  "  Le  Roi  d'Ys." 

Raff's  effective  Pianoforte  Quartet  in  C  minor  (Op.  202)  was 
introduced  for  the  first  time  at  Sir  Charles  Halle's  Chamber 
Concert  on  the  7th ;  and  on  the  following  Friday  Cherubini's 
Quartet  in  A  minor — the  last  he  ever  wrote  and  the  sixth  of  the 
posthumous  string  quartets — was  brought  forward.  On  the  2ist 
the  scheme  included  the  new  Quartet,  by  Dvorak,  in  E  (Op.  80), 
produced  at  Mr.  Harvey  Lohr's  Concert  in  April,  and  Brahms's 


JUNE.  69 

Trio  in  E  flat  (Op.  40)  for  pianoforte,  violin,  and  horn.  The 
series  of  these  Concerts  concluded  on  the  28th  with  a  wholly 
familiar  programme. 

Messrs.  Ludwig  and  Whitehouse  gave  their  last  Chamber 
Concert  on  the  nth.  The  principal  items  were  Schubert's 
Quintet  in  C  and  Brahms's  new  duet  Sonata  in  D  minor  (Op.  108), 
Mr.  Ludwig  having  Miss  Zimmermann  for  his  companion  in  the 
latter  work. 

Senor  J.  Albeniz,  a  new  Spanish  pianist,  gave  a  Recital  at 
Princes'  Hall  on  the  I3th,  and  fairly  astonished  his  audience  by 
his  extraordinary  technique  and  characteristic  playing.  At  times 
he  was  apt  to  descend  to  tricks  of  virtuosity;  but  his  rendering  of 
pieces  by  Scarlatti  and  Liszt,  and  some  light  and  tasteful 
movements  from  a  Suite  of  his  own,  was  extremely  effective. 
Senor  Albeniz  played  the  "  Moonlight  "  Sonata,  but  made  a  much 
more  favourable  impression  in  the  Finale  of  Chopin's  Sonata  in 
B  flat  minor.  The  technique  was  perfect,  and  besides  he  imparted 
to  Chopin's  music  a  peculiar  colour  and  meaning  by  clever 
shading  and  pedal  effects.  He  was  much  applauded. 

M.  Vladimir  de  Pachmann  gave  his  second  Chopin  Recital  on 
the  I4th,at  St.  James's  Hall,  when  his  various  performances  were 
enthusiastically  applauded  by  a  large  audience.  The  two  most 
important  pieces  were  the  Sonata  in  B  minor  (Op.  58)  and  the 
Barcarolle  (Op.  60). 

The  members  of  the  Musical  Guild  gave  their  last  Concert  at 
Kensington  Town  Hall  on  the  igth,  performing  Beethoven's 
Sonata  in  F  for  pianoforte  and  horn,  his  String  Quintet  in  C,  and 
Brahms's  Pianoforte  Quartet  in  G  minor. 

The  scheme  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Bonawitz's  historical  Organ,  Harpsi- 
chord, and  Pianoforte  Recital,  given  at  Princes'  Hall  on  the  8th, 
contained  no  fewer  than  forty-five  pieces,  numbered  and  placed  in 
chronological  order,  from  the  organ  "  Benedicite "  of  Conrad 
Paumann  (1410-1473)  down  to  Liszt's  Pianoforte  Transcription 
of  the  "  Tannhauser "  March.  We  have  in  our  midst  few 
musicians  so  capable  as  Mr.  Bonawitz  of  doing  justice  to  so  varied 


70  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


and  comprehensive  a  programme.  His  performances  on  each  of 
the  three  keyboards  were  marked  by  rare  facility,  clearness,  and 
intelligence,  and  all  were  followed  with  appreciative  interest  by  a 
numerous  audience. 

Signorina  Teresina  Tua  gave,  on  the  6th,  a  morning  Concert  at 
Princes'  Hall,  assisted  by  Mdlle.  Wonsowska,  a  pianist  of  some 
ability,  with  whom  she  was  heard  in  Brahms's  Sonata  in  A  (Op. 
100).  Since  she  was  previously  here  the  young  Italian  violinist's 
style  had  considerably  matured  and  her  tone  had  gained  in 
strength.  Among  her  solos  was  the  Mendelssohn  Concerto,  which 
Mr.  Ganz  accompanied. 

Fraulein  Hermine  Spies  gave  a  Vocal  Recital  at  Princes'  Hall 
on  the  I2th.  The  programme  contained  songs  by  Haydn, 
Mozart,  Schumann,  Brahms,  Bizet,  and  other  composers,  and  all 
were  rendered  in  an  absolutely  faultless  manner.  Fraulein  Spies 
entered  thoroughly  into  the  character  of  each  song,  drawing  from 
her  audience  at  one  moment  a  tear,  at  another  a  smile.  She 
sang  for  the  most  part  in  German,  but  was  also  heard  in  French 
(Bizet's  "  Pastorale  ")  and  English  (Henschel's  "O  hush  thee, 
my  baby "),  and  seemed  quite  at  home  in  both  languages. 
Miss  Ethel  Bauer  played  two  pianoforte  solos. 

The  Annual  Concert  given  by  Mr.  W.  G.  Cusins  at  St.  James's 
Hall,  on  the  2Oth,  attracted  a  large  and  fashionable  audience. 
The  instrumental  portion  of  the  programme  included  Men- 
delssohn's Trio  in  D  minor,  in  which  Mr.  Cusins  had  the 
assistance  of  Signorina  Teresina  Tua  and  Signer  Piatti ;  also  his 
own  pianoforte  solos  and  some  pieces  for  viola  d'amore  by  Milandre, 
played  with  much  taste  by  Mr.  Van  Waefelghem.  Vocal  pieces 
were  contributed  by  Madame  Valda,  Madame  Patey,  and  Mr. 
Barrington  Foote,  another  and  not  the  least  attractive  feature 
being  humorous  recitations  delivered  by  Mrs.  Kendal. 

An  interesting  programme  was  presented  by  Mr.  Charles 
Gardner  at  his  annual  Matinee  musicale  on  the  I5th,  at  Willis's 
rooms.  Mr.  Gardner's  solos  included  compositions  by  Dvorak, 
Raff,  Edward  Bache,  and  himself,  which  he  executed  in  refined 


JUNE.  71 

and  finished  style.  He  also  joined  Messrs.  Ludwig  and  White- 
house  in  Sterndale  Bennett's  delightful  Chamber  Trio  in  A  major. 
Two  or  three  of  Mr.  Gardner's  pupils  took  part  in  the  Concert, 
the  vocal  portion  of  which  was  sustained  by  Miss  Louise  Phillips, 
Miss  Louise  Collier,  and  Mr.  W.  H.  Brereton. 

Madame  Sembrich  made  her  first  and  only  appearance  in 
London,  after  a  long  absence,  at  an  evening  Concert  given  by  Mr. 
Emil  Bach  at  St.  James's  Hall,  on  the  25th.  The  distinguished 
prima  donna  had  been  announced  to  appear  at  two  Concerts, 
supported  on  each  occasion  by  an  orchestra  under  the  direction  of 
Mr.  W.  G.  Cusins ;  but  owing,  presumably,  to  the  very  meagre 
attendance  at  the  first,  the  other  was  abandoned.  The  programme 
included  a  Pianoforte  Concerto  in  C  minor,  by  the  Concert-giverr 
heard  for  the  first  time — a  somewhat  laboured  work,  in  which  Mr. 
Bach  himself  sustained  the  solo.  Naturally,  however,  the  most 
attractive  feature  of  the  evening  was  the  singing  of  Madame 
Sembrich,  whose  voice  seemed  to  possess  all  its  pristine  freshness 
and  charm,  and  whose  vocalisation  was  not  less  brilliant  than 
heretofore.  These  qualities  were  abundantly  demonstrated  in  airs 
from  "  Le  Noz/e  "  and  "  Lucia,"  in  addition  to  Lieder  by  Mozart, 
Schumann,  and  Rubinstein,  and  a  Waltz  by  Arditi,  all  of  which 
evoked  the  heartiest  manifestations  of  pleasure.  Miss  Lena 
Little  also  sang,  for  the  first  time,  the  contralto  air  written  by  Mr. 
Goring  Thomas  for  the  intended  Berlin  production  of  his  opera 
"  Nadeshda."  Some  violoncello  solos,  played  by  M.  Hollman, 
and  Mr.  Cusins's  Concert-Overture  "  Les  Travailleurs  de  la  Mer," 
completed  the  scheme. 

Mr.  W.  de  Manby  Sergison  gave  his  annual  Concert  on  the 
26th,  at  Princes'  Hall.  A  highly  interesting  programme  was 
provided.  A  capital  Chamber  Concert  was  also  given  by  Mr.  E. 
H.  Thorne  at  the  Princes'  Hall,  on  the  I5th.  Among  the  items 
in  the  programme  were  Bach's  Concerto  in  D  minor  for  two 
violins,  Schumann's  Quintet  in  E  flat  (Op.  44),  and  Dr.  Hubert 
Parry's  Partita  in  D  minor  for  violin  and  pianoforte. 

Mr.  John  Thomas  gave  his  annual  Harp  Concert  on  the  29th, 


72  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

at  St.  James's  Hall.  The  programme  contained  pieces  for  a  band 
of  harps,  also  a  charming  Trio  for  harp,  violin,  and  organ,  and 
two  harp  duets  by  the  Concert-giver.  Among  the  artists  who 
took  part  in  the  programme  were  Madame  Valleria,  Madame 
Edith  Wynne,  Miss  Liza  Lehmann,  Miss  Eleanor  Rees, 
Mr.  Hirwen  Jones,  Mr.  Daniel  Price,  and  Misses  Clara  and 
Marianne  Eissler. 

The  Guildhall  School  Orchestra  of  no  performers  was  heard 
to  signal  advantage  at  the  Concert  directed  by  Mr.  Weist  Hill  on 
the  I5th,  in  the  Hall  of  the  City  of  London  School.  The  pro- 
gramme opened  with  a  "  Marche  Joyeuse  "  by  Fanny  Archbutt,  a 
pupil  at  the  Guildhall  School.  This  bright,  animated  piece  was 
cleverly  orchestrated,  and  altogether  a  very  creditable  exercise. 
The  opening  Allegro  of  Beethoven's  "  Choral  "  Symphony,  played 
more  than  once  before  by  the  Guildhall  Orchestra,  was  now 
given  with  increased  finish  and  refinement.  The  chief  individual 
success  of  the  afternoon  was  Miss  Amy  Porter's  performance  of 
the  Allegro  from  Popper's  dry  but  difficult  Violoncello  Concerto 
(Op.  24).  This  was  in  all  respects  an  admirable  piece  of  playing. 
The  vocal  efforts  of  Miss  Magdalena  A'Bear,  Miss  Isabelle  Ikin, 
Mr.  John  G.  Hooker,  and  Mr.  Arthur  Bonner  met  with  hearty 
approval. 

The  Association  of  Tonic  Sol-fa  Choirs  gathered  at  the  Crystal 
Palace  on  the  2gth,  and  gave  a  Concert  in  the  Handel  Orchestra. 
The  voices  taking  part  numbered  about  3,000,  Mr.  L.  C. 
Venables  conducting.  Mendelssohn's  "  Athalie  "  was  performed, 
and,  apart  from  an  admirable  rendering,  the  event  derived  special 
interest  from  the  first  performance  of  an  unpublished  Fugue, 
originally  intended  by  Mendelssohn  to  have  formed  part  of  the 
Finale  of  "  Athalie."  The  fugue,  an  elaborate  and  well  worked- 
out  composition,  was  capitally  sung  by  the  choir  to  an  organ 
accompaniment. 

The  combined  choirs  of  Lincoln  and  Peterborough  Cathedrals, 
aided  by  contingents  from  local  neighbouring  Choral  Societies, 
gave  their  second  Triennial  Festival  in  Lincoln  Cathedral  on 


JUNE.  73 

Wednesday,  the  26th.  "  Elijah  "  was  given  in  the  afternoon, 
and  Handel's  "  Dettingen  "  Te  Deum,  followed  by  Mendelssohn's 
"  Hymn  of  Praise,"  formed  the  evening  programme.  The  soloists 
were  Miss  Anna  Williams,  Miss  Wilson,  Mr.  Barton  McGuckin, 
and  Mr.  Watkin  Mills.  The  band  and  chorus  numbered  over  550 
performers.  The  attendance  was  not  very  large. 

Sir  John  Stainer  was,  on  the  25th,  unanimously  elected  to  the 
post  of  Professor  of  Music  at  Oxford  University,  in  the  room  of 
the  late  Sir  Frederick  Gore  Ouseley.  The  appointment  gave 
universal  satisfaction.  A  gifted  and  scholarly  musician,  a  man 
respected  for  his  high  integrity  and  all-round  excellent  qualities, 
and  a  resident  at  Oxford,  no  one  could  have  been  chosen  who 
would  be  so  well  fitted  for  the  post,  or  be  likely  to  do  so  much 
for  the  advancement  and  progress  of  musical  art  at  the  University 
as  Sir  John  Stainer. 

OBITUARY. — Carlotta  Patti  (vocalist),  Paris,  28th. 


74  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


JULY. 

ON  Friday,  the  5th,  Verdi's  latest  opera,  "  Otello  "  (originally 
produced  at  La  Scala,  Milan,  in  February,  1887),  was  given  for 
the  first  time  in  England,  before  a  crowded  and  distinguished 
audience,  at  the  Lyceum  Theatre,  by  a  company  expressly  brought 
over  from  Milan  by  Mr.  M.  L.  Mayer,  the  well-known  director  of 
the  French  Plays.  The  opera  was  mounted  here  with  a  very 
remarkable  degree  of  completeness.  Not  only  was  the  mise  en 
scene  a  counterpart  of  that  designed  for  La  Scala,  but  the  entire 
troupe,  principals,  conductor,  band,  chorus  and  all,  were  the 
same  that  had  been  there  engaged  in  the  representation  of  Verdi's 
work.  Against  this  tremendous  advantage  one  serious  drawback 
had  to  reckoned  —  the  inadequate  size  of  the  present  locale* 
Admirably  as  Mr.  Irving's  house  may  be  adapted  for  his  own 
Shakespearean  productions,  it  is  scarcely  fitted  for  lyrical  repre- 
sentations on  an  important  scale.  Yet  this  did  not  prevent  a  just 
appreciation  of  what  Verdi  has  accomplished  in  "  Otello,"  for 
with  such  an  interpretation  there  was  little  chance  of  forming  wrong 
conclusions.  In  his  libretto,  Signer  Boito  has  neither  mangled 
our  great  poet's  tragedy  out  of  shape  nor  emasculated  his  language. 
On  the  contrary,  he  has  preserved  with  rare  skill  the  construction 
and  the  beauty  of  each.  The  actual  text  is  largely  employed 
throughout,  as  a  perusal  of  the  late  Dr.  Hueffer's  excellent  English 
version  will  at  once  show.  The  opinion  that  "  Otello  "  should 
have  been  called  "  lago  "  is  by  no  means  unreasonable.  Until 
the  last  act  the  Moor's  "  ancient  "  is  absolutely  the  central  figure 
of  the  story.  Verdi  likewise  has  devoted  special  care  to  the 
treatment  of  this  part.  He  has  lavished  upon  lago's  music  a 


__      JULY. 75 

wealth  and  power  of  characterisation  that  the  other  leading 
personages  share  in  a  much  lesser  degree.  It  positively  teems 
with  diabolical  cynicism.  The  opera  is  in  four  acts.  The  first 
opens,  without  prelude  or  overture,  upon  a  stormy  scene  on  the 
seashore  at  Cyprus,  where,  amid  the  howlings  of  the  tempest, 
lago,  Cassio,  and  the  others  receive  upon  their  arrival  the  new 
governor,  Otello,  with  his  Venetian  bride,  Desdemona.  Otello 
comes  ashore  as  the  realistic  storm  abates  and  enters  the  adjacent 
castle,  whilst  lago  plots  with  Roderigo  and  sounds  Cassio.  He 
sings  to  them  a  strange,  bizarre  drinking-song,  in  which  the 
chorus  joins.  Then  come  the  quarrel  and  fight,  and  the  re-entry 
of  Otello,  who  after  a  time  is  left  alone  with  Desdemona,  and  the 
two  sing  a  love-duet  of  marvellous  reposeful  beauty,  bringing  the 
act  to  an  ending  full  of  peace  and  charm.  The  second  act  takes 
place  in  a  room  in  the  castle.  After  a  brief  colloquy  between 
lago  and  Cassio,  the  former  remains  alone,  and  proclaims  his 
belief  in  a  "  cruel  God  who  has  created  him  after  His  own  image." 
To  this  original  and  magnificently  dramatic  monologue  succeeds 
a  long  scene  between  Otello  and  lago,  amidst  which  a  graceful 
distant  chorus  is  prominent.  Desdemona  enters  and  pleads  Cassia's 
cause,  and  there  is  a  charming  duet,  changing  to  a  quartet,  in 
which  lago  and  Emilia  join,  the  growing  jealousy  of  Otello  and 
the  conflicting  emotions  of  the  others  being  wonderfully  depicted. 
There  is  now  a  fine  soliloquy  for  Otello,  culminating  in  a  tremen- 
dous climax  of  passion  as  he  seizes  lago  by  the  throat  ;  and  then 
comes  a  long  duet,  lasting,  with  superb  effects  of  dramatic 
contrast,  until  the  end  of  the  act.  In  the  next  act,  in  the 
great  hall  of  the  castle,  there  is  a  fine  scene  between  Otello  and 
Desdemona ;  then  another  beautiful  passage  for  the  former  alone. 
Otello  overhears  and  misinterprets  the  talk  between  lago  and 
Cassio  with  reference  to  the  handkerchief,  this  forming  a  most 
effective  trio.  The  ambassadors  from  Venice  arrive  amid  an 
imposing  sound  of  trumpets,  and  we  then  have  treated  with 
masterly  power  the  scene  in  which  the  Moor  insults  and  even 
strikes  his  wife  before  the  whole  assemblage,  this  leading  to  a  long, 


76  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

elaborate,  and  somewhat  involved  ensemble.  Otello  and  lago  are 
ultimately  left  together,  and  the  act  ends  with  a  fine  dramatic 
situation,  as  the  villain  stands  gloating  over  the  inert,  out- 
stretched body  of  his  despairing  master.  A  very  lovely  and 
original  orchestral  passage  precedes  the  last  act,  the  scene  of 
which  is,  of  course,  laid  in  Desdemona's  sleeping  chamber.  Very 
beautiful,  too,  is  the  whole  of  the  music  sung  by  Desdemona,  both 
whilst  Emilia  is  completing  her  toilet  and  when  she  is  left  alone. 
The  exquisite  "  Willow  Song  "  and  the  sublime  Prayer  are  simply 
inspirations  of  genius.  Another  masterstroke  is  the  unison 
phrase  for  the  double  basses  when  Otello  enters,  and,  indeed,  the 
beauty  of  the  music  is  fully  sustained  throughout  the  scene 
wherein  the  Moor,  having  awakened  his  sleeping  wife  by  kissing 
her,  proceeds  to  converse  with  her  ere  he  kills  her.  Full  of  tragic 
power  is  Verdi's  treatment  of  the  final  episode,  when  Emilia  dis- 
closes lago's  villainy  and  Otello  kills  himself.  The  ending  to  the 
opera  is  an  ending  worthy  of  a  noble  and  singularly  satisfying 
work,  the  strength  and  imaginative  power  revealed  throughout 
being  doubly  marvellous  when  one  remembers  that  the  composer 
is  far  advanced  in  his  "seventies,"  and  has  been  writing  operas 
for  just  half  a  century.  "  Otello  "  does  not,  on  the  whole,  surpass 
"  Aiida  "  in  characteristic  beauty  and  charm,  although  it  may  do 
so  in  truthfulness  of  dramatic  spirit  and  depth  of  tragic  expression. 
In  "  Otello  "  Verdi  has  sought  after  realism  in  his  style  of  treat- 
ment, and,  to  a  great  extent,  his  effort  has  been  successful,  but 
not  invariably,  as  may  be  perceived  in  the  intricate  ensemble  of 
the  third  act,  which  cannot  compare  either  for  lucidity  or 
grandeur  with  the  finale  to  the  second  act  of  "  Aida."  The  new 
opera  was  received  with  warmth,  if  not  enthusiasm,  and  drew 
large  houses  during  the  twelve  representations  that  were  given, 
though  the  receipts  unfortunately  were  not  large  enough  to  save 
the  entrepreneur  from  a  serious  loss.  Of  the  artists  who  took  part 
in  the  Lyceum  performance,  two,  Signer  Tamagno  and  M.  Victor 
Maurel,  appeared  in  the  roles  which  they  created  at  Milan.  The 
former  artist,  who  now  made  his  debut  in  London,  is  a  robust 


JULY. 77 

tenor,  possessing  a  voice  of  phenomenal  range  and  power.  His 
high  notes  have  an  immensity  of  volume,  a  penetrating  resonance 
that  simply  amaze  the  listener.  In  a  word,  it  is  just  the  magni- 
ficent organ  that  is  needed  to  emit  Otello's  passionate  outbursts 
of  rage  and  jealousy.  At  these  moments  Tamagno  is  almost 
terrible  in  his  energy,  and,  save  that  he  rather  over-uses  the  voce 
parlante,  his  superb  tones  convey  with  tremendous  effect  the 
sensations  that  overwhelm  the  Moor.  In  the  expression  of  love 
in  the  duet  of  the  first  act  he  is  less  successful,  but  yet  he  can 
sing  with  tenderness  and  pathos,  as  he  clearly  proves  in  the 
wonderful  bedchamber  scene.  A  truly  great  impersonation  was 
the  lago  of  M.  Maurel.  Never  did  this  accomplished  baritone 
appear  before  in  so  favourable  a  light.  In  order  to  look  the 
character  he  sacrificed  his  beard,  thus  giving  full  opportunity  for 
the  study  of  his  marvellous  facial  expression,  through  which 
could  be  seen  the  innermost  workings  of  lago's  mind.  It  might 
be  that  these  changes  were  somewhat  over-elaborate,  but  they 
were  undeniably  interesting,  and,  together  with  M.  Maurel's 
finished  acting,  they  helped  to  make  the  embodiment  one  of  rare 
psychological  force.  lago's  music,  as  has  already  been  said,  pos- 
sesses an  individuality  of  its  own,  strpngly  suggesting  the  cynical, 
contemptuous  nature  of  the  man.  This  was  realised  in  the  fullest 
degree  through  the  subtle  vocalisation  of  the  French  baritone, 
who  won  a  complete  and  signal  triumph.  Signora  Cataneo,  an 
intelligent  dramatic  artist,  failed  to  satisfy  in  the  part  of  Desde- 
mona,  which  she  neither  looked  nor  understood.  The  remaining 
characters  were  adequately  sustained.  The  opera  was  conducted 
by  Signer  Faccio,  the  famous  chef  d'orchestre  at  La  Scala  and  the 
greatest  man  in  his  "line"  that  Italy  now  owns.  Quiet  and 
unobtrusive  as  is  his  method,  he  yets  holds  every  one  under  per- 
fect control.  It  would  be  impossible  to  imagine  a  more  refined 
rendering  of  the  wonderfully  picturesque  instrumentation  with 
which  Verdi  has  endowed  this  work ;  and  yet  the  orchestra  con- 
tained seventy  players — too  many  for  a  theatre  like  the  Lyceum, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  masterly  skill  shown  in  their  direction. 


78  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


The  chorus,  admirably  trained,  was  more  remarkable  for  its 
intelligence  and  ability  to  sing  in  tune  than  for  beauty  of  voice. 
The  mounting  and  stage  management  of  "  Otello  "  were  beyond 
praise. 

A  State  performance  took  place  at  the  Royal  Italian  Opera  on 
Tuesday,  the  2nd,  in  honour  of  the  Shah  of  Persia,  who,  accom- 
panied by  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales  and  other  members 
of  the  Royal  Family,  occupied  a  large  improvised  box  in  the 
centre  of  the  grand  tier.  The  house  presented  a  magnificent 
sight,  bouquets  of  flowers  being  given  by  the  management  to  every 
lady  in  the  stalls  and  boxes.  The  programme,  printed  on  white 
satin,  formed  a  charming  souvenir  of  the  event.  The  selection 
comprised  the  Overture  to  "  Guillaume  Tell,"  the  Mad  Scene  from 
'"  Lucia  "  (sung  by  Madame  Melba),  and  Beethoven's  "Leonora" 
Overture,  these  pieces  being  executed  before  the  Royal  party  took 
their  places.  The  fourth  act  of  "  Faust "  was  then  given,  with 
Madame  Albani,  the  De  Reszkes,  and  Lassalle.  In  the  so-called 
"  Concert  "  that  followed,  Madame  Melba  sang  the  waltz-air  from 
"  Romeo,"  Madame  Marie  Roze  was  heard  in  a  waltz  of  Arditi's, 
Miss  Ella  Russell  gave  "  Caro  nome,"  and  Madame  Nordica 
wound  up  with  "  Ah  !  fors'  e  lui."  Afterwards  came  the  second 
act  of  "  Mefistofele,"  Miss  Macintyre,  Madame  Scalchi,  Signor 
Antonio  d'Andrade,  and  Signor  Castelmary  furnishing  the  quartet ; 
while  the  Brocken  Scene  supplied  an  impressive  ending  to  this 
very  brilliant  and  successful  function.  On  the  Friday  of  the 
same  week  the  Shah  attended  a  State  Concert  at  the  Royal 
Albert  Hall. 

The  next  operatic  event  of  importance  was  the  production  at 
Covent  Garden,  on  the  I3th,  for  the  first  time  in  Italian,  of 
Wagner's  "  Die  Meistersinger  von  Niirnberg."  This  work  was 
first  given  in  London  at  Drury  Lane  in  1882,  in  course  of  the 
famous  German  season  directed  by  Herren  Franke  and  Pollini. 
Its  beauties  commanded  instant  recognition,  brought  into  relief 
as  they  were  by  a  performance  of  memorable  excellence,  and 
Wagner's  comic  opera  drew  the  largest  receipts  recorded  during 


JULY. 79 

that  ill-managed  undertaking.  The  only  other  production  here 
occurred  two  years  later,  inaugurating  the  series  of  German 
performances  given  at  Covent  Garden  by  Herren  Richter  and 
Franke  concurrently  with  Mr.  Gye's  regular  Italian  season.  The 
bold  idea  of  producing  "Die  Meistersinger "  in  Italian  was  only 
formed  in  1888,  when  "  Die  Meistersinger "  was  again  brought 
strongly  en  evidence  through  being  mounted  for  the  first  time  at 
Bayreuth.  But  no  Italian  version  existed,  and  it  was  of  vital  import- 
ance that  the  task  of  preparing  one  should  be  entrusted  to  a  first-rate 
man.  Fortunately  that  man  was  found  in  Signor  G.  Mazzucato. 
Taking  into  consideration  the  wide  difference  in  the  character  of 
the  two  languages,  it  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  a  closer 
rendering  of  Wagner's  libretto,  as  regards  alike  metre  and  diction, 
poetic  spirit  and  rhythmical  vigour,  than  Signor  Mazzucatb  has 
written.  The  colloquialisms  of  the  original  have  been 
happily  reproduced,  thus  preserving  in  an  essential  degree  the 
homely  modes  of  expression  characteristic  of  Wagner's  simple 
Nuremberg  folk.  Yet  in  the  adaptation  of  the  more  elegant  lines 
there  is  not  a  trace  of  commonplace.  Signor  Mazzucato  thus 
distinctly  enhanced  the  probabilities  of  "  Die  Meistersinger " 
succeeding  in  Italian.  He  was  not,  however,  the  only  individual 
secured  by  Mr.  Harris  whose  services  to  the  same  end  were 
of  special  value.  A  very  warm  tribute  of  praise  was  due  to  Herr 
Saar,  the  experienced  maestro  al  piano,  who  had  conducted  the 
work  at  Strasburg,  and  to  Signor  Lapissida,  who  had  already 
stage-managed  it  at  Brussels.  Mr.  Harris  naturally  found  the 
aid  of  these  able  men  invaluable ;  while,  in  putting  the  finishing 
touches  to  the  wise  en  scene,  his  own  hand  was  by  no  means  idle. 
Among  the  critical  audience  that  assembled  to  witness  the  initial 
representation  was  a  large  muster  of  professed  Wagnerites,  who 
frankly  declared  that  they  came  anticipating  a  failure.  The 
greater,  therefore,  was  their  surprise,  and  perhaps  pleasure  also, 
to  find  the  performance  carried  out  from  first  to  last  in  the  spirit 
of  the  master's  intentions.  The  rendering  of  the  opera  was 
marked  by  as  much  completeness  and  accuracy  of  detail  and  unity 


80  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

of  artistic  purpose  as  though  it  had  been  the  familiar  "  Lohen- 
grin "  or  "  Tannhauser."  In  a  word,  the  representation  as  a 
whole  would  have  done  credit  to  any  leading  German  opera 
house,  not  excepting  even  Munich  ;  and  to  say  this  is  to  pay  the 
impresario  of  Covent  Garden  the  highest  possible  compliment. 
The  cast  was  remarkably  strong.  As  Eva  Madame  Albani  had 
only  one  fault — she  was  not  youthful  enough  in  appearance  for 
the  goldsmith's  impulsive  daughter ;  but  her  impassioned  singing 
and  acting  sufficed  well-nigh  to  atone  for  the  shortcoming.  M. 
Jean  de  Reszke  made  a  superb  Walther  von  Stolzing,  looking  the 
Franconian  knight  "  from  top  to  toe,"  and  singing  not  only  the 
lovely  "  Preislied  "  but  the  music  of  the  entire  part  as  it  had 
never  been  sung  on  the  stage  before.  M.  Lassalle  was  an  equally 
ideal  Hans  Sachs;  he  gave  a  most  poetic  delineation  of  the 
character,  and  declaimed  his  music  as  if  it  had  been  written  for 
him.  M.  Isnardon,  a  Belgian  artist  new  to  London,  furnished  a 
clever  and  diverting  impersonation  of  Beckmesser,  despite  certain 
slight  exaggerations ;  and  satisfactory  also  were  the  bright, 
animated  David  of  M.  Montariol,  the  imposing  Pogner  of  Signer 
Abramoff,  the  admirable  Kothner  of  M.  Winogradoff,  and  the 
efficient  Magdalena  of  Mdlle.  Bauermeister.  The  chorus  did  its 
exacting  work  wonderfully  well,  while  the  orchestra  executed  the 
glorious  instrumentation  with  delightful  refinement.  The  audience 
burst  into  loud  applause  on  each  fall  of  the  curtain,  and  at  the 
close  accorded  a  special  ovation  to  Signer  Mancinelli,  the  talented 
Conductor,  and  Mr.  Harris,  who  both  thoroughly  merited  the 
honour.  In  all  four  representations  of  "  Die  Meistersinger  "  were 
given  before  crowded  houses,  without  change  of  cast,  save  on  the 
last  occasion,  when  the  part  of  Eva  was  successfully  undertaken  by 
Madame  Valda. 

The  remaining  performances  of  the  season  at  Covent  Garden 
consisted  of  repetitions.  Down  to  the  last  night  (July  27), 
when  "  Romeo  et  Juliette  "  was  given,  the  attendance  was  uni- 
formly large,  and  the  season,  on  the  whole,  was  productive  of 
most  satisfactory  results,  both  pecuniary  and  artistic.  Of  the  old 


JULY.  81 

operas,  the  most  successful  were  "  Faust  "  and  "  Lohengrin " 
(given  seven  and  six  times  respectively)  ;  but  "  Carmen,"  although 
coming  next  with  four  representations,  scarcely  maintained  its 
usual  popularity.  The  following  table  shows  the  number  of 
performances  and  operas  in  which  the  Covent  Garden  artists 
appeared  in  course  of  the  season  : — Mesdames  Nordica  (4  operas), 
9  performances  ;  Fursch-Madi  (2),  9;  Melba  (3),  10;  Albani  (4),  n; 
Marie  Roze  (i),  4;  Macintyre  (3),  8  ;  Van  Zandt  (3),  5  ;  Valda 
(3),  6  ;  Russell  (5),  8  ;  Schlager  (2),  4 ;  Lita  (2),  2 ;  Scalchi  (6),  17 ; 
De  Vigne  (2),  8;  Lablache  (3),  10;  and  Bauermeister  (10),  30. 
MM.  Jean  de  Reszke  (6),  22;  Montariol  (6),  17;  McGuckin, 
i;  Talazac  (3),  6  ;  A.  d'Andrade  (6),  7;  Massimi  (2),  2;  Engel 
(2),  2 ;  Lassalle  (5),  14 ;  E.  de  Reszke  (6),  22 ;  Winogradoff 
(4),  14;  F.  d'Andrade  (9),  18;  Crotty,  i;  Novara  (3),  3;  Cotogni 
(4),  4;  Lestellier  (3),  4  ;  Seguin  (4),  13;  De  Vaschetti  (3),  24; 
Abramoff  (3),  13  ;  Castelmary  (3),  n  ;  Miranda  (9),  26;  Ciampi 
(2),  5;  and  Isnardon  (i),  4.  In  all,  fifty-three  representations  of 
sixteen  operas  were  given  during  the  ten  weeks. 

At  the  last  Richter  Concert  but  one,  on  the  ist,  was  brought 
forward  a  new  Symphony  in  E  minor,  by  Dr.  Hubert  Parry. 
Unlike  the  "English"  Symphony  performed  shortly  before  by  the 
Philharmonic  Society,  it  is  a  work  of  large  dimensions,  and  scored 
for  the  full  modern  orchestra.  Clear  in  structure  and  development, 
it  impressed  at  once  as  a  strong,  clever,  and  genial  work.  The 
Scherzo  was  rightly  regarded  as  the  gem  of  the  four  movements  ;  it 
was  after  this  that  the  composer  was  called  forward,  as  well  as  at 
the  end.  But  the  opening  A  llegro  is  full  of  breadth  and  spirit,  and 
the  slow  movement  of  deep  feeling  and  melodic  charm  ;  whilst  the 
Finale,  though  it  seemed  a  trifle  "  patchy  "  on  first  hearing,  is  un- 
doubtedly a  fine  section,  and  ends  the  work  with  a  jubilant  tone 
well  in  keeping  with  the  prevailing  sense  of  masterful  energy. 
Ample  justice  was  done  to  the  beautiful  scoring  of  the  Symphony, 
under  the  guidance  of  Dr.  Richter,  who  conducted  his  friend's 
composition  con  amore.  Another  novelty  on  the  same  evening 
was  the  fragment  of  an  unfinished  Pianoforte  Concerto  in  D, 

G 


82  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


attributed  to  Beethoven.  Despite  the  respectability  of  Herr  Privy 
Councillor  von  Bezecny,  in  whose  possession  the  orchestral  parts 
were  found,  many  musicians  have  declined  to  believe  in  the 
authenticity  of  this  Mozart-like  example  of  early  Beethoven  until 
the  original  score  shall  be  forthcoming.  The  fragment,  an  easy 
opening  A  llegro  such  as  any  skilful  lover  of  Mozart  could  imitate  by 
the  dozen,  was  neatly  played  by  Madame  Stepanoff.  The  remain- 
ing items  of  the  scheme  were  the  closing  scene  from  "  Gotter- 
dammerung,"  and  Beethoven's  Symphony  in  F  (No.  8).  The 
part  of  Brunnhilde  in  the  former  piece  was  declaimed  by  Fraulein 
Fillunger,  but  not  with  her  customary  vigour  and  purity  of  intona- 
tion. At  the  concluding  Concert  of  the  series,  a  week  later, 
Berlioz's  "  Faust "  was  performed  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
audience,  the  soloists  being  Mrs.  Mary  Davies,  Mr.  Lloyd,  Mr. 
Max  Heinrich  (a  first-rate  Mephistopheles),  and  Mr.  Bantock 
Pierpoint.  The  singing  of  the  choir  was  anything  but  satisfactory  ; 
it  began  badly,  without  life  or  attack,  and  so  went  on  to  the  end. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  accompaniments  were  played  to  simple 
perfection,  Dr.  Richter  and  his  orchestra  thus  winding  up  an 
arduous  and  successful  season  amid  a  blaze  of  triumph. 

The  annual  operatic  performance  given  by  the  Royal  College  of 
Music  took  place  at  the  Prince  of  Wales's  Theatre,  on  Wednesday 
afternoon,  the  loth,  when  Goetz's  masterpiece,  "  The  Taming  of 
the  Shrew,"  was  rendered  in  extremely  creditable  fashion.  Con- 
sidering the  difficulties  of  this  work,  which  fully  tested  the 
capacities  of  the  Carl  Rosa  Company  when  mounted  at  Her 
Majesty's  in  1880,  the  manner  in  which  the  Royal  College 
Students  acquitted  themselves  merited  and  received  high  praise. 
In  two  or  three  cases  individual  merit  was  very  conspicuous  : 
for  instance,  Miss  Emily  Davies  as  Katharine,  Miss  Maggie 
Davies  as  Bianca,  Mr.  John  Sandbrook  as  Petruchio,  and  Mr. 
Charles  J.  Magrath  as  Baptista  won  admiration  by  capital  acting 
in  addition  to  first-rate  singing.  Generally  speaking,  however, 
the  real  value  of  the  performance  lay  in  the  spirit  and  intelligence 
of  the  ensemble,  thus  clearly  showing  that  in  our  leading  musical 


JULY. 83 

school  preparation  for  the  operatic  stage  is  regarded  as  a  serious 
and  earnest  study  by  all  concerned.  Thanks  to  able  stage 
management,  the  traditional  "  business  "  of  the  opera  was  well 
carried  out,  the  comic  incidents  keeping  the  house  in  constant 
laughter.  The  chorus  did  excellently,  and  so,  too,  did  the  well- 
trained  College  orchestra.  Professor  Villiers  Stanford  conducted. 
An  interesting  Orchestral  Concert  was  also  given  on  the  24th,  by 
pupils  of  the  Royal  College.  The  programme  included  Spontini's 
"Olympia"  Overture,  Saint-Saens's  Poeme  Symphonique 
"  Phaeton,"  the  Good  Friday  Music  from  "  Parsifal,"  and  the 
"  Symphonic  Variations  "  of  Dvorak.  The  band,  conducted  by 
Professor  Stanford,  gave  a  remarkably  good  rendering  of  these 
works,  and  also  of  the  accompaniments  to  Brahms's  Pianoforte 
Concerto  in  D  minor,  the  solo  in  which  was  played  with  great 
spirit  and  an  intelligent  grasp  of  her  theme  by  Miss  Ethel  Sharpe. 
Vocal  pieces  were  sung  by  Miss  May  Richardson  and  Mr.  C.  J. 
Magrath.  The  balance-sheets  of  the  Royal  College  of  Music, 
presented  on  the  i8th  at  the  sixth  annual  meeting,  showed  the 
affairs  of  that  Institution  to  be  in  a  highly  flourishing  state,  the 
total  amount  of  invested  capital  being  nearly  £125,000,  and  the 
available  balance  of  revenue  account  £3,198  igs.,  or  an  increase 
of  £533  8s.  yd.  over  the  previous  year. 

At  the  Royal  Academy  Orchestral  Concert,  on  the  26th,  at  St. 
James's  Hall,  interest  centred  chiefly  in  the  performance  (for  the 
first  time  in  England)  of  Weber's  Hymn  "  In  constant  order,"  an 
early  work  of  the  composer's,  marked  as  his  Op.  36.  The  open- 
ing Chorus  and  Quartet  at  once  proclaim  the  influence  of  Mozart. 
After  a  Recitative,  "  The  gloominess  of  night,"  comes  a  Chorale 
founded  on  the  tune  of  an  old  German  Chorale,  "  O  Haupt  voll 
Blut  und  Wunden,"  which  has  also  been  appropriated  by  Bach. 
The  final  Quartet  and  Chorus  end  with  an  elaborate  and 
splendidly-written  Fugue,  bringing  the  hymn  to  a  spirited  conclu- 
sion. It  was  capitally  sung,  the  solos  been  ably  sustained  by 
Miss  Agnes  Wilson,  Miss  Violet  Robinson,  Mr.  Percy  Edmunds, 
and  Mr.  B.  Mayne.  The  compositions  by  students  heard  for  the 

G    2 


84  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


first  time  were  a  cleverly-treated  and  interesting  Romance  for 
orchestra,  by  E.  Cuthbert  Nunn  ;  a  Ballade  for  orchestra,  based 
upon  themes  of  a  Scottish  character,  and  very  effectively  scored, 
by  Learmont  Drysdale ;  and  a  pleasing  Andante  (from  a  Sym- 
phony in  G)  by  Reginald  Steggall.  These  promising  efforts  were 
all  warmly  applauded.  Miss  Rose  Meyer,  Miss  Kate  Goodson, 
Miss  Ada  Tunks,  and  Mr.  W.  L.  Lamb  were  heard  in  various 
pianoforte  compositions;  and  Miss  Emily  Squire, 'Miss  Henrietta 
Mears,  Mr.  David  Hughes,  and  Mr.  Henry  Ward  gave  vocal 
pieces.  Dr.  Mackenzie  conducted  with  infinite  care  and  zeal. 

On  the  6th  the  Guildhall  School  students  gave  a  choral  Concert, 
at  which  they  performed  Mr.  Ebenezer  Prout's  pretty  Cantata  for 
female  voices,  "  Queen  Aimee  ;  or,  the  Maiden's  Crown  "  (a  work 
composed  in  1885),  and  repeated  Mr.  Orlando  Morgan's  Cantata 
"  Zitella." 

On  the  ist  the  pupils  of  the  Hyde  Park  Academy  of  Music 
appeared  at  Steinway  Hall,  and,  as  usual,  gave  an  admirable 
account  of  themselves.  The  scheme  contained  some  interesting 
pieces,  among  these  notably  being  Hoffman's  "  Song  of  the 
Norns,"  given  with  much  refinement  and  intelligence  by  Mr. 
H.  F.  Frost's  choir  of  ladies. 

Madame  Backer-Grondahl  gave  a  Pianoforte  Recital  at  Princes' 
Hall,  on  the  I3th,  when  she  again  delighted  her  audience  by  her 
exceedingly  clever  and  refined  playing.  The  Norwegian  artist 
gave  a  Suite  of  her  own,  of  which  the  Gavotte,  Minuet,  and  Finale 
found  especial  favour.  The  music  is  skilfully  written  and 
delightfully  fresh.  Some  delicate  and  pleasing  songs,  also  com- 
posed by  Madame  Grondahl,  were  interpreted  by  Miss  Louise 
Phillips.  Among  other  works,  Grieg's  duet  Sonata  in  C  minor 
(No.  4)  was  admirably  executed  by  Madame  Grondahl  and  M. 
Johannes  Wolff. 

Mr.  Sims  Reeves's  morning  Concert  at  St.  James's  Hall,  on  the 
6th,  was  largely  attended.  The  veteran  tenor  was  in  excellent 
voice,  and  sang  a  couple  of  his  familiar  songs  with  all  his  wonted 
finish  and  charm  of  style.  He  also  joined  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd  and 


JULY.  85 

Mr.  Ben  Davies  in  an  old  Italian  trio,  "  Evviva  Bacco,"  written 
for  three  tenors  ;  and,  rendered  by  such  artists,  the  quaint  old 
piece  proved  very  interesting.  Other  well-known  artists  sang, 
and  Mdlle.  Helene  de  Duncan,  a  new  pianist  from  St.  Petersburg, 
played  some  solos  in  a  manner  that  elicited  emphatic  approval 
and  a  desire  to  hear  her  again. 

Fraulein  Hermine  Spies  gave  her  second  Vocal  Recital  at 
Princes'  Hall  on  the  2nd.  Mr.  Waldemar  Meyer  gave  a  Chamber 
Concert  at  St.  James's  Hall,  on  the  4th,  assisted  by  the  clever 
young  pianist,  Miss  Marian  Osborn,  and  other  artists. 

M.  Tivadar  Nachez  and  Herr  Arthur  Friedheim  gave  a  Violin 
and  Pianoforte  Recital  at  Princes'  Hall,  on  the  ist.  Herr 
Friedheim  exhibited  striking  mechanical  powers  in  Liszt's  B 
minor  Sonata,  and  M.  Nachez  played  Max  Bruch's  Violin  Con- 
certo in  G  minor,  with  pianoforte  accompaniment,  the  effect  of 
which  is  by  no  means  satisfactory. 

Mr.  Johannes  Schubert,  a  pianist  hailing  from  Dresden,  made 
his  debut  at  a  Recital  which  he  gave  at  Steinway  Hall,  on  the  3rd. 
He  is  comparatively  young,  and  has  been  trained  in  a  good  school, 
his  playing  being  marked  by  sound  technique,  a  clear  intellectual 
style,  and,  when  occasion  requires,  great  brilliancy  of  execution. 
Among  other  Concert  and  Recital-givers  this  month  were  M.  de 
Pachmann,  Mr.  A.  Carli,  Mr.  Isidore  de  Lara,  Madame  Berger- 
Henderson,  Senor  Albeniz,  Senorita  Esmeralda  Cervantes,  Mrs. 
Dyke,  Madame  Liebhart,  Miss  Agnes  Huntington,  Mrs.  Lynedoch- 
Moncrieff,  and  Signer  de  Piccolellis. 

"  Marjorie,"  a  three-act  comic  opera,  written  by  Messrs.  Lewis 
Clifton  and  J.  J.  Dilley,  and  composed  by  Mr.  Walter  Slaughter, 
was  produced  at  a  matinee  performance  at  the  Prince  of  Wales's 
Theatre,  on  the  i8th,  and  favourably  received  by  a  large  audience. 
The  "  book  "  was  by  far  the  weakest  feature  of  this  production, 
neither  story  nor  lyrics  being  characterised  by  freshness  or 
inventive  resource.  The  music,  however,  is  bright  and  pretty, 
and  is  remarkably  well  scored.  The  solo  numbers  consist  largely 
of  ballads,  but  the  concerted  pieces  are  clever  beyond  the  average, 


86  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

and  the  choruses  tuneful  and  well  written.  Miss  Wadman,  Miss 
Fanny  Brough,  Mr.  F.  Celli,  Mr.  Tapley,  Mr.  Monkhouse,  and 
Mr.  W.  H.  Burgon  filled  the  principal  parts,  and  the  composer 
conducted. 

OBITUARY. — Francis  Romer  (composer  and  teacher  of  singing), 
London,  ist ;  Giovanni  Bottesini  (contra-bass  player  and  com- 
poser), Parma,  7th  ;  Carli  Zoeller  (bandmaster),  London,  I3th. 


AUGUST.  87 


AUGUST. 

DURING  the  first  week  or  two  of  August  music  in  London  was 
at  an  absolute  standstill — that  is,  unless  we  take  into  account 
some  performances  of  English  Opera  given  at  the  Princess's 
Theatre  by  Mr.  J.  W.  Turner's  company.  The  solitary  note- 
worthy achievement  in  connection  with  this  ill-timed  venture  was 
the  revival  of  Macfarren's  "  Robin  Hood,"  an  opera  now  quite 
out  of  date  ;  at  any  rate,  for  metropolitan  audiences.  But  even 
this  was  so  badly  staged  and  indifferently  performed  that,  had  it 
been  a  masterpiece,  it  would  scarcely  have  found  favour.  On  the 
roth  the  Promenade  Concerts  began  at  Covent  Garden,  with 
Signer  Arditi  as  Conductor ;  and  a  week  later  a  similar  under- 
taking was  started  at  Her  Majesty's,  under  the  direction  of 
Signer  Bevignani.  The  first-named  house,  perhaps,  secured  the 
larger  share  of  patronage,  but  the  excellence  of  the  orchestral 
work  done  by  a  select  body  of  players,  under  Signer  Bevignani, 
gained  very  favourable  notice,  and,  towards  the  end  of  the  season 
(which  lasted  ten  weeks),  the  attendance  was  constantly  improving. 
A  prize  of  fifty  guineas  for  an  Orchestral  Suite,  and  another  of 
ten  guineas  for  a  Waltz,  were  offered  for  competition  by  the 
managers  of  Her  Majesty's.  A  large  number  of  manuscripts 
were  sent  in,  the  prize  for  the  Suite  being  won  by  Mr.  Ferdinand 
Dunkley,  a  student  at  the  Royal  College  of  Music.  In  course  of 
the  Covent  Garden  season  Madame  Roger-Miclos,  a  pianist  of 
considerable  talent,  made  her  first  appearance  in  this  country. 

OBITUARY.  —  Robert  A.  Atkins  (Organist  of  St.  Asaph's 
Cathedral),  3rd;  Giacinta  Puzzi  (vocalist  and  teacher  of  singing), 
London,  i8th. 


88  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


SEPTEMBER. 

THE  i66th  Festival  of  the  Three  Choirs,  held  at  Gloucester, 
on  the  3rd,  4th,  5th,  and  6th,  was,  by  general  consent, 
admitted  to  be  the  most  interesting  and  successful  that  has  ever 
taken  place  in  that  city.  It  opened  on  the  Tuesday  morning 
with  a  capital  performance  of  "  Elijah,"  the  solos  in  which  were 
undertaken  by  Madame  Albani,  Miss  Anna  Williams,  Miss  Hilda 
Wilson,  Miss  Mary  Morgan,  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd,  and  Mr. 
Barrington  Foote.  The  choir  acquitted  itself  exceedingly  well. 
The  voices  were  fresh,  bright,  and  well  balanced,  the  basses 
giving  out  an  especially  fine  body  of  tone  ;  while,  in  regard  to 
steadiness  and  precision,  little  fault  was  to  be  found.  Mr.  C.  Lee 
Williams,  who  conducted  the  Festival  in  virtue  of  his  office  as 
Organist  of  Gloucester  Cathedral,  had  evidently  bestowed  vast 
pains  upon  the  training  of  his  choristers  and,  what  is  more, 
showed  that  he  knew  how  to  get  the  best  possible  work  out  of 
them.  The  orchestra — an  admirable  body  of  English  players, 
with  Mr.  J.  T.  Carrodus  as  chef  d'attaque — was  handled  with  like 
skill  and  evinced  a  like  confidence  in  its  Conductor's  ability.  The 
late  Dr.  Langdon  Colborne  (whose  death  occurred  only  a  few 
days  after  the  Festival)  officiated  as  organist.  He  did  full  justice 
to  his  difficult  task  and  to  the  fine  newly-renovated  instrument 
upon  which  he  played. 

At  the  Tuesday  evening  Concert,  in  the  Shire  Hall,  the  princi- 
pal work  was  Dr.  Mackenzie's  "  Dream  of  Jubal,"  given  under 
the  composer's  direction,  with  Miss  Anna  Williams,  Miss  Mary 
Morgan,  Mr.  Lloyd,  and  Mr.  Foote  as  soloists.  Mr.  Charles  Fry 
again  recited  Mr.  Bennett's  noble  verse,  and  the  general  rendering 


SEPTEMBER.  89 


left  nothing  to  be  desired.  Two  novelties  were  included  in  the 
second  part  of  the  programme,  one  a  short  Cantata  for  soprano 
solo  and  chorus  by  Miss  Rosalind  J.  Ellicott,  entitled  "Elysium," 
the  other  a  Violin  Concerto  by  Herr  Hans  Sitt,  introduced  by  Mr. 
Bernhard  Carrodus,  son  of  the  eminent  player  of  that  name. 
Miss  Ellicott  stands  in  the  front  rank  of  amateur  lady-composers, 
and  the  merit  of  her  previous  work,  apart  from  her  position  as 
daughter  of  the  Bishop  of  Gloucester,  fully  justified  the  place 
assigned  to  this  piece  in  the  Festival  scheme.  It  is  a  very 
graceful  and  melodious  setting  of  one  of  Mrs.  Hemans's  miscel- 
laneous poems.  The  poetic  idea  may  not  exactly  "yearn  for 
musical  expression,"  but  the  words  lend  themselves  to  effective 
treatment  both  for  solo  voice  and  chorus,  and  Miss  Ellicott  has 
not  failed  to  utilise  her  opportunities  in  felicitous  fashion.  Her 
music  flows  on  freely  and  brightly,  without  break,  deriving  its 
chief  contrast  from  the  interpolated  solo  passages  (artistically 
rendered  by  Miss  Anna  Williams),  and  supported  by  instrumenta- 
tion which  only  occasionally,  in  its  exuberant  brass  and 
"  percussion  "  effects,  betrays  the  hand  of  the  amateur.  The 
little  work  was  given  with  admirable  smoothness  and  effect  and 
very  warmly  received.  The  new  Violin  Concerto  proved  to  be  a 
work  of  decided  ability,  somewhat  involved  in  structure,  but 
possessing  no  little  melodic  interest,  and  very  cleverly  written  for 
the  solo  instrument,  the  middle  and  final  movements  especially. 
Hans  Sitt,  a  composer  hitherto  unknown  to  English  amateurs, 
was  born  in  Prague  in  1850,  and  is  now  a  Professor  at  the  Leipsic 
Conservatoire  and  a  conductor  of  one  or  more  musical  societies  ; 
he  has  written  two  Violin  Concertos,  and  the  present  work  (No. 
2,  in  A  minor,  Op.  21)  was  produced  at  Zwickau,  in  October, 
1884.  The  solo  part,  which  calls  for  an  extensive  mastery  of 
technical  difficulties,  was  played  by  Mr.  Bernhard  Carrodus  with 
remarkable  neatness  and  dexterity.  He  had  thoroughly  mastered 
his  theme,  and  not  even  the  breaking  of  a  string  and  a  double 
change  of  violins  could  mar  the  rock-like  steadiness  of  his 
manipulation.  His  phrasing  was  marked  by  intelligence  and 


go  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

distinction,  and  his  intonation  was  well-nigh  irreproachable.  Mr. 
Carrodus  was  rapturously  applauded  at  the  close  of  the 
performance. 

A  large  audience  assembled  to  hear  Dr.  Hubert  Parry's 
"Judith"  on  the  Wednesday  morning.  As  a  Gloucester  man  and 
the  son  of  the  architect  whose  name  is  indissolubly  connected 
with  the  restoration  of  Gloucester  Cathedral,  Dr.  Hubert  Parry 
must  have  taken  an  especial  pride  in  conducting  here  his 
Birmingham  Oratorio.  His  music  of  "  Judith "  has  never 
sounded  more  impressive — the  grand  choruses  particularly — 
than  in  this  sacred  edifice,  nor  could  connoisseurs  call  to  mind  a 
better  performance.  Dr.  Parry  conducted  with  unrelaxing  energy 
and  never  called  upon  his  forces  for  an  effort  in  vain.  Miss  Anna 
Williams  and  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd  won  their  old  triumphs  over 
again,  the  other  solo  parts  being  adequately  filled  by  Miss  Hilda 
Wilson,  Mr.  Brereton,  Master  Jones,  and  Master  Leeson.  The 
Concert  concluded  with  Rossini's  "  Stabat  Mater." 

In  the  evening  there  was  a  Concert  in  the  Cathedral,  attended 
by  no  fewer  than  3,500  persons.  This  "  best  on  record  "  was 
variously  ascribed  to  lowered  prices,  to  an  increasing  taste  for 
good  music,  to  the  popularity  of  the  "  Creation,"  and  to  the 
interest  taken  in  Mr.  Lee  Williams's  new  Church-cantata, 
"  Bethany."  The  latter  work,  expressly  written  for  the  Festival, 
commanded  the  warmest  approval.  Mr.  Joseph  Bennett's 
libretto,  an  imitation  on  slightly  modified  lines  of  the  form 
exemplified  in  Bach's  Church-cantatas,  called  for  straightforward, 
unpretentious  treatment,  and  for  music  which,  by  its  purely 
devotional  character,  should  at  once  fit  the  theme  and  appeal 
direct  to  the  hearts  of  an  ordinary  assemblage  of  worshippers. 
Mr.  Williams  thoroughly  succeeded  in  supplying  what  was 
needful.  Of  story  there  is  but  the  barest  thread ;  it  is  rather, 
indeed,  a  picture  embodying  the  scene  at  Bethany — the  supper, 
the  anointing  of  the  feet  of  Jesus  with  the  precious  ointment,  the 
sleep  at  night — a  scene  suggested  by  Mr.  Bennett  with  infinite 
skill,  and  accompanied  by  reflective  verses  overflowing  with 


SEPTEMBER.  91 


religious  fervour.  The  whole  of  these,  excepting  a  hymn  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Neale,  are  original,  the  descriptive  text  being  taken 
from  the  Scriptures  and  set  forth  in  recitatives  for  contralto.  Mr. 
Williams  adopts  for  the  most  part  a  distinctly  ecclesiastical  style,, 
with  a  slight  leaning  towards  that  of  Gounod.  His  choral  writing 
is  clear  and  free  from  complexity,  his  orchestration  exceedingly 
refined  and  well-contrasted.  The  best  points  in  the  Cantata  are 
the  soprano  air  "  All  that  I  have  is  Thine,"  which  Madame 
Albani  sang  with  intense  emotional  expression ;  and  the 
remarkably  effective,  even  dramatic,  treatment  of  the  choral 
passages  foreshadowing  the  sufferings  of  the  Saviour.  Here  one 
can  perceive  the  hand  of  a  thoughtful,  intelligent,  and  able 
musician.  The  simplicity  of  "  Bethany,"  apart  from  its  intrinsic 
merits,  should  ensure  the  little  work  a  wide  popularity.  The 
performance,  which  was  profoundly  impressive,  gave  entire 
satisfaction.  The  choruses  were  faultlessly  sung,  and  Madame 
Albani,  Miss  Wilson,  Mr.  Lloyd,  and  Mr.  Brereton  threw  great 
earnestness  into  their  rendering  of  the  solos. 

Thursday's  scheme,  both  morning  and  evening,  contained 
works  from  the  pen  of  Sir  Arthur  Sullivan,  and  the  presence  of 
the  composer,  apart  from  the  popularity  of  his  music,  helped  in 
each  instance  to  secure  a  large  attendance.  The  long  matutinal 
programme  comprised  his  early  oratorio  "  The  Prodigal  Son," 
his  "  In  Memoriam  "  Overture,  Gounod's  "  Messe  Solennelle," 
and  Spohr's  "Last  Judgment."  "The  Prodigal  Son"  came  to 
many  as  a  veritable  novelty,  for  comparatively  few  remembered 
its  first  production  at  Worcester  in  1869,  and  since  that  time  it 
has  been  allowed  to  suffer  undeserved  neglect.  Why  it  has  so 
suffered  it  is  hard  to  understand.  The  subject  is  familiar  and 
skilfully  treated  ;  the  music,  despite  an  occasional  use  of  forms 
now  regarded  as  old-fashioned,  is  replete  with  melodic  beauty,, 
and  reveals  in  many  a  phrase  and  device  the  subtle  touches  which 
have  come  to  be  described  as  "  Sullivanesque."  The  vocal  writ- 
ing and  scoring  abound  with  scholarly  interest ;  and  cleverer 
examples  of  the  composer's  skill  than  the  "  Revel "  chorus,  the 


,92  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

duet  for  the  father  and  repentant  son,  the  unaccompanied  quartet 
"  The  Lord  is  nigh,"  and  the  last  two  choruses  could  not  easily 
be  found  among  his  latest  works.  The  vocal  honours  of  the  per- 
formance fell  to  Miss  Hilda  Wilson  and  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd.  The 
lovely  contralto  air  "  Love  not  the  world  "  was  rendered  with 
exquisite  taste  and  feeling ;  indeed,  Miss  Wilson's  truly  artistic 
use  of  her  superb  organ  was  a  subject  of  general  admiration  all 
through  the  Festival.  Madame  Albani  did  justice  to  the  soprano 
music,  and  Mr.  Barrington  Foote  essayed  the  part  written  for  Mr. 
Santley.  The  choir  sang  much  better  in  the  evening,  when  "The 
Golden  Legend  "  was  given  in  the  Shire  Hall.  To  make  up  for 
the  absence  of  applause  in  the  Cathedral,  an  overflowing  audience 
then  treated  Sir  Arthur  Sullivan  to  a  series  of  ovations. 

There  was  a  slight  falling-off  in  "  The  Messiah  "  attendance  on 
the  Friday  morning.  The  whole  of  the  solo  vocalists,  with  the 
exception  of  Mr.  Lloyd,  took  part  in  the  performance,  Mr.  William 
Nicholl  sustaining  the  tenor  music,  while  Mrs.  Ambler-Brereton, 
in  "  How  beautiful  are  the  feet,"  met  with  especial  success.  This 
terminated  the  Festival  proper,  but  in  the  evening  the  usual  full 
choral  service  was  held  in  the  Cathedral,  Mendelssohn's  "  Hymn 
of  Praise  "  being  given  for  the  Anthem.  The  total  attendance 
during  the  week  was  13,496,  as  against  11,507  at  the  previous 
Festival,  showing  an  increase  of  1,989.  The  donations  and  col- 
lections amounted  in  the  aggregate  to  about  £"1,200,  which  was 
distributed  among  the  charities  of  the  three  dioceses.  But  the 
total  expenditure  exceeded  the  proceeds  of  the  Concerts  by  £323, 
and  this  deficit  was  met  by  a  call  of  £i  73.  6d.  upon  each  steward 
or  guarantor. 

OBITUARY. — Grattan  Cooke  (oboe  player),  Harting,  Sussex, 
I2th ;  Langdon  Colborne,  Mus.  Doc.  (Organist  of  Hereford 
Cathedral),  Hereford,  i6th  ;  H.  B.  Farnie  (librettist  and  author), 
Paris,  22nd  ;  T.  Monck  Mason  (lessee  of  the  King's,  now  Her 
Majesty's,  Theatre,  in  1832),  London,  24th ;  William  Winter- 
bottom  (bandmaster),  Boulogne-sur-Mer,  29th;  John  V.  Bridge- 
man  (musical  journalist  and  translator),  London,  3Oth. 


OCTOBER.  93. 


OCTOBER. 

THE  Leeds  Triennial  Festival,  held  on  Wednesday,  the  gth,. 
and  the  three  following  days,  was  the  most  important  musical 
gathering  of  the  year.  This  event  may  truly  be  said  to  have 
possessed  a  national  interest.  The  proceedings  connected  with 
it  were  followed  with  the  closest  attention  in  every  part  of  the 
Kingdom,  and  comments  thereupon  were  by  no  means  confined 
to  our  own  organs  of  musical  criticism.  Germany  sent  one  of 
her  foremost  writers  to  deal  with  the  Festival,  and  the  opinions 
which  he  expressed  were  in  every  way  flattering  to  the  modest 
pride  of  this  "  unmusical  country."  That  the  meeting,  on  the 
whole,  was  a  brilliant  success  cannot  be  gainsaid.  On  the  other 
hand,  to  assert  that  the  artistic  triumphs  of  the  week  were  with- 
out alloy  would  be  to  slightly  overstep  the  bounds  of  actual  truth. 
There  must  be  a  thorn  to  every  rose.  Even  the  sun  is  not  with- 
out its  "  spots." 

The  vocalists  engaged  were  Madame  Albani,  Miss  Macintyre, 
Fraulein  Fillunger,  Madame  Valleria,  Miss  Hilda  Wilson,  Miss 
Damian,  Messrs.  Edward  Lloyd,  Iver  McKay,  Henry  Piercy, 
Watkin  Mills,  Harrington  Foote,  and  W.  H.  Brereton.  The  famous 
Leeds  chorus  had  undergone  a  careful  training  at  the  hands  of 
Mr.  A.  Broughton,  the  talented  chorus-master,  and  consisted  of 
82  sopranos,  56  contraltos,  and  18  altos,  77  tenors,  and  78  basses  ; 
making  a  total  of  311  singers.  In  the  band  there  are  20  first 
violins  (Mr.  J.  T.  Carrodus  leading),  20  second  violins,  14  violas, 
14  violoncellos,  14  double  basses,  4  flutes,  2  piccolos,  4  oboes, 
i  cor  Anglais,  4  clarinets,  i  bass  clarinet,  4  bassoons,  i  contra- 
fagotto,  4  horns,  4  trumpets  and  cornets,  3  trombones,  i  bass 


94  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


tuba,  2  harps,  3  drums,  &c.,  numbering  altogether  120  performers. 
This  magnificent  band,  made  up  exclusively  of  British  performers, 
was  probably  the  finest  orchestra  that  the  world  could  produce. 
The  combined  forces  met  for  the  first  time  in  the  Town  Hall, 
under  the  direction  of  Sir  Arthur  Sullivan,  the  conductor  of  the 
Festival,  on  the  Monday  morning.  They  devoted  thirteen  hours 
of  that  day  and  eight  of  the  next  to  the  arduous  task  of  going 
through  the  whole  scheme.  A  perfect  ensemble  was  thus  secured; 
but  the  heavy  continuous  labour  palpably  told  upon  the  chorus, 
and  when  judgment  upon  its  merits  was  challenged  at  the  open- 
ing Concert,  on  the  Wednesday  morning,  in  Berlioz's  "  Faust  " 
(given  for  the  first  time  at  this  Festival),  the  opinions  expressed 
were  not  in  the  highest  degree  favourable.  It  was  thought  that 
the  voices  were  not  of  such  powerful  volume  as  in  previous  years, 
and  that  the  attack  was  not  characterised  by  the  same  wonderful 
grip  and  unanimity.  The  section  that  seemed  to  have  suffered 
most  were  the  tenors.  Inferior  in  quality  to  the  other  divisions 
of  the  choir,  their  voices  sounded  dull  and  hard  and  they 
frequently  sang  flat,  pulling  the  others  down  with  them.  The 
sopranos  were  splendid  ;  a  purer,  finer  quality  of  tone  has  never 
perhaps  been  heard,  and  the  contraltos  and  basses  were  also  first- 
rate.  But  it  immediately  went  forth  to  the  world  that  the  Leeds 
chorus  had  again  deteriorated,  that  the  glory  of  the  Yorkshire 
voices  had  become  more  than  ever  a  thing  of  the  past.  This 
judgment  was  soon  shown  to  have  been  a  trifle  hasty.  More  than 
one  experienced  critic  omitted  to  make  allowance  for  the  over- 
strain or  for  the  fact  that  neither  Berlioz's  "  Faust  "  nor  Mr.  F. 
Corder's  new  cantata  "  The  Sword  of  Argantyr  "  was  a  work 
calculated  to  display  the  capacities  of  a  choir  in  the  most  favour- 
able light.  Thursday  morning  told  a  different  tale.  Comparative 
repose  for  thirty-six  hours  wrought  wonders,  and  the  good,  solid 
choral  music  contained  in  such  works  as  Bach's  Cantata  "God's 
time  is  the  best,"  Schubert's  Mass  in  E  flat,  and  Handel's  "  Acis 
and  Galatea  "  enabled  the  Leeds  singers  to  win  back  their  lost 
laurels  to  no  inconsiderable  extent.  There  were  wanting  still  the 


OCTOBER.  95 


phenomenal  volume  and  power,  the  bold,  firm,  simultaneous 
attack,  the  rock-like  steadiness  and  faultless  intonation  that  had 
made  connoisseurs  marvel  at  bygone  Festivals ;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  balance  was  more  even,  the  quality  of  the  tone 
was  more  refined,  and  the  singing,  on  the  whole,  was  certainly  not 
marked  by  less  expression  or  less  intelligence.  In  a  word,  com- 
pare the  Leeds  choir  with  any  but  former  Leeds  choirs  and  it 
was  still  unapproachable. 

Mr.  F.  Corder's  "  The  Sword  of  Argantyr,"  a  dramatic  Cantata 
in  four  scenes,  specially  written  for  the  Festival,  was  produced  at 
the  first  evening  Concert.  The  libretto,  written  by  the  composer, 
is  founded  on  a  Norse  legend,  which  tells  how  Hervor,  a  Viking's 
daughter,  passes  through  a  "girdle  of  ever-burning  fire"  and 
obtains  possession  of  the  sword  Tyrfing,  on  which  was  wrought 
this  rune  : — 

Draw  me  not  except  in  fray, 
Drawn  I  pierce,  and  piercing,  slay. 

The  shepherd  Hjalmar,  who  has  passed  the  fire  with  her,  tries  to 
take  it  from  her,  so  as  to  lead  her  people  to  battle.  She,  how- 
ever, asserts  her  woman's  rights,  and  refuses  to  resign  her 
leadership.  In  the  struggle  the  sword  pierces  Hjalmar's  thigh, 
and  he  straightway  bleeds  to  death.  Hervor  then  returns  with  her 
warriors  to  their  wild  home  in  the  North,  "  that  all  those  things 
might  be  fulfilled  which  the  spirit  of  Argantyr  had  foretold." 
This  stirring  story  is  dramatically  told,  and  in  bold,  picturesque 
verse.  But  the  musician  was  not  inspired  by  his  own  libretto, 
nor  could  he  apparently  avoid  dropping  into  that  odd  mixture  of 
styles  to  which  objection  has  been  taken  in  his  previous  works. 
With  the  exception  of  a  Shepherd's  song,  an  instrumental  inter- 
mezzo, and  two  or  three  of  the  choruses,  Mr.  Corder's  Cantata 
contains  little  calculated  to  strike  the  listener  or  awaken  interest. 
His  originality  is  not  of  a  pleasing  kind  ;  his  melodies,  when  they 
are  tuneful,  often  lack  distinction  ;  his  treatment  may  be  clever,  but 
it  is  laboured,  and  the  music  runs  on  for  bars  and  bars  at  a 
stretch  without  conveying  the  least  sense  of  charm,  the  result 


96  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

being  that  it  wearies  and  bores  long  before  King  Argantyr's  sword 
has  deprived  the  warrior- maiden  of  her  new-found  lover.  Madame 
Valleria's  indisposition  on  this  occasion  was  a  double  misfortune. 
It  was  unlucky  for  the  lady  herself,  and  it  did  not  improve  the 
chances  of  "  The  Sword  of  Argantyr."  Still,  it  was  hardly  likely  that 
in  her  best  form  this  artist  could  have  made  acceptable  the  distinctly 
ugly  music  assigned  to  the  heroine.  Mr.  Henry  Piercy  made  a 
hit  with  the  Shepherd's  air  ;  Mr.  Harrington  Foote  declaimed  the 
legend  of  the  Sword  with  plenty  of  energy ;  and  Mr.  Arthur  F. 
Ferguson  displayed  a  capital  bass  voice  in  the  small  part  of 
Argantyr.  Mr.  Corder  conducted  with  care,  and  was  warmly 
recalled.  The  Concert  wound  up  with  a  performance  of  the 
third  act  of  "  Tannhauser,"  the  solo  parts  being  undertaken  by 
Madame  Valleria  (Elizabeth),  Fraulein  Fillunger  (Venus),  Mr. 
Edward  Lloyd  (who  gave  a  magnificent  rendering  of  Tannhauser's 
narrative),  and  Mr.  Barrington  Foote  (Wolfram). 

Reference  has  been  made  above  to  the  work  done  on  the  Thursday 
morning.  The  rendering  of  the  Schubert  Mass  was  grandly 
impressive — perhaps  the  finest  ever  heard  ;  and  that  of  the  Bach 
Cantata  did  not  come  far  behind.  The  lightsome  choruses  of 
Handel's  Serenade  were  given  with  abundant  spirit,  the  well- 
known  "  Wretched  lovers"  producing  as  much  effect  as  any  but 
a  Handel  Festival  choir  could  hope  to  create.  The  solo  parts  in 
these  works  were  sustained  by  Miss  Macintyre,  Miss  Hilda  Wilson, 
Messrs.  Iver  McKay,  Piercy,  and  Brereton. 

The  Organist  of  the  Leeds  Parish  Church,  Dr.  William  Creser, 
was  the  local  musician  asked  to  write  a  composition  for  the 
Festival  of  this  year,  the  outcome  being  a  dramatic  Cantata  in 
one  scene  entitled  "  The  Sacrifice  of  Freia,"  brought  forward  on 
the  Thursday  evening.  The  poem,  from  the  pen  of  the  late  Dr. 
Francis  Hueffer,  describes  in  attractive  verse  the  gathering  of 
bands  of  worshippers  in  a  forest  glade  on  May  Day,  to  sacrifice 
to  Freia,  the  fair  deity  being  praised  and  appealed  to  as  the 
goddess  in  turn  of  love,  beauty,  springtide,  and  war.  Dr.  Creser's 
music  failed,  despite  undoubted  technical  excellence,  to  make  a 


OCTOBER.  97 


favourable  impression,  chiefly  owing  to  an  over-elaborate  setting 
of  Dr.  Hueffer's  simple  idyll,  and  an  interminable  repetition  of 
superfluous  Leitmotives.  At  the  same  time,  as  a  creditable 
specimen  of  local  talent,  Dr.  Creser's  work  was  by  no  means 
unworthy  of  a  place  in  the  Festival  scheme,  and  unquestionably 
it  fulfilled  its  purpose  in  that  sense.  Loud  cheers  greeted  him 
after  the  performance,  which  he  directed  with  much  ability.  The 
choruses  were  splendidly  sung,  and  Miss  Macintyre  and  Mr. 
Brereton  did  their  best  with  the  solo  portions.  The  first  part  of 
the  programme  concluded  with  a  magnificent  rendering  of  Spohr's 
Symphony  "  The  Consecration  of  Sound."  In  the  second  came 
the  sole  instrumental  novelty  of  the  week,  Dr.  Mackenzie's 
"  Pibroch,"  for  violin  and  orchestra.  This  clever  work  consists 
of  three  movements — viz.,  a  Rhapsody,  corresponding  to  the 
improvisation  with  which  the  bagpipe-player  opens  his  Pibroch  ; 
a  Caprice,  in  this  case  an  air  with  variations  founded  on  the 
theme  of  the  old  Scottish  tune  "  Three  guid  fellows,  "  and  a 
Dance,  the  first  subject  of  which  is  an  ancient  melody  taken  from 
the  Skene  MSS.  Needless  to  add  that  a  purely  Scottish 
character  pervades  the  entire  composition,  while  the  treatment, 
so  far  as  the  solo  instrument  is  concerned,  is  thoroughly  modern 
in  style,  and  bristles  with  technical  difficulties  of  the  most 
exacting  order.  The  orchestration  is  replete  with  charm  and 
elegance.  Altogether,  Dr.  Mackenzie's  "  Pibroch,"  as  rendered 
by  Senor  Sarasate  with  the  art  of  a  great  virtuoso,  made  a  very 
warm  impression.  The  composer  conducted,  and  responded  with 
his  accomplished  interpreter  to  an  exceptionally  hearty  recall. 
A  distinct  ovation  was  accorded  Mr.  Broughton  when  he  came 
forward  to  conduct  his  choir  in  Mr.  Harford  Lloyd's  Pastoral 
"  The  Rosy  Dawn."  Miss  Macintyre  gave  an  artistic  delivery  of 
the  air  from  the  prison  scene  in  "  Mefistofele."  Mr.  Edward 
Lloyd  sang  Walther's  "  Probelieder,"  and  after  another  solo  by 
Senor  Sarasate,  the  Concert  wound  up  with  the  Overture  to 
"  Mireille." 

On  the  Friday  morning  a  new  choral  work  by  that  indefatigable 

H 


98  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


musician,  Dr.  Hubert  Parry,  was  introduced,  under  his  direction, 
and  received  with  every  token  of  favour.  The  poem  here  treated 
— namely,  Pope's  "  Ode  on  St.  Cecilia's  Day" — has  furnished  Dr. 
Parry  with  the  groundwork  for  another  of  those  compositions  in 
which  he  shows  himself  such  a  consummate  master  of  old  forms 
and  modern  materials.  The  combination  is  as  subtle  as  it  is 
curious,  and  Dr.  Parry,  as  he  goes  on,  proves  its  scope  to  be 
much  less  limited  than  might  be  supposed.  It  enables  him  to 
gratify  everybody  in  turn,  from  the  lover  of  Bach  and  Handel 
down  to  the  ardent  Wagnerian.  The  former  perceives  his  well- 
beloved  models  underlying  the  choral  numbers  ;  the  latter  traces 
the  influence  of  Bayreuth,  here  in  an  orchestral  passage,  there  in 
a  declamatory  solo.  In  "  St.  Cecilia's  Day,"  as  in  "  Judith,"  Dr. 
Parry  attains  his  highest  standpoint  in  the  choruses.  The 
opening  number,  "  Descend,  ye  Nine,"  is  truly  magnificent,  full 
of  striking  contrasts,  and  clothing  Pope's  high-flown  verse  in 
music  of  the  most  expressive  and  dignified  type.  The  Finale  for 
baritone  solo  and  chorus,  "  Music  the  fiercest  grief  can  charm," 
is  another  piece  of  spirited  and  imposing  writing,  distinguished 
also  by  rare  contrapuntal  skill.  The  Arioso  for  baritone  is  not 
so  interesting  as  the  solo  in  which  the  soprano  describes  the 
unavailing  rescue  of  Eurydice  and  the  despair  and  death  of 
Orpheus.  This  touching  piece,  plaintive  and  dramatic  by  turns, 
was  sung  by  Miss  Macintyre  with  profound  sentiment  and  admir- 
able vocal  art.  Mr.  Brereton  interpreted  the  baritone  solo.  The 
chorus,  now  in  better  form  than  ever,  put  heart  and  soul  into 
Dr.  Parry's  work,  sending  it  forth  to  the  world  with  an  amplitude 
of  sound  and  grandeur  of  effect  that  every  choir  in  the  kingdom 
might  be  proud  to  emulate.  The  composer  was  twice  rapturously 
recalled  by  a  crowded  audience.  Senor  Sarasate  then  played 
the  Mendelssohn  Violin  Concerto — the  cheval  de  bataille  that  ever 
bears  him  to  triumph  —  and  afterwards  came  Beethoven's 
"  Choral "  Symphony.  The  latter  masterpiece  was  superbly 
tendered  by  orchestra  and  choir  alike,  the  solos  being  ably  sung 
by  Fraulein  Fillunger,  Miss  Damian,  Mr.  Iver  McKay,  and  Mr. 


OCTOBER.  99 


Brereton.  Opinions  may  have  differed  concerning  one  or  two  points 
in  Sir  Arthur  Sullivan's  reading,  as,  for  instance,  the  tempo  adopted 
in  the  Scherzo.  But,  take  it  as  a  whole,  it  was  far  and  away  the 
finest  performance  of  the  immortal  "  Ninth  "  ever  heard  at  an 
English  Festival. 

On  the  Friday  evening  another  important  novelty,  expressly 
written,  saw  light  for  the  first  time.  This  was  Professor  Villiers 
Stanford's  Choral  Ballad  "  The  Voyage  of  Maeldune  " — a  fitting 
pendant  to  "The  Revenge,"  which  came  out  at  the  Leeds  Festival 
of  1886.  Like  that  work  it  is  a  setting  of  one  of  the  Laureate's  most 
stirring  narrative  poems,  the  chief  difference  being  that  one  deals 
with  an  historical  episode  and  the  other  with  a  legendary  story. 
In  the  present  instance,  however,  the  entire  poem  is  not  used ; 
portions  are  omitted  and  we  find  interpolated  in  the  scene 
describing  the  Isle  of  Witches  a  song  from  "  The  Sea-Fairies," 
which  fits  in  extremely  well.  Otherwise,  alike  in  its  descriptive 
character  and  musical  treatment,  the  new  Ballad  treads  upon  the 
same  lines  as  its  predecessor.  The  hero  (a  tenor)  tells  the  story. 
He  relates  how  he  and  his  people  sail  in  search  of  the  isle  where 
dwells  the  man  who  slew  his  father ;  how,  blown  away  from  it  by 
"  a  sudden  blast,"  they  are  compelled  to  touch  at  a  number  of 
islands,  each  under  some  magic  spell  that  brings  them  trouble ; 
and  how  they  come  to  one,  the  home  of  an  aged  saint,  who 
exhorts  Maeldune  to  abandon  his  voyage  of  vengeance,  so  that  at 
last,  when  they  again  reach  the  isle  where  the  murderer  stands  on 
the  shore,  they  "  let  him  be,"  and  the  weary  journey  ends.  All 
this  the  solo  voice  narrates  in  picturesque  declamatory  phrases, 
supported  sometimes  by  other  solo  voices,  but  more  generally  by 
the  chorus.  The  description  of  the  various  islands  afforded  the 
composer  his  richest  opportunity,  and  of  this  he  has  availed 
himself  with  a  graphic  power  and  mastery  of  resource  equal  to  his 
finest  moments  in  "  The  Revenge."  The  Isle  of  Shouting,  the 
Silent  Isle,  and  the  Isle  of  Fire  are  each  depicted  in  distinct 
appropriate  strains ;  while  graceful,  sensuous  music  serves 
to  pourtray  both  the  Isle  of  Flowers  and  the  Isle  of  Fruits. 

H  2 


ioo  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


The  Undersea  Isle  has  inspired  an  exquisite  bit  of  "tone- 
painting" —  the  gem  of  the  series — assigned  to  the  four  solo 
voices  ;  and  the  Isle  of  Witches  finds  natural  expression  in  a 
tripping,  scherzo-like  chorus  for  female  voices  with  a  prominent 
part  for  soprano  solo.  The  whole  work  teems  with  beauty  and 
poetic  charm  of  a  kind  not  to  be  resisted  ;  music  ever  grateful  for 
the  singers  being  enhanced  in  significance  and  grace  by  the  most 
refined  and  striking  orchestration.  In  its  way,  therefore,  "  The 
Voyage  of  Maeldune  "  is  a  masterpiece,  and  its  success  with  the 
Leeds  audience  was  never  for  an  instant  in  doubt.  Rendered  con 
amore  by  all  concerned,  the  performance  left  absolutely  nothing  to 
be  desired.  The  important  tenor  part  had  a  perfect  exponent  in 
Mr.  Edward  Lloyd;  Madame  Albani  sang  the  soprano  music 
brilliantly,  and  Miss  Hilda  Wilson  and  Mr.  Barrington  Foote 
completed  the  quartet.  Several  numbers  were  loudly  applauded, 
and  at  the  end  Dr.  Stanford,  who  conducted,  received  an 
enthusiastic  double  recall.  The  miscellaneous  selection  that 
followed  opened  with  Beethoven's  "  Leonora "  Overture  (given 
with  a  breadth  and  elan  never  to  be  forgotten  by  those  who  heard 
it),  and  terminated  with  Mendelssohn's  music  to  "  A  Midsummer 
Night's  Dream." 

A  happy  juxtaposition  on  the  Saturday  morning  was  that  of 
Brahms's  noble  "  German  Requiem  "  and  the  familiar  but  ever- 
beautiful  "Lobgesang"  of  Mendelssohn.  The  "German 
Requiem "  was  composed  by  Brahms  during  his  residence  at 
Vienna  in  the  years  1867-8,  and  was  first  performed  in  the 
Cathedral  of  Bremen,  April  10,  1868.  In  this  country  it  was 
first  given  by  the  Philharmonic  Society  in  1873,  and  later  on  the 
"  Requiem  "  was  rendered  in  German  by  the  Bach  Choir.  To 
Leeds  belongs  the  honour  of  first  introducing  this  sublime 
composition  into  a  Festival  scheme — an  act  of  enterprise  which 
the  authorities  carried  out  at  the  preceding  Festival  in  connection 
with  Bach's  colossal  Mass  in  B  minor.  The  "  Requiem  "  was 
finely  given,  but  the  interpretation  was  not  free  from  blemish. 
Unquestionably  affected  by  the  depressing  atmosphere  caused  by 


OCTOBER.  101 


fog  and  rain,  the  choir  sang  the  earlier  numbers  with  doubtful 
intonation  and  a  somewhat  feeble  attack.  In  the  second  chorus, 
"  Behold  all  flesh  is  as  the  grass,"  the  tenors  particularly  sang 
flat,  and  later  on  the  wonderful  transition  on  the  words  "  My  hope 
is  in  Thee  "  was  not  at  all  clearly  executed.  The  succeeding 
fugue,  in  which  Brahms  employs  the  unusual  device  of  sustaining 
a  tonic  pedal  throughout,  was  sung,  however,  with  immense 
vigour  and  spirit ;  and  thenceforward  the  work  went  magnificently. 
The  orchestra  as  usual  was  faultless,  making  light  of  a  task  that 
was  exacting  in  the  extreme.  Fraulein  Fillunger — replacing 
Madame  Valleria,  who  was  too  ill  to  sing  again  after  her  one 
appearance  —  did  remarkably  well  in  the  soprano  solo,  and 
Mr.  Watkin  Mills  delivered  the  passages  for  bass  solo  with 
due  dignity  and  emphasis.  It  will  be  taken  for  granted  that 
a  performance  which  deviated  so  slightly  from  the  highest  level 
of  excellence,  and  then  only  for  a  brief  space,  left  behind  no 
feeling  of  disappointment.  The  vast  assemblage  was  evidently 
very  deeply  impressed,  and  bestowed  cordial  recognition  upon 
Sir  Arthur  Sullivan,  who  conducted  with  even  more  than  his 
habitual  vigilance  and  tact.  In  the  "  Hymn  of  Praise,"  which 
was  grandly  given,  the  solos  were  sustained  by  Madame  Albani, 
Miss  Grace  Damian,  and  Mr.  Lloyd. 

The  Saturday  evening  Concert — an  extra  one  not  included  in 
the  regular  Festival  series — was  attended  by  the  largest  audience 
of  the  week.  It  opened  with  a  Concert  arrangement  of  Sir 
Arthur  Sullivan's  "Macbeth"  music.  This  naturally  excluded  a 
great  deal  of  the  incidental  music  composed  for  the  Lyceum 
revival — in  fact,  all  that  would  be  likely  to  have  no  meaning  or 
value  apart  from  the  action  of  the  play.  The  present  selection 
comprised  the  Overture,  the  Preludes  to  the  third,  fifth,  and  sixth 
acts,  the  chorus  of  spirits  in  the  air,  and  the  chorus  of  witches 
and  spirits.  It  will  be  readily  imagined  that  Sir  Arthur  Sullivan's 
delicate  scoring  and  subtle  effects  came  out  in  a  far  truer  aspect 
and  with  more  telling  force  than  in  the  theatre.  The  Overture 
especially  made  a  deep  impression,  and  the  two  choruses,  sung 


102  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

with  exquisite  delicacy,  also  evoked  hearty  admiration.  This  was 
followed  by  a  performance  of  "The  Golden  Legend,"  which 
extraordinarily  successful  work  was  first  given  at  Leeds  in  1886. 
If  "  all's  well  that  end's  well,"  then  the  singing  of  the  chorus  in 
this  Cantata  may  be  said  to  have  reflected  a  halo  of  glory  upon 
the  proceedings  of  the  whole  week.  The  Epilogue  was  given 
with  indescribable  breadth  and  grandeur  of  effect,  arousing  a 
depth  of  emotion  shared  by  no  one  more  acutely  than  the 
composer  himself,  who,  it  was  evident  to  those  around,  needed  all 
his  self-control  to  get  through  the  National  Anthem  that  rang 
down  the  cui.ain  on  the  labours  of  the  Festival.  How  admirably 
Sir  Arthur  Sullivan  performed  his  onerous  duties ;  how  gloriously 
the  orchestra  did  its  work  throughout ;  how  hard  and  conscien- 
tiously the  chorus-master,  Mr.  A.  Broughton,  and  the  organist, 
Mr.  A.  Benton,  laboured  in  the  execution  of  their  important 
functions ;  and  with  what  financial  and  social  success  the 
gathering  was  attended,  there  can  be  no  need  to  describe. 

The  total  receipts  at  the  Festival  amounted  to  £10,836,  and 
the  total  expenditure  to  £7,694,  leaving  a  balance  of  £3,142,  as 
against  £2,570  at  the  previous  Festival.  The  committee  handed 
over  £2,357  to  the  medical  charities,  and  the  balance  was 
added  to  the  reserve  fund,  which  now  amounts  to  £2,755  IOS- 

The  London  Musical  Season  opened  on  the  2nd  with  an 
Orchestral  Concert,  given  by  Otto  Hegner,  with  the  assistance  of 
the  Royal  Amateur  Orchestral  Society.  The  audience,  a  rather 
scanty  one,  gave  the  gifted  boy  a  cordial  reception.  He  looked 
wonderfully  bright  and  sturdy,  had  a  good  natural  colour  in  his 
cheeks,  and  had  grown  considerably  since  he  was  last  here.  His 
playing  astonished  as  much  as  ever.  In  Weber's  "  Concertstiick," 
which  he  had  not  attempted  publicly  before,  the  increase  of 
strength  in  his  wrist-power,  and  the  consequent  greater  fulness  of 
his  tone,  were  clearly  noticeable,  while  his  beautifully  even 
touch  and  brilliant  mecanisme  found  plenty  of  scope  in  the  second 
section  of  Weber's  composition.  He  also  played  Chopin's 
Berceuse  and  Polonaise  in  E  flat  (Op.  22),  besides  an  encore 


OCTOBER.  103 


piece.  Mr.  Max  Heinrich  was  the  only  vocalist ;  Madame 
Valleria  was  unable  to  appear.  Mr.  George  Mount  conducted, 
his  band  being  heard  in  several  well-known  pieces.  At  the  Piano- 
forte Recital,  on  the  5th,  there  was  a  large  attendance.  Hegner 
shone  to  immense  advantage  in  Bach's  Italian  Concerto,  and  gave 
an  astoundingly  clear,  intelligent  rendering  of  Beethoven's  Sonata 
in  E  minor  (Op.  90).  He  also  performed,  with  rare  spirit  and 
entrain,  a  very  pretty  and  graceful  Suite  in  G  minor  and  major, 
written  by  himself.  At  the  second  Orchestral  Concert,  on  the 
gth,  Hegner  was  heard  in  Chopin's  Concerto  in  E  minor;  and  the 
programme  of  his  second  Recital,  on  the  I2th,  included  Beet- 
hoven's Sonata  in  D  (Op.  10,  No.  3).  Immediately  after  these 
Concerts  the  youthful  prodigy  left  for  America,  where,  under  the 
management  of  Mr.  Abbey,  he  entered  upon  a  tour  which  did  not 
prove  successful. 

The  thirty-fourth  annual  series  of  Crystal  Palace  Saturday  Con- 
certswas  inaugurated  on  the  igth.  A  numerous  audience  assembled 
and  gave  Mr.  Manns  a  warm  welcome.  The  scheme  contained 
several  features  of  general  interest,  not  the  least  of  these  being 
Beethoven's  C  minor  Symphony  which,  as  played  by  the  Crysta 
Palace  Orchestra,  is  always  a  treat  to  listen  to.  Sterndale 
Bennett's  beautiful  Overture,  "  The  Wood-nymph,"  opened  the 
Concert,  and  at  the  end  came  the  ever-popular  "Tannhauser" 
Overture,  appropriately  marking  the  anniversary  of  the  production 
of  Wagner's  opera  at  Dresden  in  1845.  The  novelty  of  the 
Concert  was  a  melodious,  cleverly  scored  Interlude  from  Mas- 
senet's latest  opera,  "  Esclarmonde,"  founded  on  the  nuptial 
hymn  in  the  second  act.  Madame  Roger-Miclos  made  a  very 
favourable  impression  by  her  artistic  rendering  of  Saint-Saens's 
Pianoforte  Concerto  in  G  minor  (No.  2),  the  second  movement 
being  particularly  well  played.  The  lady,  a  debutante  at  these 
Concerts,  was  warmly  recalled,  and  was  heard  also  in  a  piece 
called  "  Inquietude"  by  Pfeiffer  and  Chopin's  Andante  Spianato 
and  Polonaise  in  E  flat.  Mr.  Lloyd  sang  in  his  own  inimitable 
style  the  prayer  from  "  Rienzi "  and  a  graceful  Serenade,  "O 


104  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

moon  of  night "  (with  orchestral  accompaniment),  by  August 
Manns.  The  talented  Conductor  shared  in  the  applause  evoked 
by  the  latter,  and  he  directed  the  entire  Concert  with  character- 
istic zeal  and  ability.  On  the  following  Saturday  a  Symphony  in 
B  flat  (Op.  60),  by  Dr.  Bernhard  Scholz,  was  performed  for  the 
first  time  in  this  country.  The  composer,  who  succeeded  Raff  as 
the  principal  of  the  Conservatoire  of  Music  at  Frankfort,  is  a  man 
of  about  fifty-four,  and  has  long  enjoyed  a  reputation  among 
Germans  as  a  theorist,  composer,  pianist,  and  Conductor  of  con- 
spicuous attainments.  His  rare  ability  as  a  contrapuntist  stands 
clearly  in  evidence  in  the  present  work,  which  was  written  in 
1884,  and  first  performed  in  that  year  at  Frankfort.  It  is  a 
Symphony  with  "  so  much  in  it "  that  to  pretend  to  understand 
and  absorb  it  all  on  first  hearing  would  be  manifestly  absurd.  At 
the  same  time,  it  may  be  doubted  whether  this  polyphonic  master- 
piece would  appeal  to  amateurs  after  any  number  of  repetitions 
through  the  potent  qualities  of  spontaneity,  charm,  or  genuine 
inspiration.  Dr.  Scholz's  elaborate  work  met  with  ample  justice 
at  the  hands  of  Mr.  Manns  and  his  orchestra,  and  was  received 
with  cordial  approbation.  Senor  Albeniz  made  his  first  appear- 
ance at  the  Crystal  Palace  and  performed  the  Schumann  Piano- 
forte Concerto,  but  won  more  success  in  his  own  pieces,  which  he 
always  plays  to  perfection.  Beethoven's  "  Coriolanus "  and 
Mendelssohn's  "  Calm  Sea  and  Prosperous  Voyage  "  were  the 
Overtures  that  opened  and  closed  the  Concert.  Mdlle.  Gambogi 
sang  and  made  a  marked  impression  in  Gounod's  "  Ave  Maria," 
which  the  audience  paid  her  the  rare  compliment  of  asking  for  a 
second  time. 

On  the  igth,  at  St.  James's  Hall,  Senor  Sarasate  began  a 
farewell  series  of  Concerts  (Chamber  and  Orchestral)  before  his 
departure  for  America.  Orchestra,  or  no  orchestra,  Senor 
Sarasate  has  only  to  announce  his  appearance  and  he  can  safely 
count  upon  a  full  room.  His  programme  on  the  above  date,  apart 
from  its  consisting  exclusively  of  Chamber  music,  did  not  contain 
one  of  the  works  with  which  the  famous  virtuoso  is  more  particu- 


OCTOBER.  105 


larly  associated  in  the  minds  of  London  amateurs,  yet  was  St. 
James's  Hall  crowded  to  repletion.  In  the  opinion  of  the  con- 
noisseurs present,  Senor  Sarasate  has  never  more  thoroughly 
vindicated  his  right  to  be  reckoned  among  the  leading  interpreters 
of  violin  chamber  music.  Mechanical  difficulties,  we  know,  are 
as  nothing  to  him,  but  in  his  rendering  of  Saint-Saens's  Sonata 
for  pianoforte  and  violin  (Op.  75),  and  again  in  Schubert's 
Fantasie  for  the  same  instruments  (Op.  159),  there  was  evinced 
an  intellectual  refinement  and  grasp  such  as  only  the  earnest, 
deep-thinking  artist  would  be  able  to  exhibit.  In  Raff's  morceau 
caracteristique,  "  La  Fee  d'Amour,"  and  in  Dvorak's  "  Danses 
Slaves,"  Senor  Sarasate  was  well-nigh  unapproachable,  as  he 
always  is  in  pieces  of  this  particular  genre ;  but  his  playing 
throughout  the  afternoon  afforded  his  listeners  equal 
pleasure  and  elicited  the  same  warm,  spontaneous  outbursts  of 
applause.  Heard  in  conjunction  with  the  great  Spanish  fiddler, 
and  also  in  one  or  two  solo  pieces,  was  Madame  Berthe  Marx,  a 
pianist  remarkable  for  her  exquisite  touch  and  correct  execution, 
but  possessing  a  frigid,  colourless  style.  At  his  Orchestral 
Concert,  a  week  later,  Senor  Sarasate  introduced  for  the  first  time 
to  London  audiences  Dr.  Mackenzie's  "  Pibroch."  The  clever 
composition  came  out  on  second  hearing  even  better  than  it  did 
at  Leeds,  notably  the  opening  movement  or  Rhapsody,  the  bril- 
liant yet  dreamy  character  of  which  was  realised  by  Senor 
Sarasate  with  delicious  effect.  On  the  part  of  the  gifted  soloist  it 
was  a  magnificent  performance,  while  the  accompaniments,  under 
Mr.  Cusins,  were  very  creditably  played.  At  the  end  Senor 
Sarasate  was  recalled  amid  enthusiastic  applause,  and  with  him 
the  composer  also  came  forward.  Raff's  Violin  Suite  and  the 
Concert-giver's  own  "  Muineira  "  were  further  included  in  the 
programme,  besides  a  so-called  "  Prelude  and  Fugue "  (with 
Choral  by  Abert),  attributed  to  J.  S.  Bach,  and  arranged  for 
orchestra.  The  Prelude  was  not  familiar,  and  the  Fugue  was 
the  well-known  Organ  Fugue  in  G  minor  from  Book  2.  But  the 
combination,  overladen  with  noisy,  modern  orchestral  effects  of 


io6  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

the  most  pronounced  type,  formed  at  once  an  insult  to  the 
memory  of  a  great  master  and  to  the  intelligence  of  a  cultivated 
musical  audience.  Wotan's  "  Abschied  and  Feuerzauber,"  as 
played  by  orchestra  alone,  with  the  vocal  monologue  supplied  by 
different  instruments  in  turn,  formed  another  strange  feature  in 
the  scheme. 

The  nineteenth  season  of  the  Royal  Choral  Society  opened  on 
the  3oth  with  a  performance  of  Berlioz's  "  Faust."  There  was  a 
very  large  attendance,  and  the  popular  "  dramatic  legend " 
received  a  splendid  interpretation,  notably  on  the  part  of  the 
choir — perhaps  the  finest  that  Mr.  Barnby  has  ever  had  under  his 
direction.  The  fine  body  of  tone  possessed  by  the  tenors  and 
basses  was  especially  noticed  ;  these  being  the  sections  of  the 
choir  chiefly  reinforced  from  the  ranks  of  the  now-disbanded 
Novello  Choir.  Madame  Albani,  who  on  this  occasion  made  her 
final  appearance  in  town  previous  to  her  departure  for  America, 
imparted  her  accustomed  dramatic  significance  and  vocal  charm 
to  the  music  of  Margaret.  Mr.  Henschel's  M ephistopheles  was 
once  more  full  of  grim  sardonic  humour — in  declamation  excellent, 
though  in  pronunciation  not  clearly  comprehensible.  Mr.  Iver 
McKay  was  the  Faust,  while  Brander's  song  was  given  by  Mr. 
Ben  Grove.  The  band  did  its  work  as  well  as  usual,  and  Mr. 
Barnby  conducted  with  the  consummate  skill  of  a  musician  who 
has  a  perfect  mastery  alike  of  his  theme  and  his  forces. 

The  thirty-second  season  of  the  Popular  Concerts  began  at  St. 
James's  Hall  on  the  28th.  For  the  small  proportions  of  the 
audience  the  programme  had  to  a  certain  extent  to  be  held  respon- 
sible. It  did  not  contain  a  single  work  that  could  be  described 
as  a  classical  masterpiece,  the  sole  item  of  real  importance  being 
the  Quartet  in  E  major  (Op.  80),  by  Dvorak,  which  was  introduced 
to  London  amateurs  in  the  spring  of  the  year  and  now  given  at 
these  Concerts  for  the  first  time.  The  pianist,  Madame  Haas, 
was  entrusted  with  nothing  of  higher  interest  than  a  Rhapsody 
in  B  minor  by  Brahms,  and  Chopin's  Nocturne  in  B  major — very 
neatly  played,  but  at  best  a  poor  substitute  for  the  substantial  fare 


OCTOBER.  107 


which  habitues  would  have  known  so  well  how  to  appreciate.  The 
remainder  of  the  scheme  was  made  up  of  a  Violin  Sonata  by  Rust, 
exquisitely  rendered  by  Madame  Neruda  to  her  sister's  accom- 
paniment, and  Chopin's  Introduction  and  Polonaise  Brillante  in 
C,  for  piano  and  violoncello,  in  which  Madame  Haas  was  associ- 
ated with  the  gifted  veteran,  Signor  Piatti.  These  efforts  were 
cordially  applauded,  and  after  the  Sonata  an  encore  was  asked  for 
and  granted.  Still  the  material  was  scarcely  of  a  kind  to  start 
the  season  in  brilliant  style.  The  Quartet  was  superbly  executed 
by  Madame  Neruda,  Messrs.  L.  Ries,  Straus,  and  Piatti.  Miss- 
Liza  Lehmann  delighted  the  audience  by  her  unaffected  delivery 
of  a  graceful  old  song  by  James  Hook,  "  Oh,  listen  to  the  voice 
of  Love  "  ;  and  was  heard  later  on  in  Lieder  by  Emmerich  and 
Meyer-Hellmund,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Frantzen. 

On  the  same  evening,  after  an  absence  of  many  months,. 
Madame  Adelina  Patti  made  her  re-appearance  in  the  metropolis 
at  a  Concert  given  in  the  Albert  Hall  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Kuhe.  A  vast  audience  gathered  to  listen  to  the  illustrious 
artist.  The  reception  accorded  her  was  of  the  most  enthusiastic 
character,  and  each  of  her  solos  was  encored.  Madame  Patti 
was  in  splendid  voice,  and  her  singing  was  marked  by  all  the 
incomparable  charm  of  old.  Seldom  has  the  distinguished  prima 
donna  appeared  in  better  health  and  spirits  ;  but  it  was  noticed, 
not  without  some  astonishment,  that  since  she  was  last  here  the 
diva's  raven  tresses  had  changed  their  hue  to  an  auburn  tint. 
Madame  Patey,  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd,  Madame  Neruda,  and  other 
artists  also  appeared,  and  the  orchestra  was  conducted  by 
Mr.  Wilhelm  Ganz. 

The  Royal  College  students  at  their  orchestral  performance  on 
the  3ist  played  under  Mr.  Holmes's  direction  the  Suite  in  C,  by 
Bach,  Brahms's  Symphony  in  C  minor  (No.  i),  and  Mendelssohn's 
"  Hebrides "  Overture.  Miss  Cecile  Elieson,  a  clever  young 
violin  scholar,  played  Saint-Saens's  Introduction  and  Rondo;  and 
Miss  Ethel  Webster,  Miss  S.  Pierce,  and  Mr.  H.  Beauchamp 
were  the  vocalists. 


io8  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


A  new  romantic  Opera,  entitled  "  The  Castle  of  Como,"  written 
by  the  late  Charles  Searle,  and  composed  by  Major  George 
Cockle,  Mus.  Bac.,  Oxon.,  was  performed  for  the  first  time  at  the 
Opera  Comique  Theatre  on  the  2nd.  The  story,  taken  from 
"  The  Lady  of  Lyons,"  follows  closely  upon  the  lines  of  Bulwer 
Lytton's  play,  the  scenes  coming  in  much  the  same  order,  while 
the  character  of  Madame  Deschappelles  is  the  only  one  expunged. 
No  books  of  the  words  were  issued,  consequently  it  was  impossible 
to  form  a  definite  opinion  upon  Mr.  Searle's  libretto,  but  Lytton's 
text  was  frequently  employed,  though  in  a  somewhat  mutilated 
shape.  Major  Cockle  failed  to  succeed  in  the  task  which  Mr. 
Frederic  Cowen,  in  his  opera  "  Pauline,"  found  alike  difficult  and 
ungrateful —that  of  making  interesting  operatic  personages  out  of 
Lytton's  stilted,  artificial  characters.  His  music  might  be  appro- 
priate, and,  at  times,  dramatic,  but  that  was  the  best  that  could 
be  said  for  it.  The  scene  in  Widow  Melnotte's  cottage  was  the 
best-written  and  the  most  interesting ;  but  the  Claude  and  Pauline 
were  a  very  tedious  couple,  and  the  Beauseant  was  nothing  more 
than  a  commonplace  operatic  villain.  The  mise  en  scene  was 
adequate,  and  the  orchestra,  if  too  loud  and  large  for  the  theatre, 
was  a  particularly  good  one.  Miss  Rosina  Isidor  appeared  as 
Pauline,  Miss  Amy  Martin  as  Widow  Melnotte,  Mr.  Cadwaladr  as 
Claude,  Mr.  Leo  Stormont  as  Beauseant,  Mr.  Donnell  Balfe  as 
Colonel  Damas,  Miss  de  Vernet  as  Glavis,  and  Mr.  Henry  Pope  as 
M.  Deschappelles.  The  Conductor,  Signor  Coronaro  (Faccio's 
deputy  at  the  Milan  Scala),  kept  his  forces  together  with  wonder- 
ful tact.  In  fact,  to  him  was  largely  due  the  comparative  smooth- 
ness of  the  initial  performance  and  the  consequent  indulgent 
reception  accorded  the  opera. 

"  The  Prima  Donna,"  a  comic  opera  in  three  acts,  composed 
by  Signor  Tito  Mattei,  was  produced  with  fair  success  at  the 
Avenue  Theatre  on  the  i6th,  and  ran  for  several  weeks.  The 
story  of  an  impecunious  Grand  Duke's  device  for  concealing  his 
poverty  by  making  a  troupe  of  French  comedians  impersonate 
his  ministers  and  courtiers  was  rather  too  thin  to  be  spread  over 


OCTOBER.  109 


three  acts  ;  but  it  gave  rise  to  some  amusing  complications.  The 
chief  possibilities  for  creating  mirth  lay  in  the  part  of  Ballard,  the 
manager  of  the  travelling  company  referred  to,  a  person  whom 
Mr.  Albert  Chevalier  contrived  to  make  exceedingly  diverting. 
The  book  of  "  The  Prima  Donna  "  was  written  some  years  ago 
by  Messrs.  H.  B.  Farnie  and  Alfred  Murray,  and  most  of  Signor 
Tito  Mattei's  music  had  also  been  composed  some  time.  There 
was  an  abundance  of  bright  melody  in  the  score,  and  altogether 
the  music  was  decidedly  worthy  of  Signor  Mattei's  elegant  and 
fluent  pen.  The  chief  parts  were  played  by  Madame  Palma  (who 
made  her  first  appearance  in  comic  opera),  Mr.  Alec  Marsh,  Miss 
Florence  Paltzer,  and  Miss  Amelia  Griihn,  the  last-named  a 
debutante  with  a  pretty  voice  and  engaging  presence. 

OBITUARY.  —  William  Michael  Watson  (song  composer), 
London,  2nd  ;  Adolph  von  Henselt  (pianist  and  composer),  Warm- 
brunn,  Silesia,  I2th  ;  O.  Metra  (dance  composer  and  conductor),. 
Paris,  22nd. 


no  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


NOVEMBER. 

DR.  VILLIERS  STANFORD'S  "  Voyage  of  Maeldune "  and  Dr. 
Hubert  Parry's  "  Ode  on  St.  Cecilia's  Day  "  were  performed  for 
the  first  time  in  London  at  the  Royal  Choral  Society's  Concert 
on  the  I3th.  The  audience  for  the  Albert  Hall  was  not  a  large 
one,  but  it  was  very  demonstrative,  and  emphatically  endorsed 
the  Leeds  verdict  in  each  instance.  Considering  the  few 
rehearsals  that  had  been  possible,  the  performance  on  the  part 
of  the  choir  was  highly  meritorious  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
band  was  by  no  means  up  to  the  mark,  and  much  of  the  delicate 
charm  of  the  orchestration,  in  the  "  Voyage  of  Maeldune  " 
especially,  was  lost  in  the  big  building.  Miss  Macintyre, 
Madame  Belle  Cole,  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd,  and  Mr.  Brereton  were 
the  soloists  of  the  evening,  and  the  composers  conducted. 

The  Royal  Society  of  Musicians  gave  a  performance  of 
"  Elijah  "  at  St.  James's  Hall  on  the  27th.  The  principal 
soloists  were  Miss  Anna  Williams,  Miss  Hilda  Wilson,  Mr.  Tver 
McKay,  and  Mr.  Watkin  Mills;  and  Mr.  W.  H.  Cummings 
conducted. 

Spohr's  "  Fall  of  Babylon,"  written  for  the  Norwich  Festival  of 
1842,  and  given  under  the  composer's  direction  at  Exeter  Hall  in 
1847,  was  revived  by  Mr.  Ebenezer  Prout  at  the  first  Concert  of 
the  Hackney  Choral  Association  on  the  i8th.  There  are  some 
interesting  solos  and  some  magnificent  choruses  in  this  Oratorio, 
but  in  a  dramatic  sense  Spohr's  music  does  not  rise  to  the  level 
of  its  theme.  The  vocalists  were  Madame  Isabel  George,  Miss 
Rosa  Dafforne,  Mr.  H.  Piercy,  Mr.  Andrew  Black,  and  Mr.  H. 
Pope,  who  all  acquitted  themselves  well.  The  Hackney  choir  sang 


NOVEMBER.  in 


with  much  spirit  and  with  great  attention  to  light  and  shade. 
Mr.  Prout  conducted  with  his  usual  skill  and  intelligence. 

The  Crystal  Palace  Concert  on  the  2nd  opened  with  a  new 
Overture,  entitled  "Robert  Bruce,"  composed  by  Mr.  F.  J. 
Simpson,  a  native  of  Portobello,  near  Edinburgh,  who  studied 
first  at  Leipsic  in  1877,  then  at  the  National  Training  School,  and 
afterwards,  in  1885,  took  the  degree  of  Mus.  Bac.  at  Oxford.  The 
work  is  intended  to  depict  the  career  of  the  Scottish  hero,  Robert 
Bruce,  and  the  principal  theme  employed  is  the  famous  tune 
"  Scots  wha  hae,"  which,  grandiosely  treated,  forms  also  the 
subject  of  the  Coda.  Mr.  Simpson's  Overture  is  boldly  scored, 
and  is  altogether  a  work  of  decided  merit  and  still  greater 
promise.  Among  other  items  of  the  same  Concert  may  be  men- 
tioned an  extremely  good  performance  by  Herr  Hans  Wessely  of 
Mendelssohn's  Violin  Concerto,  and  the  expressive  singing  of 
Mrs.  Hutchinson.  The  Symphony  was  Schumann's  No.  i  in  B 
flat.  On  the  following  Saturday  Goetz's  masterpiece  in  F  was 
heard.  Madame  Anna  Falk-Mehlig  gave  on  the  latter  occasion 
an  exceedingly  refined,  intelligent  rendering  of  Beethoven's 
"  Emperor  "  Concerto.  The  programme  further  included  Berlioz's 
picturesque  Overture  to  "  Benvenuto  Cellini  "  and  a  Rhapsody 
for  orchestra  by  Edouard  Lalo,  heard  for  the  first  time  in 
England.  The  latter  work  was  originally  a  "  Fantaisie  Norv6- 
gienne  "  for  violin  and  orchestra,  and  in  that  form  was  played  by 
Senor  Sarasate  in  Paris  in  1879.  1°  the  same  year  it  was 
remodelled  and  a  second  movement  added,  and  subsequently  it 
met  with  great  favour  at  the  Chatelet  Concerts.  The  Rhapsody 
is  bright,  characteristic,  and  full  of  variety,  and,  as  is  the  case 
with  all  Lalo's  compositions,  the  orchestration  glows  with  vivid 
colour.  Madame  Nordica  sang  a  scena  from  Marschner's  opera 
"  Hans  Heiling  "  and  the  ballata  "  C'era  una  volta  un  principe," 
from  Gomes's  Opera  "  II  Guarany."  The  performance  of  "  St. 
Paul  "  on  the  i6th  drew  an  overflowing  crowd.  Mr.  Manns  had 
taken  great  pains  to  secure  a  satisfactory  rendering  of  Mendels- 
sohn's earlier  Oratorio,  and  was  bv  no  means  unsuccessful.  The 


ii2  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

choir  did  its  work  fairly  well,  the  extra  fifty  boys'  voices  telling 
splendidly  in  the  chorales;  and  the  band  was  beyond  praise.  Of 
the  soloists,  the  chief  successes  fell  to  Miss  Anna  Williams, 
Madame  Marian  McKenzie,  and  Mr.  Lloyd.  Mr.  Brereton,  Mr. 
Robert  Grice,  and  Mr.  Henry  Bailey  also  sang,  and  Mr.  Alfred 
Eyre  was  at  the  organ.  A  week  later  two  works  were  added  to 
the  repertory  of  the  Crystal  Palace  Concerts — viz.,  Saint-Saens's 
Violin  Concertstiick  in  A  (Op.  20)  and  Liszt's  Symphonic  Poem 
in  C  (No.  7),  entitled  "  Festklange."  Neither  can  be  described 
as  a  chef-d'oeuvre,  but  the  art  value  of  the  Concertstiick  may 
unquestionably  be  reckoned  high  above  that  of  Liszt's  noisy  display 
of  pretentious  bombast.  M.  Saint-Saens's  piece  gave  Miss  Nettie 
Carpenter  an  opportunity  for  a  brilliant  display  of  virtuosity  on 
her  debut  before  a  Sydenham  audience,  and  she  was  received  with 
loud  applause.  Wagner's  "Flying  Dutchman"  Overture  and 
Beethoven's  Seventh  Symphony  were  grandly  played  under  Mr. 
Manns,  and  Fraulein  Fillunger  sang  Mendelssohn's  "  Infelice  " 
and  Lieder  by  Brahms  and  Schubert.  On  the  3Oth  Sir  Arthur 
Sullivan's  picturesque  "  Macbeth  "  music  was  heard  here  for  the 
first  time,  and  native  talent  was  further  represented  by  Mr. 
Hamish  MacCunn's  fine  orchestral  Ballad  "The  Ship  o'  the 
Fiend."  The  Symphony  was  Brahms's  No.  2  in  D.  The 
Concert  opened  with  a  selection  from  Weber's  "  Euryanthe," 
comprising  the  Overture,  Lysiart's  scena  (sung  by  Mr.  Henschel), 
and  the  Romance  "  Glocklein  im  Thale,"  given  by  Mrs.  Henschel. 
The  talented  husband  and  wife  were  also  heard  together  in  Mr. 
Henschel's  charming  duet  "  Gondoliera,"  which  so  pleased  the 
audience  that  it  had  to  be  repeated. 

A  fresh  series  of  London  Symphony  Concerts  was  started  by 
Mr.  Henschel  on  the  i4th.  He  again  collected  an  excellent 
orchestra  and  he  now  furnished  full  analytical  programmes  at  the 
reasonable  price  of  sixpence.  Moreover,  in  the  belief  that  his 
Concerts  should  appeal  to  the  legion  of  music-lovers  who  reside 
near  and  around  London,  he  lowered  his  terms  of  subscription, 
and  again  altered  the  hour  for  beginning  the  Concerts  from  8.30 


NOVEMBER.  113 


to  8  p.m.  But  despite  all  this,  the  attendance  at  the  opening 
Concert  was  meagre,  and  it  did  not  subsequently  improve  so 
much  as  could  have  been  wished.  Whether  the  intended  exclusion 
of  novelties  this  season  constituted  a  wise  move  is  questionable. 
At  any  rate,  it  would  not  seem  to  have  been  so,  if  a  scheme  com- 
prising a  Suite  by  Bach,  and  Overture  by  Beethoven,  and 
Symphonies  by  Haydn  and  Brahms  failed  at  the  outset  to  attract 
more  powerfully.  On  the  other  hand,  it  was  scarcely  worth  while 
to  depart  from  the  said  intention  in  order  to  bring  under  notice 
the  youthful  efforts  of  Herr  Richard  Strauss,  present  Capellmeister 
of  the  Court  Theatre  at  Weimar.  Two  movements  from  this 
young  musician's  Symphonic  Fantasia  "  Aus  Italien  "  were  played 
at  the  Second  Symphony  Concert  on  the  28th.  Herr  Strauss  (who, 
by  the  way,  is  the  son  of  a  celebrated  horn-player,  and  no  relation 
to  the  still  more  celebrated  Viennese  dance-music  family)  possesses 
undoubted  talent,  but  it  is  not  yet  ripe  enough,  apparently,  to 
challenge  judgment  beyond  the  home  circle  of  modern  German 
art.  Whether  all  Herr  Strauss's  music  is  marked  by  the  same 
diffuse,  redundant  character,  the  same  pretentious  style  of  treat- 
ment, and  the  same  laborious  striving  after  originality,  with  no 
better  result  than  a  mixed  suggestion  of  Wagner  and  Brahms,  it 
is  impossible  to  say.  Meanwhile,  it  would  not  be  altogether  fair 
to  judge  the  composer  by  these  isolated  movements,  with  their 
meandering  melodies  and  fantastic  "  tone-paintings."  Enough 
that  one  seeks  to  depict  the  Roman  Campagna  and  the  other  the 
shore  at  Sorrento.  The  same  evening's  selection  also  comprised 
the  Overture  to  "  Oberon,"  Brahms's  Variation  on  a  theme  by 
Haydn,  Wagner's  "  Huldigungs  Marsch,"  and  Schumann's 
Symphony  in  D  minor,  No.  4. 

Sir  Charles  Halle's  Manchester  band  made  its  re-appearance  at 
St.  James's  Hall,  after  a  ten  years'  absence  from  London,  on 
Friday  evening,  the  22nd,  at  the  first  of  a  series  of  four  Concerts. 
Again  did  this  admirable  body  of  instrumentalists  delight 
connoisseurs  by  the  perfection  of  its  ensemble  playing.  The  advan- 
tage of  constant  working  together,  for  unity  of  attack  and  precise 

I 


n4  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

observance  of  light  and  shade,  was  shown,  for  example,  in  a 
wonderful  rendering  of  Cherubini's  "  Anacreon  "  Overture;  but 
in  regard  to  general  excellence  the  Manchester  band  could  make 
no  claim  to  be  placed  upon  a  higher  pedestal  than  our  leading 
London  orchestras,  such  as  the  Crystal  Palace,  the  Philharmonic, 
or  the  Richter.  In  addition  to  the  Overture,  two  of  Dvorak's 
"  Legenden  "  and  Berlioz's  "  Episode  de  la  vie  d'un  artiste  "  were 
played  with  rare  spirit  and  refinement,  while  Lady  Halle  gave  a 
magnificent  rendering  of  Beethoven's  Violin  Concerto.  The 
attendance  at  this  Concert  was  by  no  means  satisfactory ;  but  in 
point  of  fact,  orchestral  music,  however  excellent  its  quality, 
would  seem  to  have  little  attraction  for  London  amateurs  during 
the  winter  months. 

At  the  opening  Saturday  Popular  Concerts,  on  the  2nd,  Madame 
Neruda  and  Messrs.  Ries,  Straus,  and  Piatti  gave  a  perfect 
interpretation  of  Cherubini's  posthumous  Quartet  in  F  (No.  5), 
heard  at  these  Concerts  for  the  first  time.  The  lovely  slow 
movement  was  exquisitely  played  ;  it  made  one  marvel  at  the 
freshness  and  feeling  with  which  a  composer  of  over  400  works 
could  write  at  the  age  of  seventy-five.  Madame  Haas  introduced 
a  clever  and  effective  Fugue  in  E  flat  minor  (Op.  37),  by  her 
brother,  Alexis  Hollander,  a  Professor  resident  in  Berlin ;  also  a 
Capriccio  by  Scarlatti,  and,  as  a  encore,  a  Minuet  by  Paderewski. 
All  these  pieces  she  played  charmingly.  Mrs.  Henschel  received 
a  hearty  greeting,  and  sang,  as  usual,  with  irreproachable 
taste.  At  the  next  Monday  "  Pop  "  Miss  Agnes  Zimmermann 
made  her  r entree  in  a  couple  of  pieces  by  Schumann,  which  she 
played  with  characteristic  taste  and  sentiment.  The  clever 
English  pianist  also  accompanied  Signer  Piatti  in  his  arrange- 
ment for  violoncello  and  piano  of  the  third  of  the  "  Lessons  " 
written  by  Ariosti  for  the  viola  d'amore — two  charming  move- 
ments, a  Largo  and  an  Allemande,  now  heard  for  the  first  time 
here.  Signer  Piatti  played  them  with  delightful  beauty  of  tone 
and  phrasing.  The  Concert  opened  with  Mozart's  Quartet  in  A 
(No.  5),  and  concluded  with  Schubert's  Pianoforte  Trio  in  B  flat 


NOVEMBER.  115 


(Op.  99),  rendered  in  masterly  style  by  Madame  Neruda,  Miss 
Zimmermann,  and  Signer  Piatti.  A  very  enjoyable  feature  of 
the  evening  were  some  duets  by  Dvorak  and  Goring  Thomas, 
sung  by  Miss  Lena  Little  and  Mr.  Max  Heinrich.  There  was  a 
comparatively  meagre  attendance  both  at  this  and  the  Saturday 
Concert  of  the  Qth,  when  Dvorak's  Quartet  in  E  (Op.  80)  was 
repeated.  Sir  Charles  Halle  made  his  re-appearance  amid  hearty 
greetings,  and  played  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  E  minor  (Op.  90), 
adding  one  of  Schubert's  "  Momens  Musicales "  for  an  encore. 
With  Lady  Halle  he  was  heard  in  Schumann's  duet  Sonata  in  A 
minor  (Op.  105)  ;  and  finally  the  gifted  husband  and  wife,  in 
association  with  Signer  Piatti,  executed  Beethoven's  Variations 
on  "  Ich  bin  der  Schneider  Kakadu."  Miss  Liza  Lehmann  sang 
songs  by  Schubert  and  Villiers  Stanford.  On  Monday,  the  nth, 
Sir  Charles  Halle  sustained  a  still  heavier  part  in  the  pro- 
ceedings. At  the  beginning  of  the  Concert  he  was  associated 
with  Madame  Neruda  (Lady  Halle),  Messrs.  Ries,  Straus,  and 
Piatti  in  Dvorak's  Pianoforte  Quintet  in  A  (Op.  81),  which  was 
very  finely  executed.  After  his  solo  (Beethoven's  Variations  in  C 
minor,  Op.  36)  Sir  Charles  played  two  duets  with  Lady  Halle — 
viz.,  Brahms's  Sonata  in  A  i,Op.  100)  and  the  "  Pensees 
Fugitives "  of  Heller  and  Ernst.  The  vocalist  was  Miss 
Marguerite  Hall — a  pleasing  and^  artistic  singer,  who  had  made 
marked  improvement  of  late.  On  the  succeeding  Saturday  Sir 
Charles  and  Lady  Halle  introduced  for  the  first  time  at  these 
Concerts  Brahms's  duet  Sonata  in  D  minor  (Op.  108),  which 
Miss  Fanny  Davies  brought  forward  at  Princes'  Hall  in  the 
summer.  The  fine  work  made  a  deep  impression.  In  addition 
Madame  Neruda  led  the  Haydn  Quartet  in  D  minor  (Op.  42),  and 
was  associated  with  Sir  Charles  Halle  and  Signor  Piatti  in 
Beethoven's  D  major  Trio  (Op.  70).  The  pianoforte  solo  was 
Schubert's  Sonata  in  A  minor  (Op.  42).  Miss  Lena  Little  and 
Mr.  Max  Heinrich  sang.  On  Monday,  the  i8th,  Professor  Villiers 
Stanford's  new  Sonata  for  pianoforte  and  violoncello,  in  D  minor 
(Op.  39)  was  performed  for  the  first  time  by  the  composer  and 

I    2 


n6  .  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


Signer  Piatti.  It  was  written  in  September,  during  a  visit  paid 
by  Dr.  Stanford  to  the  "prince  of  'cellists"  at  his  villa  on  the 
Lake  of  Como.  The  opening  Allegretto  con  moto  is  interesting  and 
strongly  tinged  with  romantic  feeling;  but  the  middle  movement, 
an  Andante  containing  some  strongly-contrasted  episodes,  sounded 
on  first  hearing  rather  fragmentary  and  diffuse.  The  Finale  is  an 
extremely  cleverly-written  section,  wanting  neither  in  animation 
nor  interest.  The  Sonata  was  finely  played,  and  applauded  with 
much  warmth.  Madame  Neruda,  accompanied  by  Miss  Olga 
Neruda,  was  heard  in  Raffs  "  Volker,"  and  also  in  Beethoven's 
Quintet  in  C.  The  Concert  ended  with  Brahms's  "  Gipsy  Songs  " 
for  four  voices,  these  being  sung  by  Mrs.  Henschel,  Miss  Lena 
Little,  Mr.  Shakespeare,  and  Mr.  Henschel,  with  Madame  Haas 
at  the  piano.  Miss  Fanny  Davies  made  her  rentree  on  the 
following  Saturday,  and  was  warmly  welcomed  by  a  large  crowd. 
Her  solo  was  Bach's  Chromatic  Fantasia,  which  exacting  piece 
she  executed  with  faultless  purity  of  touch  and  mecanisme,  adding 
for  an  encore  Schumann's  Canon  in  A  flat.  She  also  joined 
Madame  Neruda  and  Signer  Piatti  in  Beethoven's  E  flat  Trio 
(Op.  70),  and  accompanied  the  Brahms  "Gipsy  Songs,"  sung  by 
the  same  vocalists  as  at  the  preceding  Concert.  On  the  last 
Monday  of  the  month  Signor  Piatti  brought  forward  Thirteen 
Divisions  (or  Variations)  to  a  ground  bass,  written  by 
Christopher  Sympson  for  the  "  Division  Viol."  This  curious 
example  of  seventeenth  century  English  music,  as  now  played  by 
Signor  Piatti  (with  Miss  Fanny  Davies  at  the  piano),  made  a  very 
pleasing  effect  and  was  loudly  applauded.  Miss  Davies  also 
performed  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  D  minor  (Op.  31),  and  Madame 
Belle  Cole  sang.  Madame  de  Pachmann  appeared  on  Saturday, 
the  3Oth,  and  gave  a  highly  finished  performance  of  Schubert's 
Fantasia  Sonata  in  G  (Op.  78).  Her  sympathetic  touch  and  neat 
style  were  manifested  with  especial  effect  in  the  Finale,  after  which 
the  player  was  thrice  recalled.  Madame  de  Pachmann  also  joined 
Signor  Piatti  in  Rubinstein's  Three  Pieces  for  piano  and 
cello  (Op.  n) — a  modest  item,  selected,  maybe,  in  order  to 


NOVEMBER.  117 


commemorate  the  composer's  jubilee,  which  was  celebrated  in 
Russia  with  much  rejoicing  on  this  day.  Madame  N6ruda  led 
Mozart's  favourite  Quintet  in  G  minor  and  Madame  Bertha  Moore 
sang,  Mr.  Ernest  Ford  accompanying. 

The  students  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Music  gave  a  Chamber 
Concert  at  St.  James's  Hall  on  the  4th.  Some  choral  pieces 
were  also  included  in  the  programme,  these  comprising  Wesley's 
anthem  "  Blessed  be  God  the  Father,"  Brahms's  "  Ave  Maria  " 
for  female  voices,  and  Walmisley's  part-song  "  Sweete  flowers, 
ye  were  too  faire."  Mendelssohn's  Pianoforte  Trio  in  C  minor 
was  remarkably  well  played  by  Miss  Edith  Young,  Mr.  Gerald 
Walenn,  and  Mr.  C.  H.  Allen  Gill ;  and  Saint-Saens's  Variations 
for  two  pianofortes  on  a  theme  by  Beethoven  were  capitally 
executed  by  Miss  Edith  Purvis  and  Miss  Christine  Taylor.  The 
Principal  conducted. 

Two  Concerts  of  a  second  series  of  four  were  given  by  the 
Musical  Guild  (on  the  I2th  and  27th),  at  the  Kensington  Town 
Hall.  At  the  first  Spohr's  Double  Quartet  in  E  minor  (Op.  87) 
received  a  very  creditable  rendering.  The  executants  were  (first 
quartet)  Mr.  Arthur  Bent,  Mr.  Wallace  Sutcliffe,  Mr.  Emil 
Kreuz,  and  Mr.  W.  H.  Squire,  and  (second  quartet)  Mr.  Edgar 
Hopkinson,  Miss  Zoe  Pyne,  Mr.  H.  Hobday,  and  Mr.  J.  F. 
Field.  Miss  Zoe  Pyne  and  Miss  Marian  Osborn  played  Dr. 
Hubert  Parry's  "  Partita  "  for  violin  and  pianoforte  in  D  minor; 
and  Brahms's  Pianoforte  Quartet  in  A  major  (Op.  26)  received  full 
justice  at  the  hands  of  Miss  Annie  Fry,  Messrs.  Bent,  Kreuz,  and 
Squire.  The  remaining  programmes  of  the  series  were  equally 
interesting  in  character,  the  only  items  that  call  for  record  here 
being  Mr.  Henry  Holmes's  Octet  in  F,  for  strings  (Op.  56),  and  a 
set  of  National  Dances  by  Mr.  Algernon  Ashton. 

The  Wind  Instrument  Chamber  Music  Society  gave  a  "  Social 
Evening,"  on  the  i5th,  at  the  Royal  Academy  of  Music.  The 
programme  contained  Reinecke's  Trio  for  oboe,  horn,  and 
piano ;  a  Sonata  for  flute  and  piano,  by  Mr.  C.  E.  Stephens ;  a 
Quintet  for  oboe,  clarinet,  horn,  bassoon,  and  piano,  by  Mr. 


n8  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

G.  A.  Osborne;  and  Spohr's  Septet  (Op.  147),  for  piano,  wind, 
and  strings.  Mr.  Stephens  and  Mr.  Osborne — gifted  veterans 
both — took  part  in  the  interpretation  of  their  respective  works. 

The  admirably  organised  Chamber  Concerts  given  annually  by 
the  Messrs.  Hann  began  at  the  Brixton  Hall  on  the  6th.  Mr. 
Hann  and  his  sons  supplied  the  entire  executive  element,  and 
their  refined,  intelligent  playing  afforded  pleasure  to  highly 
appreciative  audiences.  Messrs.  Hann  introduced  at  their  second 
Concert,  on  the  27th,  a  MS.  Pianoforte  Quintet  in  C  major,  by 
the  talented  Cambridge  musician,  Mr.  Gerard  F.  Cobb.  This 
work  contains  the  usual  four  movements.  The  Allegro  opens 
boldly,  and  the  music  generally  is  interesting.  The  Scherzo, 
though  too  short,  is  distinctly  humorous,  and  the  Trio  contrasts 
well  with  it.  The  slow  movement  can  boast  much  melodic  beauty, 
though  in  general  effect  slightly  fragmentary.  The  Rondo  Finale 
is  very  melodious  and  graceful.  The  performance  of  this  clever 
work  by  the  Messrs.  Hann  was  deserving  of  the  warmest  praise. 
Mrs.  Henschel  sang. 

The  London  Ballad  Concerts  began  for  the  season  on  the  2Oth, 
St.  James's  Hall  being  full,  but  not  crowded.  The  programme 
contained  four  new  songs  by  popular  composers,  but  none  of 
them  made  a  very  palpable  success.  Madame  Antoinette  Sterling 
introduced  "  Bantry  Bay,"  a  rather  dismal  song  by  Molloy  ;  Mr. 
Edward  Lloyd  sang  Hope  Temple's  "  Love  and  Friendship," 
which  did  not  suit  him ;  Mr.  Piercy  was  heard  in  a  Ballad  by 
Marzials,  called  "  Stay,  darling,  stay  "  ;  and  Madame  Belle  Cole 
introduced  Stephen  Adams's  "  This  work-a-day  world."  In 
addition  to  these  artists,  there  appeared  Mrs.  Mary  Davies,  Miss 
Alice  Gomes,  Miss  Liza  Lehmann,  Mr.  Arthur  Oswald,  Mr. 
Plunket  Greene,  Madame  Neruda,  and  Mr.  Eaton  Faning's 
Select  Choir.  Mr.  Sidney  Naylor  accompanied. 

Miss  Mathilde  Wurm  gave  an  evening  Concert  at  Princes'  Hall 
on  the  I2th.  In  her  solo  pieces  the  young  pianist  acquitted 
herself  with  distinction,  and  won  the  warm  approval  of  her 
audience.  She  also  joined  Mr.  Hollander  in  Brahms's  A  major 


NOVEMBER.  ng 


Sonata  for  pianoforte  and  violin,  and  had  the  assistance  of  her 
sister,  Miss  Alice  Wurm,  in  Saint-Saens's  arrangement  for  two 
pianofortes  of  his  "  Danse  Macabre,"  both  works  being  extremely 
well  played.  Miss  Liza  Lehmann  sang. 

Miss  Agnes  Bartlett,  a  pupil  of  Liszt,  gave  a  series  of  Historical 
Pianoforte  Recitals  at  the  Hampstead  Conservatoire  Hall,  com- 
mencing on  the  i6th.  Mr.  J.  T.  Carrodus  gave  an  interesting 
Chamber  Concert  in  the  same  Hall,  on  the  22nd,  assisted  by  three 
of  his  sons,  Mr.  G.  F.  Geaussent,  and  other  artists. 

On  the  2yth  Herr  Robert  Heckmann  and  his  wife,  assisted  by 
Herr  Bernhard  Thieme  (violoncello),  gave  a  Chamber  Concert  at 
Steinway  Hall.  Noteworthy  was  their  admirable  interpretation 
of  a  Pianoforte  Trio  in  F  (Op.  6)  by  Bargiel,  heard  once  at  the 
"  Pops"  in  1875. 

Herr  Schonberger  and  Mr.  Max  Heinrich  gave  conjointly  three 
Concerts  at  Steinway  Hall,  the  programmes  of  which  were 
selected  from  the  works  of  Schubert,  Schumann,  and  Brahms 
respectively.  The  first  Concert  took  place  on  the  28th.  It  was 
not  very  well  attended,  but  the  audience  derived  manifest  pleasure 
from  the  efforts  of  these  talented  artists. 

The  Musical  Artists'  Society  gave  their  first  Concert  of  the 
season  at  Willis's  Rooms,  on  the  i6th,  and  on  the  same  evening 
the  Popular  Concert  Union  gave  an  excellent  performance  of 
"  Judas  Maccabaeus  "  at  the  People's  Palace,  Mile  End. 

St.  Andrew's  Day  was  celebrated  on  the  3Oth  with  the  cus- 
tomary musical  honours.  Mr.  Ambrose  Austin  gave  his  annual 
Scotch  Ballad  Concert  at  St.  James's  Hall,  at  which  the  Glasgow 
Select  Choir  and  some  popular  soloists  appeared.  At  the  Albert 
Hall  Mr.  William  Carter  provided  the  usual  Scotch  Festival,  and 
at  the  Crystal  Palace  there  was  a  grand  evening  Promenade 
Concert,  the  Saturday  orchestra  being  specially  retained. 

Madame  Patti  sang  at  a  second  Concert  at  the  Albert  Hall  on 
the  4th  and  made  her  final  appearance  on  the  i8th,  when  the 
colossal  building  was  crowded  in  all  parts.  Her  solo  pieces  on 
the  last  occasion  were  the  air  with  the  flutes  from  "  L'Etoile  du 


120  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Nord "  and  the  waltz  from  "Romeo";  and  with  Mr.  Edward 
Lloyd  she  sang  the  so-called  madrigal  duet  from  the  latter  opera. 
These  pieces  were  all  encored,  and  after  the  waltz  there  was  a 
double  encore.  The  other  artists  who  appeared  were  Miss  Alice 
Gomes,  Madame  Antoinette  Sterling,  Mr.  Max  Heinrich,  Miss 
Kuhe,  and  Misses  Marianne  and  Clara  Eissler.  Mr.  Randegger 
conducted  in  the  place  of  Mr.  Ganz,  who  was  suffering  from  a 
domestic  bereavement. 

"  The  Red  Hussar,"  a  comic  opera  in  three  acts,  libretto  by 
Mr.  P.  Stephens,  music  by  Mr.  Edward  Solomon,  was  brought 
out  at  the  Lyric  Theatre  on  the  23rd,  and  received  with  a  toler- 
able amount  of  favour.  The  story  is  full  of  improbabilities  and 
complications,  while  the  dialogue  is  largely  devoted  to  stale  quips 
and  cranks,  instead  of  helping  to  make  the  action  clearer.  Mr. 
Stephens's  lyrics  are,  happily,  superior  to  his  jokes,  although 
showing  an  equal  lack  of  inventiveness.  Mr.  Edward  Solomon's 
music  goes  a  long  way  towards  atoning  for  his  collaborator's 
shortcomings,  but  it  does  not  go  far  enough.  Its  interest  and 
power  drop  off  just  when  both  are  most  needed — that  is  to  say,  in 
the  second  act  amid  the  feeble  and  ridiculous  incidents  occurring 
in  the  English  camp  near  Bruges.  The  Red  Htissar  is  a  female 
English  ballad-singer  in  disguise.  She  follows  her  lover  to  the 
wars  when,  a  penniless  gentleman,  he  enlists  under  Marlborough 
and  goes  over  to  fight  in  Flanders.  How  she  becomes  one  of 
Prince  Eugene's  Hussars  it  would  be  difficult  to  say;  but  in 
addition  to  this,  she  contrives,  by  some  feat  of  gallantry,  at  once 
to  save  her  lover's  life  and  get  raised  to  the  rank  of  sergeant. 
When  the  scene  shifts  back  to  England,  the  Red  Hussar  re-appears 
in  the  strangest  way  as  a  fine  lady  decked  in  silks,  satins,  and 
jewels,  and  brought  on  in  a  sedan  chair.  Ultimately  it  is  dis- 
covered that  she  is  the  heiress  to  a  rich  estate,  and  in  the  course 
of  an  exceedingly  clumsy  denouement  she  succeeds  in  marrying 
herself  to  the  man  of  her  choice.  The  whole  of  the  first  act  and 
the  tenor  song  and  the  duet  in  the  second  comprise  the  very  best 
work  that  Mr.  Solomon  has  yet  put  into  a  comic  opera.  There 


NOVEMBER.  121 


is  a  distinction  and  a  symmetry  in  his  melodies  that  they  could 
not  boast  in  his  early  days  of  composition.  The  choruses  are 
unimportant,  but  Mr.  Solomon's  orchestration  is  as  rich  in 
ingenuity  and  device  as  ever.  The  entire  opera  was  admirably 
interpreted  under  M.  Ivan  Caryll's  guidance.  Miss  Marie 
Tempest  and  Mr.  Ben  Davies  carried  off  the  chief  honours  of  the 
performance,  while  Mr.  Hayden  Coffin,  Mr.  Arthur  Williams,  and 
Miss  Florence  Dysart  were  also  in  the  cast. 

OBITUARY. — Frederic  Clay  (composer),  Great  Marlow,  ayth. 


122  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


DECEMBER. 

M.  PETER  BENOIT'S  Oratorio  "Lucifer"  was  vouchsafed  its 
second  hearing  at  the  Albert  Hall  on  the  4th.  It  again  made  the 
impression  of  being  a  work  of  considerable  imaginative  power  and 
no  slight  originality,  but,  on  the  whole,  did  not  prove  more 
interesting  than  when  given  here  for  the  first  time  in  April.  Mr. 
Barnby  conducted  a  remarkably  smooth  and  efficient  performance, 
the  choir  again  acquitting  itself  of  its  difficult  task  with  con- 
spicuous ability.  The  solos  were  now  in  entirely  different  hands. 
Miss  Macintyre  and  Madame  Belle  Cole  jointly  sustained  the  role 
of  Fire;  Mr.  Iver  McKay  sang  very  well  indeed  the  tenor  solo 
allotted  to  Water ;  and,  in  the  absence  of  M.  Blauwaert  (who  was 
too  ill  to  come  over  and  repeat  his  fine  impersonation  of  Lucifer], 
Mr.  Watkin  Mills  "  doubled  "  the  parts  of  the  Fiend  and  Earth, 
declaiming  his  music  with  rare  vigour  and  force.  The  composer 
was  once  more  among  the  audience — not  a  very  large  one,  by  the 
way. 

At  the  Crystal  Palace  Concert  on  the  yth  the  principal  work  in 
the  scheme  was  Mr.  Frederic  Cliffe's  clever  Symphony  in  C  minor 
(Op.  i),  now  given  here  for  the  second  time.  It  was  warmly 
applauded,  and  the  composer  was  called  to  the  platform.  Miss 
Marian  Osborn,  until  recently  a  student  at  the  Royal  College, 
made  her  debut,  with  marked  success,  giving  an  extremely  neat 
rendering  of  Beethoven's  G  major  Pianoforte  Concerto  and 
Mendelssohn's  Prelude  and  Fugue  in  E  minor.  Goldmark's 
picturesque  Overture  "  Sakuntala  "  was  the  novelty  of  the  after- 
noon, and  Madame  Louise  Pyk  sang  in  place  of  M.  Blauwaert. 
On  the  I4th,  at  the  last  Saturday  Concert  of  the  year,  Mr.  F.  H. 
Cowen's  Old  English  Idyll  "St.  John's  Eve"  was  performed  for 


DECEMBER.      /  123 


the  first  time.  Written  for  the  express  purpose  of  fitting  the 
limited  executive  resources  of  our  minor  choral  societies,  this 
Cantata  can  be  given  either  with  a  small  or  a  large  orchestra,  and 
at  no  point  is  the  music  of  such  a  nature  as  to  make  exigent 
demands  upon  its  interpreters.  The  poem  is  in  Mr.  Joseph 
Bennett's  happiest  vein.  His  flowing  lyrics  are,  as  usual,  full  of 
varied  expression,  and  the  story  embodies  a  genuine  village  idyll 
of  bygone  days.  The  characters  are  four  in  number— viz.,  Nancy, 
a  village  maiden  (soprano)  ;  Robert,  a  young  villager  (baritone)  ; 
Margaret,  an  ancient  dame  (contralto)  ;  and  The  Young  Squire 
(tenor).  In  three  scenes  we  are  shown  how  Nancy,  advised  by  old 
Margaret,  gathers  a  rose  at  midnight  on  St.  John's  Eve  to  keep 
until  Christmas,  when,  if  she  find  it  unfaded,  she  is  to  wear  it,  and 
the  man  who  plucks  it  from  her  bosom  will  be  her  husband.  In 
due  time  Christmas  Day  comes  round  and  the  maiden  displays  an 
unfaded  rose.  But  the  man  who  takes  it  is  the  uncouth  Robert, 
whom  Nancy  forthwith  rejects,  whereupon  The  Young  Squire  steps 
forward  and  claims  Nancy  as  his  bride.  It  was  he  who  had  sent  a 
new  bloom  to  replace  the  faded  rose,  arad  he  now  offers  the  village 
beauty  his  hand  and  heart.  The  simplicity  of  this  poetic  idea 
finds  its  counterpart  in  Mr.  Cowen's  charming  music,  which 
breathes  an  Old  English  spirit,  and  teems  with  melody  of  the 
most  graceful  kind.  The  choruses  and  instrumental  preludes  and 
dances  are  among  the  most  attractive  features  of  the  work,  while 
of  the  solos,  the  tenor  Serenade  "  O  Zephyr,  stirring  'midst  the 
leaves,"  is  unquestionably  the  gem.  The  performance,  which  was 
directed  by  the  composer,  may  not  have  been  free  from  blemish, 
but  it  did  the  new  work  justice.  Miss  Macintyre,  Miss  Hilda 
Wilson,  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd,  and  Mr.  Plunket  Greene  comprised 
the  solo  quartet.  The  choir  was  excellent,  and  the  band  beyond 
reproach.  Mr.  Cowen  had  to  respond  to  an  enthusiastic  ovation, 
and  his  composition  met  with  high  approval  on  every  hand. 
Grieg's  "  Landkjending,"  for  baritone  solo,  chorus,  orchestra,  and 
organ  (Op.  31),  was  performed  for  the  first  time  in  England  at  the 
same  Concert.  It  is  a  characteristic  setting  of  a  short  poem  by 


i24  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Bjornsen,  describing  the  discovery  of  a  new  land  and  the  found- 
ing of  a  kingdom  by  the  Scandinavian  hero,  Olaf  Trygvason.  The 
music  is  full  of  dignity,  expression,  and  colour,  especially 
beautiful  being  the  religious  melody  for  the  solo  voice  (sung  by 
Mr.  Albert  Fairbairn),  which,  repeated  by  the  chorus,  concludes 
the  piece  with  fine  effect. 

At  Sir  Charles  Halle's  second  Orchestral  Concert,  on  the  6th, 
the  audience  did  not  attain  to  such  proportions  as  it  should  have, 
looking  at  the  nature  of  the  programme  and  the  excellence 
of  the  performance.  The  works  given  were  Dvorak's  Third 
Symphony  in  F,  Beethoven's  Pianoforte  Concerto  in  G  (the  solo 
part  played  by  Sir  Charles  Halle  himself),  Gade's  "Hamlet" 
Overture,  the  Entr'acte  in  B  flat  and  ballet  air  from  Schubert's 
"  Rosamunde "  music,  and  two  movements  from  Handel's 
"  Concerto  Grosso  "  in  B  minor. 

Mozart's  "  Notturno-Serenade  "  in  D,  for  four  orchestras,  was 
introduced  at  the  London  Symphony  Concert  on  the  I2th.  The 
exact  date  of  this  composition  is  unknown,  but  is  supposed  to  be 
1777,  and  in  any  case  the  work  may  be  regarded  as  a  youthful 
jeu  d'esprit,  interesting  on  account  of  its  curious  form  rather  than 
attributes  of  a  higher  order.  Each  orchestra  consists  of  first  and 
second  violins,  viola,  violoncello,  and  two  horns.  The  purpose  of 
the  division  is  to  secure  echo  effects,  these  being  produced  by  a 
repetition  of  the  concluding  phrase  of  a  passage.  Thus,  the  first 
orchestra,  which  is  also  the  largest,  gives  out  the  subject  forte, 
and  the  last  few  bars  are  taken  up  by  the  remaining  three 
orchestras  in  turn,  each  repeating  it  more  softly  than  the  other. 
The  movements  are  three  in  number — viz.,  an  Andante,  an 
Allegretto,  and  a  Menuetto,  and  all  are  unmistakably  Mozartian  in 
their  melodiousness  and  grace.  In  addition  to  the  novelty,  which 
was  neatly  interpreted,  the  programme  contained  Beethoven's 
Symphony  in  B  flat  (No.  4),  the  love  scene  from  Berlioz's 
"  Romeo  and  Juliet  "  Symphony,  and  the  "  Trauermarsch  "  and 
"  Walkiirenritt "  of  Wagner.  Mr.  Henschel  conducted  with 
plenty  of  spirit,  and  was  the  recipient  of  abundant  applause. 


DECEMBER.  125 


Included  in  the  Popular  Concert    programme  on  Monday,  the 
2nd,  were  Mendelssohn's  String  Quintet  in  B  flat  (Op.  87)   and 
Schumann's  favourite  Pianoforte  Quintet  in  E  flat  (Op.  44).     The 
executants  were  Madame   Neruda,    Miss   Fanny  Davies,  Messrs. 
Ries,  Straus,  Gibson,  and  Piatti.     After  an  excellent  rendering  of 
Beethoven's   Sonata  in   D   (Op.   10),  Miss  Davies  played  as  an 
encore  one  of  Mendelssohn's  Characteristic   Pieces.     Miss  Mar- 
guerite Hall  sang  songs  by  Schubert  and   Brahms,  accompanied 
by  Miss  Carmichael.     The  same  week  Professor  Stanford  played 
his  new  Sonata  in  D  minor,  with  Signer  Piatti,  for  the  first  time 
to   a   Saturday   audience,    and    Brahms's    "Gipsy  Songs"    were 
repeated    with    the    same    quartet    as    before,    save    that    Miss 
Marguerite  Hall  replaced  Miss  Lena  Little.      Madame    Neruda 
"  led  "  Beethoven's  Quartet  in  F  (Op.  18),  and  was  encored  in  the 
same  composer's  Romance  in  G.     Madame  Haas  was  the  pianist 
at  this  Concert,  and  again  on  Monday,  the  gth,  when  she  played 
Beethoven's  Sonata  in  A  flat  (Op.  no),  the  rest  of  the  programme 
being  entirely  familiar.     The  admirable  singing  of   Mr.  Plunket 
Greene,  in  pieces  by  Brahms  and  Hubert  Parry,  calls  for  mention. 
On  the  following  Saturday  and  Monday,  Miss  Fanny  Davies  was 
the  pianist,  giving  Schumann's  "  Carnival  "  at  one  Concert   and 
five  or  six  numbers   of  his  "  Kreisleriana "  at   the  other.     The 
concerted  works  were  again  selected  from  among  the  most  familiar 
in  the  repertory,  while  the  vocalists  on  these  respective  occasions 
were    Mdlle.  Agnes  Janson  and    Miss    Liza    Lehmann.     At  the 
afternoon  Concert  of  the  2ist  a  Beethoven  programme  was  per- 
formed,   including   such    favourites    as    the    "  Waldstein "    and 
"  Kreutzer "  Sonatas,   and  the  "  Rasoumowski "    Quartet    in   F. 
Sir  Charles  Halle  took  part  in  the  Sonatas,  and  Miss  Marguerite 
Hall  sang.     The  series  of  Concerts  before  Christmas  terminated 
on  the  23rd,  when  Mozart's  Clarinet  Quintet  (with  Mr.  Lazarus  at 
his  usual  post),  Beethoven's  Trio  in    C  minor  (Op.    i,   No.  3), 
Chopin's  Barcarolle  (played  by  Mdlle.  Janotha),   and  portions  of 
Raft's  "  Cyklische  Tondichtung  "  (executed  by  Madame  Neruda), 
with  songs  for  Fraulein   Fillunger,  made  up  an  attractive  pro- 


126  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


gramme.     The  average  attendance  during  the  month   was  large, 
more  especially,  of  course,  on  the  Saturday  afternoons. 

The  only  Christmas  performance  of  "  The  Messiah  "  in  central 
London  was  that  given  at  St.  James's  Hall,  on  the  2Oth,  by  the 
South  London  Choral  Association,  under  Mr.  L.  C.  Venables,  the 
able  Conductor  of  this  institution.  The  Oratorio  went  fairly  well, 
the  solos  being  undertaken  by  Mrs.  Hutchinson,  Miss  Hilda 
Wilson,  Mr.  Henry  Piercy,  and  Mr.  Andrew  Black. 

Another  Choral  Concert  on  the  same  evening  was  that  given  at 
Alexandra  House  by  pupils  of  the  Royai  College  of  Music,  the 
work  essayed  here  being  Berlioz's  Sacred  Trilogy  "  L'Enfance 
du  Christ,"  first  introduced  to  Londoners  by  Sir  Charles  Halle  in 
1880.  The  work,  however,  has  never  reaped  the  benefit  of  that 
introduction.  It  is  treated  with  an  indifference  which  its  musical 
beauties  certainly  do  not  warrant,  and  which  the  popularity  of  the 
same  composer's  secular  masterpiece,  "  La  Damnation  de 
Faust,"  makes  it  difficult  to  explain.  Hence  were  thanks  due  to 
the  authorities  of  the  Royal  College  for  performing  "  L'Enfance 
du  Christ  "  at  the  College  Concert  that  marked  the  close  of  the 
term.  The  religious  charm  and  subdued  grandeur  of  Berlioz's 
music  were  fully  recognised  and  appreciated  by  all  who  heard  it, 
and  it  received  adequate  justice  at  the  hands  of  the  students, 
under  the  painstaking  guidance  of  Professor  Stanford.  The  solos 
were  sustained  by  Miss  Richardson  (Mary),  Mr.  J.  Sandbrook 
(Joseph),  Mr.  E.  G.  Branscombe  (Narrator),  Mr.  S.  P.  Musson 
(Herod),  and  Mr.  Chas.  J.  Magrath  (Father  of  the  Family). 

The  Royal  Academy  students  took  part  in  a  Choral  and 
Orchestral  Concert  at  St.  James's  Hall  on  the  nth,  the  pro- 
gramme opening  with  a  "  Christmas  Carol  "  (MS.),  by  Miss  Mary 
Toulmin,  a  pupil  of  Mr.  Corder's.  The  Carol,  set  to  words  by 
Miss  Julia  Goddard,  was  neatly  put  together,  and  the  composer 
had  to  respond  to  a  deserved  recall.  Of  the  pianists  Miss  Amy 
Horrocks,  Miss  Maude  Wilson,  and  Miss  Mabel  Lyons  most  dis- 
tinguished themselves;  while  three  Australian  pupils  of  Mr. 
Randegger  (Mrs.  Florence  Bethell,  Mr.  C.  Edwards,  and  Mr.  F. 


DECEMBER.  127 


H.  Morton)  displayed  capital  voices  and  good  style  in  the 
dungeon  trio  from  "  Fidelio."  Dr.  Mackenzie,  the  Principal, 
conducted. 

At  an  Orchestral  Concert  given  at  the  Guildhall  on  the  7th,  by 
students  of  the  Guildhall  School  of  Music,  the  Lord  Mayor  (Sir 
Henry  Isaacs)  attended  in  state,  and  was  duly  honoured  with  Mr. 
Weist  Hill's  "  Civic  Anthem."  A  selection  from  Berlioz's 
"Faust" — musical  and  instrumental  excerpts  only — gave  great 
satisfaction.  A  Nocturne  for  violin  and  orchestra,  by  Mr.  Joseph 
Speaight,  a  student,  was  played,  Mr.  John  Saunders  executing 
the  solo.  The  first  movement  of  a  Symphony  in  G  minor,  by  Miss 
Edith  Swepstone,  another  talented  student,  was  also  introduced 
with  marked  success.  The  Concert  was  admirably  conducted  by 
the  Principal. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henschel  sang  before  crowded  audiences  at  their 
Vocal  Recitals,  at  Princes'  Hall,  on  the  4th  and  nth.  The  pro- 
grammes were  well  chosen  and  of  exceptional  interest,  several 
compositions  by  Mr.  Henschel  being  included. 

The  fiftieth  birthday  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Bonawitz  was  celebrated  at 
the  Portman  Rooms  on  the  3rd  by  a  Concert  of  his  vocal  and 
orchestral  works.  Included  in  the  programme  were  selections 
from  Mr.  Bonawitz's  operas  "  Ostrolenka,"  "  Irma,"  and  "The 
Bride  of  Messina";  excerpts  from  his  "Requiem"  and  "  Stabat 
Mater";  the  serenade  from  his  Symphony  in  C  minor;  and  a  new 
Introduction  and  Scherzo  for  piano  and  orchestra,  played  for  the 
first  time  by  the  composer  himself. 

At  their  opening  Concert  of  the  season,  on  the  4th,  the  West- 
minster Orchestral  Society  provided  an  interesting  scheme,  in 
which,  among  other  things,  Miss  Josephine  Lawrence  played 
Weber's  "  Concertstiick,"  and  Mr.  F.  Griffiths  played  a  Flute 
Concerto  by  F.  Langer  for  the  first  time.  Miss  Annie  Marriott 
and  Mr.  Musgrove  Tufnail  were  the  vocalists. 

Miss  Emma  Barnett's  Pianoforte  Recital  at  St.  James's 
(Banqueting)  Hall,  on  the  loth,  derived  special  interest  from  the 
first  performance  of  a  Sonata  in  A  minor,  by  Mr.  J.  F.  Barnett^ 


128  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

wherein  the  talents  of  the  brother  as  a  composer  and  the  sister  as 
an  executant  were  advantageously  exhibited.  The  new  work  is 
in  three  movements,  and  of  these  the  Finale  (a  Saltarello)  pleased 
most  on  first  hearing.  The  Sonata  as  a  whole  earned  hearty 
admiration.  Miss  Barnett  also  played  Schumann's  Fantasia 
(Op.  17)  and  a  number  of  smaller  pieces  by  modern  masters. 

Mrs.  Francis  Ralph  gave  a  Chamber  Concert  at  Princes'  Hall 
on  the  nth,  at  which  she  introduced  (with  Mr.  Gerald  Walenn)  a 
Romance  for  violin  and  piano  and  an  Air  with  variations  for 
piano,  both  clever  and  pleasing  compositions,  from  her  own  pen. 
Madame  Mary  Davies  and  Mr.  Bridson  sang,  and  Mr.  Charles 
Fry  gave  a  couple  of  recitations. 

The  Stock  Exchange  Orchestral  Society  gave  its  first  Concert 
of  the  season  at  St.  James's  Hall  on  the  loth.  The  Male  Voice 
Choir,  an  organisation  not  less  excellent  and  efficient  in  its  way 
than  the  band  which  Mr.  George  Kitchin  conducts  so  admirably, 
also  took  part  in  the  Concert.  Among  the  instrumental  items 
were  Mendelssohn's  "  Italian  "  Symphony,  Sterndale  Bennett's 
•"  Parisian  "  Overture,  Massenet's  "  Scenes  Alsaciennes,"  and  the 
Overture  to  Ambroise  Thomas's  "  Raymond,"  which  were  all 
given  with  a  degree  of  refinement  and  spirit  above  the  level  of 
ordinary  amateur  playing.  Mr.  Arthur  Payne  was  successful  in 
his  violin  solos,  and  Fraulein  Fillunger  sang. 

At  the  Hyde  Park  Academy  Students'  Concert  at  Steinway 
Hall,  on  the  I2th,  Mr.  H.  Frost  officiated  for  the  last  time  as 
Conductor  at  this  institution.  He  concluded  his  labours  with 
quite  a  tour  de  force,  for  his  young  ladies  came  off  easy  victors  in 
a  struggle  with  the  exacting  chorus  of  Sea-Fairies,  from  Stanford's 
"  Voyage  of  Maeldune." 

After  a  run  of  fourteen  months  "  The  Yeomen  of  the  Guard  " 
at  the  Savoy  gave  place,  on  the  7th,  to  a  new  comic  opera 
by  Mr.  W.  S.  Gilbert  and  Sir  Arthur  Sullivan,  entitled  "  The 
Gondoliers ;  or,  the  King  of  Barataria."  Mr.  Gilbert's  share  in  the 
new  work  is  worthy  of  his  reputation.  Discarding  the  travesty 
of  "  Ruddigore  "  and  the  serious  interest  of  "  The  Yeomen  of  the 


DECEMBER.  129 


Guard,"  lie  returns  to  his  old  love,  "topsy-turveydom,"  and  revels 
once  more  in  paradox  and  incongruity.  The  lyrics  are  in  Mr. 
Gilbert's  happiest  vein,  and  the  dialogue,  though  there  is  less  of  it 
than  usual,  contains  quite  the  customary  proportion  of  quaint 
conceits  and  merry  quips  and  cranks.  The  plot  deals  with  the 
confusion  of  interests  and  identities  arising  out  of  the  search  for 
the  lost  heir  to  the  throne  of  Barataria.  The  individual  in  question 
is  supposed  to  be  one  of  two  Venetian  gondoliers,  who  are  invested 
with  the  joint  sovereignty  of  the  country,  and  who  carry  on  the 
government  on  strictly  Republican  lines  until  the  rightful  king 
turns  up  in  another  person.  From  this  motive  springs  a  chain 
of  extremely  amusing  incidents,  treated  by  Mr.  Gilbert  in  his 
customary  skilful  and  humorous  fashion,  the  interest  being  well 
sustained  to  the  last.  It  has  been  generally  conceded  that  "  The 
Gondoliers  "  is  the  equal  of  "  The  Mikado  "  for  freshness,  bright- 
ness, and  animation,  The  "local  colour"  may  not  be  so 
completely  novel,  but  it  is  very  nearly  as  delightful  and  quite  as 
truthful.  The  first  act  is  redolent  of  gay,  sunny  Italy — that  Italy 
which  we  read  about  and  see  in  pictures.  The  stage  represents 
a  beautiful  tableau  of  the  Piazzetta  and  the  Grand  Canal  at 
Venice,  as  that  famous  place  might  have  looked  150  years  ago 
when  crowded  with  pretty  contadine  and  gaily-clad  gondoliers. 
What  Mr.  Craven's  brush  and  Mr.  Percy  Anderson's  pencil  do 
here  for  the  eye,  Sir  Arthur  Sullivan's  music  does  for  the  ear.  The 
gifted  composer  has  fairly  ransacked  the  store  of  Italian  forms 
and  rhythms  to  provide  music  that  shall  suggest  as  well  as  please. 
The  dashing  Neapolitan  song  for  Antonio,  with  chorus  ;  the  jolly 
Barcarolle  for  the  two  gondoliers  ;  the  familiar  Abruzzi  "  drone  " 
in  the  bridal  chorus ;  the  delicious  imitation  of  the  Rossinian 
style  in  the  greeting  (to  real  Italian  words)  between  the  gondoliers 
and  the  contadine;  and  the  spirited  Saltarello  movement  that 
comes  in  the  Finale — these  are  all  delightful  in  themselves  and 
perfect  in  their  illustrative  colour.  In  the  second  act,  which 
takes  place  in  Barataria,  there  enters  a  Spanish  element,  and  this 
the  composer  duly  reflects  in  his  stately  gavotte-quintet  (quaintly 

K 


i3o  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


sung  and  quaintly  danced),  and  his  genuinely  Spanish  Cachucha, 
the  execution  of  which  by  Miss  Geraldine  Ulmar,  Miss  Jessie 
Bond,  Mr.  Curtice  Pounds,  and  Mr.  Rutland  Barrington  is  a 
triumph  of  its  kind.  But  "  local  colour  "  is  all  very  well  in  its 
way ;  there  must  not  be  too  much  of  it.  An  opera  by  Sir  Arthur 
Sullivan  without  the  purely  Sullivanesque  would  be  an  anomaly, 
and  that  mistake  has  happily  not  been  committed  in  "  The 
Gondoliers."  The  Grand  Inquisitor's  songs,  more  than  one 
sentimental  ballad,  and  much  of  the  delicious  concerted  music — 
above  all,  that  wonderfully  clever  and  comic  quartet  with  the 
combined  themes  in  the  second  act — bear  the  stamp  of  the  com- 
poser's individuality  in  its  clearest  aspect,  while  the  instrumen- 
tation simply  teems  with  characteristic  touches  of  delicate  fancy 
and  humour.  The  performance  was  full  of  life  and  "  go,"  and 
showed  old  favourites  and  new-comers  alike  in  the  most  favourable 
light.  The  quartet  of  artists  above-named  were  truly  admirable 
as  the  gondoliers  and  their  wives.  A  youthful  debutante,  Miss 
Decima  Moore,  won  emphatic  favour;  while  the  absence  of  Mr. 
Grossmith  was  more  than  atoned  for  by  the  co-operation  of  two 
talented  comedians  like  Mr.  Frank  Wyatt  and  Mr.  Denny.  Miss 
Rosina  Brandram  and  Mr.  Brownlow  were  also  in  the  cast.  The 
success  of  "  The  Gondoliers  "  was  pronounced  in  unmistakable 
fashion  on  all  sides,  the  cheers  that  greeted  author,  composer, 
and  manager  on  the  first  night  foreshadowing  a  long  and 
prosperous  run. 

OBITUARY. — Charles  H.  Marriott  (dance  music  composer  and 
conductor),  Hastings,  3rd ;  Madame  Moscheles  (pianist,  widow 
of  Moscheles),  Detmold,  Germany,  I3th ;  Carl  Formes  (bass 
singer),  New  York,  i6th. 


BIRMINGHAM.  131 


BIRMINGHAM. 

THE  pause  in  local  musical  affairs,  consequent  upon  the 
Christmas  holidays,  extended  to  February  4,  when  Messrs. 
Harrison  resumed  the  popular  Subscription  Concerts  in  the  Town 
Hall.  The  interest  on  this  occasion  was  centred  in  little  Otto 
Hegner,  who  appeared  here  for  the  first  time,  and  greatly  charmed 
the  audience  by  his  expressive  performance  of  pieces  by  Chopin 
and  Schumann,  and  perfectly  astounded  them  by  his  wonderful 
execution  in  Liszt's  second  Rhapsodic  Hongroise.  Miss  Marianne 
Eissler  introduced  Dr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie's  "  Benedictus,"  for 
violin,  the  beauties  of  which  were  cordially  recognised.  The 
vocalists  were  Madame  Nordica,  Madame  Patey,  Mr.  Orlando 
Harley,  and  Signer  Foli,  Mr.  Wilhelm  Ganz  officiating  as  pianist. 
On  the  I5th  the  same  entrepreneurs  gave  a  further  opportunity  of 
judging  of  the  capabilities  of  young  Hegner,  who,  under  their 
auspices,  gave  a  Pianoforte  Recital  in  the  Town  Hall.  He 
played  in  masterly  style  Bach's  Suite  Anglaise  (No.  2)  and  Beet- 
hoven's Sonata  in  E  flat  (Op.  31,  No.  3),  and  in  smaller  pieces 
by  Chopin,  Hans  Huber,  Paderewski,  and  others  exhibited 
remarkable  finish  and  taste.  At  their  fourth  Concert,  March  4, 
Messrs.  Harrison  once  more  brought  Halle's  celebrated  orchestra 
here.  This  is  always  the  greatest  musical  treat  of  the  year.  A 
novelty  in  the  programme  was  Bizet's  Suite  "Roma,"  which 
charmed  all  hearers.  Beethoven's  Overture  in  C  (Op.  124),  seldom 
heard  here,  was  given  in  grand  style,  and  Lady  Halle  played  two 
movements  of  the  E  major  Concerto  of  Vieuxtemps,  and  Sir  Charles 
Halle  gave  two  of  the  three  pieces  by  Grieg,  known  as  "  Aus  dem 
Volksleben  "  (Op.  19).  The  vocalists  were  Miss  Hope  Glenn 

K  2 


i32  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

and  Mr.  Henry  Piercy.  From  May  to  October  is  an  interregnum, 
musically  speaking,  the  only  breaks  in  which  are  those  of  comic 
opera  ;  and  the  first  herald  of  the  approaching  season  is  nearly 
always  the  new  series  of  Popular  Concerts  given  by  Messrs. 
Harrison.  On  October  14  Madame  Patti,  with  a  host  of  lesser 
stars,  gratified  a  large  and  fashionable  audience,  Mdlle.  Janotha 
making  her  first  appearance  here.  At  the  second  Concert, 
November  25,  the  vocalists  were  Madame  Nordica,  Miss  Macintyre, 
Miss  Hope  Glenn,  and  Signer  Foli,  with  two  eminent  violinists, 
Messrs.  Tivadar  Nachez  and  Johannes  Wolff,  and  another  debutant, 
Mr.  Luigi  Arditi. 

Mr.  Stockley's  Orchestral  Concerts  were  resumed  on  February 
7,  but  the  programme  was  made  up  of  items  more  or  less 
familiar.  We  had,  however,  the  pleasure  of  hearing  Mackenzie's 
"  Benedictus  "  as  scored  for  orchestra,  which  was  admirably  per- 
formed, the  whole  of  the  first  and  second  violins  (numbering 
nearly  thirty)  playing  the  melody  with  remarkable  unity  and 
effect.  Mdlle.  Antoinette  Trebelli  and  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd  were 
the  vocalists.  On  March  14  Mr.  Stockley  brought  forward  a 
novelty,  a  Suite  de  Ballet  in  E  flat,  by  A.  Goring  Thomas,  origi- 
nally written  for  the  Cambridge  University  Musical  Society. 
This,  though  musicianly  in  every  way,  seemed  to  us  somewhat 
heavy.  The  two  melodies  for  string  orchestra,  by  Grieg,  met  with 
universal  acceptance,  and  were  played  with  much  refinement. 
The  vocalists  were  Miss  Fanny  Moody  and  Mr.  Charles  Manners, 
who  appeared  for  the  first  time  in  Birmingham  on  the  Concert 
platform.  At  the  Concert  of  May  2,  Dr.  Hubert  Parry  con- 
ducted his  "  Suite  Moderne,"  composed  for  the  Gloucester 
Festival  of  1886,  and  the  "  Danse  Macabre  "  of  Saint-Saens  was 
heard  here  for  the  first  time  in  its  proper  orchestral  form.  The 
first  work  was  heard  with  pleasure  and  admiration  ;  the  other 
excited  a  kind  of  wonder,  but  little  beyond.  Miss  Nettie  Carpenter 
played  in  admirable  style  Max  Bruch's  Violin  Concerto  in  G 
minor,  and  Madame  Nordica  and  Mr.  Charles  Banks  gave  some 
operatic  pieces.  Mr.  Stockley  entered  upon  his  seventeenth  series 


BIRMINGHAM.  133 


of  Orchestral  Concerts  on  November  7,  when  Mr.  Frederic 
Cliffe's  Symphony  in  C  minor  was  produced.  The  work  made  a 
deep  impression  here,  the  skilful  handling  of  the  orchestra  in  the 
first  and  final  movements  being  very  conspicuous,  and  the  melodic 
wealth  of  the  Ballade — albeit  resembling  in  its  initial  theme  Senta's 
ballad  in  "The  Flying  Dutchman  " — striking  the  attention  of  all. 
Mr.  Cliffe,  who  proved  himself  an  able  Conductor,  met  with  a  most 
enthusiastic  reception.  The  "  Graceful  Dance  "  from  Sullivan's 
incidental  music  to  "  Henry  VIII.,"  and  Wagner's  study, 
"  Traume,"  as  arranged  for  violin  solo  and  orchestra,  were  also 
novelties  here.  Mr.  F.  Ward  played  the  solo  admirably.  Madame 
Nordica  and  Mr.  Ben  Davies  sang. 

The  third  Concert  of  the  Festival  Choral  Society  was  given  in 
the  Town  Hall  on  February  21.  The  programme  was  miscel- 
laneous, and  comprised  part-songs,  sung  with  extraordinary 
delicacy  and  finish,  but  with  a  certain  dragging  of  the  time, 
apparently  inevitable  with  a  chorus  of  400  voices.  Meyerbeer's 
gist  Psalm,  Mr.  A.  R.  Gaul's  Anthem,  "  O  praise  God  in  His 
holiness,"  and  part  of  Leonardo's  "  Dixit  Dominus  "  were  per- 
formed. Madame  Georgina  Burns,  Madame  Marian  Mackenzie,  Mr. 
Iver  McKay,  and  Mr.  Leslie  Crotty  contributed  vocal  solos.  Mr. 
Stockley  conducted.  The  Society  gave  Mendelssohn's  "  Elijah," 
on  March  28,  with  Madame  Nordica,  Miss  Hilda  Wilson,  Mr. 
Edward  Lloyd,  and  Mr.  Watkin  Mills  as  vocal  principals.  On 
October  24  this  Society  commenced  its  thirtieth  series  of  Sub- 
scription Concerts  with  a  performance  of  Handel's  "  Samson,'' 
when  Miss  Macintyre  made  her  debut  here  in  oratorio.  As  most 
of  the  music  allotted  to  Delilah  was  cut  out,  the  lady  had  not 
much  to  do,  but  her  singing  of  "  Let  the  bright  seraphim  "  was 
brilliant  and  effective.  The  other  soloists  were  Miss  Damian, 
Mr.  Charles  Banks,  Mr.  Brereton,  and  a  local  bass,  Mr.  H.  A. 
Sims,  who,  as  Manoah,  was  fairly  good.  The  second  Concert 
took  place  on  December  2,  the  programme  being  made  up  with 
Gounod's  "  Messe  Solennelle "  (St.  Cecilia),  Stanford's  "  Re- 
venge," and  Mendelssohn's  "  Walpurgis  Night."  The  perform- 


i34  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

ance  was  a  good  one,  particularly  of  Mendelssohn's  work.  The 
principal  vocalists  were  Madame  Clara  Samuell,  Mrs.  Payton, 
Mr.  Iver  McKay,  and  Mr.  Watkin  Mills.  The  organ,  which  had 
been  closed  for  the  last  six  months  for  re-construction,  was 
employed  again  for  the  first  time,  Mr.  C.  W-  Perkins  officiating 
with  his  usual  skill.  Mr.  Stockley  conducted.  The  annual 
performance  of  Handel's  "  Messiah  "  was  given  on  December  26. 
The  vocal  principals  were  Madame  Clara  Samuell,  Miss  'Lizzie. 
Neal,  Mr.  C.  Banks,  and  Mr.  Grice.  Miss  Neal  is  a  native  of 
Birmingham,  and  on  this  occasion  made  her  debut  here  in  oratorio. 
Before  studying  at  the  R.A.M.  she  was  a  pupil  of  Mr.  Charles 
Lunn. 

Chamber  Concerts  do  not  pay  in  Birmingham,  as  local 
musicians  have  found  out  to  their  cost.  Madame  Agnes  Miller, 
a  non-resident  pianoforte  teacher  with  an  influential  connection 
here,  has  for  some  seasons  past  given  one  or  more  Concerts  of 
this  kind,  however,  and  on  February  28  brought  a  short  series 
to  a  close.  She  was  supported  by  the  Shinner  Quartet.  On 
November  28  Madame  Miller  began  a  new  series  of  four  Con- 
certs. In  conjunction  with  Mr.  Ludwig  Straus,  a  fairly  interesting 
programme  was  gone  through,  the  principal  item  being  the  Sonata 
in  D  minor  (Op.  108)  of  Brahms,  now  heard  here  for  the  first 
time:  The  comparative  simplicity  and  clearness  of  outline  of  this 
work  appealed  directly  to  the  audience,  and  the  Sonata  was  very 
favourably  received.  Mr.  Straus  played  a  Sonata  in  G,  by 
Tartini,  not  familiar  here,  and  Madame  Miller  gave  well-known 
pieces  by  Mendelssohn  and  Schumann. 

Coming  to  other  than  serial  Concerts,  the  first  important  event 
of  the  year  was  the  appearance  of  Mr.  Max  Pauer,  who  gave  a 
Pianoforte  Recital,  before  a  small  audience,  in  the  Masonic  Hall, 
on  February  9.  He  sustained  a  varied  and  exacting  programme 
with  marvellous  technique  and  power,  excelling  in  Schumann's 
"  Etudes  Symphoniques  "  and  Liszt's  twelfth  Rhapsodic.  He 
also  played,  for  the  first  time  in  Birmingham,  Chopin's  Allegro 
de  Concert  in  A  (Op.  46),  but  the  work  did  not  create  a  great 


BIRMINGHAM.  135 


impression.  On  the  i2th  a  Concert  was  given  at  the  Midland 
Institute,  with  Mr.  Carrodus  as  the  principal  performer.  Miss 
Fanny  Davies,  whom  Birmingham  people  are  proud  to  claim  as 
one  of  themselves,  gave  a  Recital  on  behalf  of  a  local  charity. 
The  programme  included  Schumann's  "  Faschingsschwank  aus 
Wien  "  (Op.  26),  Beethoven's  Variations  and  Fugue  in  E  flat 
(Op.  35),  and  a  novelty  in  the  shape  of  a  Valse  Impromptu  (in  A 
flat,  Op.  i,  No.  2),  by  Nicolai  von  Wilm,  of  Wiesbaden.  This 
last  was  very  attractive,  although  too  much  in  the  style  of  Chopin 
to  be  credited  with  much  originality.  At  this  Recital  Miss  Hope 
Glenn  sang  Schubert's  "  Erl-King."  At  a  second  Recital,  on  the 
26th,  Miss  Davies  was  assisted  by  Signer  Piatti,  who  had  not 
been  heard  here  in  chamber  music  for  some  time.  Miss  Davies 
played  Bach's  great  Fugue  in  A  minor,  and  the  concerted  pieces 
were  Mendelssohn's  Sonata  in  D  (Op.  58)  and  Rubinstein's 
Sonata  in  D  (Op.  18),  for  pianoforte  and  violoncello.  Signer 
Piatti  gave  his  well-known  "  Bergamasca  "  and  an  Impromptu 
on  an  air  from  Purcell's  "  Indian  Queen." 

The  Edgbaston  Amateur  Musical  Union,  founded  some  five- 
and-twenty  years  ago  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Duchenim,  has  done  good 
work  in  its  time,  and  keeps  up  its  reputation  as  an  efficient 
amateur  orchestra.  Under  the  conductorship  of  Mr.  W.  Astley 
Langston  a  Concert  was  given  in  the  Vestry  Hall,  Edgbaston, 
on  April  n,  when  Spohr's  first  Symphony  in  E  flat  was  per- 
formed. This  work  had  probably  never  been  previously  heard  in 
Birmingham. 

On  Good  Friday  the  Midland  Musical  Society,  conducted  by 
Mr.  H.  M.  Stephenson,  an  amateur,  gave  a  performance  of 
Gounod's  "Redemption"  in  the  Town  Hall.  This  Society, 
appealing  to  the  artisan  classes,  gives  performances  at  nominal 
charges,  and  always  secures  an  overflowing  attendance.  On 
November  16  "  Samson  "  was  performed  by  this  Society,  when 
an  incident  occurred  too  good  to  pass  unrecorded.  Some 
persons,  attracted  by  the  title  of  the  oratorio  on  the  posters,  went 
to  the  Town  Hall  expecting  to  witness  the  feats  of  the  "  Strongest 


136  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Man  in  the  World  !  "  When  they  found  out  the  nature  of  the 
performance  they  indignantly  demanded  their  money  back. 

At  the  Concert  of  the  Clef  Club,  on  May  9,  the  programme 
included  Heinrich  Hoffmann's  fine  Serenade  for  flute  and  strings 
(Op.  65),  performed,  it  was  thought,  for  the  first  time  in  England. 
Mr.  Piddock  was  the  flautist,  local  artists  supplying  the  strings. 
Another  item  of  interest  was  a  clever  Prelude  and  Fugue  for  two 
Pianofortes  by  Mr.  Battison  Haynes,  played  by  the  composer  and 
Mr.  C.  W.  Perkins.  Dr.  Herbert  Wareing  likewise  conducted  a 
selection  from  his  Cantata  "  New  Year's  Eve." 

On  November  18  a  Concert  was  given  in  the  Masonic  Hall 
by  a  local  baritone,  Mr.  A.  Mancus,  who  proved  himself  the 
possessor  of  meritorious  vocal  and  dramatic  powers,  and  his  debut 
was  successful.  On  the  2ist  Mr.  Oscar  Pollack  and  Madame 
Pollack  gave  their  annual  Concert.  The  programme  included 
Gounod's  new  "  Ave  Maria  "  on  Bach's  second  Prelude,  the  solo 
being  well  sung  by  our  talented  contralto.  Mr.  Rechab  Tandy, 
the  American  tenor,  made  a  successful  first  appearance  here  at 
this  Concert.  On  the  28th  the  Glasgow  Select  Choir  paid  its 
second  visit  to  this  city,  and  delighted  the  large  audience,  which 
filled  the  Town  Hall,  with  some  refined  part-singing.  On 
December  9  a  complimentary  Concert  was  given  to  Dr.  C.  S. 
Heap,  when  his  Cantata  "  The  Maid  of  Astolat  "  was  performed 
here  for  the  first  time.  The  vocal  principals  were  Mrs. 
Hutchinson,  Miss  Emilie  Lloyd,  Mr.  Orlando  Harley,  Mr.  D. 
Harrison,  and  Mr.  W.  Evans.  There  was  an  excellent  band,  and 
a  chorus  of  remarkable  quality,  numbering  400  voices.  Dr.  Heap 
conducted  a  performance  which  admirably  brought  out  the  merits 
of  his  composition.  It  is  a  reflection  upon  Birmingham  that  this 
able  work  has  had  to  wait  so  long  for  a  hearing  in  its  composer's 
birthplace  ;  but  it  is  no  use  ignoring  the  fact  that  musical  matters 
are  neither  in  a  flourishing  nor  satisfactory  condition  here. 

Master  Isidore  Pavia,  a  pianist  of  about  fifteen  years  of  age, 
played  at  the  Madrigal  Concert  at  the  Midland  Institute, 
December  16,  and  gave  a  Recital  the  following  afternoon.  The 


BIRMINGHAM.  137 


young  artist,  without  being  a  phenomenon,  displayed  great 
talent  as  an  executant.  Among  local  events  of  interest  was  the 
production  at  Walsall,  March  13,  of  Prout's  "Red  Cross  Knight," 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Heap. 

The  cheap  Saturday  Night  Concerts  in  the  Town  Hall — 
admission  from  threepence  to  a  shilling — attract  large  audiences; 
and  in  addition  to  those  given  by  the  Musical  Association  and 
others,  the  Birmingham  and  Midland  Musical  Guild  has  entered 
the  arena,  and  by  high-class  miscellaneous  programmes,  executed 
by  the  best  local  artists,  hopes  to  do  something  to  raise  the  taste 
of  the  people  at  large.  So  far  their  efforts  have  been  successful, 
judging  from  the  demeanour  of  the  large  audiences  attending  the 
two  Concerts  already  given  on  October  19  and  November  30. 

We  had  no  visit  from  the  Carl  Rosa  Company  this  year, 
and  it  was  not  to  be  wondered  at ;  for  very  often  their  admirable 
performances  have  been  given  to  empty  houses,  the  public  behav- 
ing in  a  capricious  manner  beyond  understanding.  On  February 
ii  Mr.  J.  W.  Turner's  Company  began  a  three  weeks'  season 
at  the  Grand  Theatre,  reviving  Macfarren's  "  Robin  Hood." 

A  Lecture  on  "  Beethoven  "  was  given  by  the  present  writer  at  the 
Handsworth  Free  Library,  on  January  24,  when  several  pieces 
from  the  recently  published  volume  (Breitkopf  &  Hartel)  of  the 
master's  posthumous  works  were  performed  for  the  first  time  in 
England,  including  the  Allegretto  in  C  minor.  On  November  18 
Sir  John  Stainer  gave  a  highly  interesting  Lecture  on  "  Hymn 
Tunes  "  to  the  members  of  the  Midland  Institute,  illustrated  by 
the  Madrigal  Choir,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Stockley. 

STEPHEN  S.  STRATTON. 


i38  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


BRISTOL. 

THE  Madrigal  Society's  Concert  on  January  17  attracted  its 
votaries  in  large  numbers.  There  were  two  interesting  items  in 
the  programme — viz.,  Dr.  W.  A.  Barrett's  eight-part  Madrigal, 
"  On  a  mossy  bank,"  which  received  its  first  public  rendering, 
and  Mr.  Santley's  "  T'other  day  as  I  was  twining."  Mr.  D.  \V. 
Rootham  conducted.  On  the  28th  a  new  venture  was  started  by 
Mr.  W.  F.  Trimnell,  the  chief  music-master  of  Clifton  College, 
in  the  shape  of  a  series  of  Orchestral  and  Vocal  Concerts.  Musi- 
cally, except  for  a  little  roughness,  the  Concert  was  successful, 
but  the  attendance  was  very  poor.  A  band  of  fifty,  led  by  Mr. 
Theo.  Carrington,  played  items  familiar  to  Bristolians,  with  one 
exception — namely,  Dr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie's  "  Benedictus,"  which 
was  performed  for  the  first  time  in  the  Western  city,  and  at  once 
won  the  favour  of  the  audience.  Miss  Emily  Spada  was  the 
vocalist. 

Mrs.  Viner-Pomeroy's  third  Classical  Chamber  Concert  of  the 
season  was  given  on  February  4.  The  artists  were  Mrs. 
Roeckel  (piano),  Mr.  Ludwig  (violin),  Mr.  E.  Woodward  (viola), 
and  Mr.  A.  Waite  (violoncello). 

The  second  Orchestral  and  Vocal  Concert,  at  the  Victoria 
Rooms,  on  the  nth,  drew  a  scanty  audience.  Haydn's  "  Clock  " 
Symphony  was  the  most  important  work  performed.  At  Miss 
Lock's  third  Popular  Chamber  Concert,  on  the  I3th,  among  other 
works  Mozart's  Piano  Quartet  in  E  flat  (No.  3)  was  well  played 
by  Miss  Lock,  Mr.  Hudson,  Mr.  F.  S.  Gardener,  and  Mr.  E.  Pavey. 

Miss  Florence  Eyre,  a  young  Clifton  lady,  and  pupil  at  the 
Leipsic  Conservatoire  of  Carl  Reinecke,  gave  a  Concert  at  the 


BRISTOL.  139 

Victoria  Rooms,  on  the  i8th,  and  displayed  much  talent.  Pro- 
fessor Brodsky,  a  finished  violinist,  here  made  his  first  appearance 
in  Clifton.  Mr.  Augustus  Simmons  gave  a  Concert  on 
the  i8th. 

On  February  22  and  23  Sir  George  Edwards  gave  a  couple 
of  Concerts  on  the  lines  of  the  Triennial  Festival,  at  the  Colston 
Hall.  For  the  purpose  a  special  choir  was  brought  together  by 
Mr.  D.  W.  Rootham  to  study  Haydn's  "  Creation,"  Felicien 
David's  "  The  Desert,"  Mendelssohn's  "  Hear  my  prayer,"  and 
other  works,  and  Sir  Charles  Halle  and  his  Manchester  band  were 
engaged.  The  choir,  directed  by  Mr.  D.  W.  Rootham,  sang 
"  The  deep  repose  of  night  "  and  "  The  lark's  song  "  of  Mendels- 
sohn, with  beauty  of  tone,  clearness  of  enunciation,  and  correct 
phrasing.  Mr.  J.  L.  Roeckel's  "Christian's  Armour"  Cantata 
was  given  in  Redcliff  Church  on  the  25th,  under  the  direction  of 
the  composer. 

At  the  third  Orchestral  and  Vocal  Concert,  on  the  25th,  Mr. 
Theo.  Carrington  was  the  solo  violinist.  The  "  Ladies'  Night  " 
of  the  Orpheus  Glee  Society,  a  fine  association  of  male  voices, 
fell  on  the  28th,  when  a  large  auditory  assembled  in  Colston  Hall. 
The  soloists  were  Messrs.  Jones,  Harper  Kearton,  J.  F.  Nash, 
W.  Thomas,  and  H.  J.  Dyer.  Mr.  Riseley  conducted,  and 
furnished  the  novelties — viz.,  "  The  old  church  bells,"  a  bass  solo 
and  four  parts  ;  and  "  Where'er  my  footsteps  stray,"  a  tenor  solo 
and  five  parts,  both  compositions  being  favourably  received.  The 
perfect  way  in  which  everything  is  sung  by  the  Orpheus  Glee 
Society  makes  their  annual  Concert  one  of  the  musical  treats  of 
the  year.  Mr.  George  Riseley  was  the  Conductor. 

Mozart's  Motet  "  Glory,  honour,"  was  the  principal  work  per- 
formed by  the  Bristol  Musical  Society  at  the  Saturday  Popular 
Concert,  on  March  2.  •  The  vocalists  were  Mrs.  Clare  Wright, 
Mr.  Dyved  Lewys,  and  Mr.  John  Jones.  Organ  solos  by  Mr. 
G.  Riseley,  cornet  solos  by  Mr.  Covielo,  and  selections  by  the 
band  were  also  given. 

The  fourth  Classical  Chamber  Concert  took  place  on  March  4. 


140  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

The  executants  were  Mrs.  Roeckel,  Messrs.  Ludwig,  J.  O. 
Brooke,  M.  Rice,  E.  Woodward,  and  J.  Pomeroy. 

On  March  5  St.  Mary's  Choral  Society  (Tyndall's  Park)  gave  a 
performance  of  Spohr's  "  God,  Thou  art  great,"  at  the  Alexandra 
Hall.  Miss  Florence  Cromey,  Miss  Blinkhorn,  Mr.  S.  W. 
Pullen,  and  Mr.  W.  H.  Wickes  were  the  solo  vocalists.  Mr.  F. 
Rootham  conducted. 

St.  Barnabas'  Choral  Society  performed  G.  Fox's  "The  Jack- 
daw of  Rheims,"  with  orchestral  accompaniment,  on  March  4. 

At  the  Saturday  Popular  Concert,  on  March  23,  a  new  composi- 
tion, entitled  "  The  Sailor's  Good-night,"  written  by  Mr.  George 
Riseley,  was  sung  in  public  for  the  first  time  by  Mr.  Lawford 
Huxtable,  the  composer  accompanying.  The  choir  sang  part- 
songs,  under  Mr.  Geo.  Gordon. 

Sir  Chas.  Halle  and  Lady  Halle  gave  a  Recital  at  the  Victoria 
Rooms,  on  the  26th.  Mr.  Lieblich  gave  a  Concert  on  the  3Oth. 

At  the  Popular  Chamber  Concert,  on  April  2,  Miss  Lock, 
Messrs.  Hudson,  Gardner,  and  Pavey  were  the  executants,  and 
Miss  Amy  Carter  sang.  A  large  audience  attended  the  annual 
Concert  given  on  the  2Qth  by  Mr.  John  Barrett's  Choir.  Beet- 
hoven's "  Praise  of  Music,"  and  two  sections,  "  Spring  "  and 
"  Winter,"  from  Haydn's  "  Seasons,"  were  admirably  performed. 
The  soloists  were  Madame  Pennington,  Miss  Marie  Gane,  Miss 
Florence  Cromey,  Miss  A.  Maby,  Mr.  E.  T.  Morgan,  and  Mr. 
J.  F.  Nash.  Mrs.  Brockbank  Young  was  the  pianist,  and  Mr. 
Barrett  conducted. 

St.  John's  (Redland)  Choral  Society  gave  Bridge's  "  Boadicea  " 
at  their  annual  Concert,  on  April  15.  The  soloists  were  Miss 
Gertrude  Eyre,  Miss  F.  C.  Jones,  Messrs.  Morgan,  Albery, 
J.  Lomas,  W.  H.  Wickes,  Dr.  C.  Harles,  Messrs.  Wilcox  and 
Macgregor.  Mr.  A.  E.  Hill  was  the  Conductor.  Macfarren's 
"  May  Day  "  was  performed  by  St.  Saviour's  (Redland)  Choral 
Society,  on  the  i6th.  The  principal  vocalists  were  Mrs.  C.  Bigg, 
Mrs.  J.  Dole,  Miss  F.  Cromey,  Mr.  Ford,  and  Mr.  Trowbridge. 
Mr.  Vaughan  Tittle  conducted. 


BRISTOL.  i4r 

The  Bristol  Society  of  Instrumentalists,  formed  in  the  autumn 
of  last  year,  and  now  numbering  120  amateur  performers,  gave 
their  first  "  Ladies'  Night  "  at  the  Colston  Hall,  on  the  2ist,  and 
surprised  everyone  by  their  excellent  playing.  Mr.  Carrington, 
the  leader,  contributed  a  violin  solo.  Vocal  pieces  were  given  by 
Mrs.  Nixon  and  Mr.  O.  J.  Thomas.  Mr.  Geo.  Riseley  was  the 
Conductor. 

Hutchinson's  "  The  Story  of  Elaine  "  and  Locke's  "  Music  to 
Macbeth  "  were  performed  by  the  Bristol  Operatic  Society  on 
June  4. 

The  Bristol  Choral  Society  met  in  October  for  rehearsal,  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  G.  Riseley.  The  membership  of  the  new 
Society  exceeded  500  within  a  month  of  the  first  meeting.  The 
Bristol  Society  of  Instrumentalists,  which  had  increased  in 
membership  to  100,  also  met  to  study  under  the  same  Conductor. 

During  the  two  first  weeks  of  October  the  Carl  Rosa  Opera 
Company  visited  the  Prince's  Theatre.  The  new  operas  (to 
Bristol)  presented  were  Meyerbeer's  "Star  of  the  North"  and 
Wallace's  "  Lurline." 

On  October  19  the  first  of  a  series  of  Chamber  Concerts  was 
given  by  Messrs.  Theo.  Carrington,  F.  Gardner,  Andrew  Waite, 
and  F.  Huxtable.  Miss  Maggie  Davies  and  Mr.  Lawford  Hux- 
table  were  the  vocalists.  At  the  second  Concert  interest  centred 
chiefly  in  a  couple  of  new  pieces  written  by  Miss  Ellicott — viz., 
a  pleasing  Romance  and  Polonaise  for  violin,  admirably  played 
by  Mr.  Carrington,  the  composer  accompanying. 

Miss  Lock's  first  Popular  Chamber  Concert  of  the  fifth  season 
took  place  on  October  22,  the  executants  being  Miss  Locke, 
Messrs.  A.  Hudson,  Gardener,  and  Pavey.  The  concerted  works 
included  a  Trio  in  D,  for  piano,  violin,  and  violoncello,  a  pleasing 
composition  written  by  Mr.  J.  W.  Hudson,  the  brother  of  the 
violinist. 

Senor  Sarasate  gave  a  Recital  at  the  Victoria  Rooms  on  the 
23rd  to  a  crowded  and  delighted  audience. 

The  Annual  Gathering  of  the  South  Midland  Section  National 


142  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


Society  of  Professional  Musicians  took  place  on  the  23rd,  Mr.  C.  E. 
Stephens  being  the  invited  guest. 

On  October  22  the  first  meeting  of  the  newly-formed  Bristol 
South  Choral  Society  was  held,  and  that  of  the  Bristol  East 
•Choral  Society  took  place  on  the  25th. 

Two  "  Intermediate "  Concerts  were  given  by  the  Bristol 
Musical  Festival  Society,  on  November  i  and  2.  On  the  first 
day  Mendelssohn's  music  to  "A  Midsummer  Night's  Dream"  re- 
ceived an  admirable  rendering,  Miss  Marie  Gane  and  Mrs.  Probert- 
Goodwin  excellently  singing  the  solos.  Leslie's  suave  "  Lullaby 
of  Life  "  was  deliciously  sung  by  the  Festival  Choir,  Mr.  D.  W. 
Rootham,  the  Chorusmaster,  conducting.  Miss  Macintyre,  Miss 
Damian,  Mr.  Maldwyn  Humphreys,  and  Mr.  Henschel  were  the 
vocalists.  Gounod's  "  Death  and  Life  "  ("  Mors  et  Vita  ")  was 
performed  in  English  on  the  2nd.  Mesdames  Nordica  and 
Enriquez,  Messrs.  Iver  McKay  and  G.  Henschel  sang  the  solos, 
and  Sir  Chas.  Halle's  band  co-operated.  The  work  received  an 
interpretation  worthy  of  the  Society,  and  evidently  made  a  deep 
impression  on  the  vast  audience  assembled  from  Bristol  and 
districts  around. 

The  Montpelier  Choral  Society,  a  new  body,  met  for  the  first 
time  on  November  18,  and  on  the  same  day  Mr.  Sims  Reeves 
bade  farewell  to  the  Bristol  musical  public. 

Mr.  Frederick  Lamond,  the  clever  young  Scotch  pianist,  was 
the  chief  attraction  at  Mrs.  Viner-Pomeroy's  Chamber  Concert 
on  the  same  date.  The  concerted  works  included  a  Trio  in  B 
minor  (Op.  2),  for  piano,  violin,  and  violoncello,  written  by  Mr. 
Lamond,  and  now  introduced  to  frequenters  of  these  gatherings. 

Mozart's  Mass  in  C  (No.  i)  was  performed  at  the  Saturday 
Popular  Concert  on  November  23.  The  performances,  on  the 
same  occasion,  of  Messrs.  F.  Goddard,  H.  Bell,  R.  Englemann, 
and  W.  H.  Hannan,  a  quartet  of  trombone  players,  created  much 
interest. 

St.  Barnabas'  Choral  Society  gave  their  annual  Concert  on 
November  27.  The  chief  vocalists  were  Mesdames  J.  Jones, 


BRISTOL.  143 

Matthews,  Escott ;  Messrs.  T.  H.  Gore,  E.  Tapp,  and  T.  H. 
Blandford.  Mr.  Matthews  was  the  Conductor.  Mr.  C.  Lee 
Williams  directed  the  first  performance  here  of  his  work  "  The 
Last  Night  at  Bethany,"  in  Redcliff  Church,  on  the  27th.  Van 
Bree's  "  Cecilia's  Day  "  was  rendered  by  the  St.  Mary's  (Tyndall's 
Park)  Choral  Society,  also  on  the  27th,  under  Mr.  F.  Rootham's 
direction. 

On  December  i  the  first  part  of  a  new  Sacred  Cantata, 
"  The  Second  Advent  of  the  Redeemer,"  written  by  Mr.  W.  Fear 
Dyer,  was  rendered  in  St.  Nicholas  Church,  of  which  the  com- 
poser is  organist.  Two  works  specially  written  were  included  in 
the  scheme  for  the  Gleemen's  "  Ladies'  Night,"  on  the  5th. 
They  were  a  choral  scena,  il  Enceladus,"  written  to  Longfellow's 
words  by  Dr.  C.  W.  Pearce  ;  and  a  part-song,  "Shine  out,  stars," 
composed  by  Miss  Ellicott.  The  former,  which  is  a  really  fine 
composition,  was  effectively  sung  under  Dr.  Pearce's  direction, 
and  was  well  received. 

The  second  Classical  Chamber  Concert  of  the  thirteenth  season 
took  place  on  the  gth.  A  Quartet  in  B  flat,  for  two  violins,  viola, 
and  violoncello,  by  Miss  Ellicott  (already  played  in  London), 
headed  the  programme,  and  was  skilfully  interpreted  by  Messrs. 
Ludwig,  E.  Halfpenny,  V.  Marriot,  and  J.  Pomeroy.  The  last- 
named  artist  played  a  recently-written  Reverie  for  violoncello, 
also  from  the  pen  of  Miss  Ellicott,  who  accompanied  it. 

At  the  second  Popular  Chamber  Concert  of  the  fifth  season, 
which  fell  on  December  10,  Prout's  Quartet  in  F  (Op.  18),  for 
piano,  violin,  viola,  and  violoncello,  received  an  excellent  inter- 
pretation at  the  hands  of  Miss  Lock,  Messrs.  A.  Hudson,  Gardner, 
and  A.  Waite.  The  only  other  noteworthy  piece  was  an  Idyll  for 
violin,  viola,  and  piano,  written  by  the  violinist  of  the  evening. 

The  newly-formed  Social  and  Musical  Society  in  connection 
with  the  University  College,  Bristol,  held  their  first  meeting  on 
the  I2th. 

At  the  Saturday  Popular  Concert,  on  December  14,  Miss  Alice 
Gomes  and  Mr.  Maldwyn  Humphreys  were  the  vocalists.  The 


144  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


choir  sang  a  number  of  choruses  and  part-songs  with  greater 
precision,  better  tone,  and  more  intelligence  than  ever  before 
perhaps.  Mr.  Riseley  played  organ  solos,  and  the  band  performed 
selections,  Mr.  Gordon  conducting. 

The  most  interesting  item  in  the  programme  of  the  third 
Musical  Matinee  of  Messrs.  Carrington,  Huxtable,  Gardner,  and 
Waite,  on  December  14,  was  a  new  Trio  in  G,  for  piano,  violin, 
and  violoncello,  written  by  Miss  Rosalind  Ellicott.  The  work, 
which  is  graceful,  pleasing,  and  one  of  the  most  scholarly  that  has 
come  from  the  pen  of  the  talented  lady,  was  well  interpreted  by 
the  composer,  Mr.  Barrington,  and  Mr.  A.  Waite. 

The  Bristol  Sullivan  Society  gave  an  admirable  performance 
of  "  Princess  Ida  "  on  December  18,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Leonard  M.  Day.  In  the  second  part  of  the  programme  was  a 
new  humorous  Cantata,  entitled  "  The  Ghost,"  words  by  the  late 
Hugh  Conway,  music  by  A.  H.  Behrend,  which  made  a  very 
favourable  impression.  Mrs.  Leveritt,  Messrs.  Abbott  and  Dyer 
were  the  soloists.  Miss  Pauline  Day's  services  as  pianist  deserve 
to  be  recognised. 

The  new  Sacred  Cantata,  "  The  Second  Advent  of  the 
Redeemer,"  was  sung  in  its  entirety  for  the  first  time  at  St. 
Nicholas  Church  on  the  22nd.  The  work  may  be  said  to  have 
added  to  the  reputation  of  Mr.  Dyer,  who  had  already  won 
success  as  a  composer.  He  presided  at  the  organ,  and  the  solos 
were  taken  by  Mrs.  Probert-Goodwin,  Mrs.  C.  White,  Messrs. 
Grey,  Farebrother,  Frederick  Dyer,  and  Liscombe. 

A  highly  commendable  performance  of  "  The  Messiah  " — the 
only  one  given  here  during  the  Christmas  season — was  given  in 
the  Church  of  St.  Agnes  by  Mr.  John  Barrett's  choir  on  the  27th. 
The  soloists  were  Madame  Pennington,  Miss  Cromey,  Mrs. 
White,  Miss  Maby,  Madame  Rosa  Bailey,  Miss  Aldersley,  Mr. 
E.  T.  Morgan,  and  Mr.  J.  F.  Nash.  Mrs.  Brockbank  Young 
presided  at  the  organ,  and  Mr.  John  Barrett  conducted. 

EDMUND  J.  SHELLARD. 


CAMBRIDGE.  I45 


CAMBRIDGE. 

THE  chief  musical  interest  of  the  year  has  as  usual  centred  in 
the  University  Musical  Society,  of  which  the  newly-elected 
Provost  of  King's  is  President  and  Professor  Stanford  the 
Conductor.  The  performances  in  connection  with  this  Society 
have  been — 

(i)  In  the  Lent  Term — Four  Concerts  of  the  series  known  as  the 
"  Wednesday  Popular  Concerts"  for  Chamber  Music  on  the  four 
Wednesdays  in  February.  The  chief  executants  were  the  usual 
string  quartet,  Messrs.  Gompertz,  Inwards,  Kreuz,  and  Ould, 
with  Professor  Stanford  (and  on  one  occasion  Miss  Fanny  Davies) 
at  the  pianoforte,  and  the  vocalists,  Madame  Sophie  Lowe  and 
Messrs.  Plunket  Greene,  W.  F.  Blandford,  and  Beaumont.  The 
programmes  contained,  amongst  other  works,  Dr.  Hubert  Parry's 
Pianoforte  Trio  in  B  minor,  Professor  Stanford's  Pianoforte 
Quintet  in  D  minor  (Op.  25),  and  a  very  ably-written  String 
Quartet  (MS.),  by  Mr.  Charles  Wood,  formerly  Composition 
Scholar  at  the  Royal  College  of  Music  and  now  Organist  Scholar 
of  Caius  College.  In  addition  to  these  Concerts  the  Society,  by 
the  kind  permission  of  the  Provost  and  Fellows  of  King's  College, 
gave,  on  March  7,  a  performance  of  Mozart's  "  Requiem  "  and 
Handel's  Sixth  "  Chandos  "  Anthem  in  their  magnificent  Chapel, 
the  extraordinary  acoustic  properties  of  which  can  only  be  realised 
by  those  who  have  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  present  in  the 
Chapel  on  such  an  occasion.  The  performance  was  in  all  respects 
most  admirable,  although  it  would  have  been  far  better  to  have 
done  the  "Requiem"  only;  the  temperature  of  the  Chapel  in 
February  being  such  as  to  debar  many  from  attending  any 

L 


146  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


performance  exceeding  a  very  moderate  length.  Messrs.  Burnett  and 
Gompertz  led  the  orchestra,  and  Professor  Stanford  conducted. 
The  soloists  were  Miss  Liza  Lehmann,  Miss  Lena  Little,  Mr. 
Holberry  Hagyard,  and  Mr.  Plunket  Greene.  On  March  15  the 
Society  gave  a  Chamber  Concert,  with  the  valuable  co-operation 
of  Dr.  Joachim,  assisted  by  Messrs.  Gompertz,  Ludwig,  Haus- 
mann,  and  Professor  Stanford.  The  programme  contained 
Beethoven's  Quartet  in  E  minor  (Op.  59,  No.  2)  and  Brahms's  C 
minor  Trio  (Op.  101).  Mr.  Plunket  Greene,  whose  singing 
completely  took  Cambridge  by  storm,  sang  songs  by  Brahms, 
Schubert,  and  Joachim,  as  well  as  some  of  those  rare  old  Irish 
melodies  so  exquisitely  arranged  by  Dr.  Stanford.  March,  1889, 
it  will  be  remembered,  was  the  Jubilee  of  Dr.  Joachim's  career  as 
a  public  artist,  and  his  visit  to  Cambridge  was  made  the  occasion 
of  a  banquet  in  his  honour  (held,  by  kind  permission  of  the  Master 
and  Fellows,  in  the  Hall  of  Caius  College),  which  was  well 
attended  by  many  past  members  of  the  University  Musical 
Society,  as  well  as  those  now  in  residence.  Some  very  excellent 
speeches  were  made,  but  none  so  good  as  that  of  the  great 
musician  himself. 

(2)  In  the  Easter  Term  the  usual  two  Concerts  were  given — viz., 
a  Chamber  Concert,  on  Wednesday,  May  15,  which  included 
Beethoven's  Septet,  Goetz's  Pianoforte  Quintet  (Op.  16),  and 
David's  Concertino  for  bassoon  (Op.  12).  The  executants  were 
Messrs.  Gompertz,  Kreuz,  Ould,  White,  Egerton,  Borsdorf, 
Wotton,  and  Professor  Stanford.  Mrs.  Hutchinson  sang  songs 
by  Scarlatti  and  Brahms.  The  Orchestral  Concert,  on  Tuesday 
June  n,  consisted  of  an  admirable  performance  of  Dr.  Parry's 
"Judith,"  the  vocalists  being  Miss  Anna  Williams,  Miss  Lena 
Little,  Mr.  Ben  Davies,  and  Mr.  Plunket  Greene. 

During  the  summer  vacation  the  Society  is  practically  non- 
existent, but  this  year  the  vacation  has  been  notable  as  a  period 
of  preparation  for  a  new  departure  which  claims  special  notice. 
For  anything  like  adequate  performances  of  Choral  and  Orchestral 
Music,  Cambridge  has  of  late  years  been  exclusively  dependent 


CAMBRIDGE.  I47 


upon  University  effort,  the  old   Town    Society  having  gradually 
died   of  inanition  some  eight  or  ten  years  since.     It  occurred  to 
Professor  Stanford  that  there  was  room  for  the  establishment  of 
a    definite    series    of  Concerts   to   be    supported    by   Town    and 
University    alike,    independently    of    any     actual     Society.      A 
committee  was  accordingly  formed,  consisting  of  representative 
men  of  all  sections  of  local  musical  activity,  and  mainly  owing  to 
the  great  personal  influence  and  exertions  of  Dr.  Stanford  himself 
a  Guarantee  Fund  was  formed,  and  the  new  series   is  now  a  fait 
accompli.     The  scheme  is  for  a  set  of  eight  Concerts,  to  be  given 
in  the  Guildhall  during  the  two  Winter  Terms,  two  in  each  Term 
being  Orchestral    and  two  Chamber.     The  subscription  for  the 
whole  set  of  eight  is  only  £i   is.,  and  provision  is  made  for  a 
considerable  number  of  unreserved  seats  at  a  shilling  a  Concert. 
Not  only  is  the  bait  of  popular  prices  held  out,  but  the  programmes 
are    scrupulously    restricted   in  length,  and  the  discomfort  and 
risks    of    evening    dress    at   the   winter   time   of  the   year   are 
strenuously   protested   against.      It  is  gratifying  to  be  able  to 
state  that  the  attendance  at   the   first   four   Concerts   given   in 
November  was   such   as   to   prove   the  wisdom    of  these   provi- 
sions.   At  the  same  time,  it  is  obvious  that  the  limited  capacity 
of  the   Concert   Room  and   the  low  prices  will   necessitate  the 
utmost  economy  if  the  Concerts  are  to  be  self-supporting.     It  is 
satisfactory  to  note,  not  only  on  this  account,  but  still   more  on 
educational  grounds,  that  the  pick  of  the  local  amateur  orchestras, 
both    University  and  Town,  have  been  admitted  to  take  a  share 
in  the  work.      Another  noteworthy  feature  in  connection  with 
these  Concerts  is  that  Professor  Stanford  has,  with  the  consent 
of  the  University  Board  of  Musical  Studies,  so  far  combined  his 
posts  of  Professor  and  Conductor  as  to  utilise  these  Concerts  for 
the  work  of  the  Professorial  Chair,  by  lecturing  on  the   history, 
construction,  and  instrumentation  of  the  chief  orchestral  works 
contained  in  the  programmes,  and  the  University,  regarding  these 
performances  as  "  illustrations  "   of  their  Professor's   Lectures, 
have  contributed  a  substantial  sum  from  the  University  chest  to 

L  2 


i48  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


the   Concert  fund.       It   is  obvious,  therefore,  that  in  this   new 
departure  we  have  the  elements  of  a  movement  which,  if  perma- 
nent, must  contribute  most   materially  to  local  musical  culture 
and  development.     It  remains  to  be  seen  whether  its  usefulness 
will  not  have  to  be  discounted  to  some  slight  extent  by  a  diminu- 
tion in  the  work,  the  opportunities,  and  possibly  the  financial 
position    of  the    University    Musical    Society   itself.     It    is,   for 
instance,  understood  that  these  Concerts  are  to  take  the  place  of 
the    old   established    "Wednesday    Popular   Concerts"   hitherto 
given    by    the    Society,    and  the    last    Michaelmas  Term    was 
perhaps  the  first  in  the  history  of  the   Society  since   its  insti- 
tution   in  which  it   has  given  no  sign  of  its  existence  by  Con- 
cert or  public  performance  of  any  kind.     At  the  first  of  these  new 
Concerts,  on  November  6,  the  programme  contained  Beethoven's 
"Leonora"  Overture  (No.  i),  "Emperor"  Concerto  (played  by 
Mr.  Dannreuther),  and  Mozart's  G  minor  Symphony ;  and  at  the 
fourth,  on  November  27,  Mendelssohn's  "  Hebrides  "  Overture, 
the    "  Eroica "    Symphony,    and    Piatti's    Violoncello    Concerto 
(Op.  26),  played  by  the  composer.     The  vocalists  were  the  Hon. 
Mrs.    Robert   Lyttelton  (November  6)  and    Miss    Emily  Davies 
(November   27).        Mr.    Burnett    led    the    band,    and    Professor 
Stanford  conducted.     At  the  two  Chamber  Concerts,  on  November 
13   and  20,    the  programmes    contained   Beethoven's    Trio  in  B 
flat  (Op.  97)  and  String  Quartet  in  C  major  (Op.  59),  Schubert's 
Quartet    in  A  minor   (Op.   29),   and  Dvorak's  lovely  Pianoforte 
Quintet  in  A  major  (Op.  81).     A  new  set  of  "  Liebesbilder  "  by 
Mr.  Kreuz  (of  the  Royal  College  of  Music)  for  viola  and  piano- 
forte,   and    songs    by   Franz,    Goetz,    Jensen,    Rubinstein,    and 
Charles  Wood  completed  the  programmes.     The  executants  were 
Messrs.  Gompertz,  Inwards,  Kreuz,  and  Ould,  with  Miss  Fletcher 
(R.C.M.)    and   Mr.    Charles   Wood   at   the   pianoforte,    and   the 
vocalists  were  Miss  Anna  Russell  and  Mr.  Branscombe. 

Another  incident  of  the  musical  year  in  Cambridge  has  been  the 
establishment  of  the  University  Musical  Club.  This,  though  under 
the  management  of  a  separate  committee,  and  intended  to  be  self- 


CAMBRIDGE. 


149 


supporting,  is  to  a  certain  extent  in  affiliation  with  the  University 
Musical  Society,  which  has  advanced  the  money  for  its  "outfit." 
It  is  worked  on  much  the  same  principles  as  the  corresponding 
Club  at  the  Sister  University,  and  Club  Concerts  are  given  in  the 
rooms  every  Saturday  night. 

Cambridge,  like  Oxford,  is  noted  for  its  Choral  Services,  which 
are  undoubtedly  a  very  important  factor  in  the  musical  attractions 
and  influences  of  the  place.  In  this  connection  the  year  just 
ended  will  be  principally  known  as  the  "organ-restoration"  year, 
the  three  most  important  organs,  those  of  King's,  Trinity,  and 
St.  John's,  having  all  been  in  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Hill  &  Son 
for  the  introduction  of  "  tubular  pneumatics  "  and  other  improve- 
ments and  additions.  The  additions  to  King's  organ  have  been 
considerable,  involving  a  fourth  manual  (solo),  as  well  as  other 
extensions.  The  prevailing  opinion  seems  to  be  that  the  "flue- 
work  "  has  been  somewhat  overweighted  with  reeds,  an  excess 
which  the  peculiar  acoustic  properties  of  the  building  tend  to 
emphasise  rather  than  conceal.  The  principal  .additions  at 
Trinity  consist  of  a  set  of  open  thirty-twos  on  the  pedal  in  the 
place  of  some  stopped  sixteens — a  third  diapason  and  a  bourdon 
on  the  great  organ ;  and  an  enlargement  of  the  choir  organ, 
which  is  now  divided — some  of  it  being  transferred  to  the  portion 
of  the  case  (the  "  chaire "  organ)  at  the  back  of  the  player. 
This  portion  has  been  projected  into  the  chapel  to  the  great 
improvement  of  the  appearance  of  the  case,  as  well  as  to  the 
advantage  of  the  solo  singers,  who  thus  have  the  accompanying 
portion  of  the  organ  brought  nearer  to  them.  The  prolonged 
silence  of  these  organs  has  been  in  one  respect  of  great  service  to 
the  choirs  in  question,  as  it  has  developed  that  accuracy  and  refine- 
ment of  vocalisation  which  is  so  essential  in  good  unaccompanied 
singing.  The  organ  at  Trinity  has  not  yet  been  re-opened,  but 
that  at  King's  has  been  in  use  again  for  some  time.  Bennett's 
"  Woman  of  Samaria  "  was  sung  at  the  opening  service. 

As  regards  other  musical  efforts,  there  is  not  much  to  chronicle. 
That  most  worthy  of  mention  is  a  performance,  in  King's  College 


150  MUSICAL   NOTES. 


Chapel  (on  June  12),  of  "Israel  in  Egypt,"  under  the  conductor- 
ship  of  Dr.  Mann,  who  deserves  great  credit  for  his  untiring  and 
enthusiastic  efforts  to  get  together  the  material  for  such  per- 
formances in  a  place  and  at  a  time  where  all  available  hands  are 
so  pre-occupied  in  other  directions. 

The  Cambridge  Choral  Union — an  attempt  to  revive  associated 
musical  effort  in  the  Town  as  distinct  from  the  University  which 
deserves  every  encouragement  —  gave  Handel's  "  Acis  and 
Galatea"  on  May  2,  under  the  conductorship  of  Mr.  W.  C. 
Dewberry  (R.A.M.)  ;  and  his  brother,  Mr.  F.  Dewberry,  who  is 
the  Borough  organist,  played  Handel's  B  flat  Organ  Concerto 
with  orchestra  at  the  same  Concert. 

There  were  the  usual  number  of  "College"  Concerts  and 
of  "  Penny  "  Concerts  for  the  people,  as  well  as  Organ  Recitals 
at  the  Guildhall  and  in  Trinity  and  other  College  Chapels. 

The  number  of  Concerts  given  by  those  not  locally  connected 
with  the  place  was  not  large.  In  fact,  it  seems  to  be  at  last 
pretty  well  understood  among  Concert-givers  generally  that 
Cambridge  is  the  reverse  of  a  "  happy  hunting-ground  "  in  this 
respect,  though  it  has  taken  years  of  disappointment  and  financial 
reverse  to  get  them  to  take  this  lesson  adequately  to  heart.  Sir 
Charles  and  Lady  Halle  are  always  sure  of  a  hearty  welcome  in 
their  annual  visit  here,  and  the  very  natural  curiosity  to  hear  the 
veteran  Sims  Reeves  drew  a  large  audience  a  few  weeks  back. 

There  was  no  "  Greek  Play "  at  Cambridge  last  year,  but 
matters  are  in  train  for  one  in  November,  1890,  and  the  incidental 
music  will  be  written  by  Dr.  Hubert  Parry.  There  is  also  some 
talk  of  getting  up  a  performance  of  Gliick's  "  Iphigenia  "  some- 
time in  May,  but  the  arrangements  for  it  are  still  in  embryo. 

X. 


EDINBURGH.  151 


EDINBURGH. 

THE  most  striking  feature  in  the  programmes  presented  to  our 
audiences  during  the  last  year  is  the  ever-increasing  number  of 
items  by  Scottish  composers.  We  do  not  repudiate  the  Imperial 
"  English  School,"  but  we  are  proud  of  that  important  section 
which  represents  national  talent,  and  which  looks  so  often  for 
inspiration  to  national  themes. 

Mention  should  first  be  made  of  the  Orchestral  Concerts  given 
under  Sir  Charles  Halle's  baton  at  the   Reid  Festival — the  one 
service  for  which  we  have  to  thank  the  memory  of  that  far-seeing 
amateur,  General  Reid,  who   left    his   money   to    the    cause    of 
music  in  Scotland.     The  administration  of  the  funds  in  connec- 
tion with  the  bequest  has  long  been  a  sore  subject.     There  is  a 
Professor  with  no  students;  a  chair  and  no  power  to  examine 
for  degrees ;  a  library  not  available  to  musicians  in  Edinburgh 
save  by  the  courtesy  of  the  Professor.     It  is  with  regret  we  read 
the  announcement  that  Sir  Charles  Halle's  band  is  next  February 
to  make  its  last    appearance  in  Edinburgh.     Some  money  will 
thus   be  left  free  to  be  applied  in  another  way.      "  What   will 
they  do  with  it  ?  "  is  the  question.     A  beautiful  performance  of 
the  "  Pastoral "  Symphony  was  the  feature  of  the  "  Reid  "  pro- 
gramme  (February     14),     which    also   included   the    Schumann 
Concerto,  Mackenzie's  "  La  Belle  Dame,"  and  the  "  Academic  " 
(Brahms)  and  "  Athalie  "  Overtures.     The  two  Conserts  given, 
as  usual,   in  connection  with  this  annual  memorial  of  General 
Reid  were    an    Orchestral  (February  13)    and  a  Chamber   Con- 
cert (n).     At  the  former  the   Overtures   were  "  Egmont  "  and 
"  Meistersinger  "  ;  the  Symphony  was  the   "  Italian,"  and  Lady 


152  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Halle   roused   the    enthusiasm    of   her    Edinburgh    audience    by 
her  rendering  of  Vieuxtemps's  Concerto  in  E  major. 

When  diminishing  receipts  and  repeated  calls  on  the  guarantors 
made  it  advisable  for  the  Edinburgh  Choral  Union  to  rest  on  its 
oars,  Messrs.  Paterson  and  Son  stepped  in  and  engaged  the 
orchestra  on  which  the  Choral  Union  had  depended,  and  although 
fewer  Concerts  were  given,  and  the  subscriptions  were  somewhat 
higher,  we  were  saved  from  the  disgrace  of  having  no  winter 
Orchestral  Concerts  in  a  capital  which  prides  itself  on  its  culture, 
musical  and  artistic.  Among  the  Symphonies  were  Villiers 
Stanford's  "  Irish  "  (a  novelty  here),  Schumann's  in  B  flat,  and 
Schubert's  in  C  major.  The  Overtures  comprised  Grieg's  beautiful 
"  Im  Herbst,"  and  Mr.  Hamish  MacCunn's  "  Dowie  Dens  o' 
Yarrow."  Our  young  countryman's  Orchestral  Ballad  "The  Ship 
o'  the  Fiend  "  was  also  given,  and  on  the  night  of  the  "  Dowie 
Dens "  he  conducted  his  Cantata  "  Bonnie  Kilmeny,"  the 
choral  part  of  which  was  most  successfully  sustained  by  Mr. 
Kirkhope's  choir.  Mr.  MacCunn  was  afterwards  entertained  with 
Mr.  Manns  by  the  Edinburgh  Society  of  Musicians. 

An  Edinburgh  artist,  Madame  Helen  Hopekirk,  played  the 
"Emperor"  Concerto  on  her  re-appearance  here  (January  15), 
and  won  a  decided  success.  M.  Johannes  Wolff  was  introduced 
to  Edinburgh  (January  19),  making  his  appearance  in  Godard's 
A  minor  Concerto,  and  at  once  found  himself  a  favourite.  The 
other  soloist  (January  8)  was  M.  Gillet  (violoncello).  The 
pecuniary  and  artistic  success  of  these  Concerts  has  justified 
Messrs.  Paterson  in  again  submitting  a  similar  scheme  to  the 
public  and  the  subscriptions  are  fully  taken  up.  At  the  second 
Concert,  on  December  16,  was  heard  the  first  performance 
of  Dr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie's  "Cotter's  Saturday  Night." 

This  work  was  enthusiastically  received  on  first  hearing,  and  a 
closer  study  reveals  new  elements  of  beauty  in  Dr.  Mackenzie's 
picturesque  instrumentation  and  themes  more  graceful  and 
spontaneous  than  he  sometimes  gives  us.  The  poem  is  not 
eminently  suited  for  a  musical  setting,  and  Dr.  Mackenzie  has 


EDINBURGH. 


153 


erred  in  dwelling  too  minutely  on  some  minor  details  which, 
passed  over  so  lightly  in  the  poem,  make  there  a  broad  and  homely 
effect,  whereas  in  the  more  ideal  language  of  music  they  only 
disturb  the  picture.  A  delightfully  national  flavour  runs  through 
the  work  in  characteristic  rhythms  and  intervals,  and  the  com- 
poser rises  to  a  great  height  of  passion  in  his  setting  of  the  verse 
beginning  "  O  tender  love,"  a  lovely  little  bit  of  writing.  His 
patriotic  peroration,  "  O  Scotia,  my  dear,  my  native  soil,"  had  the 
ring  of  earnestness  and  sincerity  about  it,  which  produced  its  due 
effect  on  the  audience.  Dr.  Mackenzie  was  heartily  applauded  at 
the  close  of  the  work. 

It  is  a  pity  that  the  Wagner  "  boycott "  is  still  kept  up.  The 
"  Meistersinger  "  and  "  Lohengrin  "  Preludes  can  hardly  be  said 
to  fairly  represent  the  Bayreuth  master.  Fortunately  Mr. 
Henschel  chose  "  Wotan's  Abschied "  as  one  of  his  solos, 
but  we  ought  not  to  have  to  depend  on  fortuitous  influences 
for  the  inclusion  in  our  programmes  of  music  which  other  towns 
and  countries  have  so  many  opportunities  of  hearing. 

The  Edinburgh  Amateur  Orchestral  is  a  very  healthy  associa- 
tion, and  its  performances  amply  justify  the  large  public  support 
it  always  commands.  Under  Mr.  Carl  D.  Hamilton  it  gives 
most  satisfactory  renderings  of  such  works  as  Haydn's  and 
Mozart's  Symphonies,  and  even  Mendelssohn's  Overtures  and  his 
"  Italian "  Symphony.  Other  amateur  societies  —  the  St. 
Andrew's,  conducted  by  Mr.  Geo.  W.  Lingard,  Mus.  Bac.,  and 
the  Orpheus,  by  Mr.  John  Greig,  Mus.  Doc.,  Oxon. — testify  to 
the  growing  taste  for  and  interest  in  the  greatest  of  all  instruments, 
the  orchestra. 

The  Edinburgh  Choral  Union  is  manfully  fighting  its  uphil 
battle.  Its  prestige  suffered  sadly  when  it  was  forced  to  abandon 
the  orchestral  part  of  its  annual  scheme,  and  even  the  great 
improvement  in  the  chorus  under  strict  regulations  and  Mr. 
Collinson's  skilful  training  has  not  restored  to  it  its  former  share 
of  public  favour.  The  junction  with  Messrs.  Paterson's  enterprise, 
wherein  they  assisted  Mr.  Manns's  orchestra  in  the  "  Cotter's 


154  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Saturday  Night,"  and  with  next  year's  Reid  Festival,  where  they 
are  to  be  accompanied  by  Halle's  orchestra  in  the  "  Hymn  of 
Praise,"  will  perhaps  waken  the  Choral  Union  and  the  Edinburgh 
public  to  a  sense  of  mutual  responsibility. 

An  Association  which  has  made  rapid  strides,  thanks  to  its  Con- 
ductor and  many  extraneous  and  obvious  advantages,  is  Mr. 
Kirkhope's  choir.  It  attains  now  nearly  to  the  perfection  of  choral 
singing,  and  has  left  the  smaller  halls  where  its  former  successes 
have  been  gained.  The  Music  Hall  is  not  now  too  large  for  its 
audiences,  and  an  increase  in  its  numbers  is  rendered  practicable. 
Whatever  difference  of  opinion  there  may  be  about  the 
terms  of  admission  to  the  choir,  nothing  but  praise  can  be 
given  to  the  enterprise  that  undertook  and  the  patience  which  so 
triumphantly  overcame  the  difficulties  of  the  Brahms  "  Requiem  " 
(April  16).  The  work  was  brilliantly  rendered.  At  the 
same  Concert  were  performed  Gounod's  "  Gallia  "  and  Mendels- 
sohn's g8th  Psalm ;  also  a  Quartet  by  Brahms.  The  winter 
Concert  was  given  on  December  9,  when  Mendelssohn's  "  Wal- 
purgis  Night  "  and  Rheinberger's  "  Christophorus  "  were  per- 
formed. 

Mr.  Waddel's  choir,  now  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Millar 
Craig,  made  several  successful  appearances  with  a  selection  of 
madrigals,  as  illustrations  to  a  Lecture  delivered  by  M.  Kunz  at 
the  Philosophical  Institution  and  in  the  Synod  Hall,  and  as  part 
of  their  summer  Concert  programme  (June  5).  The  choice  of 
Macfarren's  "Outward  Bound"  as  the  choral  work  was  disastrous. 
The  vessel  is  unseaworthy,  and  no  mermaids  were  needed  to 
prophesy  its  fate.  The  choir  is  now  engaged  in  the  rehearsal  of  a 
much  more  important  and  interesting  work,  Astorga's  "  Stabat 
Mater." 

Mr.  J.  A.  Moonie's  Choir  is  a  most  enterprising  association, 
and  well  deserves  the  large  measure  of  success  it  has  commanded. 
Last  March  it  attacked  Dr.  Stanford's  "  Revenge,"  and  also  gave 
us  the  first  opportunity  of  hearing  Mr.  MacCunn's  "  Lord  Ullin's 
Daughter."  Mr.  Moonie's  Male  Voice  Choir,  as  well  as  Mr. 


EDINBURGH.  155 


Millar  Craig's  Male  Glee  Club,  and  the  old  established  Harmonist 
Society,  show  how  general  is  the  taste  for  this  delightful  branch 
of  choral  music.  It  is  impossible  to  mention  in  detail  all  the 
minor  choral  associations,  which  take  their  names  from  nearly 
every  district  of  the  city,  and  find  a  centre  in  nearly  every  church 
choir. 

In  our  world  of  Chamber  music,  the  Edinburgh  Classical 
Chamber  Concerts  hold  the  most  important  place  in  virtue  of 
their  regularity  and  earnestness  of  purpose.  Messrs.  W.  Town- 
send  and  Paul  Delia  Torre  are  the  best  local  pianoforte  players 
and  their  efforts  are  ably  seconded  by  Mr.  Colin  Mackenzie  (violin) 
and  Mr.  Grant  McNeill  (violoncello).  At  two  Concerts,  in  January 
and  February,  they  presented  Trios  by  Schubert,  in  B  flat  ; 
Mendelssohn,  in  D  minor;  and  Beethoven,  in  B  flat  (Op.  97). 
At  their  first  Concert  of  the  present  winter  season  (December 
4),  by  engaging  the  services  of  Mr.  Conrad  Laubach  (viola), 
they  were  able  to  undertake  Schumann's  Quartet  in  E  flat  and 
Mendelssohn's  Trio  in  C  minor.  The  solo  work  of  Messrs. 
Townsend,  Mackenzie,  and  McNeill  showed  in  every  instance 
marked  advance — a  Sonata  by  Dvorak  in  D  minor,  for  piano- 
forte and  violin,  and  a  brilliant  rendering  of  Liszt's  D  flat 
Concert  Study,  being  the  most  notable  items, 

The  Chamber  Concerts  organised  by  Herr  Alfred  Gallrein  are 
rather  irregular  in  date  and  design.  There  is  no  doubt  that  what 
is  gained  in  opportunity  is  lost  in  homogeneity.  Still,  good  work 
is  done,  and  we  are  indebted  to  Herr  Gallrein  for  the  opportunity 
(March  i)  of  hearing  an  interesting  Sonata  by  Spohr,  for  the 
violin  and  harp  (Mdlles.  Marianne  and  Clara  Eissler),  besides 
some  clever  harp  solos,  and  also  (February  i)  Sonatas  by 
Goltermann  and  Corelli  for  the  violoncello.  Entrepreneurs  of 
Chamber  Concerts,  in  a  town  where  these  are  not  very  common, 
have  large  responsibilities,  which  Herr  Gallrein  will  do  well  to 
recognise.  Support  will  not  be  wanting. 

Other  Chamber  Concerts  were  given  by  Herr  Heckmann,  in 
Queen  Street  Hall  (November  8),  and  Madame  Drechsler 


156  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Hamilton  (December  17).  On  March  20  the  Philosophical 
Institution  provided  the  annual  treat  which  is  regarded  as 
the  close  of  our  regular  musical  season.  Additional  interest 
was  given  to  last  season's  Concert  by  the  Joachim  Jubilee,  to 
which  Sheriff  Mackay  referred  in  a  graceful  speech,  Dr.  Joachim 
replying  in  a  very  few  words.  He  was  afterwards  entertained 
by  the  Society  of  Musicians. 

Madame  Helen  Hopekirk  gave  a  Recital  at  the  Literary 
Institute  (January  18),  in  course  of  which  she  played  Beet- 
hoven's "  Appassionata,"  Chopin's  B  minor  Scherzo,  and  Liszt's 
Twelfth  Rhapsody  in  splendid  style.  She  received  quite  an 
ovation.  At  the  first  of  two  Lectures  by  Mr.  Franklin  Peterson 
on  Beethoven,  Madame  Hopekirk  played  Sonatas  in  illustration 
of  the  master's  first  and  second  "  periods." 

Mr.  Paul  Delia  Torre,  who  is  undoubtedly  the  best  of  our 
younger  pianists,  as  far  as  technique  goes,  undertook  a  Beethoven 
Recital  in  the  Freemasons'  Hall,  on  March  23.  The  perform- 
ances were  uniformly  good,  and  the  intention  was  excellent ;  but 
the  selection  of  works  was  not  calculated  to  carry  out  the 
evident  attempt  to  illustrate  the  development  of  the  Sonata 
form  in  Beethoven's  hands. 

On  October  14  Senor  Sarasate  presented  Dr.  Mackenzie's 
"  Pibroch,"  which  he  had  just  played  at  the  Leeds  Festival. 
Madame  Berthe  Marx  made  a  most  favourable  impression  on 
her  first  appearance  in  Edinburgh. 

Otto  Hegner  gave  a  Recital,  on  February  25,  at  which  he 
delighted  and  astonished  his  audience. 

Sir  Charles  Halle's  annual  Recital  was  given  on  October  19, 
when  he  was  assisted  as  usual  by  Lady  Halle". 

The  opera  season  in  Edinburgh  is  very  short,  and  presents  very 
inadequate  fare.  Meyerbeer's  "  Star  of  the  North "  was  the 
novelty  this  year,  and  a  careful  study  and  splendid  mounting  at 
once  established  it  as  a  favourite. 

Madame  Patti  paid  us  a  visit  on  October  29 ;  and  on 
November  16  Madame  Valleria  and  other  artists  gave  a 


EDINBURGH. 


157 


Concert,  at  which  the  two  virtuosi,  MM.  Wolff  and  Nachez, 
gave  a  magnificent  rendering  of  Bach's  Concerto  in  D  minor,  for 
two  violins.  M.  Wolff  also  played  at  the  annual  Blind  Asylum 
Concert,  in  the  Synod  Hall  (April  6),  where  he  was  heard  in  a 
duet  Sonata,  by  Rubinstein,  with  Miss  Clara  Lichtenstein.  Miss 
Macintyre  sang  and  Miss  Detchon  recited. 

The  Edinburgh  Society  of  Musicians  has  steered  safely  through 
its  initial  shallows  and  is  now  fairly  established.  Besides 
ordinary  meetings,  they  entertained  last  year  Sir  Charles  Halle, 
Dr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie,  Mr.  Hamish  MacCunn,  Mr.  Manns,  and 
Dr.  Joachim,  in  celebration  of  his  jubilee.  On  the  last  occasion 
Miss  Fanny  Davies  was  also  among  the  guests.  Lectures,  papers, 
or  Chamber  music  forms  the  ordinary  programme  at  the  Societv's 
weekly  meetings.  A  Benevolent  Fund  and  a  library  have  been 
constituted  in  connection  with  the  Society. 

Public  Lectures  on  Music  were  delivered  at  the  Philosophical 
Institution  by  M.  Jules  Kunz,  on  Madrigals  (to  which  Mr. 
Waddel's  choir  supplied  the  examples),  and  by  Mr.  Franklin 
Peterson  on  "  Parsifal,"  illustrated  by  music  and  limelight  views. 

FRANKLIN  PETERSON. 


158  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


GLASGOW. 

IN  most  things  that  concern  the  higher  interests  of  the  musical 
art  the  Glasgow  Choral  Union  takes  the  lead  on  the  banks  of  the 
Clyde.  This  organisation  has  experienced  many  vicissitudes  in  a 
career  dating  back  to  1843,  when  it  had  its  origin  in  "The 
Society  for  Performing  the  Oratorio  of  'The  Messiah.'"  The 
band  of  enthusiasts  sang,  as  may  be  imagined,  from  MS.  In 
those  days  they  could  hardly  have  dreamed  of  a  shilling  copy  of 
Handel's  "  eloquent  sermon."  The  reminiscence  is  not  inappro- 
priate, inasmuch  as  our  record  of  1889  begins  with  the  time-honoured 
New  Year's  Day  performance  of  "The  Messiah  "  by  the  Choral 
Union.  It  was  the  fourth  Concert  of  the  choral  and  orchestral 
subscription  series,  1888-9,  directed  by  the  Society,  and  here  it 
may  be  convenient  to  state  that  the  choir — so  well  trained  by  Mr. 
Joseph  Bradley — averages  a  numerical  strength  of  350  voices ; 
also  that  the  band  engaged  for  the  season  consisted  of  seventy- 
five  performers,  selected  from  the  best  orchestras  in  the  country, 
with  Mr.  August  Manns  as  conductor  — a  post  which  he  has  held 
with  signal  credit  to  himself  for  many  years.  The  programmes 
were,  as  usual,  drawn  up  by  the  Sydenham  Conductor,  and  the 
material  will  speak  for  itself.  At  the  fifth  Concert  we  had,  amongst 
other  good  things,  the  Introduction  to  "  Tristan  und  Isolde," 
Beethoven's  Violin  Concerto  (for  Mr.  M.  Sons,  the  able  leader 
of  the  orchestra),  Dvorak's  ''  Scherzo  Capriccioso,"  Haydn's  Sym- 
phony in  B  flat  (No.  4  of  the  Salomon  set),  and  songs  from 
Madame  Belle  Cole.  On  the  evening  of  the  8th  Raff's  Concerto 
for  violoncello  and  orchestra  (Op.  193),  and  Praeger's  Prelude  to 
Byron's  "  Manfred  "  were  heard  for  the  first  time  at  these  Con- 


GLASGOW.  159 


certs  ;  the  Symphony  was  Beethoven's  No.  2,  and  Liszt's  first 
Hungarian  Rhapsody  concluded  a  remarkably  well-sustained  pro- 
gramme. The  violoncello  soloist  was  M.  Gillet,  a  player  of  very 
considerable  attainments.  At  the  seventh  Concert  Dr.  Villiers 
Stanford's  "  Irish  "  Symphony  had  the  place  of  honour.  Madame 
Helen  Hopekirk  was  heard  in  Beethoven's  Fifth  Pianoforte 
Concerto,  and  Mdlle.  Elvira  Gambogi  sang.  Herr  George  Miiller, 
the  ripieno  violin  of  the  band,  essayed  Max  Bruch's  Concerto  in 
G  minor  at  the  eighth  Concert,  the  programme  of  which  also 
included  Schumann's  Symphony  (No.  i)  in  B  flat,  and  Mr- 
Hamish  MacCunn's  Ballad  for  orchestra,  "  The  Ship  o'  the 
Fiend."  M.  Johannes  Wolff  made  his  first  appearance  here  on 
the  evening  of  the  2Qth,  when  he  played  with  entire  acceptance 
in  Godard's  "  Concerto  Romantique  "  for  violin  and  orchestra, 
and  there  was  an  altogether  delightful  performance  of  Schubert's 
Symphony  in  C,  the  so-called  "  No.  10."  The  tenth  Concert 
was  entirely  choral,  when  the  Union  won  very  frank  approval  in 
Mendelssohn's  "  First  Walpurgis  Night  "  and  in  Sullivan's 
popular  Cantata  "  The  Golden  Legend."  Popular  Concerts  in 
connection  with  the  scheme  just  briefly  reviewed  took  place,  as 
usual,  on  the  Saturday  evenings.  The  programmes  included 
several  standard  Symphonies  and  Overtures,  as  also  miscel- 
laneous selections  of  hardly  less  interest  than  those  submitted  at 
the  classical  series. 

The  records  for  February  comprised  little  of  consequence,  saving 
that  on  the  8th  the  Hillhead  Chamber  Music  Association  gave 
its  second  Concert  of  the  season.  The  artists  were  Sir  Charles 
and  Lady  Halle  and  M.  Vieuxtemps,  who  gave  a  singularly  fine 
performance  of  Beethoven's  Trio  in  D  (Op.  70).  The  programme 
also  included  an  almost  perfect  rendering  of  Brahms's  Pianoforte 
and  Violin  Sonata  in  A  major,  and  Schubert's  Trio  in  B  flat 
(Op.  99).  On  the  2ist  little  Otto  Hegner  came  to  St.  Andrew's 
Hall  and  met  with  a  distinct  success. 

March  was,  as  usual,  a  busy  month  with  the  smaller  Choral 
Societies  in  Glasgow.  The  inexorable  laws  of  space  can  only, 


160  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


however,  permit  us  to  say  that  several  of  these  choirs  made  highly 
creditable  appearances  in  works  of  a  more  or  less  familiar  type. 
On  the  ist  the  Hillhead  Association  just-named  gave  its  third 
and  last  Concert  of  the  season,  when  Miss  Fanny  Davies  and 
Miss  Marie  Soldat  supported  a  programme  of  sterling  worth.  Its 
leading  features  were  Schumann's  Sonata  in  A  minor  (Op.  105), 
Bach's  Preludio,  Menuet,  and  Gavotte  (E  major  Suite),  and 
Chopin's  Andante  Spianato  and  Polonaise.  The  young  Birming- 
ham pianist  had  her  customary  warm  greeting,  and  the 
reception  accorded  Miss  Soldat  must  have  been  exceedingly 
gratifying  to  the  fair  Austrian,  who  made  her  first  appearance 
here.  Her  pure  and  massive  tone,  brilliant  technique,  and  artistic 
perception  will  not  soon  be  forgotten.  The  Promenades  at  the 
Fine  Art  Institute  call  for  record,  if  only  on  account  of  the  agree- 
able programmes  always  submitted  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Cole.  A 
Symphony  invariably  attracted  large  numbers  of  amateurs  on  the 
Saturday  afternoons. 

On  April  4  the  eleventh  and  concluding  Concert  of  the 
Glasgow  Choral  Union  series  took  place.  The  close  of  the 
season  was  postponed  to  this  date  in  order  that  the  services  of 
Dr.  Joachim  and  party  might  be  secured.  A  programme  of 
Chamber  music  was  quite  a  new  feature  in  the  history  of  the 
Society.  It  was  not  superlatively  strong,  but  Mozart's  Quartet 
in  C  major  (No.  6),  the  Andante  with  Variations  from  the 
"  Kreutzer  "  Sonata,  and  Schumann's  Quintet  in  E  flat  (Op.  44), 
supported  by  the  great  Hungarian  violinist,  Messrs.  Piatti,  Ries, 
A.  Gibson,  and  Miss  Fanny  Davies,  gave  the  crowded  audience 
unmixed  satisfaction.  On  the  gth  Dr.  Bridge's  fine  Cantata 
"  Callirhoe  "  was  performed  by  the  Bridgeton  Choral  Society, 
under  the  direction  of  Mr.  George  Taggart,  a  local  amateur  of 
skill,  and  at  the  annual  Concert  of  the  Kyrle  Choir  a  new  Choral 
Ballad  sought  and  obtained  favour.  This  was  Mr.  C.  Hall 
Woolnoth's  setting  of  Longfellow's  "  The  Skeleton  in  Armour," 
remarkable  for  its  clever  pianoforte  accompaniment,  as  also 
melodic  invention  of  no  mean  order. 


GLASGOW.  161 


Early  in  May— the  6th— the  Carl  Rosa  Opera  Company  entered 
upon  a  week's  engagement  at  the  Theatre  Royal,  when  "  The 
Star  of  the  North  "  was  played  no  fewer  than  four  times.  The 
work  was  wonderfully  well  staged,  and  Madame  Georgina  Burns 
and  her  coadjutors  secured  large  favour.  From  the  opera  week 
onwards  to  September,  our  records  were  almost  a  blank  ;  there  is, 
indeed,  little  "  tuning  up  "  during  the  summer  and  early  autumn 
— the  "  doon  the  water  "  season — but  at  the  gatherings  of  the 
Glasgow  Society  of  Musicians  the  interests  of  the  harmonic  art 
are  not  by  any  means  forgotten.  This  organisation  includes  both 
the  professional  and  the  amateur  element,  it  is  true  to  its  original 
aims,  and  specially  remarkable  for  its  hospitality  to  artists  visit- 
ing the  city  of  St.  Mungo.  In  August  Dr.  Joachim  came  to 
Glasgow  to  receive  the  degree  of  LL.D.  from  its  ancient  Uni- 
versity, and  ere  September  had  been  well  ushered  in  coming 
events  were  casting  their  proverbial  shadows  before  them.  Our 
leading  Musical  Society,  for  example,  was  in  the  field  with  a 
preliminary  prospectus,  and  the  City  Hall  Concerts  (Saturday 
and  Monday  evenings)  were  in  operation,  schemes  chiefly  on 
"  ballad  "  lines,  but  noticeable  for  the  array  of  leading  artists 
often  to  be  found  on  the  East-end  Concert  platform. 

The  Glasgow  Choral  Union  season,  1889-90,  opened  on 
October  15,  when  Chamber  Music  was  again  submitted.  The 
artists  were  Senor  Sarasate  and  Madame  Bertha  Marx,  and  Miss 
Ella  Russell  charmed  her  large  St.  Andrew's  Hall  audience 
with  operatic  arias.  At  this  Concert  the  accomplished  Spanish 
violinist  played  with  electric  effect  Dr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie's  stimu- 
lating "  Pibroch,"  and  the  new  comer,  Madame  Marx,  gave 
ample  evidence  of  her  remarkable  ability  as  a  pianist.  A  couple 
of  nights  later  Sir  Charles  and  Lady  Halle"  were  heard  at  the 
Queen's  Rooms  in  a  budget  of  good  things,  which  included  the 
latest  Sonatas  for  violin  and  pianoforte  from  the  pens  of  Brahms 
and  Grieg ;  and  on  the  28th  a  short-lived  series  of  Promenade 
Concerts  commenced  in  St.  Andrew's  Hall.  The  work  accom- 
plished by  Mr.  Cole  and  his  orchestra  of  forty  capable  players 


162  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

deserved,  it  is  not  too  much  to  say,  the  highest  encouragement. 
Once  more  it  falls  to  be  noted  that  the  Concert,  on  the  3ist, 
headed  by  Madame  Adelina  Patti,  carried  everything  before  it. 

Mr.  Edwin  Wareham's  Concert,  on  November  5,  introduced  to 
a  Glasgow  audience  Miss  Ethel  and  Master  Harold  Bauer,  in 
Grieg's  Pianoforte  and  Violin  Sonata  in  C  minor.  Madame 
Clara  Samuell  and  Mr.  Andrew  Black  sang  with  their  wonted 
favour,  the  Glasgow  baritone  giving  evidence  of  a  development 
in  style  which  his  numerous  friends  were  hardly  prepared  for. 
The  miscellaneous  Concerts  of  the  month  were,  it  may  be  feared, 
in  excess  of  the  demand.  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd  drew,  to  be  sure,  a 
crowded  audience  to  the  Monday  "  Pop,"  at  which  he  was 
engaged,  and  Mrs.  Alice  Shaw  speedily  whistled  herself  into  the 
good  graces  of  a  large  St.  Andrew's  Hall  gathering  ;  but  Madame 
Valleria's  appeal,  on  the  i8th,  was  strangely  overlooked  by  her 
many  admirers  hereabouts.  Possibly  the  Carl  Rosa  Company 
proved  a  formidable  counter-attraction.  It  was  a  "  Faust  "  night 
at  the  opera,  and  with  Mdlle.  de  Lussan  as  Marguerite'  In  this 
character,  and  in  the  title-role  of  "  Carmen,"  essayed  on  another 
occasion,  the  fair  American  achieved,  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say, 
a  success  quite  out  of  the  common  order.  The  opera  season 
extended  to  fourteen  representations. 

At  the  bi-weekly  meeting  of  the  Society  of  Musicians,  on 
November  9,  the  results  of  a  prize  competition  were  announced. 
Mr.  Allan  Macbeth  came  first  with  his  sacred  Cantata  "  The 
Land  of  Glory,"  a  work  which  does  him  infinite  credit.  Mr. 
W.  T.  Hoeck  was  awarded  second  prize  for  a  pianoforte  and 
violin  piece,  and  Mr.  T.  S.  Drummond  was  third  for  a  song.  The 
adjudicators  were  Dr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie  and  Dr.  W.  A.  Barrett. 
It  may  be  of  interest  to  note  that  on  fine  Sunday  evenings 
Concerts  took  place  at  the  Gaiety  Theatre  of  Varieties,  and  at  the 
Star  Music  Hall,  for  a  benevolent  object  ;  the  programmes  were 
mainly  drawn  from  the  domain  of  sacred  music,  but  a  dash  of  the 
secular  element  slipped  in,  and  there  was  at  least  one  very  good 
orchestral  performance,  that  of  the  Overture  to  "  William  Tell." 


GLASGOW.  163 


On  December  5,  the  Bridgeton  Choral  Society  gave  Mr.  F.  H. 
Cowen's  popular  Cantata  "  The  Rose  Maiden,"  and  on  the  same 
evening  Mr.  Alexander  Lucy,  a  young  Glasgow  pianist,  who  has 
lately  studied  abroad,  essayed  a  Recital.  It  was  an  earnest 
endeavour,  but  Mr.  Lucy's  powers  are  as  yet  immature. 

On  the  I2th  the  first  Orchestral  Concert  of  the  Glasgow  Choral 
Union  series  was  given,  and  in  the  presence  of  an  audience  which 
nearly  filled  St.  Andrew's  Hall.  Mr.  August  Manns  had  a  very 
cordial  welcome.  The  orchestra  was  in  wonderful  trim,  and  gave 
remarkably  good  performances  of  Dr.  A.  C.  Mackenzie's  "  Twelfth 
Night "  Overture,  a  selection  from  Grieg's  interesting  "  Peer 
Gynt  "  Suite,  the  "  Lohengrin"  Prelude,  and  Mozart's  ever-fresh 
G  minor  Symphony.  Lady  Halle  gave  a  superb  performance  of 
the  Beethoven  Violin  Concerto.  On  the  I4th  the  first 
Saturday  Popular  Concert  of  the  series  took  place.  The  pro- 
gramme included  Beethoven's  second  Symphony,  and  M. 
E.  Gillett,  the  principal  cello  of  the  orchestra,  was  heard  in  a 
Concerto,  from  the  pen  of  Lalo,  remarkable  for  its  poverty  of  in- 
vention and  pretentiousness.  Fraulein  Marie  Fillunger  made  her 
first  appearance  before  a  Scotch  audience  and  had  a  deservedly 
enthusiastic  welcome.  What  will  in  all  likelihood  be  regarded  as 
the  leading  event  of  the  season  came  off  on  Tuesday,  the  i7th, 
the  performance  for  the  first  time  in  Scotland  of  Beethoven's 
Mass  in  D.  The  Glasgow  Choral  Union  sang  their  exacting 
music  with  surprising  vigour,  staying  power,  and  accuracy,  show- 
ing, amongst  other  things,  the  care  bestowed  upon  the  rehearsals 
by  Mr.  Bradley,  who  conducted,  and  who  must  be  felicitated  on 
a  performance  of  singular  merit.  The  band  was  also  worthy  the 
occasion,  and  the  leader,  Mr.  Sons,  played  the  beautiful  violin 
solo  in  the  "  Benedictus "  with  fine  musical  feeling.  The 
soloists  were  Mesdames  Fillunger  and  Belle  Cole,  Mr.  Harper 
Kearton  and  Mr.  Brereton. 

On  the  2ist  Raffs  "Lenore"  Symphony  had  the  place  of 
honour  in  the  programme,  and  Mr.  F.  J.  Simpson's  Overture, 
"  Robert  Bruce,"  attracted  no  small  measure  of  interest  by 

M    2 


164  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


reason  of  the  composer's  nationality,  and  his  faculty  for  saying 
something  good  in  musical  commemoration  of  the  hero  of  Bannock- 
burn.  Mr.  Iver  McKay  sang  Mr.  Manns's  elegant  Serenade,  "  O 
moon  of  night."  At  the  Subscription  Concert,  on  the  23rd, 
another  Scotch  musician  was  to  the  fore,  in  Mr.  Frederick  Lamond, 
whose  Symphony  in  A  (MS.)  now  received  its  initial  performance. 
The  work  was  originally  laid  out  on  the  lines  of  a  Serenade,  "  but 
in  the  course  of  elaboration  each  movement  grew  into  one  of 
symphonic  form  and  proportion."  That  the  Symphony  is 
brimful  of  promise  cannot  be  doubted.  Mr.  Lamond,  while  a  dis- 
ciple of  Brahms,  can  think  for  himself,  his  utterances  are  melo- 
dious and  graceful — instance  the  fine  slow  movement — and  if  his 
orchestration  does  not  always  enrich  the  fabric  in  the  highest 
degree,  yet  the  young  Glasgow  composer's  knowledge  of  the 
resources  of  his  art  is  of  first  importance.  After  the  performance 
Mr.  Lamond  also  appeared  as  the  soloist  in  St.  Saens's  character- 
istic Pianoforte  Concerto  in  C  minor  (No.  4).  On  the  28th  Mr. 
Philip  Halstead  was  the  attraction  at  the  third  Popular  Concert. 
This  young  pianist  has  studied  in  Leipsic,  much  had  been  heard 
concerning  his  abilities,  and  in  Mendelssohn's  second  Concerto  he 
was  fully  equally  to  the  demands  of  the  music.  Later  on  the 
fluency,  elegance,  and  clearness  of  his  style  in  a  "Ballade"  of 
Reinecke's,  earned  for  him  a  perfect  storm  of  applause.  Other 
items  in  the  programme  included  Dr.  Mackenzie's  ever-welcome 
"  Benedictus,"  and  a  couple  of  choruses  from  Mendelssohn's 
"Antigone"  and  "  OEdipus  at  Colonos,"  well  sung  by  the  male 
voices  of  the  Choral  Union,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Bradley. 
The  programme  for  the  Concert  on  the  3Oth  was  selected  by 
plebiscite.  It  comprised  the  Overture  to  the  "  Magic  Flute  "  ; 
Minuet  for  Strings  (Boccherini) ;  Overture,  "Tannhauser "  • 
Symphony  (No.  8)  in  B  minor  (Unfinished),  Schubert ;  Spring 
Song  and  Spinning  Song  (arranged  for  orchestra),  Mendelssohn  ; 
Selection  from  Ballet  Music  in  "  Faust  "  (Gounod).  The  solo 
pianist  of  the  evening  was  Mr.  Franz  Rummel,  who  played  in 
Beethoven's  Fifth  Concerto.  F. 


LIVERPOOL,  165 


LIVERPOOL. 

THE  celebration  of  a  jubilee  does  not  fall  to  the  lot  of  every 
musical  organisation,  and,  if  only  for  the  reason  that  the  Liver- 
pool Philharmonic  Society,  during  1889,  completed  its  fiftieth 
season,  would  the  year  be  a  notable  one  in  the  annals  of  art  in 
the  second  city  of  the  empire.  It  was  therefore  amid  no  incon- 
siderable commotion,  and  with  no  little  expectation,  that 
January  dawned  upon  us,  for  the  "  Dream  of  Jubal  "  had  been 
commissioned  by  Mr.  Walton  Clark,  the  chairman  of  the  premier 
provincial  Society,  and  query  and  comment  was  rife  as  to  what 
Dr.  Mackenzie's  jubilee  composition  would  be  like.  This  will  be 
alluded  to  in  its  proper  place ;  but  it  undeniably  finds  an 
important  position  in  the  annals  of  the  year. 

In  course  of  the  operatic  season,  given  at  the  Court  Theatre  by 
the  Carl  Rosa  Company,  Halevy's  opera  "  The  Jewess "  was 
first  produced  here  in  its  English  garb,  this  being  followed  later 
on  by  Meyerbeer's  "  Star  of  the  North." 

The  Philharmonic  Concerts  occurring  in  January  were  two  in 
number.  At  that  on  the  8th  Schubert's  comparatively  un- 
familiar E  minor  Overture,  and  Mendelssohn's  "  Melusine," 
together  with  Berlioz's  "  Fantastic  "  Symphony,  formed  the 
leading  orchestral  features.  Madame  Nordica  was  the  only 
vocalist. 

On  the  28th  the"  Lustspiel"  O  verture  of  Smetana  was  played  for 
the  first  time  here,  the  other  Overtures  being  Wagner's  "  Meister- 
singer  "  and  Berlioz's  "  Francs  Juges."  Another  first  hearing  was 
that  of  Bizet's  "  Roma  "  Suite.  Brahms's  "  Gipsy  Songs  "  were  also 
introduced  by  Miss  Fillunger,  Miss  Lena  Little,  Mr.  Shakespeare, 


166  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


and  Mr.  Thorndike  ;  but  they  made  no  great  impression.  At 
this  Concert  Mr.  Willy  Hess,  the  new  leader,  made  his  debut  as  a 
soloist,  and  played  Ernst's  difficult  Concerto  in  F  sharp  minor, 
with  remarkable  fluency  and  facility. 

On  the  gth  the  third  Concert  of  the  Birkenhead  Subscription 
Series  was  given,  Sir  Charles  and  Lady  Halle  being  the  chief 
attractions  ;  and  the  second  of  the  Bootle  Orchestral  Concerts  fell 
on  the  2gth.  The  Birkenhead  Concerts  have  been  established 
too  many  years  to  count,  and  date  almost  out  of  the  memory  of 
the  oldest  inhabitant  of  the  "  city  of  the  future,"  as  Disraeli 
called  the  place.  Their  history  is,  however,  a  worthy  one. 
Bootle,  on  the  other  hand,  only  floated  an  initial  scheme  late  in 
1888 ;  but  it  has,  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Sanders,  the 
secretary,  and  Mr.  A.  E.  Workman,  the  Conductor,  become  a 
recognised  and  well  managed  institution.  The  Xaverian  Society, 
under  Mr.  J.  Ross,  gave  "  Elijah  "  on  the  i6th,  then  ending  a  not 
very  lengthy  career ;  and  there  were  during  the  month  perform- 
ances of  "The  Messiah,"  under  Mr.  Arvon  Parry  and  Mr. 
McCulloch,  at  Wavertree  and  Walton  respectively,  "Judas" 
being  given  at  Waterloo.  The  Glasgow  Select  Choir,  under 
Mr.  J.  M.  Craig,  visited  the  city  on  the  25th,  and  again  gave 
some  delightful  part-music.  The  Recitals  at  Dreaper's  Rooms 
were  during  the  month  resumed,  with  Miss  G.  Holme  at  the 
pianoforte. 

On  February  5  was  produced  at  the  Philharmonic  Hall  Dr. 
Mackenzie's  "  Dream  of  Jubal."  It  will  not  be  out  of  place  here 
to  state  that  the  Liverpool  Philharmonic  Society  was  founded  in 
1840,  but  owing  to  alterations  effected  in  the  arrangement  of  the 
seasons,  that  of  1888-9  became  the  fiftieth.  The  chairman  of  the 
period,  Mr.  Walter  C.  Clark,  very  happily  conceived  the  idea  of 
celebrating  the  occasion  by  commissioning  a  special  work,  and 
the  result  was  the  production  of  "  The  Dream  of  Jubal,"  by  Mr. 
Joseph  Bennett  and  Dr.  Mackenzie.  The  whole  cost  was 
defrayed  by  Mr.  Clark,  and  his  period  of  office  proved  a  memorable 
one  from  several  points  of  view.  The  utmost  enthusiasm  pre- 


LIVERPOOL.  167 


vailed  at  the  Jubilee  Concert,  the  principals  engaged  for  the 
performance  being  Miss  Macintyre,  Miss  Janet  Russell,  Mr. 
Edward  Lloyd,  and  Mr.  J.  R.  Alsop,  the  contralto  and  bass  being 
good  local  vocalists.  The  following  Concert,  on  the  igth,  was 
unimportant,  except  that  Brahms's  double  Concerto  for  violin 
and  violoncello  was  given  for  the  first  time  here. 

The  fourth  Concert  of  the  Birkenhead  Subscription  series  fell  on 
the  6th,  with  Mr.  Schiever's  Quartet  as  the  chief  performers,  the 
latter  being  a  decidedly  clever  party  of  chamber  performers.  Later 
on  Mr.  Max  Pauer  gave  a  Pianoforte  Recital,  and  so  also  did  a 
good  local  pianist,  Miss  Webster.  Gounod's  "  Philemon  and 
Baucis  "  was  re-produced  on  the  23rd.  It  had  been  twice  given  in 
1888,  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Louis,  with  amateur  assistance.  On  the 
28th  Miss  Freda  Fedderis  gave  a  popular  Concert,  and  on  the 
29th  "  Elijah  "  was  given  by  the  choir  of  the  Liverpool  Institute 
of  Music  (Tonic  Sol-fa)  with  creditable  results,  under  Mr.  S. 
Hardcastle.  The  People's  Orchestral  Society,  of  sixty-five 
amateur  players,  illustrated  a  Lecture  given  for  the  Sunday 
Society,  by  Mr.  A.  E.  Radewald  (now  the  local  representative  of 
the  R.A.M.  and  R.C.M.  examination  scheme).  Mr.  Jude  com- 
menced a  series  of  Ballad  evenings ;  and  there  were  several 
performances  of  "  The  Messiah  "  in  the  locality,  notably  one  at 
Widnes,  by  the  Birkenhead  Cambrian  Choral  Society,  a  veteran 
organisation,  under  Mr.  D.  O.  Parry.  Mr.  W.  T.  Best  had 
during  the  month  to  suspend  his  regular  Organ  Recitals  on 
account  of  ill-health,  but  fortunately  the  attack  of  his  old  enemy 
proved  a  light  one. 

Sullivan's  "  Prodigal  Son  "  formed  the  chief  item  of  the  first 
Lenten  Concert  of  the  Philharmonic  Society,  and  was  given  on 
March  12.  A  notable  event  was  the  first  performance,  on 
March  5,  of  "  Ritter  Olaf,"  a  Cantata  by  Charles  Braun,  in 
which  Heine's  weird  poem  was  treated  with  such  skill  and  effect 
as  to  lead  to  the  expectation  of  great  things  from  the  pen  of  the 
youthful  composer.  The  Cymric  Vocal  Union  revived  Mendels- 
sohn's "  Festgesang,"  for  male  voices,  on  the  2oth,  but  it 


168  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

proved   a    somewhat   dull  affair.     The  last   Bootle  Subscription 
Concert  came  off  on  the  25th  with  Haydn's  "  Farewell "  Symphony. 

Bottesini's  "  Garden  of  Olivet  "  was  the  Lenten  Oratorio  at 
the  Cathedral,  being  given  under  Mr.  F.  H.  Burstall,  and  with 
Mr.  Collins  as  organist ;  and  elsewhere  there  were  numerous 
performances,  at  this  time,  of  Stainer's  "  Crucifixion."  Mr. 
Stavenhagen  gave  a  Recital  on  the  3Oth,  and  gained  golden 
opinions.  During  the  same  month  Mr.  J.  Ross  directed  an 
Orchestral  Concert  for  the  Sunday  Society,  and  Mr.  Swift's  West 
Kirby  Society  gave  Barnby's  "  Rebekah." 

Cowen's  "  Ruth,"  conducted  by  its  composer,  ended  the  Phil- 
harmonic season  on  April  2,  and  again  was  evidence  given 
of  the  excellent  material  of  which  the  local  chorus  is  constituted. 
On  April  16  the  singing  members  of  the  Society  were  treated  to 
a  supper  by  the  directorate,  such  an  event  being  hitherto  almost 
unheard  of  in  the  in  some  respects  peculiar  annals  of  the 
Philharmonic  Society. 

The  directors  of  music  at  the  two  schools  for  the  blind,  Messrs. 
W.  D.  Hall  and  Mr.  J.  T.  Brown,  produced  at  their  respective 
institutions  Schubert's  delightful  "  Song  of  Miriam  "  and  Fox's 
"  Jackdaw  of  Rheims "  within  a  week  or  so  of  each  other. 
On  Good  Friday  Mr.  W.  I.  Argent  (Mr.  H.  Hudson  being  at  the 
organ)  directed  the  annual  Corporation  Concert,  at  which  "  The 
Messiah  "  was  given,  in  St.  George's  Hall. 

In  Birkenhead  Mr.  Appleyard's  St.  Cecilia  Society  gave 
Astorga's  "Stabat  Mater."  Bennett's  "May  Queen"  was  also 
given,  after  many  years'  rest,  by  the  St.  Paul's  Choir,  on  the  2Qth, 
and  the  following  evening  it  was  produced  at  Runcorn.  Aptom- 
mas,  the  Welsh  harpist,  gave  some  Recitals,  commencing  on 
May  9,  but  the  audiences  were  not  large.  Dvorak's  "Spectre's 
Bride  "  was  produced  by  the  Rock  Ferry  Society,  under  Mr.  W. 
R.  Pemberton. 

The  Eisteddfod  held  in  Brecon  in  August  did  not  create  the 
usual  local  stir,  the  distance  to  the  scene  of  the  gathering  being 
so  far  removed  from  this  city.  The  singing  of  the  natives 


LIVERPOOL.  169 


of  the  principality,  which  gained  royal  commendation  on 
the  occasion  of  the  Queen's  visit  to  Llangollen  and  Dala, 
is  entitled  to  mention.  Early  in  the  autumn  the  Liverpool  Opera 
Society  gave  a  series  of  capital  performances  at  the  Shakespeare 
Theatre,  under  Mr.  J.  O.  Shepherd.  Not  only  do  the  members 
of  this  organisation  render  invaluable  help  in  the  chorus  of  the 
regular  Carl  Rosa  Company  during  the  season  in  this  city,  but  they 
prove  competent  to  give  operas  by  themselves,  recruiting  princi- 
pals from  their  own  ranks. 

Once  past  Michaelmas  and  our  regular  season  may  be  said  to 
have  again  begun,  the  first  Concert  of  the  Philharmonic  Society 
falling  on  October  8,  with  Grieg's  "Peer  Gynt"  Suite,  of  which 
a  capital  performance,  under  Sir  Charles  Halle,  was  given.  On 
the  22nd  Mr.  Hamish  MacCunn  conducted  his  "  Lay  of  the  Last 
Minstrel  "  amid  a  scene  of  enthusiasm  unequalled  in  the  memory 
of  those  present.  A  north  country  quartet,  consisting  of  Miss 
Macintyre,  Madame  McKenzie,  Mr.  Tver  McKay,  and  Mr.  A.  Black 
were  engaged  as  principals.  Among  the  various  local  institutions 
again  getting  into  harness  must  be  noted  the  Societa  Armonica 
and  the  People's  Orchestral  Society,  probably  the  largest  amateur 
band  in  the  kingdom.  Mr.  Lee  Williams's  "  Last  Night  at 
Bethany  "  was  given  at  St.  Francis  Xavier's  Church  under  Mr. 
Ross  during  the  month.  Mr.  Ross  inaugurated  choral  and 
orchestral  societies  in  the  Cheshire  suburb  of  Liscard. 

The  distribution  of  the  local  awards  granted  by  T.C.L.  and 
the  R.A.M.  took  place  at  St.  George's  Hall  on  the  igth  and 
26th  respectively,  Mrs.  Gladstone  officiating  at  the  latter,  during 
which  a  testimonial  was  presented  to  Mr.  Argent,  the  retiring 
representative  of  the  R.A.M. ,  by  over  fifty  of  his  fellow  pro- 
fessors. On  October  27  the  newly-formed  orchestra  of  the 
Liverpool  Sunday  Society  made  its  first  appearance  with  marked 
success  at  the  Rotunda  Hall. 

Concerts  were  given  by  the  Philharmonic  Society  on  November 
5  and  19.  The  programmes  contained  no  novelty.  Neither 
were  the  performances  of  equal  merit,  and  in  musical  circles  these 


170  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


facts  gave  rise  to  much  comment.  With  November  the  local 
Recital  and  Chamber  Music  season  may  be  said  to  have  fairly 
begun.  Among  the  pianists  who  thus  appeared  may  be  named 
Mr.  A.  S.  Dale,  a  highly  promising  musician,  who  played  at 
Dreaper's  on  the  2nd ;  Mr.  W.  Faulkes,  a  well-known  local  artist, 
who  followed  at  the  same  place  on  the  i6th  ;  Mr.  Falcke,  a 
Parisian  medalist  and  showy  performer,  who  appeared  at  the  Art 
Club  on  the  i6th  ;  and  Mr.  S.  Welsing,  one  of  our  foremost  resident 
musicians,  who  played  at  St.  George's  Hall  on  the  3Oth.  Mr. 
Willy  Hess's  "  Manchester"  Quartet  played  at  the  first  Conver- 
sazione of  the  Art  Club,  managed  by  Mr.  H.  E.  Rensberg,  on  the 
4th.  On  the  I3th  Messrs.  Theodore  Lawson  and  Haigh  Kinsey 
gave  a  Chamber  Concert  at  St.  George's  Hall,  at  which  a  rather 
promising  Trio  for  pianoforte,  violin,  and  violoncello,  by  the  last- 
named  musician,  was  produced.  November  also  found  the 
People's  Orchestral  Society  at  work  on  a  Wagner  programme  at 
the  City  Hall,  and  at  one  of  the  Sunday  Society  meetings. 
.  On  the  3Oth  the  Musical  Club  entered  permanent  premises  in 
Lord  Street.  There  was  a  performance  of  Chamber  Music  on  the 
occasion,  and  a  large  muster  of  professional  and  lay  members. 
The  Club  was  founded  in  1884,  with  Sir  George  Macfarren  as 
President,  and  has  flourished  ever  since.  The  present  President 
is  Mr.  F.  H.  Cowen,  the  resident  Vice-President,  Mr.  W.  D.  Hall, 
and  the  Hon.  Secretary,  Mr.  Carl  Heinecke. 

The  second  Concert  of  the  Birkenhead  Subscription  series, 
given  on  December  4,  was  of  the  ballad  order.  A  day  later, 
Spohr's  "  Last  Judgment "  formed  the  annual  Advent  Oratorio  at 
the  Pro-Cathedral,  Mr.  Burstall  being  at  the  organ  and  Mr. 
Argent  conducting.  The  second  of  Mr.  Schiever's  Chamber 
Concerts,  and  Miss  Margaret  Webster's  farewell  Recital,  fell  on 
the  i4th,  and  both  were  well  attended.  The  first  public 
performance  of  the  Mallarey  Society,  under  Mr.  Ross,  took  place 
on  the  igth,  with  Hamish  MacCunn's  "  Bonnie  Kilmeny." 

Mr.  Best's  Recitals  at  St.  George's  Hall  happily  went  on 
throughout  the  year  with  hardly  a  break,  and  the  Corporation 


LIVERPOOL. 


171 


organist  is  to  be  congratulated  upon  his  present  excellent  state  of 
health. 

At  Chester  the  Musical  Society  gave,  on  March  5,  J.  F. 
Bridge's  "  Callirhoe,"  and  Sullivan's  "  Kenilworth "  music;  on 
October  28,  a  Miscellaneous  Concert,  and  on  December  16, 
"The  Messiah."  In  addition  to  these  public  performances  there 
was  a  private  one  given  at  Eaton  Hall,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
visit  of  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Teck.  Dr.  J.  C.  Bridge,  the 
Organist  of  the  Cathedral,  conducted  these  Concerts,  for  each  of 
which  an  orchestra  was  specially  engaged.  On  August  i,  one 
thousand  voices  took  part  in  a  Choral  Festival  at  the  Cathedral. 
On  November  23,  the  Rev.  C.  H.  Stewart  was  presented  with  a 
gold  watch  and  £440  on  vacating  the  office  of  Precentor  of  the 
Cathedral ;  Chamber  Concerts  were  given  by  Mr.  Bauerkeller ; 
the  local  Orchestral  Society  also  kept  to  the  front ;  and  the  Glee 
Club  did  some  work.  The  year  ended  with  an  Eisteddfod, 
participated  in  by  the  large  number  of  Welsh  residents  in  Chester, 
which  was  once  a  Welsh  city. 

The  Concerts  at  the  Southport  Winter  Gardens  continued  under 
Mr.  Wright,  the  programmes  being  as  good  as  could  be  expected. 
Mr.  H.  Hudson,  the  Conductor  of  the  Birkdale  Amateur  Musical 
Society,  gave,  in  April,  Prout's  "  Red  Cross  Knight  "  and  Stan- 
ford's "  Revenge,"  and  on  December  i  Rossini's  "  Stabat "  and 
MacCunn's  "  Bonnie  Kilmeny."  Under  the  same  direction,  in 
April,  Handel's  "Acis  and  Galatea"  and  Mendelssohn's  "Athalie," 
and  in  December  Handel's  "  Messiah "  were  given  by  the 
Southport  Musical  Guild.  For  all  these  performances  an 
orchestra  was  engaged.  Mr.  Clarke's  Society,  among  other 
works,  gave  Mendelssohn's  "  St.  Paul,"  and  Mr.  A.  E.  Bartlewas 
successful  with  a  series  of  classical  evenings. 

W.  I.  ARGENT. 


172  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


MANCHESTER. 

FOREMOST  among  the  musical  doings  of  this  city,  and  indeed 
of  this  district,  stand  the  Subscription  Concerts — now  in  their 
thirty-second  season — of  Sir  Charles  Halle.  Not  only  do  they 
afford  the  happiest  opportunities  for  hearing  orchestral  music 
adequately  interpreted,  and  offer  to  our  younger  students  facilities 
very  far  beyond  those  available  a  few  years  ago  for  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  wonderful  modern  development  of  art;  but 
they  make  Manchester  a  centre  from  which,  during  the  winter 
months,  increasing  mission-work  is  undertaken,  spreading  and 
advancing  all  around  a  love  of  the  best  works  of  the  great 
masters.  With  a  splendid  subscription  list,  and  encouraged  by 
the  confidence  and  liberal  support  of  the  public,  Sir  Charles 
Halle  is  placed  above  all  danger  of  financial  mishap,  and  is  able 
unreservedly  to  follow  his  own  taste  and  to  carry  out  freely  his 
designs.  During  five  months  of  each  year  the  band  plays  almost 
every  day  under  his  direction,  so  that  he  is  able  to  secure  a 
unity  of  purpose  and  a  general  finish  of  execution  which,  in 
spite  of  some  weakness  among  the  strings,  and  a  good  deal  of 
unrestrained  exuberance  among  the  brass,  could  scarcely  be 
surpassed.  During  the  year  we  have  enjoyed  opportunities  of 
re-studying  the  wonderful  Third  and  Seventh  Symphonies  of 
Beethoven,  and  Mendelssohn's  ever  fresh  "  Italian  " ;  and  have 
grown  more  familiar  with  Brahms's  elaborate  Fourth  Symphony 
in  E  minor,  and  with  Dvorak's  No.  3  in  F.  Of  Berlioz's 
"  Symphonic  Fantastique  "  we  have  had  more  than  enough  ;  its 
sixth  performance  leaves  us  without  desire  to  hear  any  more  of 
it  for  some  years.  Our  further  intimacy  with  such  efforts  may  be 
deferred  until  we  have  gained  a  knowledge  of  the  many  English 


MANCHESTER. 


works  which  still  await  a  hearing  here.  It  may  be  that  the  very 
favourable  reception  of  Hamish  MacCunn's  Ballad  "  The  Ship  o' 
the  Fiend,"  given  under  the  composer's  direction,  will  open  the 
door  wider  to  the  large  compositions  of  many  of  our  native 
writers,  and  enable  us  to  keep  pace  more  promptly  with  modern 
ideas  of  the  scope  and  capabilities  of  orchestral  music.  Herr 
and  Madame  Grieg  were  very  warmly  received ;  and  the  little 
sketches  for  strings  and  works  for  the  band  generally  were 
very  delicately  interpreted.  Especially  have  we  delighted  in  the 
con  amove  rendering  of  Beethoven's  Violin  Concerto,  by  Lady 
Halle,  and  of  the  G  major  Pianoforte  Concerto,  by  Sir  Charles, 
Nor  was  the  devotion  of  the  artists  to  the  unfolding  of  the 
author's  meaning  unnoticed  when  Lady  Halle  and  Signer  Piatti 
joined  in  elucidating  the  mysteries  of  Brahms's  dual  Concerto. 
Senor  Sarasate  attended  the  first  Concert,  playing  Raffs  "  La 
Fee  d'Amour,"  and  his  own  "  La  Muineira  " ;  and  Herr  Joachim 
introduced  Stanford's  Suite  for  the  violin.  At  the  miscellaneous 
Concerts  the  vocal  element  is  always  strictly  subordinate.  Never- 
theless, during  the  year  we  have  opportunities  of  hearing  many  of 
the  chief  singers  of  the  day. 

Of  the  six  Choral  Concerts,  one  evening  is  always  devoted  to 
"  The  Messiah,"  one  to  Berlioz's  "  Faust,"  and  one  to  either 
"  Elijah  "  or  "  St.  Paul,"  so  that  not  much  room  is  left  for 
novelty.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Mackenzie's  "  Rose  of  Sharon  " 
blossomed  here  only  in  the  spring  of  1889,  rather  long  after  its 
merits  had  been  weighed  in  many  smaller  places.  After  it  we 
had  Rubinstein's  "  Paradise  Lost  " — scarcely  such  a  work  as  we 
may  delight  in,  greatly  as  we  love  oratorios.  Since  the  com- 
mencement, in  October,  of  the  present  season  there  have  been 
a  revival  of  Handel's  "Theodora"  and  a  third  performance  of 
Sullivan's  "  Golden  Legend,"  under  the  direction  of  its  composer. 
"  Theodora,"  in  spite  of  several  powerful  choruses,  and  a  some- 
what enhanced  freedom  of  style  in  several  of  its  movements, 
proved  decidedly  wearisome.  The  choir  evinced  the  great  care 
bestowed  upon  it  by  its  new  trainer,  Mr.  R.  H.  Wilson. 


174  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


The  Concerts  of  Mr.  de  Jong  next  claim  attention.  Mr.  de 
Jong  is  very  liberal  in  supplying  vocalists  of  reputation,  and  is 
perseveringly  working  up  his  band  to  a  higher  capacity.  This 
winter  he  has  enjoyed  the  help  of  Mr.  G.  W.  Lane's  Philhar- 
monic Choir,  so  that  upon  occasion  he  has  under  his 
command  nearly  400  performers.  After  the  Patti  Concert,  with 
which  the  season  commenced,  we  had  the  Valleria  party  in  a 
selection  from  "  Tannhauser "  and  other  excerpts ;  and,  still 
advancing  in  completeness,  a  full  recital  of  Gounod's  "  Faust," 
with  a  band  and  choir  so  much  more  powerful  than  we  ever  have 
in  our  theatres  that  the  whole  performance  went  with  a  swing 
and  fulness  of  tone  giving  a  clearer  idea  than  usual  of  the  strictly 
musical  merit  of  the  opera.  We  warmly  welcomed  a  young  local 
Marguerite — Miss  Mabel  Berrey — gifted  with  a  voice  of  beautiful 
quality,  with  considerable  musical  sensibility,  and  with  general 
qualifications  that  should  compel  her  to  subject  all  to  a  course  of 
study  more  exacting  than  she  has  yet  undergone. 

Among  the  crowd  of  Saturday  evening  entertainments  may  be 
specified  Mr.  Barrett's  at  the  enormous  St.  James's  Hall  and 
Mr.  Cross's  at  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  It  would 
ba  well  could  our  caterers  for  the  public  arrange  so  as  not  to 
interfere  with  each  other's  success  by  crowding  all  our  lighter 
music  into  one  night  of  each  week. 

The  importance  of  that  diligent  culture  of  music  which  is 
maintained  on  all  sides  by  the  smaller  Choral  Societies  prevailing 
in  and  around  Manchester  could  not  be  over-rated.  The 
enthusiastic  amateurs  may  not  be  able  to  grapple  with  the 
expense  of  an  orchestra  sufficing  for  the  production  of  the  full 
effect  of  the  works  practised,  but  they  exhibit  eagerness  to 
become  acquainted  with  new  compositions  by  week  after  week 
meeting  for  the  practice  of  music  not  undertaken  elsewhere  in 
this  city.  Among  them  are  the  Vocal  Society  of  Dr.  Henry 
Watson ;  the  more  purely  amateur  Athenaeum  Musical  Society, 
under  Dr.  Hiles ;  the  Broughton  Musical  Society,  conducted  by 
Mr.  R.  H.Wilson;  the  Pendleton  Choral  Society,  directed  by  Mr. 


MANCHESTER.  175 


F.  \V.  Blacow,  and  the  Philharmonic  Choir  of  Mr.  Lane. 
During  the  year  the  Vocal  Society  has  extended  its  lines  from 
Tallis's  Forty-part  Motet  to  Gounod's  "Gallia";  at  the  Athenaeum 
Bridge's  "  Callirhoe,"  Cowen's  "  Song  of  Thanksgiving,"  Hubert 
Parry's  "  St.  Cecilia's  Day  "  (also  produced  by  the  Vocal  Society) 
have  been  given  ;  and  Mr.  Wilson's  Choir  has  given  "  Callirhoe  " 
and  Hiles's  Cantata  "  The  Crusaders  " — the  latter  work  selected  for 
performance  at  the  great  American  Conference  of  Musicians  as 
representative  of  modern  English  composition.  It  will  be  a 
happy  thing  for  Manchester  when  some  means  have  been  devised 
of  uniting  all  the  musical  resources  of  the  city  under  one  head. 
Since  October,  at  the  Concert  Hall,  two  Orchestral  Concerts 
have  been  given,  including  Mendelssohn's  "  Midsummer  Night's 
Dream,"  Schumann's  "Spring"  Symphony  (Op.  38),  Mozart's 
Symphony  in  D  (No.  i),  and  smaller  works;  but  the  interest 
there  lies  chiefly  in  the  Chamber  Concerts  which  are  occasionally 
given  and  in  the  Afternoon  Recitals,  which  Sir  Charles  Halle 
liberally  continues,  and  to  which  this  season  somewhat  of  an 
historic  character  is  imparted  by  the  arrangement  of  the 
programmes. 

In  conjunction  with  Signer  Risegari  and  other  coadjutors,  Herr 
Sachs  ventured  upon  a  Chamber  Concert  in  the  spring  of  the 
year;  but,  as  at  the  Recitals  of  Herren  Stavenhagen  and  Schon- 
berger,  the  encouragement  was  not  adequate  to  the  merits  of  the 
performance.  At  the  Town  Hall  Mr.  Kendrick  Pyne  continued 
to  draw  audiences  probably  larger  than  those  attracted  by  Organ 
Recitals  in  any  other  town,  and  the  half-yearly  visits  of  M. 
Guilmant  had  undiminished  interest  for  the  lovers  of  the  serious 
music  suitable  for  the  noblest  of  instruments. 

H.  HILES. 


176  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


OXFORD. 

THE  year  has  been  marked  by  a  great  deal  of  musical  activity 
in  various  directions.  It  is  indeed  astonishing,  considering  that 
the  City  of  Oxford  is  neither  large  nor  wealthy,  to  find  how 
many  performances  of  one  sort  or  other  have  taken  place.  In 
the  range  of  Oratorio  Concerts,  however,  only  two  require  notice. 
On  March  12  the  Choral  Society  gave  Beethoven's  "  Sinfonia 
Eroica  "  and  Dvorak's  "  Stabat  Mater,"  and  the  performance  was 
one  of  the  finest  ever  heard  in  Oxford.  The  Society,  which  has 
just  closed  its  seventieth  season,  has,  perhaps,  never  put  a 
better  chorus  on  the  orchestra  than  on  this  occasion,  and  the 
difficult  music  of  the  Bohemian  composer  was  excellently  rendered. 
The  soloists  were  all  singers  of  established  reputation,  with  the 
exception  of  Mr.  A.  F.  Ferguson,  an  academical  clerk  in  Magdalen 
College  Choir.  The  manner  in  which  this  young  singer  rendered 
the  bass  part  was  really  admirable,  and  caused  many  prophecies 
of  future  successes  in  store  for  him.  Some  of  these  prophecies 
have  been  already  more  or  less  fulfilled  by  Mr.  Ferguson's 
singing  in  "  The  Sword  of  Argantyr  "  at  the  last  Leeds  Festival. 

On  June  24  the  Philharmonic  Society  gave  a  performance  of 
Dr.  Bridge's  "  Callirhoe,"  Mr.  Harford  Lloyd's  "  Song  of  Balder," 
and  Mozart's  G  minor  Symphony.  Dr.  Bridge  conducted  his  own 
work,  and  met  with  a  warm  reception  both  from  his  numerous 
friends  in  Oxford  and  also  from  the  general  public.  The  bright 
and  pleasing  music  of  the  Cantata  proved  much  to  the  taste  of  a 
"  Commemoration  "  audience. 

Chamber  Music  makes  very  few  appearances  in  public,  though 
it  is  cultivated  in  the  University  with  remarkable  enthusiasm,  and 


OXFORD. 


177 


possesses  two  distinct  institutions  devoted  to  it.  A  Concert  was 
given  in  aid  of  the  funds  of  the  University  Musical  Club  on  March 
8,  at  which  Dr.  Joachim  played  the  "  Kreutzer "  Sonata, 
besides  leading  Haydn's  "Kaiser"  and  Schumann's  A  major 
Quartets. 

The  University  Musical  Union  gave  two  Invitation  Concerts 
during  the  year.  At  the  first,  on  February  21,  in  Keble  College 
Hall,  Herr  Ludwig  and  his  quartet  played.  For  the  second,  on 
November  25,  in  Christ  Church  Hall,  the  Heckmann  Quartet 
was  engaged,  but  at  the  last  moment  the  viola  player  fell  ill  and 
broke  up  the  quartet,  much  to  the  disappointment  of  people  of 
Oxford,  with  whom  they  have  been  established  favourites.  How- 
ever, the  Concert  proved  a  peculiarly  pleasing  one.  In  Madame 
Heckmann  the  audience  found  a  pianist  of  the  very  highest  order, 
and  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  imagine  a  finer  performance  of 
Schubert's  Trio  in  B  flat  major  (Op.  99)  than  was  given  on  this 
occasion.  A  feature  of  special  interest  in  Concerts  was  the  per- 
formance for  the  first  time  of  Professor  Stanford's  new  Pianoforte 
Trio  in  E  flat  major,  the  composer  himself  playing  the  pianoforte. 
The  second  and  third  movements  pleased  best  at  first  hearing ; 
but  the  whole  work  was  full  of  charm.  Professor  Stanford  has 
written  much  of  late,  and  written  much  well  ;  but,  perhaps,  this 
Trio  will  prove  to  have  even  more  permanent  elements  of  popu- 
larity than  some  of  the  music  on  a  larger  scale  that  has  been 
recently  heard. 

Two  Concerts  were  given  by  the  Orchestral  Association.  On 
February  16  the  scheme  included  Beethoven's  "  Pastoral " 
Symphony  and  Violin  Concerto  (first  movement)  and  Cherubini's 
"Anacreon"  Overture.  On  November  23  their  chief  efforts 
were  Beethoven's  "  Fidelio  "  Overture,  Mendelssohn's  "  Scotch  " 
Symphony,  Beethoven's  Romance  for  violin  and  orchestra  in  F 
major,  and  Mozart's  "  Zauberflote "  Overture.  The  February 
Concert  was  practically  the  first  public  appearance  of  the  Asso- 
ciation, and  regarded  in  this  light  it  reflected  great  credit  on 
them ;  but  the  improvement  manifested  in  the  November  Concert 


178  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

was  really  remarkable,  and  warrants  great  expectations  of  the 
future  of  this  hard-working  body.  There  were  still  far  too  many 
"passengers"  amongst  the  strings,  but  as  they  had  the  good 
sense  to  do  no  mischief,  the  general  effect  of  the  performance  was 
good. 

It  is  now  time  to  turn  to  what  is  one  of  the  most  distinctive 
features  of  Oxford  music — viz.,  the  College  Concerts.  Of  late 
years  considerable  rivalry  has  been  exhibited  in  this  direction, 
with  the  result  of  raising  to  a  very  high  level  the  standard  of  the 
performances.  The  series  of  College  Concerts  that  takes  place  in 
the  "Eights"  week  almost  rises  to  the  dignity  of  a  Musical 
Festival.  The  first  two  days  of  this  week  of  Concerts  were 
occupied  by  Balliol  College,  where  Farmer's  "  Cinderella  "  was 
given  on  May  25,  and  a  Haydn  Symphony,  with  other  works, 
on  May  26.  Next  day  there  was  a  miscellaneous  Concert  at 
Trinity  College,  and  on  May  28  the  Rev.  Wellesley  Batson's 
music  to  "  The  Faithful  Shepherdess  "  was  performed  at  Exeter 
College  Concert,  under  the  composer's  direction.  The  second  part 
of  the  programme  included  a  very  pleasing  Minuet  and  Trio  by 
Mr.  F.  C.  Woods,  the  Organist  of  the  College.  On  May  29 
Worcester  College  took  its  turn  in  the  series  with  a  programme 
including  Brahms's  "  Rinaldo,"  Lloyd's  "  Longbeard's  Saga," 
and  Beethoven's  "Kreutzer"  Sonata  for  violin  and  pianoforte. 
The  main  features  of  Merton  College  Concert,  which  took  place 
on  May  30,  were  Mozart's  E  flat  major  (clarinet)  Symphony 
and  J.  F.  Barnett's  "  Building  of  the  Ship,"  conducted  by  the 
composer.  Lastly,  at  Queen's  College  Concert,  on  May  31, 
Grieg's  "  Landkjending "  was  heard  for  the  first  time  in  this 
country,  and  a  new  Cantata  by  Prout,  called  "  Damon  and 
Phintias,"  composed  for  the  occasion,  was  produced,  under  the 
composer's  baton.  This  was,  of  course,  the  principal  musical 
event  of  the  year  in  Oxford.  The  old  Greek  story  was  cleverly 
arranged  by  the  librettist  in  two  scenes  of  great  dramatic  interest, 
and  Mr.  Prout  had  furnished  them  with  most  dramatic  music. 
The  interest  of  the  work  rose  throughout,  and  it  was  closed  with 


OXFORD.  179 

a  most  admirable  Finale,  "O  love,  thou  breath  of  heaven." 
Though  each  scene  is  written  continuously,  the  work  is  divided 
into  numbers  in  the  usual  way,  and  of  these,  Damon's  air,  "  O'er 
lawn  and  lea,"  and  the  beautiful  chorus,  "Just  a  tear-drop," 
possessed  especial  charm.  There  seems  to  be  an  increasing 
demand  in  England  for  Cantatas  for  men's  voices,  and  "  Damon 
and  Phintias  "  is  a  most  important  and  valuable  addition  to  the 
repertoire.  Nothing  has  been  said  of  the  merits  of  the  various 
performances.  In  almost  every  case  good  renderings  were 
secured,  and  at  Merton  and  Queen's  both  band  and  chorus  were 
really  admirable.  Looking  back  over  such  a  week  of  music,  it 
must  be  pronounced  infinitely  creditable  to  the  enthusiasm  and 
skill  of  the  Oxford  undergraduate. 

Besides  this  important  week  of  Concerts,  a  number  of  other 
College  Concerts  on  a  slighter  scale  were  given  during  the  year. 
On  June  19,  Jesus  College,  the  Welsh  College,  gave  a  Concert, 
largely  consisting  of  national  music ;  and,  on  June  20,  both 
Keble  and  Pembroke  Colleges  gave  Concerts  of  more  or  less 
interest.  On  November  24  Mr.  Farmer  celebrated  his 
hundredth  weekly  Concert  at  Balliol,  with  a  programme  in 
which  figured  Mozart's  Pianoforte  Concerto  in  D  minor;  and, 
on  December  3,  Merton  College  gave  Handel's  "  Ode  on  St. 
Cecilia's  Day."  Of  smaller  College  Concerts  the  name  is  legion, 
and  with  that  remark  they  must  be  allowed  to  pass. 

An  interesting  feature  that  marked  the  close  of  the  year  was 
the  visit  to  Oxford  of  M.  Alex.  Guilmant,  the  well-known  organist 
of  La  Trinite,  at  Paris.  With  that  graceful  courtesy  so  distinc- 
tive of  our  neighbours  across  the  Channel,  he  offered  to  give  two 
Organ  Recitals  in  Oxford,  in  aid  of  the  Ouseley  Memorial  Fund. 
The  offer  having  been  gladly  accepted,  he  gave  a  Recital  in 
Balliol  College  Hall,  on  the  evening  of  December  3,  and  in  the 
Sheldonian  Theatre  on  the  afternoon  of  December  4.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  say  that  the  celebrated  composer  for  the 
organ  received  a  hearty  welcome  in  Oxford,  or  that  his  admirable 
playing  enchanted  all  listeners.  In  every  style  he  seemed  equally 

N  2 


i8o  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


at  home,  and  his  improvisations,  one  of  them  on  a  theme  supplied 
by  the  Magdalen  College  chimes,  were  masterly  in  the  highest 
degree. 

The  occasion  of  M.  Guilmant's  visit  leads  naturally  to  some 
notice  of  what  is  in  many  ways  the  most  important  event  of  the 
musical  year  in  Oxford — viz.,  the  change  in  the  Professorship  of 
Music.  Early  in  April  the  late  Professor,  the  Rev.  Sir  F.  A. 
Gore  Ouseley,  passed  suddenly  away.  The  vacant  post  was 
filled  at  the  beginning  of  June  by  the  appointment  of  Sir  John 
Stainer,  and  without  even  suggesting  the  least  reflection  on  his 
predecessor,  it  is  certain  that  music  in  Oxford  has  been  a  great 
gainer  by  having  a  resident  Professor.  Sir  John  Stainer  at  once 
proceeded  to  remedy  a  serious  defect  in  the  position  of  music  at 
the  University,  by  establishing  a  teaching  staff.  Taking 
advantage  of  the  great  strength  available,  he  almost  at  once 
appointed  deputy-professors  to  teach  most  of  the  important 
subjects.  Musical  "form"  was  assigned  to  Mr.  Hadow,  of  Wor- 
cester College ;  composition  to  Mr.  Lloyd,  of  Christ  Church ; 
counterpoint,  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mee,  of  Merton  ;  harmony,  to  Dr. 
Roberts,  of  Magdalen  ;  acoustics,  to  the  Rev.  F.  J.  Smith,  of 
Trinity  ;  pianoforte  playing,  to  Mr.  Taylor,  of  New  College  ;  and 
the  organ,  to  Mr.  Woods,  of  Exeter  College.  As  the  Professor's 
object  was  to  establish  the  study  of  music  as  a  genuine  part  of 
the  University  curriculum,  every  student  was  obliged  to  bring 
leave  from  his  tutor  to  pursue  the  study  of  music.  The  results  of 
the  first  term's  work  have  gone  to  prove  the  existence  of  a 
number  of  serious  students,  and  there  seems  every  reason  to 
believe  that  the  scheme  will  result  in  shortly  bringing  about  a 
genuine  Oxford  School  of  music.  When  it  is  remembered  how 
the  effects  of  University  teaching  reach  out  into  every  corner  of 
the  country,  as  successive  generations  of  students  disperse,  it 
seems  hardly  possible  to  predict  how  great  may  be  the  influence 
of  this  new  scheme  on  the  state  of  music  throughout  the 
country  at  large.  Nor  has  Sir  John  Stainer  been  content  with 
this  achievement.  For  about  a  quarter  of  a  century  there  have 


OXFORD.  181 

been  two  large  Choral  Societies  in  Oxford — the  Choral  Society 
and  the  Philharmonic  Society.  The  new  Professor  has  found 
means  to  induce  these  Societies  to  amalgamate  their  forces,  so  as 
to  form  one  large  Society ;  and  he  has  also  persuaded  the 
Madrigal  Society  to  dissolve  itself,  with  a  view  of  combining  in 
one  great  body  all  the  choral  resources  of  the  place.  The  new 
Society  was  to  commence  operations  with  the  New  Year,  and  it 
may  be  confidently  anticipated  that  it  will  be  able  to  challenge 
comparison  with  any  in  the  country. 

J.  H.  MEE. 


182  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


YORKSHIRE. 

APART  from  the  Leeds  Festival,  1889  has  been  distinguished  by 
a  great  number  of  Concerts  of  high  merit,  more  particularly  those 
which  took  place  at  the  beginning  of  the  year.  One  of  the 
earliest  events  in  Leeds  was  a  Concert  given  on  January  22, 
when  Herr  Dittmar  was  associated  with  Mr.  E.  Misdale,  of 
Bradford,  in  Grieg's  Sonata  in  C  and  in  other  classical  selections. 
Miss  Jessie  Beavers,  a  Leeds  soprano,  was  the  vocalist,  and  made 
a  very  favourable  impression.  At  Mr.  Haddock's  sixth  musical 
evening,  on  January  29,  Mdlle.  Jeanne  Douste  made  her  first 
appearance  in  Leeds  and  won  golden  opinions.  Mr.  W.  Cooke, 
a  native  of  Leeds,  gave  a  Pianoforte  Recital  on  February  4, 
before  a  large  and  appreciative  audience.  The  Concert-giver  was 
associated  with  Mr.  E.  Haddock  in  his  Sonata  in  D  minor  for 
pianoforte  and  violin,  which  gave  evidence  of  earnest  aim  and 
much  melodic  beauty.  The  Leeds  Temperance  Choral  Society 
gave  a  performance  of  Haydn's  "  Creation  "  in  the  Town  Hall  on 
February  5,  the  principals  being  Madame  Larkcom,  Mr. 
Holberry  Hagyard  (first  appearance),  and  Mr.  Dan  Billington. 
The  band  and  chorus  numbered  250,  all  total  abstainers.  Mr.  J. 
Thompson  was  the  Conductor,  Mr.  J.  W.  Acomb  the  leader  of  the 
band,  and  Mr.  A.  F.  Briggs  presided  at  the  organ. 

Mr.  F.  Dawson,  a  well-known  and  talented  local  musician, 
gave  a  Pianoforte  Recital  at  the  Philosophical  Hall,  on  February  6. 
The  principal  piece  was  Grieg's  Sonata  in  C,  in  which  the 
pianist  was  joined  by  Herr  Dittmar.  On  February  9  the 


YORKSHIRE.  183 


Leeds  Amateur  Orchestral  Society  gave  their  first  Concert  of  the 
season  at  the  Church  Institute,  which  was  fairly  successful. 

The  fifth  Leeds  Subscription  Concert  took  place  at  the  Coliseum 
on  February  21.  Schubert's  Symphony  in  C  major  (given  for 
the  second  time  in  Leeds),  Mendelssohn's  "  Hebrides  "  Overture, 
Sullivan's  "  In  Memoriam  "  Overture,  and  Gounod's  Overture  to 
"  Mireille  "  were  the  principal  pieces  in  a  diversified  programme. 
Mr.  Willy  Hess  was  the  violinist,  and  Dr.  Creser  took  his  place 
at  the  organ.  Miss  Emily  Spada  made  a  successful  first 
appearance  here  as  vocalist. 

On  March  n,  Mr.  E.  Haddock's  ninth  Musical  evening 
introduced  another  pianist  for  the  first  time  to  a  Leeds  audience 
in  the  person  of  Miss  Mathilde  Wurm.  The  chief  works 
rendered  were  Brahms's  Sonata  in  A,  and  a  Sonata  in  G  minor, 
by  F.  Kilvington  Hattersley,  who  appeared  both  as  composer  and 
pianist. 

The  Chamber  Concert  given  on  March  13  was  the  last  of  the 
Subscription  series.  Dr.  Joachim  "led"  Schubert's  Quintet 
(Op.  163),  having  as  coadjutors  Mr.  H.  Smith  and  Herr  Haus- 
mann  (violoncellos),  Mr.  Gibson  (viola),  and  Mdlle.  Marie  Soldat 
(second  violin).  Miss  Fanny  Davis  and  Fraulein  Fillunger  were 
the  other  artists  engaged. 

The  Leeds  Philharmonic  Society  gave  an  excellent  performance 
of  Dvorak's  "  Stabat  Mater,"  on  March  20,  at  the  Coliseum. 
Madame  Nordica  made  her  first  appearance  in  Leeds  at  this 
Concert,  Mr.  Edward  Lloyd  and  Mrs.  Alfred  Broughton  being 
the  other  vocalists.  The  chorus  was  especially  commendable. 
The  second  part  of  the  programme  included  Hamish  MacCunn's 
"Lord  Ullin's  Daughter"  and  Hubert  Parry's  "Blest  pair  of 
Sirens." 

Mr.  E.  Haddock's  tenth  and  last  Musical  evening  took  place  on 
March  25,  Mdlle.  Jeanne  Douste  being  the  pianist.  The 
programme  included  a  tender  melody  for  the  muted  violin,  by  Mr. 
Percy  Haddock,  which  was  performed  for  the  first  time. 

Dr.    Spark    issued    invitations   for   a    rehearsal    of    his    new 


184  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Oratorio  "  Immanuel,"  at  the  Town  Hall,  on  April  4.  The 
Oratorio,  though  melodious,  has  the  fault  of  at  times  being 
too  light  and  showy  to  be  in  perfect  keeping  with  the  subject. 
The  orchestra  was  represented  by  a  pianoforte  and  the  organ — 
instruments  which  were  somewhat  inadequate,  though  judiciously 
used.  Miss  Annie  Hoyle  (soprano),  Miss  Chadwick  (contralto), 
Mr.  A.  F.  Briggs  and  Mr.  Gilbert  Jackson  (tenors),  and  Mr.  J. 
Browning  and  Mr.  H.  Kemp  (basses)  rendered  the  principal 
parts  with  credit,  and  the  choruses  were  sung  by  a  small  but  well- 
selected  choir.  In  compiling  the  book  of  words,  Dr.  Spark 
acknowledged  his  indebtedness  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Conder. 

The  Leeds  Musical  season  may  be  said  to  have  re-commenced 
in  earnest  with  the  Subscription  Concert  of  November  6.  Frau- 
lein  Fillungerwas  the  vocalist,  and  Mr.  Willy  Hess  solo  violinist. 
Halle's  band  gave  a  polished  rendering  of  Weber's  "  Euryanthe  " 
Overture  and  the  "  Scotch  "  Symphony.  The  novelty  was 
Grieg's  Suite  "  Peer  Gynt."  The  second  Subscription  Concert 
took  place  on  December  ir,  when  Schubert's  Octet  was  given 
for  the  first  time  here,  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Carrodus.  At 
the  first  Philharmonic  Concert  of  the  season,  on  November  20, 
"St.  Paul"  was  given,  with  Madame  Nordica,  Miss  Beatrice 
Wrigley  (of  Wolverhampton),  Messrs.  Ben  Davies  and  Watkin 
Mills  as  principal  vocalists.  A  word  of  praise  is  due  to  Messrs. 
Wood,  Higgins,  and  Haigh,  members  of  the  Society,  for  very 
useful  aid. 

For  the  1889-90  season  Mr.  Edgar  Haddock  reduced  the 
number  of  his  Concerts  to  six.  He  commenced  on  November 
19  with  a  programme  fully  up  to  the  expected  standard  of  excel- 
lence. Mdlle.  Douste  was  again  the  pianist.  Mdlle.  Antoinette 
Trebelli  sang. 

The  Leeds  Church  School  Choral  Festival  took  place  in  the 
Victoria  Hall  on  November  19.  The  chorus  numbered  700, 
half  being  children  and  half  adults.  The  programme  consisted 
of  anthems,  carols,  and  choruses.  Mr.  Alfred  Beulon  contributed 
a  couple  of  solos  on  the  organ  with  his  customary  skill  and  judg- 


YORKSHIRE.  185 


ment.  Mr.  W.  H.  Harrison,  at  the  Conductor's  desk,  kept  his 
forces  under  excellent  control. 

A  Scottish  Concert  was  given  at  the  Coliseum  on  November  25 
by  the  Glasgow  Select  Choir,  under  the  conductorship  of 
Mr.  J.  Millar  Craig. 

The  Christmas  production  of  the  Philharmonic  Society  was 
"  The  Messiah  "  at  the  Victoria  Hall,  December  18,  the  prin- 
cipals engaged  being  Miss  Macintyre,  Madame  Belle  Cole,  Mr. 
Barton  McGuckin,  and  Mr.  Brereton.  In  reviewing  the  musical 
events  of  the  year  in  Leeds,  mention  must  not  be  omitted  of  Dr. 
Spark's  weekly  Organ  Recitals  at  the  Town  Hall,  which  fully 
maintained  their  popularity. 

The  musical  season  of  1889  in  Bradford  was  brimful  of  variety, 
and  generally  of  great  interest,  whilst  in  the  immediate  district 
many  old-established  vocal  societies  showed  increased  vitality 
and  progress.  A  few  new  Societies  have  also  sprung  into  exist- 
ence, with  every  prospect  of  success  and  usefulness.  The  Sub- 
scription Concerts,  of  course,  held  the  place  of  honour  in  local 
musical  estimation.  The  series  was  resumed  on  January  18 
with  a  Ballad  Concert,  at  which  Mr.  Henschel  appeared  in  the 
threefold  capacity  of  composer,  vocalist,  and  pianist.  The  Con- 
cert also  served  to  introduce  a  violinist  new  to  Bradford,  Miss 
Nettie  Carpenter,  while  Mr.  Orlando  Harley  and  Mdlle.  Janotha 
were  also  retained. 

At  the  Subscription  Concert  on  February  15  Bizet's  "  Roma  " 
Suite  was  presented  for  the  first  time.  Mdlle.  Marie  Soldat  and 
Herr  Hausmann  played,  and  Miss  Alice  Whitacre  was  the 
vocalist. 

An  admirable  performance  of  "  Elijah  "  was  a  worthy  climax 
to  a  series  of  Concerts  marked  by  excellence  all  along  the  line. 
Save  Mr.  Santley — the  "  only  true  Prophet  " — none  of  the  leading 
quartet,  including  Madame  Nordica,  Madame  Belle  Cole,  and 
Mr.  Piercy,  had  been  heard  in  that  work  in  Bradford.  Local 
amateurs  in  the  persons  of  Miss  Clara  Marshall,  Madame  Ash- 
croft-Clarke,  Mr.  Wm.  Coates,  and  Mr.  H.  Connelly  also  rendered 


i86  MUSICAL  NOTES. 


efficient  aid.  Sir  Charles  Halle,  as  usual,  commanded  his 
highly-trained  forces,  and  Mr.  J.  H.  Clough  took  his  accustomed 
place  at  the  organ. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  twenty-fifth  season  in  October 
the  Subscription  Concerts  Committee  found  themselves  in  such 
an  agreeable  financial  position  as  to  be  able  to  promise  an  extra 
Concert  free  to  subscribers — a  series  of  seven,  therefore,  instead  of 
six  being  announced.  The  first  Concert  took  place  on  October 
25.  The  principal  items  were  the  Overtures  to  "  Der  Fliegende 
Hollander "  and  Spohr's  Dramatic  Concerto,  with  Madame 
N6ruda  as  solo  violinist.  Novelty  was  represented  by  Grieg's 
Suite  "  Peer  Gynt  "  and  a  couple  of  Dvorak's  "  Legendes."  Miss 
Macintyre  was  the  vocalist.  At  the  Ballad  Concert  on 
November  22  Madame  Valleria  and  her  troupe  appeared. 

A  Choral  Concert  took  place  on  December  13,  when  Benoit's 
"Lucifer"  was  performed,  with  Miss  Annie  Marriott,  Madame 
Patey,  Mr.  Iver  McKay,  M.  Blauwaert,  and  Mr.  Bantock  Pier- 
point  in  the  solo  parts.  The  composer  was  present.  Parry's 
"  Blest  pair  of  Sirens  "  was  given  at  the  same  Concert  for  the 
first  time  in  Bradford. 

The  1889  musical  season  in  Bradford  was  rich  in  Chamber 
Concerts,  given  by  Mr.  E.  Misdale  at  the  Mechanics'  Institute, 
by  Mr.  S.  Midgley  at  the  Church  Institute,  and  by  other  well- 
known  local  musicians.  Mr.  E.  Misdale's  Concert  on  February  5 
was  something  more  than  a  Chamber  Concert,  the  services 
of  the  Bradford  Glee  Union  being  retained.  Their  rendering  of 
part-songs  by  Mendelssohn  lent  agreeable  variety  to  an  excellent 
programme.  Miss  Emilie  Young  was  the  vocalist,  and  Herr 
Dittmar,  of  Leeds,  the  violinist.  Mr.  Misdale  also  gave  a  couple 
of  high  class  Concerts  in  the  latter  part  of  the  year.  Mr. 
Midgley's  Concert  on  March  15  was  chiefly  noticeable  for  the 
appearance  of  Mdlle.  Soldat.  Mr.  Percy  Cooke,  a  local  amateur, 
by  his  rendering  of  a  grand  Polonaise,  by  Popper,  on  the  violon- 
cello, showed  himself  an  adept,  giving  great  promise  for  the 
future.  Madame  and  Miss  Tomlinson  sang  duets  by  Brahms, 


YORKSHIRE.  187 


Mendelssohn,  and  Vincent  with  much  finish.  After  the  summer 
interval  Mr.  Midgley  again  broke  silence  on  October  15.  His 
present  coadjutors  were  Signer  Risegari,  Mr.  Farnow,  and  Miss 
Brigg,  of  Kildwick  Hall — the  latter  an  amateur  vocalist  bearing 
an  honoured  local  name. 

The  Bradford  Festival  Choral  Society  lost  nothing  of  its  old 
vitality  and  energy,  a  fact  amply  proved  both  by  the  attendance 
of  members  at  the  many  rehearsals,  and  by  the  actual  amount 
of  arduous  work  accomplished.  In  addition  to  performing  the 
heavy  choral  work  in  connection  with  the  Subscription  Concerts, 
it  showed  an  admirable  example  of  enterprise  and  courage  by 
introducing  Dr.  Parry's  "Judith  "  for  the  first  time  to  a  Bradford 
audience  on  April  12.  Mr.  Sewell's  band  executed  its  share  in 
the  work  with  conspicuous  merit.  Miss  Clara  Leighton  in  the  title- 
role  sang  commendably.  Considering  the  difficulty  of  the  work,  the 
chorus  came  through  with  flying  colours.  The  performance  of  Mr. 
Ebenezer  Prout's  "  Hereward  "  on  November  15,  however,  was 
not  equal  in  merit  to  that  of  "  Judith."  Among  local  societies  the 
Bradford  Musical  Union  (Conductor,  Mr.  B.  Watson)  and  the 
Bradford 'Glee  Union  (Conductor,  Mr.  C.Anderson)  have  pursued 
a  steady  and  prosperous  course.  The  former  Society  gave  a 
Concert  at  St.  George's  Hall  on  December  20  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Infirmary,  the  principal  vocalists  being  Miss  Emilie 
Norton,  Mrs.  Ashcroft  Clark,  Mr.  W.  Knight,  and  Mr.  W. 
Thornton. 

The  Bradford  Glee  Union  gave  their  annual  Concert  at  the 
Mechanics'  Institute  on  March  13,  performing,  among  other 
things,  Caldicott's  "  Queen  of  the  Valley."  The  principal  voca- 
lists were  clever  amateurs — Miss  A.  Saville,  Madame  Armitage, 
Mr.  C.  Blagbro,  and  Mr.  Alfred  Barnes.  Master  P.  Cathie,  a 
juvenile  violinist  of  exceptional  ability,  also  appeared.  This 
Society  gave  an  entertainment  on  December  9,  the  programme 
being  entirely  selected  from  the  works  of  Sir  H.  Bishop. 

The  Bradford  Amateur  Orchestral  Society  gave  their  second 
Concert  on  March  22  under  the  conductorship  of  Mr.  E.  Haddock. 


i88  MUSICAL  NOTES. 

Haydn's  Seventh  Symphony  in  D  and  the  Overtures  to 
"  Masaniello  "  and  "  La  Dame  Blanche  "  were  performed  \vith 
precision. 

Amongst  minor  events  Mr.  J.  St.  Hense's  Concert  on  March  4 
should  not  be  passed  over.  Mr.  C.  Heinrich  gave  an  agreeable 
musical  evening  at  the  Church  Institute  on  April  5.  Mr.  J.  H. 
Clough  was  instrumental  in  producing  Sullivan's  Cantata  "  On 
Shore  and  Sea  "  at  the  Kirkgate  Chapel  (May  9).  On  December  3 
the  Bradford  Kyrle  Society  gave  Gaul's  "  Holy  City."  On 
December  6  the  children  of  the  Bradford  Board  Schools  pre- 
sented, for  the  first  time,  in  St.  George's  Hall,  a  Cantata  entitled 
"  Flora's  Garden  Party,"  by  Mr.  A.  C.  Cowley,  the  Musical 
Inspector  of  the  School  Board.  The  work  showed  taste  and 
skill  in  choral  writing,  and  met  with  a  distinct  success. 

The  Keighley  Musical  Union  has  made  rapid  strides,  mani- 
festing ability  to  grapple  with  choral  works  of  considerable 
magnitude.  The  Cleckheaton  Philharmonic  Society,  for  several 
winters  organised  and  trained  by  Mr.  S.  Midgley,  of  Bradford  (a 
position  from  which  he  has  now  retired),  acquitted  themselves 
creditably  both  in  choral  and  orchestral  work.  The  Light- 
cliffe  Choral  Society,  under  the  conductorship  of  Mr.  Rooks,  have 
shown  steady  improvement  and  ability  to  successfully  tackle 
such  works  as  Mendelssohn's  "  Athalie  "  and  Cowen's  "  Rose 
Maiden."  The  Shipley  Amateur  Musical  Society  were  not 
inactive  during  the  year,  and  showed  decided  advancement.  The 
Pudsey  Choral  Union  made  successful  progress  under  the  con- 
ductorship of  Mr.  H.  Robertshaw,  giving  their  annual  couple  of 
Concerts  in  a  most  commendable  manner.  The  Calverley  Choral 
Society,  under  the  conductorship  of  Mr.  James  Hall,  proved 
themselves  a  body  of  singers  capable  of  presenting  choral  works 
with  freshness,  spirit,  and  precision  ;  as  have  also  the  members  of 
the  Geadont  District  Harmonic  Society.  During  the  year  the 
Manningham  Musical  Union  was  formed. 

At  the  Huddersfield  Subscription  Concert  on  January  15  Sir 
Charles  Halle,  Madame  Neruda,  Madame  Bertha  Moore,  and 


YORKSHIRE.  189 


Mr.  Paersch  were  engaged.  At  the  next  subscription  Concert 
Madame  Minnie  Hauk  and  her  Concert  party  appeared.  Berlioz's 
"Faust"  was  given  on  March  24  by  the  Huddersfield  Choral 
Society.  The  principals  were  Madame  Mary  Davies,  Mr.  Chas. 
Banks,  Mr.  W.  Barton,  and  Mr.  Watkin  Mills,  Sir  Charles 
Halle's  band  assisting  both  on  this  occasion  and  at  the  miscel- 
laneous Orchestral  Concert  of  December  10. 

J.  TATHAM. 


NOVELLO,  EWER  AND  Co.,  Printers,  London.