Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-02
THE MUSIC WORLD.
Second Concert of the Season by the
Popular Mozart Club.
A PRAISEWORTHY PERFORMANCE.
The Handel Charity Concert and the Bee.
thoyen Quartet Club.
OTTO HEGNER'S WONDERFUL GIFTS

tokens growing public appre
citation of Pittsburg's foremos
musical organization. For which Allal
be praised! With increased patronage i
will be possible FOR the enterprising mana
gers OF the club to strengthen the remainin;
weak places some OF which were rathe
weaker than usual on the occasion unde
consideration. This was the programmes:
Cherubini. .Overture-Die Ahencerager
Ne5er....... Recit. and Aria-Der Freischueti
Mr.. Jos. A. Vogel.
Andante Con Motto
Con Motto Moderate
Saltarello.
Centemeri. .Cupa Fatal Mestizis
Miss Rosa Weber
mozart. ..........-....-...-....-h -hequlm Mass
Except for the glints of light in Cheru-
binI's brilliant overture and in the sunny
italian" symphony, the entire evening was
given over TO gloom and sadness. Accord
ing to the programmed translations, Mr..
Nogel sang Gn GERMANY mo, L
Can Bear Ny Fate no Longer;
Fen Hone is Banished From
in My Heart Sadness lies;' and the chorus
sang (n Latin) all about the DAY
of vengeance. day of burning-Day Of
mourning. day Of weeping" Il rather hurt
than helped the effect OF the Requiem to pre-
face 1t with such luGubrious sentiments AnU
even when puly-ot programme is intended,
1t is not need1Gi to omit our own mother tongue.
The chorus had noble opportunity IN the
great Requiem which has not been heard here
since it was given under Mr.. Retter's baton at
The May Festival 3. of 1855: Whether
his pupil Suessmayer, in complet-
inr it after the masters death, added much
or little original with himself, are questions
that have been holly debated. 1t remains be-
yond question. happily enough that this
Requiem is one Of the high peaks of sacred
composition, one in which sublime effects are
produced with simple means as only the
greatest genius can produce them.
In the singing of this master-work the chorus
easily carried off the first honors of the even
ing. At the very beginning the entrance Of the
voices successivelv and their union in the
swelling and then subsiding initial phrases was
effected with great impressiveness. The hyrIe
EleISOn fugue was sturdily sung and wrought
to a fine climax. Throughout the work simi-
lar points OF excellence might be traced, did
space permit. At the same time, there were
occasional lapses from the technical perfection
usually found in the work of this sterling
chorus. More rehearsal was needed, also, in
order to improve the dynamic shading which
was not at all up to the standard.
The orchestra. in spite Of its ridiculously
small contingent of strings, gave an exceed
1ngly creditable performance of the Andante
of the symphony. The Moderate was not
SO smooth; the Saltarello while spirited,
was rather labored In the Requiem the
orchestral work. for the most part was excee l.
ingly Creditabie, under all conditions. But
, was it necessary that the cornet (taking the
in the hgries
The soloists. it must be candidly said. formed
theleast satisfactory feature of the programme
Mr.. Nogel sang the "Freischuetz" aria with
great taste and no little dramatic feel
ing; but his old habit of covering his
tones sadly interfered with the effects
he intended to produce. Miss Weber sang
sharp so persstently as to over-palance the
many evidences of good intent in her interpre-
tatiOn of the Centimeri aria. In the Requiem
all the soloists but the bass (r Strouss seemed
fnd A6,r,rr
an opportunity for some very fair quartet sing
ing. Mr. McCollum's conducting grows better
ard better; he now commands a firmer beat
and is more generous of orchestral cues than
ever before.
A season or two ago this concert would have
called for high praise. That it can fairly be
criticised as above is due to the steady i'm
provement in the clubs own standard-which
in spite of temporary reflections, will doubtless
keep on in the upward path, aided alike by
public encouragement and honest criticism
Space remains for only the briefest mention
of the very successful concert given by the
Handel Musical Association, at Carnegie
Music Hall. on Friday evening, for the
benefit of the Home for the Friendless. Be-
ing charity concert, it does not call for the
most critical attention. though it contained
features Of greater merit than is usual with its
class.
The chorus, under Mr. Amos Whitney's
haton, did all that could be asked, in view of
its recent formation and its glaring dispropor-
tions in the various parts. Especially to be
commended were the piano effects and the |
general shading of the selections given,
Miss Geneyra Johnstone of Chicago is en-
titled to first mention among the Solosts. Her |
voice is one of unusual compass. power and |
evenress with rich contraltO-like tone in the |
lower register and surprising 11exibity in the |
higher. Such voice is rare. Yet more so |
is the deep well-Spring of musical feeling that /
seems to pour forth fresh and spontaneous |
at whatever point YOU tap it. In each one of |
her varied selections she sang with the great |
estfreedom and naturalness; her union of |
dramatic with lyric gifts is quite exceptional,
Miss Maud Morgan's harp performances /
were distinguished for pure artistic QUALITY
Technical skin was there in abundance but the
musicianly taste of her playing was its chief
recommendation. Mr.. Morgan showed
the mUscianship to be expected from his
standing and long experience; his technical
command of the organ was however not by
any means infallible-which also is to be ex-
pected from one just about rounding out his
three score and ten. The capabilities of that
organ should not be finally judged from the
performance in question.
-
The regular writer of this column not BEING
able to attend the Beethoven Quartet concert |
on Thursday afternoon, the aid of a most |
capable alter ego was called in with the follow
ing review as a result:
The fourth chamber music recital of the |
Beethoven Quartet Club, took place on Thurs |
day afternoon, before an aDpreciative audi
ence that followed the merits of the perform
2nCeS with discriminating vigilance The |
opening number was a capriccio by Herm, |
Mohr, by the members of the club. While |
1t is very melodious and musicianly work
IL Goes nor rise to the dignity Of the other
selections of the programme. Miss Agnes Vopel
sang Two songs by Grieg and Jensen, respec-
lively. She imbued the first with a sensnous
1ervor that bespoke appreciative conception |
OF the poem and music. Like many of the Ger |
man 1leder," it represents little else than an |
aphoTlsm. The song by Jensen is rather de-
scTiptIve, and depicts the words admirably
Two movements of Beethoven's String |
quartet op. Is then followed, with the adj |
dlUlonal assistance of George Toerge. Jr.) The |
%ork belongs TO the earlier period of
beethoven's creations, and bears marks of his |
predecessors. In the main the performance |
was good, and in portions, it was very well |
rendered Miss Vogel followed with songs by |
hlch w agner, and Joachim Raft. If Miss Vore1 |
ever achieved signal success it surely was |
in these songs. The cradle song bv WAGNER |
was indeed as pure and chaste in conception |
ana Interpretation as is nigh possible to render
1t. The song by Raft is of more dramatic |
callDer, and served to display the singers tai
ents in that direction.
The concert closed with two mover,an+s f-o,, |
ocnarWenkas magnificent quartet and one
rom h9Dlnsteln's quartet, op. 66. The ponder
ous modern harmonies and rich treatment of
Sone-coIors that abound in their works were {
well brought out by the PLAYERS and harrin1 q
lew minor discrepancies, the works received a |
good interpretation. Mr.. Retter's accompani-
nents contributed in no small degree to the ey
,elence of the songs, as did his part in the on |
emble works. The conscientious aid of the r
hessrs. forge brothers and Cooper won gen.
,ral approval. and, altogether, the concert was G
me of the best of the SERIES ~
e.
The appearance Of little Otto Hegner. the
tanist. at Old City Hall next Friday evening
one of those rare events that are interesting
like to the mere curiosity-seeker ard to the
rue lover of art. From the prodigy stand
oint, this boy of l3 is undoubtedly a
marvel, a sensation. From the higher stand |
oint this young artist is capable of giving |
artistic interpretations of truly great
forks. The unanimity of the best critics on |
he seaboard leaves no doubt upon the |
after point. while the great popular !