Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-01

one cotemporary did in advance, is laugha
BILE. Mr.. Batchelder years ago showed
Pittsburg his mastery Of the great classica
| works and technical sfbattle horses" Of the
organ. This time he wisely chose pro
gramme to suit the occasion, being the 1rs
| of a series of free popular recitals arranged
for by the church named.
| The Bach fugue was one Of the shorter
| ones from a set, not the great minor G
| fugue; as registrated by Mr.. BatcheIder (be
| ginning with Swell mt, introducing second
| subject on the Great diapasons and grad
| ually building up to full orgau) it was made
| more ineligible and effective, especially tc
the unskilled listener, than if played &C
| cording to the strict traditions of the Haupt
school, with full organ from start to finish.
The piece de resistance was the Mendels-
| sohn sonata, beginning with that noble,
plain choraie, followed BY the tn D. finely f.a con
| melody and graceful pedal staccati, and
| closing with a finale Of marked brilliance,
yet most dignified withal. 1t was played
| with affectionate care for every detail; pure
| and musicianly in conception accurate and,
| at times brilliant in execution.
| Such were the characteristics OF all OF Mr..
| Batchelder's interpretations, which cannot
be particularized this morning. In the light
and graceful morceaux by Salome, Buck and
| Lemaigne, as in the two orchestral tran
scriptions, the player displayed yet more
| the chief distinctive feature of the true Or
| ganist He had spent the whole day (rare
| example to other concert organistsD in
| painstaking study of that particular organ,
adapting his registration to bring out the
| best effects to be obtained from its verv con-
siderable resources. The result was ample
justification Of such unusual pains;
tected any deficiency there may have been
in Mr.. Batchelder's playing on account of an
exquisitely painful felon that covered the
striking portion of his left thumb. 1t was
really heroic of him to keep his engagement
in spite of that obstacle. There was some
slight shortcoming in the general brilliancy
butable to this cause. But in spite of that,
it must be conceded that Mr. Batchelder's
work on Tuesday evening. was in many
particulars, the best organ playing that has
been heard in Pittsburg for several years,
at least
Mr. Homer Moore's singing added very
materially to the enjoyment OF the evening.
range. good quality Tor qualities, rather, for
he has unusual command of the several
varieties of tone) and Of extraordinary
Distinguished for r clear enuneiation
and for an emotional significance
that is rare indeed The know
ing and the MT alike
Should he be induced to locate here, Pitts
burg will have gained, at least, one of the
best singers she ever possessed. Mr.. Charles
last moment to nlay the accompaniments,
should not be criticised for certain defects
which further familiarity with the instru-
ment would probably have prevented.
The Music at the Duguesne.
Only few general remarks can this morn
ing be added to what has been said during
the week regarding the opera performances
by the Minnie Hank troupe. Considering
all the circumstances, and especially the
low prices of the seats, the work of this
fa l. iaa.
although, as matter of Justice to the COM
posers, it must he borne in mind that each
opera was worthy of a much more complete
and finished production than is
be always borne in mind. SO that no one is
for the whole art-work as originally in
tended, there Is nothing but good to be de-
rived from performances like these, which,
though faulty and imperfect, were animated
by a truly artistic endeavor to do the best
that could be done.
A special word should be said for the
"Lohengrin" production on Friday evening.
because in that was made the bravest-and
in many respects a successful-effort to
overcome the greatest difficulties. There
was much that was enjoyable in it. The
passages, did surprisingly with some Of the
worst places, us, for instance, the very com
plieated and exciting strains that preface
1f his nr small gos
though it is pity that he is not pro-
vided with condensed parts SO
ents to m in better Wfere nssTu
was q remarkably fine impersonation,
worthy to compare with any on the stage to-
day. This is the more remarkable in view
of the great contrast between this role and
that with which she is most associated: yet
there was no hint of Carmen in her Elsa, which |
displayeda seemingly new and complete per-
sonality all its own. Mr.. Montarioi's Lole,,- |
(riD n finished
character than his Don Jose The American |
stage has not seen in recent years many |
tenors as satisfactory all around as Mr.. |
Montariol. Mr. Stormont's 7elramund and |
Miss Tremelli's Ortrud were dramatically ex- |
cellent. The former sang well except in |
concerted work; the latter's sonorous con-
tralto was most effective in the lower reg
lister and had not the range to touch the AS |
and flats at which so many of Ortrud's |
strongest words are pitched
Further hearing of Mascagni's extraordi- |
nary one-act opera, "Cavalleria Rusticana,"
does not develop any more definite explain
alton OF its universal success than was
tive combination of materials which were
mostly known before, but are here sur
charged with the electric force OF an in
tense individuality, and all concentrated
the work in its entirety, which alone ex-
plains it's success Its brevity is certainly
its most distinctive feature. and herein It
9 shares the tendency of the day toward con-
as manifested in Kipling's short
stories, for instance. In this particular
is up to the times as no one else is,
and this, with his mastery of the technique
Of composition and the tremendous vitality
that breathes through every measure, goes
TO make up the overwhelming impression
which the fiery little work has produced in
Pittsburg, as elsewhere.
The leading roles as sung by Hauk, Mon
tariol and Del Puente were altogether satis-
Tying and evidently did justice to the COM
poser's intentions. 1t would be pleasant to
zee what an artist like Hauk could make of
The Cdrnlen-like role of Lola. whose brief ap-
oearance on the stage ought to show some
reasonable cause for all the trouble she'is
supposed to have stirred up. The orchestra
y course, was sadly deficient; Mascagni
,alls for four harps, for instance. and other
Instruments in proportion. But they did
he best they could.
-.
Masca9nrs Now Opera.
Great interest centers upon the produc-
ion last night at the Cnstanzi, Rome, of
dascagni's new opera, 'L'Ami Fritz"
This is written too early for cable intorma-
ion as to the performance, but the charac-
er of the opera may be seen from the fol-
owing paragraph lately printed in the \
Musical Courier, upon seemingly good