Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-27
THE DIVIDE MUs1N CONCERT.
Two Highly Successful Entertainments
Given at the Old City Hall.

Two Highly Successful Entertainments
Given at the Old City Hall.
It is not often that SO many artists Of
equal skill assist at a concert, where we'll
known star appears, as was the case at Old
City Hall yesterday when the Divide Musin
Company was the recipient OF one of the
most enthusiastic welcomes ever accorded
any body of performers.
Mr. Eduard Scharf opened the matinee
programme with Saint Saens' arrangement
of "The Kermesse," from Gounod's 5
Faust" 1t is very brilliant piece Of
music, with many technical difficulties that
were all satisfactorily surmounted by
the players rare power of execution.
Mr. Scharf is not only very able ac-
companist, but a soloist of considerable
merit, which heidemonstrated in the render
ing of Liszt's intricate "Rhapsodie No IL Z"
Mr.. Pier Delasco, the basso, was last heard
here with the Minnie Hauk Opera Com
pany and sustained favorably the impress
sion he created at that time. His voice is
not very powerful notably in the low tones,
but his singing is so sympathetic and his
general appearance so impressive that it is
to be regretted he has left the stage for the
concert platform. Miss Inez Parmater is
without doubt one of the best ballad
singers that has been heard of late in this
city. Her mezzo soprano is remarkably
clear and full and her phrasing carried out
in the minutest detail. Her rendering of
Reginald de Koven's simple song, "Oh,
Promise Me-" captivated the sympathies OF
the audience more than did any OF the other
higher-classed numbers.
Miss Annie Louise Tanner Musin dis
played voice, of uncommon range and
purity. Her high notes are delivered with
an ease and precision that are positively
comfortable; the roulades are exquisite and
shaded with perfect grace, while her sing
ing throughout is SO thoroughly artistic,
scholarly and finished, without suffering
from any conventionality, that her
place rightly is among the very
best concert singers before the Amer
ican public to-day. With due
Musin, it is serious question whether his
wife does not surpass him as a perfect ar
tist. He has, of course, still the same COM
mand of his instrument that carried his
fame across the Atlantic; his playing is
brilliant and glittering, his execution mar
velous to degree, and his technique as
as can be acquired with indus
try and firm intent of purpose.
But Mr.. Divide Musin is no longer a
young man. The enthusiasm that filled his
soul when younger is to some extent
lost; he is heard to-day with the
true admiration due to a mnsical
genius, but a genius that knows its own
worth and is satisfied with the victories
already won. There are no new fields to
conquer Tor him and no new honors to be
his violin does not sing with the
exuberant feeling OF youth nor talk with
q mans convincing power. While his
force is the same his sympathetic
power has lost some OF its charm, and sym
pathy is as necessary to music as aroma to
3 flower
For that reason Mrs. Musin was bigger
favorite with greater part of the audi
ence than the famous violinist himself.
Withal, he still possesses his old time
His reception in the evening
eliminated in demand for six encores,
which were readily given. For once Pitts
burg's lukewarm audiences melted before
the genuine musical charm OF all the ar
lists, and every number at both the matt
nee and evening concerts was vigorously
applauded and followed by encores.