The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-03
YSAYE WILL PLAY HERE
GREAT vIOLINIST INVITED TO BE-
COME THE SUCCESSOR OF sEIDL.
Under Contract, However, with In
dfnnapolis-Interest in First Pro-
ductiOn of Benozt's "Lucifer."

Dispatches from New York Saturday
stated that Ysaye, the great violinist, VINO
is to be one of the stars at the Indianapolis
May festival, will succeed the late Anton
SeidI as director of New Yorks famous or
chestra. 1t is further urged that no one but
Ysaye could fill the great gap caused by the
untimely end of Seidl. However, Ysaye will
be heard at the May festival, as he IS under
contract with the directors for Saturday
night of festival week
The production of 'Lucifer" the first
night of the coming May festival will be
an event to which unusual interest, not only
locally, but generally, attaches. 1t will be-
the first production in America of Benoits
great composition, and musical critics from
New York and other large cities have al
ready indicated their intention of coming
here to see it. The production will be on
far more elaborate scale than choral works
usually have. The solo parts will be pre-
scented by five noted artists, Nine. Emma
Juch, David Bispham, Nine. Josephine
Jacoby, Mr.. George Hamln and Mr.. Carl
E. Duff. The festival chorus of 400 voices
will sing the choral part, which has been in
active rehearsal for five months. So to
insure as perfect a rendition of it as is pos
sible, the male and female chorus is being
rehearsed separately. Musical Director
Van der Stucken will be here twice week
to personally conduct the rehearsals from
now until the festival.
novel feature to be introduced in
"Lucifer'' never before heard here is a ''solo
chorus" of which special parts are writ
ten in the work. 1t will be composed of the
best singers in the city, four sopranos, four
contraltos, three tenors and three bassos.
In addition to this 200 of the best singers in
the childrens chorus will take part in the
work, making a very effective ensemble.
If his experience in other cities can be
taken as an indication, Ysaye will draw
great audience in Indianapolis Wherever he
appears the auditoriums are too small to ac-
conmodate those who want to hear him.
The great Belgian violinist was very busy
last week, playing in Toronto, New York
(Thomas concerD Baltimore, Pittsburg, CO.
lumbus and New York at the Metropolitan
Opera House. He. appeared as soloist with
the Thomas Orchestra at Worcester March
Il, Boston March q and Providence March
3d. A writer in the Boston Globe gives this
interesting description of Ysaye:
His head and face are a delightful study.
He impresses one as leonine and reserv-
ing his great power for tremendous action,
such, for instance, as holding spell-bound a
great audience. His deep-set eye, broad
forehead, straight nose and dimpled chin,
and firm, full teeth, together with his name
of dark, wavy hair, brushed back and hang
ing over his neck, combine to make him
look the genius that he is. He wears low
turned-down collar, finished at the end by =
broad soft silk tie, which on this occasion
Was dark blue dotted with white, and were
it not for the small tuft of hair near each
ear, his beardless face, so pink and fresh
might be taken for that of very strong
minded womans. When he speaks, how
ever, he is every inch man. and this COM
bination of firmness and gentleness is only
accounted for by his being born in the sign
of Cancer. Upon asking his birthday, 1
found l was right, and that he was born
on July To- This birthday also enabled me
10 account for his inquisitiveness and love
of detail, as well as his love for animals,
nature and art. Truly he is a rare and
strong combination, a delightful change
from the dreamy genius who preceded him.
one he would use was a Guarnerius, said
to be the finest in the world which cost
him $4,000 francs.
!" Married? Well, good deal, with a wife
and four babies, he said when / became
| personal IN my conversation. And love
my home fondly.
'As to the pronunciation of his name he
said it in musical way, not difficult to
initiate I'M when one knows how; Eye. like
e,
as some people call it."
A NEW TENOR.
George Hamlin, of Chicago, who will sing
at the festival, is a tenor of whom it has
been said: "Ie is absolutely reliable and
can be depended on to do we'll whatever
he undertakes" A steady and sure prog
ress has placed him in the front rank and
he now occupies an enviable position
among the oratorio and concert singers of
this country. He has had numerous en-
gagements with the leading societies in the
West, such as Chicago Apollo Club, the
St.. Louis Choral Symphony Society. the
milwaukee, Arion Club. the Ann Arbor
University, Louisville Musical Club etc.
Mr. Hamlin has appeared in the East with
Walter Damroscn in New York, Jules Jor-
dan in Providence and at the last Worcester
FESTIVAL an honor rarely extended to a
Western singer. Mr.. Hamln's engage
ments this year include Chicago, with the
cinnati, with the Apollo Club; Pittsburg.
with the Mozart Club; Columbus, with the
Arion Club; St. Paul, and the Cincinnati
and Indianapolis music festivals.
Mr.. Hamlin sang in New York recently
with David Bispham, Clementine De We're
and others. The Musical Courier says of
his work: George Hamlin gave most ex-
cellent service. The Chicago tenor is one
of the best before the American public.
Ills voice has grown wonderfully in vol
ume, and it is no small compliment to his
ability to say that he stood noby the test
OF an appearance in the same work with
SUCH q consummate master of vocal art
as David Bispham. The latter in his ex-
tfaoruanary declamatOry singing created
perfect furore of applause. His singing
on both occasions was such as one ra relV
hears. | cannot recall in recent years an
artist who gave Why Do the Nations SO
Furlously Rage so magnifcently."
BISPHAM AND JACOBY.
David Bispham is still being highly praised
for his fine work with the Damrosch Opera
Company. During the engagement of the
company at Chicago he sang with the Apol-
10 Club of that city in 1.-The Messiah The
critic of the Tribune, William Armstrong.
who is well known in Indianapolis, said of
his work: Mr.. Bispham, a friend of manv
Wagnerian roles. SO broad an artist and so
capable one, strayed gloriously from paths
OF oratorio rectitude last night in his de-
livery of Why Do the Nations tn so
eminent an artist much is possible that To
lesser orseS is impossible Not for one mo-
ment, even In the strongest dramatic effects
In delivery, did he fail in full authority and
dignity. A better performance of the num-
Der is well nigh beyond demand"
AT a recent Sunday night concert at the
metropolitan Opera House, New York. Mrs
Josephine 5. Jacoby who is to appear at the
IndlanapOl FESTIVAL, was among the sing
erS. The Musical Courier in it's review Of
encored, but Mrs. Jacoby, the contralto. had
double encore. She sang the great CSria.-
song, HerbStsturm,' with dramatic fire and
with voice like the diana 0f, Of