Evening star., 1928-08-26
European "reminiscences
By a Washington Musician

NOW, at the time of year when 50
many Washington musicians and
others have Joined the large groups
crossing the Atlantic on every ship to
Europe it would seem quite aQpropriat"
to use here the "reminiscences" OF Otto
Torney Simon. we'll known vocal r~-1a
gag OF Washington pointing the high
lights OF "a Summer seasons when he
was among the travellers to Europe The
names may, In many cases, be different
on this years programs In London
Paris. Baireuth. Munich and Milan, but
the general contour OF musical attrac-
tions over there remains amazingly the
same.
DR.. Simon says
1T is not surprising that the tide Of
travel to Europe is ever increasing. For
besides the interest OF contact with new
countries and peoples one finds 50 much
there Of tradition, old-World culture
dominant personalities, art, music
my own special interest centering
in music, "a Summers were spent
abroad. investigating vocal methods Of
different countries and absorbing the
cultural side OF music, pictures and the
other arts.
THE music OF England has its own
lure. bit heavy. perhaps, being still
iIHucIlCcu Uy E1dHuel anu TIC Cllhtbii
composers. II lacks the sparkle OF the
continent-the difference, one might
say, between bottle of stout and one
OF champagne.
Handel festivals are given at Crystal
Palace. outside Of London. every two
years, with gigantic equipment, 1000 to
1000 singers, an orchestra Of 500 to 500
men, great organ. The performances
impress through weight and numbers.
After one or two mass rehearsalS under
| a prominent conductor the festival Is
on. Sir Frederick Cowen conducted one
Of these. In BcrlioZ' Requiem" four
additional brass bands were used with
overwhelming effect However. the beat
Of conductor of massed choruses with
| inadequate rehearsals must be, at times
somewhat academic to keep things
going.
Albert Hall, seating more than 10000
is another place for musical events. A
delicate art like that of Patti. TetraZ-
zini, De Pachman, among the artists
heard. carried beautifully in spite OF
immense space.
Queens Hall, with a capacity of
3 3000 has been. however, since the time
of Wagner and Mendelssohn the pop
ular London concert hall. With an
organ at the back of the stage and
chorus seats and orchestra in front the
equipment is compact and the acoustics
are delightful.
Among the artists remembered here
are Saint-Saens playing the organ in
one of his own concertOs. Gerhardt. in
Schubert and Schumann lieder, with
NikiSch at the piano: also series of
seven orchestral concerts on consecu-
tive evenings with different guest con-
Guctor each evening. The London Or
chestra Is famous for its nusicianship
One rehearsal only is given for visit
! ing conductor, and then the concert Is
| held
AT Queens Hall the famous prone
made concerts are given. directed by Sir
! Henry Wood. Nightly concerts do not
| suggest superlative finish. From the
| Understanding audience in the orchestra
! space. smoke curls from many cigarettes
Among prominent vocal teachers in
! London in the earlv years was Emil
! BehnSe, with whom I lived as student
/ His speciality vas the scientific side of
/ voice production, The great exponent
! Of piano teaching. Tobias Matthey, was
I in London. To be aroused emotionally
/ by the work of pupils is unusual.
| was profoundly impressed BY such n
| recital of Mattheys pupils at Queens
/ Hall
The 'Thrca-C -Choir Festivals dating
! from about 1890. and given different
/ seasons In rotation in the nave of the
( CathedralS of Worcester. Gloucester and
| Hereford are interesting Here l met
| Sir Hubert Party and also saw the un-
/ usual and gifted composer Coleridge-
! Taylor. who was photographed with an
! English chorus
I'm Paris, I consulted on voice prob