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December 19. 1914 M U S I C A L AMERICA 5 at one time or another found fault with my work when others have most highly RUDOLPH GANZ STAR A,rt of Accompanying as praised it. But I take her word in pref­ erence to that of almost anyone else." Mr. La Forge has for some time co­ OF SWISS CONCERT Viewed by Master Exponent operated with Mme. Aida in her recitals. But, through the courtesy of the Met- Pianist and . Chorus of Fellow­ Frank La Forge·Explains His Method of Studying a New Song­ Countrymen in Program Advantage of Accompanying without a Score and of Co-op­ for Relief Fund erating with Single Artist over Long Period For the benefit of the Swiss Relief Fund a concert was giveri on Saturday O much dust was raised by the credit attached to it. I should be hindered evening, December 12 at JEolian Hall, S triumphant arrival of the operatic rather. than helped by playing with a New York, by the Helvetia Mannerchor folk in October that the return of a cer­ score ih front of my face. I did not, however, make it a conscious object from of New York, Johannes Werschinger, tain musiciau, without whose co-opera­ conductor, and Rudolph Ganz, the Swiss tion the American music season would pianist. lose one of its highly distinctive features, The auditorium was filled with repre­ was accorded ail too little notice. It was, sentative Swiss-American citizens, and · indeed, a rare pie-ce of good fortune that . the center box, in which sat the Ambas­ broug>ht back :!? rank La Forge in due sador and Consul, was decorated with time to fill his unique-- place-in the activi­ Swiss and American flags. Mr. Ganz ties of the year, which otherwise would plaY.ed Beethoven's Sonata "Appassion­ have lacked a very palpable element of ata" with a wealth of emotional va­ completeness. r iety and a mastery that placed him at A very slight margin of time divided once in his audience's favor. A group the noted American composer and un­ of shorter pieces contained his own "In rivalled accompanist from Germany at May," op. 23, and "Bauerntanz," op. 24, the outbreak of the war. Had he left two splendid pieces, Blanchet's Serenade, Switzerland a short time before he op. 15 and Volkmar Andreae's "Frage," would undoubtedly have found himself op. 20, four Swiss works representing marooned in Rothenburg instead of composers born in Zurich, Lausanne and spending a brief vacation there, as he Berne, respectively. Liszt's "Sonnette del had originally purposed. But as the Petrarca," op. 123, and the E Major good stars of American music lovers Polonaise followed. Mr. Ganz played willed it he had not crossed•the border at them in a truly wonderful manner, . arousing such enthusiasm that two ex­ the outbreak of hostilities, and so he Frank L a Forge, the dis­ · turned his face toward Italy, whence tras, Liszt's popular "Liebestraum," No. tinguished American com­ 3, and Chopin's A Flat Waltz had to be most of the musical elite appear to have poser and accompanist, on set out upon their' American journey this added. his way to E urope (in the Under Mr. Werschinger's able direc­ year. On the same vessel was Mme. lower picture) and returning Aida, who is so fortunate as to hold a tion the chorus, which is an efficient body from there ( in the upper of some forty male singers, was heard in monopoly on Mr. La Forge's artistic one). In the first he is shown services. a capella part-songs, works by Swiss with Mme. Aida (standing) composers. Attenhofer's "Gruss der The Summer was not one of sweet do­ and Gutia Casini, the R us­ ing nothing for Mr. La Forge, however. Heimat," "Vale" and "Mein Schweizer­ sian 'cellist ; in the other with land wach auf!" Volkmar Andreae's He wrote seven n ~w songs-:they .will ap­ Pasquale Amato, the Metro­ pear before long_:_and · worked zealously "Der Jungschmied," Hegar's "Morgen im politan baritone (at the Walde" and as a final number, with with Mme. Aida on her programs for right). the present Winter. He succeeded, never­ William Josy at the organ, Kremser's theless, in visiting Paderewski in com­ "Prayer of Thanksgiving." A small pany with Mme. Sembrich, and in be­ string orchestra played Mendelssohn's ~ in g present at the birthday festivities of "Heimkehr au der Fremde," Tschai­ the noted pianist. These were enlivened kowsky's famili ·· Andante Cantabile, by the performance, among other things, the start to play in this fashion. It ropolitan soprano, he is to be heard at the Soko,low-Liado "Les Vendredis," of a parody on his charming song, "To merely chanced that I was asked one day the forthcoming concert of Mme. Sem­ Rubinstein's "Music of the Spheres," a Messenger," the words of which were to accompany Mme. Gadski in some brich. With the Polish soprano, he has Meyer-Helmund's "Serenade Rococo," replaced by verses concerning Paderew­ songs. The music was not at hand and I been associated on several European the Rheinberger-Kramer "Vision" and ski devised by Mme. Sembrich and the essayed them from memo'ry and with concert tours, in which he has been ac­ Tellam's "En Sourdine." A. W. K. composer himself. success. From that time ·I made it a claimed in Russian music centers as well But if Mr. La Forge is very far from practice to rely on my memory, which is as in Warsaw,' Lodz. and other Polish being an idler during the silly season, good. And this kind of independence cities now devastated by war. Flonzaleys Open Their Philadelphia he is a person of almost disconcertingly allows me greater freedom in every re­ H. F. P. Series industrious propensities at this time of spect. the year. He has concerts and rehear­ "M'y study of a new song is accom­ PHII1i\DELPHIA, Dec. 14.-The first of sals and rehearsals and concerts, en­ plished away from the piano. The out­ · McGill Orchestra Plays Suite by Its Con­ the Flonzaley Quartet's three concerts in Witherspoon Hall this season, under the tailing an enormous amount of labor. To lines, the musical details and other char­ ductor, Dr. Perrin find him at home is a stroke of extraor­ acteristics of the piece suggest them­ local management of Robert Patterson dinary good luck. Even more extraor­ selves and are mentally absorbed in the MONTREAL, Dec. 12.-The orchestra of Strine, took place last Tuesday evening. dinary, from the standpoint of the aver­ process of reading over the score. After the McGill University Conservatorium The program was of rare artistic merit age being, is his delightful affability and that the song is gone over with the artist of Music has made its first appearance and interest. The two movements of unruffled good nature, which is, appar­ and we decide upon various matters of of the season with great success,- con­ Darius Milhaud's strongly impressionis­ ently, proof against the ordeal of almost interpretation. This is a phase of never­ ducted by Dr. H. C. Perrin, the director. tic quartet claimed prime attention, not in cessant music making. failing interest, particularly as one great The program included Dvorak's "New only from an analytical standpoint, but singer is apt to differ so materially in World" Symphony, a pastoral suite by because the organization reached the A "Vocal Sonata" Recital her ideas of tempo, or even more subtle Dr. Perrin and music by Sibelius and greatest efficiency in its ensemble in these Mr. La Forge performing the office matters, from another. Bach. A large audien.ce was delighted vaguely interesting, but withal beautiful, both with the orchestra and with the solo­ movements. Tschaikowsky's charming of accompanist, a song recital as­ quartet, the E Flat Major, op. 30, opened sumes an added dignity and high beauty Accompanying a Single Artist ists, all students of the Conservatorium. These concerts are usually given by in­ the program, and the closing number was -indeed, when he plays for such artists "To me it has been an unmitigated vitation, but tickets were sold for this the Haydn G Major Quartet, played with as Mme. Aida, Mme. Sembrich or Mme. pleasure to be associated with a single a verve peculiar to this organization. Gadski the event might be construed as artist for long periods. That is the way, one, the proceeds going to the Red Cross. a sort of vocal sonata recital. The it seems to me, to achieve results of an pianist is no· longer a mere accompanist artistic unity and cohesiveness quite un­ math of the strenuous combination of in the traditional sense-he is an en- attainable under conditions compelling BORWICK HEARD IN travel and playing in strange cities, with semble player of superlative qualities. the accompanist to play for one person the gloomiest sort of weather to contend Now there has been much ado over Mr. to-day and another to-morrow. It per­ with, was soon eradicated, and the an­ La Forge's practice of playing his share mits the development of freedom and in­ BEETHOVEN CONCERTO dante was given with smoothness and of a recit:;1l unconfronted by a score quite dividuality, all of which are supremely sympathy. The orchestra was at its best a Ia Toscart.fni. But to the pianist him- essential to the modern accompanist. in the delightful giocoso scherzo, and the self that . fact represents no very re- "My severest critic has always been Pianist Soloist with Philadelphia finale came with power and impressive­ markable accomplishment.

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