KUNKEL'S MUSICAL REVIEW, NOVEMBER, 1891. 81 LOUIS C.ONRATH. tion and so admirably finished in their harmonic structure OF ALFRED AND HEINRICH GRUNFELD. and elegance of form as to place their author in tbe foremost Louis Conrath, whose portrait accompanies thia sketch, is' rank of American composers. ftenew Concert Hall of theMadison Square Garden, New' Mr. Conrath has participated in numerous concerts, and al­ Terti I&JI an exchange, was well filled upon the auspicious no stranger to the readers of the REVIEW, being familiar to them as a composer of unusual merit. He was born in Se­ ways distinguished himself for his superior work. He is a ..ulon of the debut of Messrs. Alfred and Heinrich Griin· gentleman of pleasing manners, a splendid pianist and a MI. )(r. Alfred Griinfeld, a1 we all know, is a pianist, of no dalta, Mo., on the thirtieth of July, 1866. He began the study ...u repute, from Vienna, and Mr. Heinrich Griinfeld is a of music at the age of twelve, and advancing rapidly was teacher of undoubted ability and thoroughness. '•lUI& of renown. Their playing of the first programme num- sent in 1882 to the Conservatory at Mayence on the Rhine, Ga. 111r Beethoven's Sonata, in A Major, op. 69, for piano and There he devoted a year to faithful study, leaving in 1883 for '•Do, ueured the audience that they were no ordinary per­ Lei psi g. llnaen. They played with a finesse and absolute unity of ar­ At this great seat of learning, he studied piano under the MAJOR AND MINOR. Mc purpoae that was truly admirable. It was Chamber renowned Carl Reinecke and Oscar Paul, and theory and allle COR 4111ore. No mere effect seeking, no brilliant and composition under 8. Jadassohn. Four very important years "It is a singular thing," says a physician, "lhat a man illold climaxes, but straightforward, honest playing, in were thus spent, the pupil making the most of them, ana win­ doeil not hear his own voice exclusively through his ears. ftlcb eYery note was heard and in which there was senti· ning, thl,'ough his talents and application, the high regard of The prevalence of throat deafness is a proof to the layman lltll& and a delicate aroma of tenderness that was as unlike his masters. of the connection between the ears and throat., and this &be bard and cold style, that is 110 frequently misnamed classic, After leaving the Conservatory at Leipzig, Mr. Conrath, not inability to hear one's self speak just as others hear us is UIDJtbing that could be imagined. content with the splendid education already acquired, with another instance. In some people this peculiarity is very After this, Alfred Grilnfeld gave us another Beethoven num. which most would have been satisfied, gave himself up to a marked, and in my case, if I speak into a phonograph and ber. "Andante Favorit," in which he completely charmed the let the machine grind out the sounds again, I don't reco~nize aadlence with the exquisite softness of his touch and the the voice at all. In regard to singing. the varying abihty to belntJof the alnging tones that he drew from his instrument. hear one's self with the ears plugged up with cotton makes lr Grllnfeld is in many respects a remarkable pianist. He it~elf evident, for while one member of a chorus will onlv U.&buortest and most velvety of pianissimo touches, sym­ hear the blended harmony, or discord, another will hear JI~&Ic and magnetic to a degree, and his technique is won· little beyond his or ber own voice. and m11.ke occasional bad llrfllllJ flniehed and perfect in the rendering of the lightest breaks in consequence. I know a man who used to sing a of rippling cadenzas, while in the very next piece he may very fair baritone, but whose voice is now only adapted to pliJ with a brilliancy and power that is unexcelled and show the weakest falsetto. Yet he does not realize the change atilblng bravura style that takes the ears or his hearers by and I believe he honestly thinks he sings as well as ever: 11orm. One good trait we must commend highly, he does not This apparent impossibility may be a dispensationof Pro'l:"i· llinlfle the two styles. In this he shows both good taste and ~~h,~~ ~~ ;>;i~t~~~. men with exceptionally ugly voices being eonllltency. His playing of Schumann's "Romanze.'' in B Jlllor, and the" Trli.umerei," completely captivated his hear­ ..i ~_ntof all his numbers, tt was the Wag'ner-Liszt "Isolde's The Broad Street Conservatory of Music, of Philaflel­ Lle1111tod" that exhibited his powers to fullest advantage, phia, whose advertisement app~::ars in another column, offers ad be qnlte electrified hill audience by the intensity of his unusual advanta~es to ambitious students. · dJamatlc feeling. The Conservatory is located on the most fashionable street lr. Heinrich Grllnfeld could not complain of the warmth of in the City, and was purcha~.;ed last year by the Director and llineloome to these hospitable shores. He handles his in· entirely remodeled to suit the requirements of the school. It lkamenl in masterly style. His tone is full and resonant, and contains a apacious hall for the Professors' recitals and Pu. llilbowing admirable, and he plays with much sentiment and pils' Concerts, class· rooms (for the accommodation of about artiltlc feeling. 1500 pupils), reception· rooms and offices. The Director, Gilbert Raynolds Combs, is well known as a man of integrity. tact. enterprise and rare musical attain. ,; MAJOR AND MINOR. ments. The faculty, which is composed entirely of male teachers, iB the best that money can procure, a.nd no expense hderewakl \VIll open his American season with three or­ is Flpared to give the pupils a symmetrical musical education. eheatral concerts in New York, Nov. 17, 19 and 21. The Free Advantages offered to all pupils inclnde Har­ mony, Choral, Oratorio, Ensemble. Symphony., Orchestral, llucagnl'a new opera," Friend Fritz," is announced tore­ and Sight-Reading Classes, and admission to all the Concerts, eeiTI its first production on Oct. 21st, at the Constanzi Thea­ Lectures and Recitals. Ire, Rome. The opera was finished in the short space of a few Eight Free Scholarl!lhlps and five gold medals are annually montha, and is reported as an idyll replete with love and ten­ aw11.rded to deserving pupils: . deremollona. The orchestration is modern and melody abun­ The Conaervatory enjoys a national reputation for the thor­ danL The opera is in three acts, has a prelude. and also an ou~rhness and absolute safety of its methods. ''Intermezzo Sinfonica" between the second and third acts. The attractive new Catalogue, which has just reached us, Jlreqnires a personnel of seven, the four principal parts be­ contains portraits of the Director and principal members of iDIIOPrano. mezzo, tenor and baritone. The compoaer will further course of private study for nearly two years- an the faculty, aa well as interior views of the Conservatory, etc. conduct the first performances. action characteristic of the ambitious young musician. He Poor Pay for Slngers.-A prominent music teacher is au­ taught for a while at the Beethoven Conservatory, after which thority for these facts : There are no le!ls than 2,000 singers he opened a studio of his own in the Fagin Building, 810 Olive employed in the choirs of wealthy churches of New York who Street, where he is now located. Mr. Conrath is the author OUR GREAT PREMIUM OFFER. receive but one dollar a week for their services. A bout 1,000 of many compositions, embracing ~ piano aolos, duets, and are paid two dollars, and less than 200 recel ve four dollars a songs, of which the principal are: Piano Solos-"Gondo­ We invite the attention of our readers to the two cuts or a Bnnday. Thia means attendance at morning and evening liera," Nocturne: "Cinderella," Imp,romptu Walzer: "Valse handy folding table. to be seen on another page. This table is prarers, at least one rehearsal a week, and occasional work at Mignonne;" "Nocturne," Au Soir-At Eve-Am Abend; the most useful piece of furniture in a house. Handy for the sociable or reunion, for which the chorister receives a "Bolero." Duets-"Cinderella," Impromptu Walzer; "Tar­ sewing, writing, reading, lunching. etc., etc., and wbea no plate of salad and a biscuit or a saucer of ice cream and a lady antella ;" "Bolero.'' Songs-'' Whene'er I See Those Smiling longer needed, fold it up and put it away. lt is made of an­ ftn~ter. There is a great deal of money in religion, but it does Eyes ; " "Sleep, Baby, Sleep," Cradle Song; "Thy Magic tique oak. measuring 32 inches in dio.meter, stan<'ling 30 inches not appear from the above facts that the choir bas a very large Eyes. from the floor. It is made by the largest furniture house in allan ofit. Mlle. de Vere, the Patti of church choirs. ~ets$100 HiM son~s, "Thy Magic Eyes," and "Cradle Song," made a the West-" Lammert Furniture Co.," Broadway and Locust. a Sunday, which is unprecedented in the church world of decided htt at the Exposition, where they were sung during St. Louis, where you will fin<'! a complete line of furniture at IIUiiC. the Gilmore engagement. the very lowest prices. We offer this magnificent table to any The compositions of Louis Coni'ath. belonging to the mod· subscriber who will rrocure us one new subscription (one's All the pieces that appear in the REVlEW can be had in ern school of piano literature as represented by Moszkowaki own subscription wil not do) to onr MUSICAL REVIEW.