The Williamsport Oratorio Society gave its fourth annual musical festival in the Lycoming Opera House, Monday, April 18th, with the assistance of the Boston Festival Orchestra, Emil Mollenhauer, conductor, and a competent corps of artists. An afternoon concert of miscellaneous orchestral numbers, under the conductorship of Mr. Mollenhauer, was given, including the Liszt E-flat Piano Concerto by Miss Minnie Little; a Popper “Morceau de Concert,” for ‘cello, by Alex. Heindl; and three of the principal scenes of “The Barber of Seville,” sung in costume by Rose Stewart as Rosina, Mr. William Lavin as Almaviva, Sig. Alfonso Rosa as Bartolo, and Sig. Giuseppe Del Puente as Figaro. In the evening “St. Paul” was sung by a chorus of a hundred or more voices, under the directorship of Mr. Roscoe Huff, and with the assistance of Flora Provan, Janet Spencer, William H. Rieger, and W. A. Howland.
During a recent visit to Springfield, Ohio, where he gave a recital, Pugno, the great French pianist, discovered a new musical genius in the person of Master Ralph Wetmore, a fourteen-year-old violinist of Springfield. Pugno, on hearing the lad play a violin solo by Wieniawski, was so delighted that he caught him up in his arms and hugged and kissed him in demonstrative French fashion. He said if the boy would come to Paris he would take him in his own piano class, and would also use his influence in getting him into the Paris Conservatoire, where talented pupils are educated at the expense of the French government. Master Wetmore has been a pupil for seven years of Mr. Robert Braine, the well-known Ohio teacher, who predicts a remarkable career for his brilliant pupil. Young Wetmore has a great head of light hair, similar to that of Paderewski.
Miss Edith Lynwood Winn, of Geneva College, Beaver Falls, Pa., is meeting with success in her violin lecture recitals and talks on music life abroad.
The summer season of the Virgil Piano School will be held in New York City from June 8th to July 16th. Mrs. A. K. Virgil, 29 W. 15th Street, will have charge of the school. The Music Teachers’ National Association will be in session during this period, and pupils will be given a vacation in order to attend the session.
Dudley Buck’s passion cantata, “The Story of the Cross,” was rendered by the choir of Grace Church, Middletown, N. Y., under the direction of Mr. Harvey Wickham, on the evening of April 5th. The soloists were Mrs. Harvey Wickham, Miss Julia Wickham, Messrs. Harry Fisher, Zopher Green, and David Eilenberger. The performance was very successful, and marks the third cantata given by this choir during the present season.
Edward Baxter Perry played at a matinee at Kullak’s Academy of Higher Pianism in Berlin on March 22d, and gave a recital in Saal Bechstein on the 24th. Of the latter the “Times” of Berlin writes as follows: ” In Mr. Perry we have to deal with an artist of singular endowment. His dominant characteristic is refinement, though I would not imply that he lacks more robust qualities, for he is possessed of force, energy, rhythm, and technic equal to the most exacting demands. His tone is unique, having something of the quality of a stringed instrument, and he commands all styles of touch, from mere arpeggio whisperings to loudest tonal thunder. Mr. Perry completely won his audience, and met with a deservedly warm reception that grew more enthusiastic after each number and ended in numerous recalls. The blind pianist of Boston has added another to the limited list of American successes in Berlin.”
On March 29th Mr. Perry gave a concert in Dresden with the assistance of the American basso, W. L. Hubbard, and is now in Paris, where he was booked to appear on April 21st.
Dr. Robert Goldbeck has arranged an artistic and educational tour with the special purpose of enabling the people of other communities than the larger cities to hear the masterpieces of piano music. In connection with a recital he will arrange to stay in each place for several days, to give lessons to those who may desire them. He will conduct a summer school from July 5th to August 27th.
The operatic class of Mr. Charles R. Adams, Boston, Mass., gave its annual musicale last month. Parts of “Martha,” “Aida,” “Lucia,” and “Lohengrin,” were presented.
The Faelten Pianoforte School, Boston, Mass., will hold a special summer session from July 11th to August 12th. A teachers’ course is to be a strong feature of the work. The instruction will be given in Steinert Hall.
A concert in aid of the Peabody House, the pioneer in kindergarten work in the United States, was given in Boston lately. The entire program was made up of compositions by Mrs. Beach.
President E. H. Scott, of the Interstate University System of Musical Instruction, Kansas City, Mo., will enter upon his fifth annual tour of interstate commencements May 23d. His tour this year will embrace nearly every State in the West, there being nearly two hundred branches of the Interstate System west of the Mississippi river.
Mr. Calvin B. Cady will conduct a summer normal school in Studebaker Hall, Chicago, from June 23d to July 22d. A thorough course of lectures in analysis and teaching principles will be given in connection with the pianoforte instruction.
The American Conservatory will hold a summer normal session in Kimball Hall, Chicago, from June 27th to July 30th. All branches of musical and dramatic art and special teachers’ courses have been arranged for by Director John J. Hattstaedt.
Mr. W. S. B. Mathews has arranged to form a summer class for piano teachers. The course that has been settled upon will include the principles of teaching from elementary to the higher artistic stages. The Mason system of technic will be a prominent feature of the work of this school. Mr. Mathews’ address is 1403 Auditorium Tower, Chicago, Ill.
