History of the Philharmonic society of London 1813-1912. A record of a hundred years' work in the cause of music online

with Mr. Alfred Hobday " in the title-role."

At the 6th concert, Mr. Walter Handel Thorley, a fine
conductor and clever composer, had one of his "Shakespearian
Impressions " (Macbeth) performed for the first time at these
concerts ; Mr. Rosenthal played, and Mr. Mario Ancona made
his debut as a baritone-singer.

At the last concert of the season, Dvorak's Symphonic
Variations were heard for the first time at these concerts, and a
Concertstiick in Bt> for Pianoforte and Orchestra was intro-
duced by Mr. Paderewski, for whom it was expressly composed
by Dr. F. H. Cowen. Miss Amy Sherwin was the vocalist,
and the year's work ended with the National Anthem, to which
a special significance was added, through the date being that
of Coronation Day, June 28.



1900] THE NINTH DECADE 465

PROGRAMMES FOR 1900

FIRST CONCERT. THURSDAY, MARCH 8
Part I

OuvERTURE Dramatique in D minor (Op. 2) . . Otto Manns

(First performance.)
Concerto for Pianoforte in E^ (The Emperor) . . Beethoven

Mme Teresa CarreSo.

Duet and Closing Scene, Act III (Die Walkiire) . Wagner

Miss Esther Palliser and Mr. Andrew Black.

Part II

Symphony " Pathetique " in B minor (No. 6) . . TschaikowsTcy

(Performed for the first time in England by this Society, 2S February,

1894, and repeated, by request, 14 March of same year.)

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

SECOND CONCERT. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21

Part I
Eine Faust Ouverture ...... Wagner

Concerto for Pianoforte in D minor (No. 4), Op. 70 . Rubinstein

Mr. Frederick Lamond.
ScENA and Aria, " Durch die Walder " (Der Freischiitz) Weber

Mr. Louis Arens.
Jaga-Naut (Scene XIV of the Orchestral Drama " Ke-

hama ") . . . . . . . Granville Bantock

(First time at these Concerts.)

Part II

Symphony (No. 3) in E^ (Eroica) .... Beethoven

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

THIRD CONCERT. THURSDAY, APRIL 5

Part I

Symphony in D, No. 18 (No. 23 in Breitkopf's edition) Haydn

Air, " Adelaide " . . . . . . . Beethoven

Mr. Edward Lloyd.

(Accompanied on the Pianoforte by F. H. Cowen.)

Concerto for Violin in G minor .... Max Bruch

Mr. Ladislas Gorski.

Part II
Air and Variations from Orchestral Suite (No. 3)

in G ........ Tschaikowsky

Preis-lied (Die Meistersinger) ..... Wagner

Mr. Edward Lloyd.
(His farewell appearance at these Concerts.)
Orchestral Scene, " Entrance of Gods into Walhalla "

(Das Rheingold) ...... Wagner

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

2 H



466



THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY



[1900



FOURTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, MAY 10
Part I
Overture, " A Midsummer Night's Dream "
Prelude and Liebestod (Tristan und Isolde)
Song-Cycle, " Sea Pictures " .

Mme Clara Butt.
(Conducted by the Composer.)
Concerto for Pianoforte in A .

Mr. Ferruccio Busoni.

Part II
Symphony (No. 2) in D .

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

FIFTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, MAY 24

Part I

Air and Variations from " Divertimento " in Bj?
(No. 15) .



Mendelssohn

Wagner

Elgar

Liszt



Brahms



(First time at these Concerts
Concerto for Pianoforte (No. 4) in G

Mr. Ernst von Dohnanyi
Song, " The Spirit Song "...

Mme Ada Crossley.^
Suite, " Scenes from an Everyday Romance "
(First performance.)



Mozart

Beethoven

Haydn

S. Coleridge Taylor



Part II

Symphony, " Harold in Italy " .... Berlioz

(Viola Obbligato by Mr. Alfred Hobday.)

(First performed by this Society in 1853.)

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

SIXTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, JUNE 14
Part I

Impressions from Shakespeare (Macbeth) Walter Handel Thorley

(First time at these Concerts.)
Aria, " Nel rimirar " (Tannhauser) .... Wagner

Mr. Mario Ancona.

Concerto for Pianoforte in A . . . . . Mozart

Mr. Moritz Rosenthal.

Part II
Symphony in A (No. 7) ..... . Beethoven

Pianoforte Solo, " Don Juan " . . . . lAszt

Mr. Moritz Rosenthal.
Overture, " Die Meistersinger " . . . . Wagner

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

^ Mile Rose Ettinger was prevented singing by indisposition,
Mme Ada Crossley kindly taking her place at very short notice.



1901] THE NINTH DECADE 467

SEVENTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, JUNE 28
Part I

Overture, " Fidelio " Beethoven

Symphonic Variations ...... Dvorak

(First time at these Concerts.)

Aria, " lo t' amero " (II Re Pastore) . . . Mozart

Miss Amy Sherwin.

(Violin Obbligato by W. Frye Parker.)

CoNCERTSTtJCK in B[> for Pianoforte and Orchestra . Cowen

Mr. I. J. Paderewski.

(For whom it was expressly composed.)

(First performance.)

Part II
Symphony (No. 4) in D minor ..... Schumann
National Anthem (for Coronation Day)

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.



1901

Ere the concerts of this season commenced, Her Majesty
Queen Victoria, Patron of the Society during the whole of her
long and illustrious reign, passed away.

The 1st concert opened with Chopin's " Funeral March " ; this
was foUowed by the National Anthem. The first performance
in England of Carl Gradener's Violin Concerto in D by Mr.
Franz Ondricek was preceded by Sir Hubert Parry's Orchestral
Song " The Soldier's Tent," sung, for the first time in London,
by Mr. Plunket Greene.

The 2nd concert was opened by the Overture from Bach's
Suite in C. That artistic singer Mme Marie Brema followed
with Purcell's " Mad Bess," scored by Dr. Stanford, and
Emil Sauer plaj^ed his own E minor Concerto for Pianoforte,
for the first time in London. Dr. Stanford also scored a song
by Moniuszko for Mme Marie Brema, entitled "Le Cosaque,"
and Tschaikowskj^'s Symphony, No. 4, was repeated. Wagner's
" Siegfried's Rheinfahrt," from " Die Gotterdammerung,"
was also introduced at this concert.

At the 3rd concert, Mr. Charles Santley sang a quaint Scena
by Hummel ; Mr. Ferruccio Busoni played a Liszt Concerto,
and a Symphonic Poem (No. 4), of much originality and genius,
by Mr. WiUiam Wallace, delighted the audience. Li Part II,
Brahms's Symphony, No. 1, in C minor stood alone.



468 THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY ti90i

At the 4tli concert, Lady Halle played the Mendelssohn
Violin Concerto, Mme Ada Crossley sang, and Mr. Sapellnikoff
repeated the Tschaikowsky Concerto in B t> minor, first played
by him, under the composer's direction, at this Society's
concert of April 11, 1889,

Beethoven's 4th Symphony occupied aU the 2nd Part,

At the 5th concert, Mr. Landon Ronald's Song-Cycle
" Summer-time " had the advantage of being introduced by
Mr, Ben Davies, and Dr. F, H. Co wen's " Idyllic Symphony "
was heard for the first time at these concerts. Mr. Jan Kubelik
was the solo violinist.

At the 6th concert, the new work was Tschaikowsky's
Overture to " Romeo and Juliet."

Mme Emma Nevada was too ill to sing, so Mme Blanche
Marchesi most kindly took her place. Mme Teresa Carrefio,
that most wonderful of lady pianists, played.

At the 7th, and last, concert of the present year, the eminent
pianist, Mr. Leopold Godowsky, made his first appearance,
and Mr. Edward Elgar conducted a first performance of his
clever and humorous new Overture " Cockaigne," which has
the sub-title " In London Town."



PROGRAMMES FOR 1901

FIRST CONCERT. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27

Pakt I
FuNEKAL March ....... Chopin

(In memory of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, Patron of
the Philharmonic Society during the whole of her long reign.)
National Anthem, " God save the King "
Notturno-Serenade in D major (No. 8) for Four Or-
chestras ........ Mozart

Orchestral Song, " The Soldier's Tent " . . Sir Hubert Parry

Mr. H. Plunket Greene.

(First time in London.)

Concerto for Violin in D . . . . Hermann Gnidener

Mr. Franz Ondricek.

(First performance in England.)

Overture, " Macbeth " . . . . . . Sullivan

Part II

Symphony in C minor (No. 5) . . . . . Beethoven

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.



1901]



THE NINTH DECADE



469



SECOND CONCERT. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13

Part I

OvEBTUBE from Suite in C . . . . . Bach

Song, " Mad Bess " (Scored by C. Villiers Stanford) . H, Purcell

Miss Marie Bbema.

Concerto for Pianoforte in E minor .... Sauer

Mr. Emil Sauer.
(First time in London.)

Part II

Symphony in F minor (No. 4) . . . . . Tschaikowsky

„ ({a) " Le Cosaque " (Scored by C. Villiers Stanford) Moniuszko

\{h) " Die Trommel geriihret " (Egmont) , Beethoven

Miss Marie Brema.



Siegfried's Rheinfahrt (Die Gotterdammerung)

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.



Wagner



THIRD CONCERT. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27

Part I

OvEBTUEE, " Hebrides " . . . . . . Mendelssohn

New Symphonic Poem (No. 4) . . . . William Wallace

(First performance.)
Scena ed Aria, " Riuscito sono alfin " (Matilda di

Guisa) . . ... . . . . Hummel

Mb. Chables Santley.

CoNCEBTO for Pianoforte (No. 1) in Eb . . . Liszt

Me. Ferruccio Busoni.



Part II
Symphony in C minor (No. 1, Op. 68)

Conductor, De. Feederic H. Cowen.



Brahms



FOURTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, MAY 9



Sterndale Bennett
. Tscliaikowsky



Part I
Overture, " Paradise and the Peri "
Concerto for Pianoforte (No. 1) in B^ minor

Mr. Basil Sapellnikopf.

(First played by him, under the Composer's direction, at this

Society's Concert, April 11, 1889.)

Arie, " Ich wob dies Gewand " (Odysseus) . . Max Briich

Mme Ada Crossley.

Concerto for Violin in E minor .... Mendelssohn

Lady Halle



Part II
Symphony (No. 4) in Bj;

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.



Beethoven



470



THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY



[1901



FIFTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, MAY 23

Paet I
Prelude, " Parsifal " . .... Wagner

Song-Cycle, " Summer-time " . . . Landon Ronald

Mn. Ben Davies.

(First performance.)

Concerto for Violin in D . . . . . Paganini

Jan Kubelik.

Part II

Symphony (No. 6) in E, " The Idyllic "... Cowen

(First time at these Concerts.)
Chaconne in D minor for Violin alone . . . Bach

Mr. Jan Kubelik.

Overture, " Tannhauser " . . . . . Wagner

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

SIXTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, JUNE 6

Part I

Overture, " Romeo and Juliet " . . . . Tschaikowsky

(First time at these Concerts.)
Air, " Divinites du Styx " (Alceste) .... Gluck

Mme Blanche Marchesi.^

Concerto for Pianoforte in A minor .... Grieg

Mme Teresa Carreno.

Part II

Arie, " Leise, leise " (Der Freischxitz) . . . Wd>er

Mme Blanche Marchesi.^

^ o i («) Noctm-ne (Op. 27, No. 2)) r^i •

Pianoforte Solos ; J^; p^j^^^i^^ yp53j '} . Choptn

Mme Teresa Carreno.

Symphony (No. 2) in C (Op. 61) . . . . Schumann

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

SEVENTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, JUNE 20
Part I
Symphony in B minor (Unfinished) ....
Concerto for Pianoforte in D minor (Op. 15)

Mr. Leopold Godowsky.

(His first appearance at these Concerts.)

^ i (a) Air, " Pourquoi me plaindre " (II Seraglio)

bONGS -^^^j cc Sevillana " (Don Cesar de Bazan) .

Miss Lydia Nervil.

(Her first appearance at these Concerts.)



Schvhert
Brahms



Mozart
Massenet



1 Mme Blanche Marchesi took the place of Mme Emma Nevada,
indisposed ; the latter was to have sung : —

Air du Rossignol (L' Allegro ed ii Pensieroso) Handel

and Regit, and Aria, " SoUtudini amiche " (Idomeneo) Mozart



1902] THE NINTH DECADE 471

Part II

New Overture, " Cockaigne " (In London Town) . Elgar

(First performance : conducted by the Composer.)

Concerto for Violin (Op. 35) in D major . . . Tschaikowsky

Miss Maud Powell.

(Her first appearance at these Concerts.)

Overture, " Prometheus "..... Beethoven

National Anthem.

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.



1902

At the 1st concert, that clever young English composer Mr.
WilHam H. BelP had two Orchestral Tone-Pictures from his
" Mother Carey " Suite performed for the first time, whilst
Miss Amy Sherwin sang for the last time. Tschaikowsky's
frequently performed " Pathetique " Symphony was heard
again, and Mr. Emil Sauer played Henselt's Pianoforte Concerto
in F minor.

The Programme of the 2nd concert had to be largely re-
constructed owing to Mme Blanche Marchesi's indisposition,
and Miss Jennie NorelH came to the rescue and took her place.

Brahms's Violin Concerto was interpreted by Mr. Franz
Ondricek, and Dvorak's Symphony " From the New World"
was played for the first time since its introduction by the
Society in 1894. Dr. F. H. Cowen accompanied Mr. Ondricek
on the pianoforte in Paganini's " Moto Perpetuo."

At the 3rd concert, Mr. Hugo Becker played Tschaikowsky's
Variations for 'Cello and Orchestra, " Sur un Theme Rococo "
(" By desire "), Mr. Wilhelm Backhaus took the pianoforte
part in Liszt's E [7 Concerto, and Mile Giulia Ravogli sang.

The novelties at the 4th concert consisted of a Selection from
*' Les Petits Riens," by Mozart, and Dr. Cowen's new Overture,
" The Butterfly's Ball " ; Miss Margaret Macintyre sang, and
Mr. Kubehk made his first appearance since his return from
America, playing, for the first time, the Violin Concerto of
Beethoven.

At the 5th concert, owing to Mme Clara Butt's attack of
influenza, her husband, Mr. Kennerley Rumford, came to the
Society's assistance, generously singing seven songs in Part I.

Rachmaninoff's 2nd Pianoforte Concerto (in C minor) was
played (for the first time in England) by Mr. Sapellnikoff, and

^ Now (1912) appointed Principal of the South African College of
Music, Cape Town.



472 THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY [1902

another first performance was that of Dr. Co wen's " Coronation
March " in Part II.

The 6th concert, on June 12th, was mainly devoted to the
works of Wagner (whose death occurred twenty years ago) ;
Miss Mary Miinchhoff sang his Lieder " Traume " and " Wiegen-
lied " and an air of Mozart's from " Die Zauberflote," whilst
Mr. Harold Bauer played Beethoven's " Emperor " Concerto.

The 7th concert was a matinee, at which several novelties
were heard : {a) Five Poems for Baritone and Orchestra by
Percy Pitt, set to words by Lenau, Cornelius, Dalm, Tasso,
etc., which were translated and sung by rfrang9on Da vies ;
(6) a new Concerto for Violin by A. Randegger, jun., con-
ducted by him and played by Mr. Kubelik ; (c) Nocturne for
Contralto and Orchestra, " Summer Dawn," by Herbert
Bedford, sung by Mme Clara Butt, who had now happily
recovered her health, and {d) Mackenzie's Overture to " The
Cricket on the Hearth," conducted by the composer. On this
occasion, about a month before King Edward's Coronation,
the National Anthem was sung in extenso, the solos being taken
by Mme Clara Butt and Mr. Ffrang9on Davies.



PROGRAMMES FOR 1902

FIRST CONCERT. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27

Part I

Overture, " Coriolanus " . . . , . Beethoven

Arietta, " Einst traumte " (Der Freischiitz) . . Weher

Miss Amy Sherwin.

Two Orchestral Tone-Pictures :

(a) " In the Night-Watches "1 ,-c,- , e » ijim- u t> u

(6) " In the Fo'c's'le " j (First performance) William H. Bell

(From " Mother Carey," a Suite in Three Movements.)

Concerto for Pianoforte (Op. 16) in F minor . . Henselt

Mr. Emil Sauer.

Part II

Symphony (No. 6), " The Pathetic " . . . . Tschaikowsky

(First produced by this Society in 1894.)

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

SECOND CONCERT. THURSDAY, MARCH 13

(Owing to Mme Blanche Marchesi's indisposition, the originally printed
programme was, at the last moment, entirely reconstructed, and
a leaflet inserted)



1902] THE NINTH DECADE 473

Part I
Serenade for Strings (Op. 48) (Elegy, Waltz and Theme

Russe)! ........ Tschaikowsky

Air, " Je suis Titania " (Mignon) . . . Avibroise Thomas

Miss Jennie Norelli.
Concerto for Violin in D^ . . . . . Brahms

Mr. Franz Ondricek.

Part II

Syjiphony (No. 5), " From the New World "^ , . Dvorak

(First time since its production by this Society in 1894.)

o^ TT r(a) " Abendlied " . . . Schumann

Solos for Violin ;, / ^^-Mf . i. >> d • •

1(6) Moto perpetuo . . . Faganim

Mr. Franz Ondricek.

(Accompanied by Dr. Cowen on the Pianoforte.)

Overture, " The Bartered Bride " . . . . Smetana

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

THIRD CONCERT. THURSDAY, APRIL 24

Part I
Overture, " Meeres-stille " . . . . . Mendelssohn

Concerto for Pianoforte in Ej? . . . . Liszt

Mr. Wilhelm Backhaus.
Recit. and Aria, " Chi vidi ! chi par to ? " . . Qluck

Mlle Giulia Ravogli.
Variations for 'Cello and Orchestra, " Sur un Theme

Rococo " . . . . . . . . TscJiaikowsky

(By desire.)
Mr. Hugo Becker.

Part II

Symphony (No. 6) in F (The Pastoral) . . . Beethoven

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

FOURTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, MAY 15

Part I

Selection from " Les Petits Riens " ... Mozart

[a) Overture.
(6) Andantino (No. 4).

(c) Gavotte (No. 6).

(d) Gavotte gracieuse (No. 9).

(First time in London.)

* These three works were in the original programme, in addition to

Mme Marchesi's songs : —

(a) " Ave Maria " from " Das Feuer-Kreuz "

Cantata .... Max Bruch

(First time at these Concerts.)
(6) Scena, " Die Wallfahrt nach Kevlaar "

C. Villiers Stanford
(First time with Orchestra in London.)



474

Abia,



THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY



[1902
Max Bruch



Ave Maria " (Das Feuer-Kreuz)

Miss Margaret Macintyre.
Concerto for Violin ...... Beethoven

Mr. Jan Kubelik.

(His first appearance in England since his retvirn from America and

his first performance of this work.)

Overture, " The Butterfly's Ball " . . . . Cowen

(First time at these Concerts.)



Part II
Symphony (No. 5) in E minor ....

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.



Tsckaikowsky



FIFTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, MAY 29
Part I
Symphony in G, " The Oxford "
Four Songs from Cycle, " Songs from the Turkish



Haydn
Q. H. Clutsam



Schumann

Brahms

Massenet



Tsckaikowsky

Liszt

Chopin



Hills "

Mr. R. Kennerley Rumford.

(First time with Orchestra.)

Concerto for Pianoforte (No. 2) in C minor (Op. 18) . Rachmaninoff

Mr. Basil Sapellnikoff.

(First performance in England.)

(a) " Intermezzo " .

Songs 1 (6) " Standchen "

(c) " Si tu veux " ....

Mr. R. Kennerley Rumford.

Part II

Capriccio Italien for Grand Orchestra (Op. 45)

-D,.^,^^-, o ^1 ( («) " Benediction de Dieu "

Pianoforte Solos ^ \ ii.\ -r, ^ ■ • w
I (o) Polonaise in Ap

Mr. Basil Sapellnikoff.

Coronation March ...... Cowen

(First performance.)

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.

SIXTH CONCERT. THURSDAY, JUNE 12
Part I

Overture, " Die Meistersinger " . . . . Wagner

Arie, " O zittere nicht " (Die Zauberflote) . . Mozart

Miss Mary Munchhoff.
Siegfried Idyll ....... Wagner

Concerto for Pianoforte in E|7 (The Emperor) . . Beethoven

Mr. Harold Bauer.

* Owing to Mme Clara Butt's attack of influenza, Mr. Rumford's
three songs were substituted for her Solo, " Summer Dawn " (Herbert
Bedford), and the Pianoforte Solos for her Duet with Mr. Rumford,
" E dunque ver " (Rossini).



1902]



THE NINTH DECADE



Part II
Kaiser-Marsch ......

LiEDER l(«)"Traume" ,

• (6) " Wiegenlied " i '

Miss Mary Munchhoff.
Char-Freitag's Zaubeb (Parsifal)
Walkuren-Ritt (Die Walkiire) ....

Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.



476

Wagner

Wagner

Wagner
Wagner



SEVENTH CONCTHRT. WEDNESDAY, JULY 2

(At three o'clock in the afternoon.)
Tragic Overture ....... Brahms

Five Poems for Baritone and Orchestra . . . Percy Pitt

Mr. D. Ffrang^on Davies.

(First performance : the translations by Mr. Davies, specially for

this Concert, from Lenau, Cornelius, Dalm, Tasso, etc.)

New Concerto for Violin in D minor . A. Randegger, fun.

Mr. Jan Kubelik.

( First performance, and conducted by the Composer.)

Symphony (No. 8) in F . . . . . . Beethoven

Nocturne for Contralto and Orchestra, " Summer

Dawn " . . . . . . . Herbert Bedford

Mme Clara Butt.

(First time in London.)

Overture, " The Cricket on the Hearth " . . . Mackenzie

(First time in London, and conducted by the Composer.)
National Anthem, " God save the King "

Solos by Mme Clara Butt and Mr. D. Ffrangc^on Davies.
Conductor, Dr. Frederic H. Cowen.



1893-1902

A Table showing the Number and Nationality of the Composers,
and their various forms of Composition, during the ninth decade of the
Society's existence.



Nationality,


Com-


Sym-


Over-


Con-


Miscel-


Vocal.


Total of Com-


posers.


phonies.


tures.


certos.


laneous.


positions.


\

America .


1


1


1








2


Austria .


1


— -


—


1


1


—


2


Belgimn .


1


1




—


3


2


6


British Empire .


19


4


7


2


16


46


75


France


2


—


—




1


2


3


German Emi^ire


8


3


2


3


1


8


17


Hungary and
















Bohemia


5


—


6


3


4


—


12


Italy . . .


3


1


2


—


1


1


5


Poland .


1


—


—


1


1


—


2


Russia


5


5


—


I


4


3


13



476



THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY



[1902



A Table showing the Nmnber and Nationality of the Solo-players
and Singers, and their various forms of Instruments and Voices, and
the Conductors during the ninth decade.



Nationality.


Piano-
forte or
Harp.


strings.


Wood-
wind.


Brass.


Organ.


Male
Voices.


Female
Voices.


Conductors.


America ,
Austria .
Belgium .
British

Empire .
France
German

Empire .
Hungary
and

Bohemia
Italy . .

Norway .
Poland ,
Russia
Spain
Sweden .


2
1

6
I

5

2

3
(1 ac-
comp.)

2
3


1

8
6

3

I

2
1


Mill II 1 1 ^ 1 1 1




3


1

8



1


12
3

1

4

1

1
1


1

4

2

1
2



1903J



THE TENTH DECADE
1903-1912

^ 1903

jA VERY mad correspondent last year suggested, about
/^ the time of the Coronation, that, in order to ascer-

/ — ^ tain the pitch of the British nation, the Society,
^ m as an undoubted authority upon " pitch,"
should seize the unique opportunity of the
Coronation procession, place Directors and Members, with
a photographer and tuning-fork, at various points on the
route, check the height of the note sounded and take a
photograph of the mouths when shouting !

It is scarcely necessary to say that this experiment was
never tried, and the unique opportunity was permitted to go
by!

The opening of the tenth decade finds Dr. F. H. Cowen
still at his post of conductor.

At the 1st concert, an Overture, " PeUeas and Melisanda,"
by an Academy student of great promise, was given a first
hearing. His name was Garnet Wolseley Cox, and his life,
alas, was all too short.

Mr. Raoul Pugno, the pianist, was in his element in Mozart's
E b Concerto for Pianoforte (No. 9), which he played perfectly.
Mrs. Susan Strong sang Mozart's air " Non mi dir," and a
Caprice-Espagnol for Orchestra by Rimsky-Korsakoff was
played for the first time.

At the 2nd concert, a new Concerto for Violin, by Mr.
Frederic D'Erlanger, was first played in England by Mr. Fritz
Kreisler, whose fine, earnest playing is within the memory of
us all. Mackenzie's Orchestral Suite " London Day by Day,"
a subject akin to Elgar's " Cockaigne " Overture, and Dr.
Stanford's Irish Rhapsody (No. 1) were conducted by their
respective composers, the former for the first time in London,
the latter for the first time at these concerts. Miss Lydia
Nervil sang.

At the 3rd concert, there were three novelties played and

477



478 THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY [1903 \

sung : a Concert Overture, " Youth," by Mr. Arthur Hervey,
which he conducted ; a Concert Aria from Max Bruch's
" Achilleus " (the Secular Oratorio, before alluded to), sung by
Mme Rosa Olitzka, and a new Concerto, new, that is, to
England, played by its composer, Mr. Emil Sauer. Part II
was occupied entirely by Dvorak's 4th Symphonj' in G.

The 4th concert commenced with one of the Society's
earliest and most frequently played Overtures, the " Anacreon"
of Cherubini.i

The ill-fated Mr. Edward MacDowell played his 2nd
Pianoforte Concerto, appearing for the first time in this
country ; Mme Clara Butt, ever ready to help British com-
posers, sang a Scena, " The Triumph of Alcestis," new to
London and conducted by the composer, Mr. Frederic CHfiFe.

Mr. Arnold Foldesy played Haydn's Concerto for Violoncello
in D, and the Programme was completed by Beethoven's
7th Symphony in A.

Brahms's Symphony in F (No. 3) opened the 5th concert ;
and the clever young Josef Hofmann, whose talent had matured
by now, played Rubinstein's Pianoforte Concerto in D minor.

At the 6th concert, there were three important novelties :
Richard Strauss's" TillEulen-spiegel," Glazounow's Symphony
(No. 7), conducted by the composer, who, in Part II, did the
same office for his new Suite " Aus dem Mittelalter."

Miss Adela Verne played the Schumann Concerto, and Miss
Jeannie Norelli sang.

At the 7th and final concert of the season, works new to this
Society were the Prelude and " Angel's Farewell " from
Elgar's " Dream of Gerontius," arranged for Orchestra only,
and a Poem by Dr. Cowen for Orchestra, entitled " A Phantasy