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LETTERA A EGON PETRI DALL'AMERICA
Cfr. versione originale in tedesco
nell'edizione curata da
Martina Weindel
pp. 235-236
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Chicago, 29.3.1915
Caro E[gon],
un giornalista dì New York mi ha detto con la massima serietà: tre sono le grandi organizzazioni della storia universale, la chiesa cattolica, l'esercito tedesco e l'American Oil-Trust-Company.
- Kreisler e la Sembrich hanno dato insieme un concerto a San Francisco; lei ha cantato una canzone qualsiasi: «Down the sweet river», o qualcosa del genere, e lui ha suonato la Humoresque di Dvorák con sordina - due lavori che stanno molto bene insieme. (E quali sono le cose che non stanno bene insieme---?)
Ieri ho sentito una buona orchestra d'albergo suonare la II Rapsodía di Liszt. Prima dell'ultima stretta viene interpolata spesso una cadenza. Questa volta si è trattato della cadenza del «Concerto per pianoforte» di Grieg.
Nella - «Chicago Tribune» di ieri ho trovato, fra le «notizie musicali», quel che ti allego nell'originale. - (Oggi i cantanti vivono signorilmente con i proventi di simili «ruoli»). - Tutto ciò ti darà un quadro della cultura americana.
È arrivata una tua lettera dalla quale traspariva che eri stato molto contento degli Olandesi e della caccia al cinghiale. Ti ammiro che puoi ancora godere dei dettagli. Per tutta la vita ho commesso l'errore di considerare i bei momenti come cose passeggere senza importanza e di non apprezzarli fino in fondo. E oggi, poi... ogni piacere ha la stessa funzione delle riviste illustrate nella sala d'aspetto di un dentista.
- Tre giorni fa sono stato a Kansas City e lì vive la nostra Georgine N[elson] *... come prostituta di un bordello. Povera G.! È venuta al mio concerto, dopo che il manager le aveva fatto promettere che sarebbe venuta in stato di sobrietà. - Il suo aspetto gridava vendetta al Cielo! I capelli ossigenati, il viso gonfio, distorto e imbellettato - e ho paura che questo non sia ancora l'ultimo capitolo. - Questa è la conseguenza del fatto che il mondo intero si basa su princìpi completamente sbagliati. Non c'è una sola cosa che sia in ordine; e gli storici del futuro classificheranno la nostra epoca quale brutta fine del Medioevo.
Che l'arte viva ancora è un segno della sua natura miracolosa; in realtà non si è tralasciato nulla per tentare di soffocarla. -
Questa situazione è dipinta magistralmente da G. H. Wells [1] nel suo libro «Nei giorni della cometa». Questo libro profetico è uscito nel 1906; lo conosci?
Conan Doyle ha fabbricato una nuova storia di Sherlock Holmes, - «La valle della paura» - bisogna riconoscere l'abilità del narratore. - A New Y. ho trovato la prima edizione dei «Racconti di un viaggiatore» di W. Irving, un bel libro come contenuto e come veste editoriale; in cui però lo spirito americano comincia ad avere il sopravvento su quello originario inglese. - In questo libro si trova la prima idea di quella che sarà l'opera Fra Diavolo.
Middelschulte (la cui famiglia in Westfalia risente da vicino gli effetti della guerra) ha trascritto la Ciaccona di Bach per orchestra d'archi e organo. - Il pezzo non è adatto a un complesso così grande e il suono è più misero che nella trascrizione per pianoforte. I signori violinistì davano fastidio, di quando in quando, andando a finire nei passi celebri nello stile interpretativo di David-Joachim.*
A New York sono presenti circa venti pianisti noti e famosi: Josef Casimir Hofmann, [Harold] Bauer [2], Godowsky, [Mark] Hambourg [3] , Gabrilowitsch, Ganz, Sapirstein [**], Jonas, P. Grainger, [Ernest] Schelling, Ornstein, Joseffy, H. Foyer [**], Stojowsky, Grünberg, A[driano] Ariani, A[urelio] Giorni: - risultato americano: nessuno vuole ascoltarli. Qui non appena una cosa diventa facilmente accessibile perde di valore.
Non c'è nemmeno da pensare a un lavoro fruttuoso: chi ha una pistola puntata contro di sé, seppur pensa, pensa solo a come salvarsi. Ma la seconda parte del Clav. b. t. è più o meno terminata. Questo è stato tutto quello che ho potuto fare in mezzo a viaggi e concerti.
Blanchet mi ha scritto una lettera squisita, apprezzabile per lo spirito, lo stile e il sentimento. Anche a Losanna cì si ritrova in molti.
È pietoso vedere come l'umanità si rifugia su piccole isole per salvarsi dal diluvio universale. - A questo paese viene fatto così troppo onore.
Non ho ancora intenzioni precise (questo mi tormenta) perché non dipendono dalla mia volontà. - Dio vi assista e i migliori auguri! Tanti saluti affettuosi
Ferruccio Busoni
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Insegnante di provincia, scrittore a tempo pieno a partire dal 1893, Wells partecipò attivamente ai dibattiti della sua epoca, dichiarandosi seguace delle teorie darwiniane, sostenitore della Società Fabiana e candidandosi nel partito laburista alle elezioni del 1922. La sua visione pessimistica del destino dell'uomo - appena mitigata dalla prospettiva che intellettuali e scienziati possano un giorno guidare il progresso e creare un solo stato multinazionale - si concretizza nelle ipotetiche ambientazioni di mondi futuri in cui le innovazioni tecnologiche mostrano limiti e contraddizioni stridenti ed in cui le tensioni sociali esplodono con drammaticità. Le sue storie traggono spunto e fondamento da ipotesi scientifiche e, come Wells stesso teneva a precisare, in ciò si distinguerebbero da quelle di altri autori, primo fra tutti dalle opere del suo "rivale storico" Jules Verne. Noto soprattutto come scrittore di fantascienza, Wells sperimentò anche la saggistica (notevoli l'Esperimento autobiografico del 1934 e La mente all'estremo delle sue risorse del 1945), e, con minore fortuna, il romanzo di ambientazione borghese.
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* Allieva di Busoni a Vienna nei primi del Novecento. SU
** Non identificato. SU
ALBERTO JONAS (1868-1943), spanischer Pianist; gewann 1888 den Rubinsteinpreis und unterrichtete von 1904 bis 1914 in Berlin sowie ab Kriegsausbruch in den USA. [M. Weindel] SU
AURELIO GIORNI (1895-1938), italienischer Pianist; Schüler von Giovanni Sgarnbati in Rom. [M. Weindel] SU
EMILE-ROBERT BLANCHET, (1877-1942), pianista e compositore svizzero. Studiò con Busoni a Weimar e Berlino. Dal 1904 al 1917 insegnò al Conservatorio di Losanna, trasferendosi poi a Parigi, dove si affermò come solista e compositore. Fu anche autore di libri d'alpinismo. SU
SIGISMUND STOJOWSKI (1870-1944), polnischer Pianist; Schüler von Lidislaw Zelenski in Krakau, dann von Louis Di~mer am Pariser Konservatorium; studierte später bei Padereweski. [M. Weindel] SU
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Josef Casimir Hofmann (1876-1957) is equally legendary as Ignacy Jan Paderewksi. Hofmann's parents trotted their child prodigy around the concert stages of the world until the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children stepped in. Later, Hoffmann became one of the century's most celebrated pianists.
Josef Hofmann is arguably this century's greatest pianist. His memory was infallible, his repertoire was almost limitless and his technique was flawless. Hofmann is a legend and his final Casimir Hall Recital on 7 April 1938 is the pinnacle of a remarkable career. It is no wonder that this is one of the most anticipated piano recordings to debut on CD. Also included on this, the sixth in a series of eight volumes of the complete works of Josef Hofmann, is a 1936 broadcast of Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata which has never before been issued and an unforgettable 1941 performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G, op. 58. With great pride, I present one of the most important CD sets that we have produced. SU
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Harold Bauer, who has won such distinction as a pianist, was originally intended to be a violinist. His father was a German violinist and his mother an English woman. Harold Bauer was born in London, April 28, 1873, and early took up the study of the violin under the direction of his father and Adolf Pollitzer. He made his debut as a violinist in London in 1883, and for nine years toured England. In 1892, however, he went to Paris and studied the pianoforte under Paderewski for a year, though still maintaining his interest in the violin. During 1893-94 he traveled all through Russia, giving piano recitals and concerts, after which he returned to Paris. Further recitals in the French capital brought him renown, and he almost immediately received engagements in France, Germany and Spain. His reputation was rapidly enhanced by these performances, and his field of operation extended through Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, England, Scandinavia and the United States. He has made many friends in this country and abroad by reason of his beautiful playing. Bauer is said to have wonderful technical ability and a remarkable gift for interpretation. He has a fund of musical imagination, and brings to his playing a remarkable capacity for entering into the spirit of the work in hand which proves irresistibly attractive to his audiences. SU
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Mark Hambourg (1879-1960), was a piano prodigy, studied with Leschetizky, and pursued a career as one of the busiest international piano virtuosos of his time. In his long performing career he became friends with many composers and performers, including Brahms, Thibaud, Busoni, Kreisler and Ravel. SU
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Ossip Gabrilowitsch (1878-1936), Russian-American pianist and conductor; pupil of Anton Rubinstein at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and of Leschetizky. His debut was made in Berlin in 1896. He was well-known both as a brilliant pianist and as conductor of the Munich Konzertverein Orchestra, 1910-14, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, 1918-36. He married Clara Clemens, concert singer, daughter of Mark Twain. SU
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Schweizerischer Herkunft, Rudolf Ganz (1877-1972) studierte in Zürich, Lausanne, Strassburg und Berlin. Mit 12 Jahren trat er als Violoncellist, mit 16 als Pianist auf. Im Winter 1899/1900 debütierte er in Berlin als Pianist und Komponist (Symphonie op. 1 E dur). 1901-05 leitete er die höheren Klavierklassen am Chicago Musical College, bereiste 1906-15 Europa, die USA, Canada und Cuba als Klaviervirtuose, war 1921-27 Dirigent des Symphonieorchesters in St. Louis (Missouri/ USA) und wurde 1928 künstlerischer Leiter des Chicago Musical College, dem er von 1933 bis zu seiner Emeritierung 1954 als Präsident vorstand. In den Jahren 1920-53 wirkte Ganz als Gastdirigent in allen Hauptstädten der USA, desgleichen auch in Paris, London, Toronto, Havanna. Ganz setzte sich als Konzertpianist besonders für die französische Klaviermusik (Debussy, Ravel, Franck, d'lndy) ein.
Werke:
Sinfonische Variationen über ein Thema von Brahms op. 21
Orchestersuite Animal Pictures (20 Stücke)
4 Orchesterstücke zur Demonstration der 4 Instrumentengruppen
Klavierkonzert Es dur
Konzertstücke für Klarinette und Orch. op. 4
etwa 200 Lieder zu deutschen, französischen, englischen, Schweizer und Elsässer Dialekt-Gedichten
Klavierstücke
Männerchöre.
[Riemann, Hugo: Hugo Riemanns Musik-Lexikon, Berlin und Leipzig 1961]
Blieb dem Chicago Musical College bis auf eine kurze Pause im Jahr 1920 verbunden bis zu seinem Tod im Jahr 1972. SU
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Ernest Schelling (1876-1939), american pianist and composer. As composer has a mastery of keyboard textures, solid harmony and counterpoint, and worthy ambitions. However, he doesn't seem to have much original or particularly interesting to say. His music, like most of the piano music of his time, derives from Chopin and Liszt. Nevertheless, composers like Rachmaninoff, Medtner, and even Korngold - to name three in the same tradition - give you something extra or at least leave a tip - a memorable tune, powerfully original harmonies, Slavic "soul," or a strongly focused argument. Schelling at his most ambitious seems to be in the Theme and Variations. An interesting chromatic idea (harmonically reminiscent of the passacaglia finale to Brahms's fourth symphony) gets sent through fifteen blameless variations. The variations themselves, however piquant, never rise above that. The variation form has its pitfalls. Since at least Beethoven, we expect the composer to play a double game: a "vertical" one which tries to infuse the individual variant with wit, invention, and poetry; a "horizontal" one which aims at a cumulative power for the set. The high point for me is Brahms's Haydn Variations or Elgar's Enigma, with their magnificent perorations. Schelling tries to work the first trick with varying success but seems to be unaware of the second, beyond the awareness that he should "end big." I did enjoy "Ritmicissimo" from 1928, but it sounds like warmed-over Albeniz. Compared to Gershwin and Donaldson's "Rialto Ripples," let alone Bartok's Sonata, it's a weak sister. SU
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Composer and pianist Leo Ornstein, regarded in the 1920s as a prophet of new music on the order of a Stravinsky or Schoenberg before he withdrew from public view, died Feb. 24 in Green Bay, Wis. He was 109.
Born in Kremenchug, Russia, in 1892, the piano prodigy was accepted at St. Petersburg Conservatory when he was 10.
Because of rising anti-Semitism, however, his family immigrated to the United States in 1907. The young pianist continued his studies at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and the Institute of Musical Art (which evolved into the Juilliard School) in New York.
Ornstein made his New York recital debut in 1911. European tours followed in 1913 and 1914.
He excelled at standard repertoire -- Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt--but also programmed works by contemporaries such as Ravel, Scriabin and Schoenberg. He gave many of the first U.S. performances of works by Debussy.
Ornstein soon began performing programs entirely of new music, including his own compositions, which made use of polytonality, polyrhythms and other modernist techniques.
Reactions -- pro and con -- were extreme.
"Ornstein represents an evil musical genius wandering without the utmost pale of tonal orthodoxy, in a weird No-Man's Land, haunted with tortuous sound, with wails of futuristic despair, with cubistic shrieks and post-impressionist cries and crashes," a reviewer wrote in the Globe-London in 1914. Influential American critic James Huneker, however, described Ornstein in 1918 as "the only true-blue, genuine, Futurist composer alive."
In 1933, at the height of his popularity and fame after nearly 20 years of public performances, Ornstein gave his last New York concert and effectively disappeared.
"One beautiful day I decided I could not stand the incessant practicing and the incessant traveling," he told the New York Times in 1976. "So that's the story of why I gave up concerts."
Ornstein met his wife, debutant Pauline C. Mallet-Prevost, while they were students at the Institute of Musical Art. They were married in 1918.
After he retired from the concert stage, the couple founded the Ornstein School of Music in Philadelphia in 1935 and ran it successfully until selling it in 1958.
They lived in New Hampshire, Arizona and Florida before settling in Texas. Pauline Ornstein died in 1985.
Despite his withdrawal from public concerts, Ornstein never stopped composing.
His 40-minute "Biography in Sonata Form" received its world premiere in 1977 in Texas by Los Angeles pianist Michael Sellers.
Ornstein's apparent final composition, the Eighth Piano Sonata, was written in 1990.
He is survived by a son, Severo, of Woodside, Calif.; a daughter, Edith Valentine of De Pere, Wis.; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
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RAFAEL JOSEFFY (1853-1915)
Rafael Joseffy spent twenty-seven years of his life in Europe and thirty-six in America. So long has been his residence in this country and so great has been his influence upon the art of pianoforte playing in the United States that with his passing on June 25th, the musicians of this country felt that they had lostone of their most valued brothers in art.
Joseffy was afflicted with what his friends conceded to be a serious mental condition and a bad nervous breakdown about a year or so ago. Mr. James Huneker, who knew the pianist as intimately as any American music worker, despaired of his life. In fact it was whispered about that Joseffy was no more. Since then he recovered so that he was able to attend to all of his regular professional duties better than he had been able to do so for years. He attributed his recovery to Christian Science. Shortly before his death he was attacked with ptomaine poisoning, from the effects of which he was unable to rally. His vast number of friends and pupils were terribly shocked, as they had hoped that his life might be prolonged for many years of useful work.
Rafael Joseffy was born at Hunfalu, Hungary, July 3, 1852. He studied in Budapesth with Brauer, the teacher of Stephen Heller. In 1866 he went to Leipsic, where his teachers were Moscheles and Wenzel. In 1868 he became a pupil of Tausig in Berlin, remaining with him for two years. Later he spent two summers with Liszt in Weimar.
He made his debut in Berlin in 1872 and was immediately recognized as a master pianist of great brilliance. He came to the United States in 1879 and since then has made his home in New York in the winter and at Tarrytown on the Hudson in the summer. His style was broad and comprehensive, yet his playing had a certain incisiveness which those who heard him will never forget.
In his earlier years he produced some very attractive compositions for the pianoforte. Later in life he virtually retired from the concert platform and devoted his attention to teaching. He was abnormally retiring in his disposition. The late Henry Wolfsohn told the present writer that he had offered Joseffy huge sums for concert tours but that the pianist found concert life so severe upon his nerves that he could not be brought to accept. He preferred the smaller income of the teacher with its other compensations to the glare of the footlights. Joseffy was sincere in his convictions to the last extreme. He care absolutely nothing for fame or applause. To him his art was supreme and other things mattered little. American gave him his home and he conferred unmeasured honor upon the whole musical history of his adopted country. SU
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MARCELLA SEMBRICH (1858-1935), internationally known Polish soprano, first sang with the New York Metropolitan Opera in its initial season, 1883; retired in 1909; sang concert tours until 1917; gained preeminence as a vocal teacher at Curtis Institute and Juilliard School; summered in the Adirondack Mountains at Lake Placid from 1915 to 1921 and here on Lake George from 1922 to 1934.
[FOTO] Thoroughly musical almost from day one, she was born Prakseda Marcelina Kochanska in Wisniewczyk, Galicia, and as a child studied violin and piano with her father. She continued her studies at the Lvov Conservatory and later in Vienna, and with Wilhelm Stengel, who eventually became her husband. When she pursued her vocal training, Sembrich headed for Milan and the Lampertis, and made her operatic début as Elvira in Bellini’s I Puritani at Athens in 1877. Her success was rapid, followed by engagements at Dresden, Milan and London in a repertoire including Gilda, Violetta, Dinorah and Cathérine in Etoile du Nord. She sang with great success in Russia (from 1880 – 1898), Paris, Berlin and in Spain before making her début at the Met as Lucia on October 24, 1883 – the second night of the company’s very existence! By the time of that first Met season, the amiable, "un-diva-like" prima donna was able to command a king’s ransom in compensation for singing Donna Elvira, Juliette, Ophélie in Hamlet, Marguerite de Valois in Les Huguenots, Zerlina, the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro and other roles. Sembrich returned to the Met in 1898 and stayed there for the remainder of her career in opera, adding the Queen of the Night, Elvira in Ernani, Nedda, Lakmé, Susanna and Eva in Die Meistersinger, as examples, to her already vast repertoire. Her retirement in 1909 was a gala affair at the house, but she continued to give recitals until 1917. Sembrich then taught privately and at the Julliard and Curtis schools for as long as her health permitted. She died in New York. [SU]
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