San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

6 THE SAN FRANQSCO DRAMATIC REVIEW May II, 1901 LOCAL NOTES MRS. HILTON'S MUSICALE Mrs. Fannie Dam-Hilton entertained about forty of her friends in her home at Fruitvale Wednesday evening of last week, several of the guests com- ing from this side of the bay. It was a lovely moonlight evening, and the large grounds, with the fine old trees, were very inviting. Indoors the rooms were fragrant with roses, and Mrs. Hilton, in her soft gown and a flower in her hair, was a picture of womanly sweetness. Mr. Osgood Hilton made a delightful host, and everyone declared the evening a happy success. Mrs. T. A. King and Mrs. Carrie Fross Snyder were among the guests. The vocal numbers were rendered by Mrs. Hilton's pupils, and the readings contributed by four of Mrs. Snyder's student.s, who did very creditable work, for she is considered the best teacher of dramatic work in Oakland, and was trained by Loui.se Humphrey Smith. The program was: Reading Tobe's Monument, a touch- ing story, given by Mr. Herbert Breed; Trio, Te sol quest anima [Verdi], Mrs. Winnifred Wilson, soprano; Mr. Er- nest MacCandlish, tenor; Mr. Geo. L. Kronmiller, baritone; reading, A Fixed Determination, Miss Marie Jacobson; vocal solo. An April Girl and Staccato Polka [Richard Mulder], Miss Wilson; reading, Pauline Par- loona [Aldrich] Miss Julia Summers; vocal solo. For the Sake of the Past, [Mattel] Mr. MacCandlish; piano solo, Berceuse, [Godard] Miss Fannie C. Dam; baritone solo, A Dream, [Bart- lett] Mr. Kronmiller; reading, Tra Giacomo, [Buchanan] Mr. Lewis Wass; contralto solo, Cradle Song, [Kate Vannah] Mrs. Minnie Spence; mezzo-soprano. Good Night, Sweet Day, [Kate Vannah] Mrs. Anna Cas- sody Beal, who was also the accom- panist of the evening. Her solo was a gem, one of the best numbers of the program, and it would be hard to find a sweeter and more mellow voice, and she sings with much feeling. Much praise was given to Miss Winnifred Wilson, a little maid in a short frock, who has a voice of real promise, and her appearance is in her favor. She was a little nervous, for the young song-bird is only trying her wings at present, but she showed very good style and expression, and her render- ing of the Stoccato Polka was grace- fully done. Mr. MacCandlish has improved very much of late and his voice shows better control. Mr. Kronmiller, as usual, pleased his list- eners. He is a very easy singer and has a voice that grows upon the hearer. Miss Julia Summers showed good dramatic ability and was a credit to Mrs. Snyder. Mr. Lewis Wass gave the difficult reading of Tra Giacomo with a strength beyond his years. He seemed to grasp the feeling of the husband seeking revenge upon the priest, and, in fact, read it better than some professionals I have heard. He is earnest and intelligent and has plenty of force, and enters into the spirit of his work, but is not blessed with a fine voice. Mrs. Minnie Spence is conquering her timidity, and her voice was firm and sweet. Miss Fannie Dam, a cousin of Mrs. Hilton, pleased the audience in her piano solo. She has very good tone and plays tastefully. Mrs. Hilton and Mrs. Snyder are to be congratulated upon their success as teachers, for the young people made an excellent showing. Mrs. Hilton's friends are trying to induce her to give a recital before the season closes. She is undeniably one of the best teachers in California, but, like all people of true worth, works very unostentatiously. BRITISH BENEVOLENT SOCIETY A ballad concert was given in aid of the British Benevolent Society at Sherman and Clay Hall Tuesday of last week, under the direction of Wal- lace Sabin. The program rendered included the following: Piano solo, Liebestraum [Liszt] Dance of the Gnomes, Arthur Fickenscher; song. The Gallant Serenader [Barnard] Mr. Robert Blair; songs, Irish Folk Songs, [Foote] Within a Mile of Edinbro' Town [Old vScotch] Mrs. Carrie Brown Dexter; song. Then You'll Remember Me [Balfe] Mr. Algernon Aspland; violin solo, Fantasie, Scene di Ballet [De Beriot] Miss Kathleen Parlow; songs. No More, My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose, Mrs. Birmingham; song. Evening Star Song, from Tann- hauser [Wagner] Mr. Van Linghem: violin solo, Legende [Weinawski] Mrs. Kathleen Parlow, Kathleen Par- low; song. Pilgrims of Love, Mr. Al- gernon Aspland; songs, My Home is Where the Heather Blooms, The Spring is Coming O'er the Mead, Mrs. Birmingham; Staccato Etude [Rubinstein] Arthur Fickenscher; Spring [Henschel] Mrs. Carrie Brown Dexter; songs. Good Night [Chad- wick]; Ay Waukin O [Wallace Sabin] Mr. Van Linghem; duet, Miserere II Trovatore [Verdi] Mr. Dexter and Mr. Aspland. LOTUS GROUP ENTERTAINMENT Gladys Couth, the little violinist, entertained a number of guests at the Universal Brotherhood Society last Sunday morning. She rendered very feelingly The Angel's Dream, and gave as an encore Avagonese. Miss Ivy Anderson, the pretty young daughter of Dr. Jerome Anderson, accompanied. Other numbers of the program were: Duet, Ivy and Jessie Anderson; song, Warriors of the Golden Cord, recita- tions, Beatrice Miner; song. Come, Little Leaves; instrumental solo, Mar- jory Thomas; song, Happy Little Sun- beam, recitation, Violet Anderson; recitation, Marjory Thomas; recita- tion, Hilda Baily; song. Sun Temple, Chant Unity, Love and Peace. The members of the Lotus Group, as the little folks are called, were the partici- pants in the program. The method of teaching the children is very poeti- cal, and a visit to the class one Sun- day morning lately was very interest- ing. Mrs. Somers is the instructor of the little folks, who show much intel- ligence, and the songs are melodious and descriptive; the little ones are taught to use appropriate gestures, and the teachings are very beautiful. THE ENCORE QUESTION Several of our musical patrons have requested an article upon the encore nuisance in the concert room, and it appears to be a subject that requires a remedy. San Francisco audiences are too inconsiderate of their entertainers, and the reckless demand for encore numbers is not always, in truth, an expres.sion of real appreciation, for the applause is often given indiscrim- inately, the most artistic numbers being received coldly, while some light, trashy selection brings forth bursts of delight—so much for the taste of our " music-loving public." The local artists are expected to give two con- certs, for one, and the same people, who wear out our artists would remain at home if another concert were an- nounced. "Oh, we have heard all they can do!" the music-lovers, so- called, exclaim, and rush off to the next fresh novelty. "Can this be true?" some one asks. Most certainly. Frequent the concert rooms as I have done, and watch the encore fiend try- ing to get his money's worth; and, if you will watch closely, the mad ham- mering and thumping is not done, as a rule, by those who listen most at- tentively. They bestow fitting ap- plause upon the artist, and accept the next number in quiet, rational enjoy- ment. If the musicians and singers would repeat the one verse of the same song, or render the last movement of the same sonata, when a bow of thanks did not satisfy, they would soon put an end to the encore trial. Artists should choose their programs care- fully, giving-their hearers an oppor- tunity to hear them in different styles of work, to meet every taste, and then call a halt. It seems to be the custom to give a really good work, and when that receives praise to spoil it by singing the most trashy compo- sition in their repertoire, and thus ruin the good impression that would have been left upon the intelligent portion of the audience. We do not expect when we applaud a touching scene in a beautiful play to be treated to a tab- leaux from something else, or to roll two plays into one, for the same en- trance fee, then why should musical artists be forced into doing double work? Applause is the life of a per- formance. Bring them out to bow half a dozen times, if you so desire, but remember these men and women are only flesh and blood, and bear in mind, also, that the evening's prepar- ation meant a lot of hard work before- hand. When Carreno, the great pianist, was here, I felt ashamed of the audience. Her first program was very heavj' work, but she was com- pelled to do double work in spite of her having given her hearers the ad- vantage of hearing her in various composers. There is another point: In most of our music halls the artists are penned up behind the stage with scarcely room to move, often being obliged to stand the entire evening or ruin their evening dresses by sitting down upon a dusty step in the cramped space allotted to them. Encores should never be permitted at a pupils' concert. At these affairs merit does not always count, but the pupil who has the most