The Edison phonograph monthly (Jan-Dec 1916)

EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY, JULY, 1916 Doings of Edison Artists THAT supreme art, talent and genius is sure to make itself known, has again been amply demonstrated by the tremendous success which is being accorded to Albert Spalding, the great American violinist and Edison Blue Amberol artist, who is now on tour as a special feature with the Friars' All-Star Frolic. This remarkable organization which is composed of over one hundred of the leading stars of the theatrical and musical world, has been meeting with phenomenal success in all the large cities east of St. Louis in which it has appeared, but the bright particular star of the entire constellation is the young American violinist, whose masterly technic and beautiful tones never fail to win for him an ovation of applause. The New York Telegram said: "Albert Spalding's noble performance of a Sarasate transcription of a Chopin nocturne was the most beautiful memory which the Friars' Frolic left." The Philadelphia Telegraph said: "Albert Spalding played a composition of his own, 'Alabama,' amid tremendous applause." The Baltimore American in part said: "Albert Spalding, the world's famous violinist, played his own composition, exciting the most enthusiastic applause of the evening." Anita Rio was highly honored at the "Artists' Night" concert of the Keene, N. H., Music Festival by being obliged to respond repeatedly to encores. After singing an aria from "Aula" she gave two encores, the second of these consisting of a group of Mother Goose songs by Arthur Edward Johnstone. She rendered ten of these songs on this occasion and was obliged to repeat several of them. All of these quaint little vocal gems were dedicated to Mme. Rio by the composer and this popular Edison artist has been very successful in singing them during the past season. Christine Miller, the famous contralto, closed the most successful season of her career on June 1, having made more appearances and received more enthusiastic receptions during the past season than ever before. She will take a long and restful vacation and her appearances will be few during the summer. In spite of the fact that she will not appear in concert to any extent until next fall, her voice will not be silent. Edison owners, the world over, have superb reproductions of her voice and she will be singing to them just as in life, even while she is taking her vacation. "Miss Case was generous with her offerings, but so favorable was the impression made by her art and her charming personality that more was demanded," says Musical America in referring to the appearance of Anna Case, the famous soprano and Edison artist, with the Mendelssohn Club of Albany at the spring concert given by that organization late in May. Marie Kaiser, the noted American soprano who has made many records for the Blue Amberol catalog, was heard in sixty-eight cities during the season that just has closed. In many of the places she played return engagements or, for some other reason, made more than one appearance, so her list of concerts will reach nearlv one hundred. Mary Jordan had the pleasure of appearing at the spring concert of the Junger Mannerchor in her native city, Scranton, Pa., early in May. According to reports from Scranton she was given a greater ovation than any singer who ever appeared in the city. She captivated her audience by singing a number of old favorites in connection with the program of classics that she gave, the encores she responded to including "Long, Long Ago," "Supposin'," and "The Rosary." Alice Verlet recently appeared in Toronto, Canada, in a benefit concert given for the ''Bantam Battalion," as the Two Hundred and Sixteenth Battalion is known. The great Belgian coloratura soprano, who made her first appearance in Canada on this occasion, was given a splendid welcome and her numbers were encored repeatedly. The Tollefsen Trio participated in a most successful concert given recently in Montclair, N. J., under the direction of Mark Andrews, conductor of the Montclair Glee Club. At a memorial concert given at Carnegie Hall, New York City, in honor of those soldiers of the Central Powers who have fallen in the war, Otto Goritz, Edison Blue Amberol artist, was heard in his own composition, "Fern von der Heimat in schwerer Zeit" ("Far from the Homeland in Troublous Times"). The words and music are both by the popular Metropolitan baritone. Mr. Goritz was given an ovation at the close. The members of the Tollefsen Trio, an organization that has made a number of high-class records for the Blue Amberol catalog, are preparing programs that they will render at recitals to be given during the summer. Among their appearances during the warm months will be one at Knoxville, Tenn. They also will appear in Charlottesville and Hampton, Va. The three concerts above will be given during the month of July.