Cultural Context

Fatal fantasy women

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Do you know the story of the admirably accomplished Hofrat Dr. Alois Obrist? As a teenager in the 1880s, he studied at the conservatory in Weimar, where he fell under the spell of the Liszt circle, especially the composer Eduard Lassen. The serious Swiss excelled in many areas of music. He continued his composition lessons … Read more

16 April 1907

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The alto Iduna Walter-Choinanus is so well-known there is hardly anything left to say about her, a critic writes (and I can’t find anything about her!). She is singing the Brahms lieder with viola obligato (played by Fridolin Klingler of the Klingler Quartet). The pianist is Cornelia Rider-Possart, who will be playing “Carnaval Mignon” by … Read more

14 April 1907

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The end of the season is in sight. The number of concerts is dropping: it looks like mostly voice recitals this week. There are a few high-profile concerts coming up before May, but just a few. I still don’t understand this feast-or-famine approach. Why can’t the concerts be spread out more over the year? The … Read more

9 April 1907

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The main attraction tonight is the Berlin premiere of Verdi’s Don Carlos by the Monte Carlo Opera Company. I will be interested to read the reviews! The singer-actor Ludwig Wüllner is taking out his violin again to play a second “Sonata-Abend” with Coenraad Bos. Besides sonatas by Schubert, Mozart, and Beethoven, he will perform the … Read more

31 March 1907–Easter Sunday

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There is plenty of musical entertainment for this holiday. Not only are the theaters open, many have matinees as well as evening performances. Gluck’s Orpheus und Eurydike is the only offering at the Königliche Oper. The Sunday edition of the Tageblatt is 56 pages, and is stuffed with classifieds, ads for spas and sanatoria, boarding … Read more

29 March 1907: Good Friday

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The theaters are closed, but music is being made all over the city. At the Singakademie, the St. Matthew Passion is being performed for the 80th time in this venue. Georg Schumann conducts, with Johannes Messchaert, who is famous for singing the role of Jesus. The two other choral works are not Easter-related. Mendelssohn’s Elias … Read more