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by Miss Irene McDonald Department of Music The Robert Schumann memorial held this week was climaxed December 7, by a faculty concert. Robert Sommerhof, grandson of Mr. Schumann, prefaced the program with a talk in which he told of his memor ies of his famous grandparents. His address included a glimpse of the more personal side of the Schu manns’ life as interesting comments about such great musicians as Liszt and Brahms. Elisabeth Katzenellenbogen, Associate Professor of Music, artistically captured the festive spirit of one of Schumann's most popular piano works, the Carna val.” In Germany the Carnaval is a celebration which occurs during the two weeks preceding Lent. The fes tival is climaxed by a masked ball where works of art, ideas, and objects, as well as every kind of char acter imaginable are represented in costume, and no one’s identity is revealed until midnight, when all masks are removed. It is in this festive spirit that Schumann's fanciful characters caper through the “Carnaval.” Eusebius and Florestan There are the two famous characters that represent the two aspects of Schumann's soul—the dreamy and pensive “Eusebius” and the fiery and energetic “Flor estan.” There is Clara Schumann in the form of “Chiarina.” and Ernestine Von Fricken, Schumann's early sweetheart, in the form of “Estrella.” The cele bration itself is depicted in ‘‘Promenade,” with its hints of dancing and distant music. Davidsbundler in the finale represent the new independent group of Romantic artists, while the Philistines represent the reactionaries of the period. The second and final work of the evening was the “Dichterliebe,” a song cycle based on poems by the German poet, Heinrich Heine. The work was per formed by John Holmes, Secretary of the College Mr. Holmes sang with genuine lyric feeling and con veyed the spirit of the Romantic temperament. Love was a subject often overshadowed with sadness even in its happiest moments, and Schumann makes no ex ception to this in the “Dichterliebe.” The love story here depicted is a sad one and there is sorrow even in its more joyful moments. The pianistic accompani ments were skillfully rendered by Mrs. Katzenellen bogen. Following the concert, which was well attended, a reception was held to give the audience an opportun ity to meet Mr. Sommerhof and the artists of the evening This is an answer to Dean Tait’s letter which ap pears in the next column. We appreciate the Dean's vigorous criticism of our editorial. The editorial board of the Misc was narrowly di vided on the issue of what emphasis and manner of presentation the editorial in question should have. A minority felt that those faculty members who were guilty of “misunderstanding ... or bad judgment” should be criticized at greater length as it was be lieved that they were in large part responsible for the “confusion.” We must object, however, to the Dean's implied charge of irresponsibility and carelessness on our part. No editorial has ever been written by the Mise with a greater sense of responsibility. A two (Continued in column 4)
Newspaper Details
Poughkeepsie Miscellany News
Poughkeepsie, New York, US
Wed, Dec 12, 1956
Page 2
Full Page
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CA 19 Aug 2026
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