Thirty Years of Musical Life in London, 1870-1900

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432-5

text excerpt

One warm July night in 1896 I was present at a large musical party given by the late Mrs. Edward Goetz at her house in Hyde Park Terrace. Always enjoyable were the entertainments of this liberal and sympathetic patroness of the art, who was a daughter of Mr. J. M. Levy, the founder of the “Daily Telegraph”, and sister of Sir Edward Lawson, the genial proprietor of that journal. This, however, was a noteworthy occasion, since it brought to a first hearing a composition which was destined to win popularity in every land where English song flourishes — I refer to Liza Lehmann's graceful and fascinating setting of lines from Omar Khayyam's “Rubaiyat" (“In a Persian Garden"). I shall not readily forget the mingled surprise and admiration awakened by the novel fragrance and charm of this music, remarkable at once for its sincerity of feeling and expression and the subtle beauty of its harmonic structure. The solos were finely rendered by Albani, Hilda Wilson, Ben Davies, and David Bispham; and the accompaniments were played by the composer, who, I may add, seemed to be not less astonished than delighted at the warmth of the compliments showered upon her.

excerpt from 'Thirty Years of Musical Life in London, 1870-1900' pp. 432-5 (201 words)

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1438596375620