Four Musical Artists

              The Four Musical Artists
FORREST DABNEY CARR, Basso Cantante
MRS. AGNES LEIST-BEEBE, Soprano
EARL J. PFOUTS,  Violin
EDWIN M. SHONERT, Piano
A Slayton Attraction
The Four Musical Artists
WE take unusual pleasure in present¬ing a company of four great artists, every member having been a star within the past few seasons, and every member strong enough to give a full evening recital; therefore we have no name for the company. We are willing that the public shall hear the best company that we have been able to organize and name it for themselves.
Forrest Dabney Carr 
the eminent basso cantante, late of the Maurice Grau Grand Opera Company, is well known throughout the United States as an artist of exceptional ability. Besides his grand opera experi¬ence he has been on tours for the Damrosch and Seidl Orchestra, the Clementine DeVere and other concert companies. He possesses a voice of remarkable com¬pass, powerful and under admirable control, and a stage presence at once dignified and graceful, and it has placed him in the foremost ranks of grand opera singers. As a concert singer he is exceptionally fine, and includes in his repertoire the best that can be had in ballads as well as the leading bass solos from the famous operas.
Mrs. Agnes Leist-Beebe 
Mrs. Beebe as a soprano
soloist is indeed an artist in every way. Her voice is a dramatic soprano, which she uses perfectly, and her musicianship is at all times predominating. She always sings with taste and an understanding of the theme.
Earl J. Pfouts
is  one  of   the   most   talked
about and talented violinists in New York City today. Only four years ago Mr. Pfouts came to New York from Chicago, where he had been studying with Leopold Kramer with splendid success. Upon his return to New York he went to Max Bendrix, and afterwards to Michael Banner, occasionally playing concerts in a modest way, until one day a famous impressario heard him play and immediately engaged him as soloist for the great Duss Festival Concerts, Military Band and Symphony Orchestral Concerts held at Madison Square Garden. After having played a week, so great was his success that he was at once re-engaged for another week. Mr. Ovide Musin, the great Belgian violinist, was in the city at the time and was so impressed with Mr. Pfouts' playing that he offered him his magnificent Strad to play on for the farewell concert.
Edwill  "M     ShotlCrt    needs no introduction to the American music-loving people.    As a pianist
Mr. Shonert has certainly held his own, having played in many transconti¬nental tours with many of the great artists of the world. He is one of the few pianists who possess plenty of temperament with a great technic, consequently his success is always instantaneous.
This entire company has been selected from over 1,500 applicants received by the Bureau the past year. It has been selected not with a view to solo work alone, but for the great possibilities of ensemble work. Mr. Carr and Mrs. Leist-Beebe have selected some beautiful duets with violin and piano, and this will form a pleasing feature of each evening's program.
The Four Musical Artists
Grand Junction, Colo., Sentinel. Oct. 21, 1908. Last night The Four Star Concert Company, one of the fin¬est attractions of its kind that ever visited Grand Junc¬tion, opened the course for this year. The company came up to every expectation and the several hun¬dred people who were present became most enthusi¬astic over the magnificent program rendered by the artists who hold places of high and distinguished rank in the musical world. Every one of the four mem¬bers of the company is a genius in his or her line of musical work. Every number of the regular program was superb and charming. The encores were equally as good. Forrest Dabney Carr, the basso, formerly of the Maurice Grau Grand Opera Company, has one of the most wonderful voices ever heard here. His rendition was marvelous. Earl J. Pfouts, whose rec¬ord of engagements and whose connections with some of the world's greatest music masters, is equal in talent to any violinist ever heard here. His mastery of the instrument is complete. As a pianist Edwin M. Shonert ranks among the best, as he clearly dem¬onstrated last night. His superior has never been heard here.    The "Four Stars" are truly great.
Tacoma, Wash., Ledger, Nov. 19, 1908. A splendid concert by The Four Musical Artists last night made an auspicious opening of the excellent lecture course offered the people of Tacoma. The beautiful and spacious auditorium of the new church with its per. feet acoustic properties proved its fitness for affairs of this sort, every note of violin or piano and every inflection of the voice being quite audible even to the farthest corner. There was a good audience present, and the program was enjoyed by everyone. Mr. Carr possesses a voice of remarkable compass and great power and he has it under perfect control.    His ren-
dition of grand opera selections was thoroughly satis¬factory, showing a consummate art and masterly style. Mr. Pfouts plays with a power and grace that wins his auditors' sympathy at once. His tones are exquisitely pure and his technique is faultless. Mr. Shonert's selections were received with marked favor. He is a master of the piano, playing with ease and grace, and his execution is artistic and his phrasing fine. He was compelled to respond to an enthusi¬astic encore. Altogether the concert was a distinct treat to music lovers of the city, providing as it did the high class of entertainment that is none too fre¬quent in these days of popular priced musical me¬langes put on by pretty girls and Cohanesque dancers. It provided music of the real sort, worthy of the name.
Astoria, Oregon, Astorian, Nov. 8, 1908. It was by far the best concert given in this city and the parlors of the spacious church were filled to the doors. Mr. Shonert, the pianist, is without an equal, his techni¬que is something wonderful and he is the greatest pianist who has ever visited Astoria. Mr. Carr, basso, was the recipient of much applause and was encored and encored; he is one of the few singers who have strength and quality combined, his voice was very strong, yet as sweet as the sweetest soprano voice one ever heard; he sang a short Irish song which was enjoyed by those who do not care so much for the more classical numbers. Mr. Pfout's playing was beautiful; all the time he was playing there wasn't a sound, he held his audience so well. Words cannot express Mr. Pfouts' ability as a musi¬cian. Taken as a whole, the concert was one of the rare treats that has lately been afforded the people of Astoria.
The Four Musical Artists
Bucyrus (Ohio) Daily Forum—Many music lovers in the city have been looking forward with more than usually keen pleasure to the date of the appear¬ance of Messrs. Shonert and Pfouts in a musical recital, which they gave Tuesday evening. A good audience was present when the curtain rose and to the time when it descended the house rang with applause for the talented musicians, the heartiness of the welcome being more emphatic because of the touch of pride all loyal Bucyrians feel when they say these gentlemen were both Bucyrus boys. As always, Mr. Shonert played brilliantly, and also, as always, his many warm friends and admirers here greeted his work with hearty applause. Since his last appearance in the city Mr. Shonert seems to have gained in force and power, his technique hav¬ing been always phenomenal. He and his fellow artist responded kindly to many encores. Mr. Pfouts has attained a very remarkable power, his graceful and charming rendering of all selections being such as to deserve the storms of applause which swept the house, at some especially artistic conception. During his absence from the city Mr. Pfouts has added finish to a skill, which even when he was a lad, was declared to be a mark of genius. The success of last night's entertainment and the reception accorded, cannot fail to be a source of great pleasure and content, not only to the artists themselves, but to their immediate relatives who live in the community.
Seattle Post—Mr. Edwin M. Shonert, the pianist, plays with a dexterity of execution and a refinement of sentiment that entitles him to be called an artist. His touch is perfect, and his phrasing elegant, and all his performances last night were received with enthusiasm.
Detroit Tribune—One of the eminent soloists of the evening was Mr. Earl Pfouts, who played with so much fire, and knew so well how to reach the heart of his audience by methods perfectly legitimate, that he must be ranked among the very best violinists that have been heard here in many years.
Portland Oregonian—Mr. Shonert played with an easy command of the instrument, his execution was artistic and his phrasing was fine. He shows a technique that is evidently the result of careful study. For an encore he played a "Tarantelle" (Wilson G. Smith) in a very pleasing style. His second number, "Caprice" (Raff), was equally well received.
Montreal (Can.) Gazette—The concert opened with an arrangement for the piano by Liszt, rendered by -Shonert. His display of execution and technique and elegance of rendering to feeling and a desire to satisfy and please, was especially noticeable. In the encore piece which followed, delicate fingering was lost in a sense of delight. Mr. Shonert displayed a facility in rapid, firm execution, a lightness of shad¬ing, and a comfortable warmth of style. Mr. Sho¬nert is essentially an interpreter and he tinges all his work with a strong personality.
Spokane Falls Review—Herr Shonert, who had the first number on the program, received a most flat¬tering reception in making his appearance, and well did he deserve it. The masterly rendering of the Liszt Rhapsodie showed the clean octave playing and floriture work of the great pianist in a most favorable light. He had to respond to a vociferous encore, which he did by playing Wilson Smith's unique and original tarantelle, in A minor. He is an artist in every sense of the term.
EDWIN M. SHONERT, Piano
Indianapolis Sentinel—Mr. Pfouts plays with a pure tone, which seems to be the prime quality of violin playing.
Salt Lake City, Utah—Mr. Shonert, well remem¬bered for his great work with Marteau and Ovide Musin, was a delight.
Norfolk Virginian—After the Philharmonic Orches¬tra had given some delightful selections the concert was opened by Edwin M. Shonert. He gave Liszt's Rhapsodie Hongroise No. 6. Mr. Shonert almost immediately won the audience by his beautiful and effective work, and the breathless attention of the people seemed to awake him to a thorough appre¬ciation of the writer's meaning.
Brantford (Can.) Ontario News—But, however the other parts of the program had affected the audi¬ence, all were ready to hear Shonert. Some like one style of singing and some like another, but all who like music at all come back to hear Shonert play. Once he is seated at the piano the audience forgets its ethics of criticism and simply leans back and listens.
Branford (Conn.) Evening Register—The most em¬phatic success was scored by Mr. Earl Pfouts, the violinist, who was a favorite from the first note to the end of the concert. His tone was very broad, firm and sweet, it had a soaring singing quality, and an unusual phase was the carrying of this quality to the highest notes. His superb technique in han¬dling the bow, and his soul-stirring interpretations enraptured the audience, and he was again and again brought to the platform. For his final encore he played one of the difficult Caprices of Paganini, and showed evidence of a marvelously sure tech¬nique and perfect intonation.
REDPATH-SLAYTON,   Boston,   New   York,   Chicago, Cedar Rapids, Kansas City.