The San Francisco call., 1897-10-27
UNOSTHNTATIOUS ART.
The Opening Concert Of the
HenschelS at the Califor-
MIA Theater.
A Delightful Programme, in Which
the Composer Got His
Due.

Nothing could have been more delight L
| fully unostentatious than the song recital
| OF Mr.. and Mrs. Georg Henschel at the
CalIfornia Theater last night. 1t is some
times a pleasure 10 be entertained by per-
sons who are not preponderously great,
and the Henschels, 1 should imagine, have
largely acquired and had thrust upon
them the next best thing to greatness by
the very modesty OF their art.
They artists in miniature. artists who
have developed boudoir musical talen Is
10 point of delicacy and distinc ton tn It
Is simply phenomenal. They rob the con-
cert stage of that pompous gloom, which.
perhaps moro than anyt ing else stand S
between it an a popu arity such as is
given to the theater. The most laic
listener in the California last night could
not but have taken comfort from the fra
grant atmosphere that surrounded thes e
artists in their work.
Neither Mr.. Henschel nor Mrs. Hen
schel is gifted with a voice that can con-
qutr by mere tone; in fact, there is notn-
ing big nor enthralling in their best notes.
But they use their voices singly and in
ensemble, as precious instruments; they
sing with chas ened facility, and they do
not crowd natures limits. One has the
tranquil security OF never thinking about
where the HenscheI limits lie. so discreet
ly are they avoided.
The p-0gramms by itself was a con-
quest. Nearly every number was clas
s.caliy eminent without being casscalIY
hackneyed. The old "Pollie Willis of
DR.. Arne, CruCantino's song from
"Claudiue Won Vllabella," the harem-
keepers song from I'll Seraglio" the
coupleIs de Vulcain Of Councils "Philo-
mon" and a duet by the all but for OF
ten PalsieIlo-Jhese were practically
novelties for the local concert -goer. and
HenschePs own duet. 'Gond oIiera." " and
his tender little "Malgrs rEcIar' were
absolute novelties, SO far as my expert
ence covers, and not unworthy of place
| on the programme had the composer him
sell not been present TO make the inter
pretatlon dOubly interesting.
l viii spare the monotony OF going
down the musical bill piece By piece and
aitem pting to tell how each was given.
10 me there seemed 10 be an even excel
Ience in the singing. Perhap if l had
been thinking of voices, l should have pre-
ferred Mrs. henschers 10 Mr.. Henschers;
for in lOnal quality his is less sympa-
thetic and spellbinding than hers, though
neither is an especial carnival of crlor.
But it was the sheer music, faultIesslv
! accom- panied, intoned, enunciated and
phrssed, that counted last night. There
was no superfuous glorification of pet
| notes nor display OF shifty oreS II was
| impossible not TO notice that Mrs. Hen
schels middle register was less easy than
the extremes of her voice. and that Mr.
HenschsPs admirable method was now
aud then taxed to polish a tone of wiry
+! edge.
But on the whole, and there depends the
fortune OF a concert, 1t was night OF rare
mu3lcal entertainment. The composer
got his due. / wish that actors might al!
be as kind 10 the dramatist
Ii any one thing is 10 be prai.ed above
another let it be Mr.. Henschel's accomna.
nlments. lie plays an accompaniment on
the pianoforle with refinement. tonaI en-
terprise and cooperative Elasticity such
as | have never heard ~ the fingers of
any other man. ASHTON STEVENS.