New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-27
sHAKEsPEAREs SONGS AND DANCES.
AN INSTRUCTIVE AND ENTERTAINING
LECTURE BY H. L. KREHBIEL.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

An uncommony attractive lecture was given at
the Carnegie Chamber Music Hall last evening by
II. L. Krehbiel Shakespeare SONGS and
Dances" The subject is one on which the public
generally and many a good Shakespeare scholar as
well may prohtaby listen 10 the voice OF me IN
structor. Nearly everybody who knows anything
about Shakespeare. on the stage and In the library
knows thar certain delightful tunes are heard as a
general thins In certain plays. Nearly everybody
has heard moreover. that when the Drury Lane
Theatre was burned AZ some time or other all the
written music OF Shakespearian songs was lost
and that after that some actress perhaps Dora
Jordan sang some OF the songs which she re-
membered. 10 some musician or other possibly Dr
Arnold. who wrote them down And that is about
as FAR rs the general Information about the songs
which are introduced referred 10 In Shake
speare's plays goes.
Il was therefore pleasing 10 the audience OF last
night 10 learn that a good many other tunes had
escaped the fire. and 70 recognize, in those which
Mr. Krehblei presented illustrations az least
FOUR which are still used on the stage when the oc-
cason arises The British Museum hath oped his
ponderous and marble Jaws" TO give up The Poor
Soul Sat Signing" and Miss Patterson sang Il
authortstively last night. just as II is sung when
ever "Othello' j. played.
All who rejoice in Mr.. Days production Of AS
You Like II" know the delicious songs Of the two
pages 1T Was a Lover and His Lass and those
who have seen the same managers presentation
Of Twelfth Night" are familiar with the catch
Hold Thy Peace These also Mr. Krenhiel had
his assistants reproduce and pronounced canonica-
"A winters Tale" Is not often seer on The stage
but the song Jog On" which occurs In H. also
received its passport from MI Krehbiel
The rest Of the songs which we're presented we're
FOR the most part those which are merely men
toned and not introduced IN the plays. For that
reason their substance is not generally known.
and when Mr. Krehbiel makes Il So. u often throws
new hight on passages OF the play. and gives Them
a sure meaning and pertinence Instead OF a mere
inferentlal Significance Thus II is found that the
ohaf OF Sir Toby Bech has much clearer point
when the song Peg Ramsey Is known. and that
the old song OF "Greensleeves" throws a beam OF
light into dark illusions of The Merry wives Of
windsor" II also shows that there IS no occasion
FOR changing the reading 10 green sheaves, as
has been done on the stage recently.
The dances which figure are mentioned in the
PLAYS proved a most dvertng feature OF the
occasion 70 the audience Three OF these, tho
Pavan the Coranto and the Canary. were danced
by young men and women who mad studied and
rehearsed them for the purpose. and each was so
pretty that the audience demanded a repetition OF
H. The lecture Itself might prohtably have told
more than Il was possible FOR II 70 do when time
had to be allowed for so many illustrations
Mr. Krehblel emphasized the points that the Eng
I,sh always loved and cultivated music more than
they themselves and other peoples nave been IN
he habit OF giving them credit Tor. and that in
Snakespeare's time they Were pretty rnuch the
same In most respects that their descendants on
both saes Of the ocean are now. The singers VINO
Dodge Miss Eleanor Stuart Paterson. Richard
Irwin Clinton Morse. Patrick Motley and Nj
Rj8rksten and the dancers were Miss Marie D
Add Roland Harvey Egon Marwig and Andrew
Rogers Elmer Harley played Accomplishments