New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-26
MUSIC.
NINE. ANARCHISTS RECITAL.

Many a good and useful word has been robbed OF
its virtue by careless utterance: when the young
woman on her wedding journey found so many
things magnificent In tho fat farm country that
for Niagara Falls she had only one epithet left
"cutel" If this were not an obvious proposition 1t
would AFFORD some satisfaction 10 say that rev.
eaton OF the nature and scope OF song singing
was made by Nine. Blanche Marchesl al her re-
ctal in Mendelssohn Hall Yesterday afternoon
But let the phrase be trte It may nevertheless be
uttered and defended in the spirit in which II Is
written down. well in the spirit which. It Is
easy 10 imagine will inform much Of the criticism
which that recital will call forth.
The bulk OF that criticism will be directed against
the quality and quantity Of Nine Marchesis voice ,
but those who indulge In such faulting with
whom. in the first instance no quarrel is TO he
picked are the very ones who ought 10 admit that
her singing was a revelation.-a revelation OF the
superiority OF mind over matter. OF art over mere
sensuous impression. Nine Marchesrs voice is
neither volumnous luscious. Il il not In Itself
a thing OF intoxicating beauty. but IL serves its
mistress 10 make convincing demonstration OF
the mission OF song that were it strident and un-
pleasant TO the ear which II As not It would yet
be grateful TO all lovers OF the things which are
highest purest best in the art CT singing. Does tho
song exist for the sake or the voice or the voice for
the sake Of the song? s the voice to be used in tho
service Of art or art TO be made subs@rvient
10 the voice? Whence comes the greater
OF its primitive purpose and Of its last and high
est development 10 form a ravishment OF the ears
or a firing Of the imagination. qualification OF the
intellect and an excitation Of the emotions com
bined?
The questions need not be answered here bur
they must be pondered IN connection with the ex
preston OF opinion which here follows that Nine
Marchesi's singing yesterday in every sense
revelation Of what singing may and ought 10 be
It was permeated. nay. saturated with an inten-
sence which extended in all directions; which
reached the meanings OF the poet and made that
meaning clear 10 the hearer comprised the art o.
the composer, and made that art lovely handmade
Of poetry; went out IN afectonate sympathy 70
the feelings which the creative artists had
given expression and brought those feelings SO
close the hearts Of the hearers that their SYM
PATTY and love also gushed forth to eager meeting
But that was not all. II was Intelligence. TOO
that took in narvellously wide field Of the vocal
art. so-caled. All the elements Of good vocaliza-
ion, as well as good singing (the things are TWO.
not one-f they were one We should all be slaves
dragging at the chariot wheels OF Nine. Melba)
were disclosed in IL. voice production for the sake
OF voice production. and nothing more. The color.
the quality. the quantity OF each phrase was made
10 depend upon the sentiment and It's literary, as
we'll as musical expression, which the phrase was
designed TO illustrate. and that color. that quail
fly was sustained with a consistency that brought
prominently into notice the highest, yet the rarest
not obtrude itself without multiplying itself. but
which nevertheless shines in Nine. MarchesFT
singing. because she makes felt its plentiful want
IN the singing OF others II is her appreciatve
sense OF this virtue. combined with perfect COM
rnand Of her voice which gives to her work the
stylistc distinction that characterized her singing
OF the air from "Alceste." the scene from Pur-
cells dido and .4,neas" and Alessandro scaratts
20 cessate d Piargarmi." each In a different way
a beautiful and convincing example Of sostenuto
singing and artistic phrasing. Much might be
said o. her singing Of German songs and French
melodies in which the styles Of composers schools
are as strongly differentiated the styles %
poets but such detailed study wait till further
hearings have widened the basis OF study. An
audience handsome In numbers welcomed the singer
grudEinsly. but yielded itself captive Ions before
the end % the recital Nine. Marches added three
numbers 10 her programme. hewtch!ng "Schlum-
meried" by Tauberi. Viddls "Prntemps nouveau'
and Koss's "Ninterlied." The second recital is on
February