Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-20
IN A PERSIAN GARDEN.
The Cycle of Song to be Given Au.
gusta Thursday Evening.

The cycle of song, In a Persian Gar.
den," to be given under the auspices OF
| the Cecilia club, next Thursday eve
| ming. represents the perfect bloom OF
Persian poetry. The artists at this re.
cital will be, Mrs. Caroline Gardre,
! Clarke Bartlett, soprano; Miss Kath-
crime NJ. Kicker. contraltO; Mr. Herbert
A. Thayer, tenor, and Mr.. Arthur W
Wellington. bass. The program con.
sists OF a series of quartrains from the
! Ruhaiyat Of Omar khayyam, Per-
sian poet who was at the height of his
fame in the early part of the twelfth
century. Omar was born at Naisha-
pur, in khOrassan. In his youth he
WAS trained for the occupation of tent
making, as his name indicates; Omar
khayyam signifying Omar the. Tent
maker. But in recognition of his liter
airy services the poet was given an
annuity and a position at the court of
the Grand Vizier. where he spent his
life in the study Of the science of
astronomy. and in the composition of
the great poetical work which has
made his name immortal. Omar was 4
man of great genius and originality of
thought. His Rubaiyat consists of 4
series of quartrains. each of which is a
complete poem in itself. and IA gem of
poetic beauty; while the whole Sc
quence forms an epitome OF the philOs-
ophy of human life as understood by
the Persian poet of the twelfth CEN
fury.
AS a work Of art, the Rubiayat is
| incomparable; and the English trans
latiOn is quite worthy of the original
text. having been made by Edward
Fitzgerald an eminent scholar and
poet, who was capable of transfusing
the true spirit of the Persian poem into
English Verse.
The songs from the Rubaiyat, to he
rendered at the artists recital, are adj
mirahly selected. The program opens
with the brilliant quartette:
Wake: for the San who scattered into
flight
The stars before him from the field OF
night,
Drives night along with them from Heav-
en-, and strikes
The Sultan's turretN with shaft OF
light
Some of the succeeding numbers are
overlooking with the melody and joy
BUSINESS Of youth Others are intense
with the alluring happiness of today;
while. at the same time. they are per-
vaded by a tender undertonc of mel
ancholy, as expressed in the contralto
recitative. and in the solo by Miss
| Kicker. beginning:
Il sometimes think that never blows 50
red
The Rose as where some buried CaeS.cE
bled.
This quality is also to be noted in the
tenor solo by Mr.. Thayer:
Alas. that Spring should vanish with
the Rose
And in the exquisite song:
"Ah. Moon of my Delight. that knows nc
wane,
| The Moon of Heaven is rising once
| How Oft hereafter rising she shall look
Through This same Garden after neil
vain
Other uuartrains are vibrant with
| the supreme passion of life and love,
| as in the magnificent soprano solo by
| Mrs. Bartlett:
| Il sent my soul through the Invisible, -
| and in the no less beautiful melody:
| Each morn a thousand Roses brings
you say:
Yes.-but where leaves the Rose of yes
| terday?
The elements of strength and origi-
nality in the composition are especial
| " manifest in the grand recitative and
| bass solos, as rendered by Mr.. Well
| yrnira SOnlt. OF
the unanswerable questions of human
| destiny.
The closing quartette is one whose
V lords and exquisite melody will long
linger in our memories:
Alas. that spring should vanish VIII
| the Rose
The Nightingale that in the branches
All, whence and whittier flower again
! who knows?
The musical setting for these songs
was composed by Liza Lehman, aht
| will be recognized as most remarka'
BILE Interpretation OF the poetry OF th'
I,ubaivat. Even the old Persian poe
| himself might receive with. pleasure
this musical tribute TO his melodiou:
VERSE; and be gratified by the apprecla
tive response to his own prayer that ne
| be not forgotten by future singers; fol
twas Omar khayyam who said: ..-
"And when thyself with shining foo
| shall pass
Among the guests. star-scattered on tn
And in thy joyous GRAND reach the spo
IWhere ] made one-turn down an empt'
| glass