The sun., 1902-11-08
The CONCERTS OF One DAY.
HERBERT WITHERSPOON'S SJC-
CESSFIL RECITAL or SONGS.
The First Appearance In New York of
New and Gifted Basso-A singer
Who Has Honestly studied Ills Art.

In these days, when SO many singers offer
incomplete equipment and defective musical
organization for the interest of public
not always dscriminative. il is a delight 10
meet with one who knows his art and pos
sesses temperament Such singer came
forward al Mendessohn Hall yesterday af-
ternoon in the person Of Herbert Wither-
spoon He is a Young man of New Haven
and a choir singer here, but hi herto un-
known To concert goers. He sang al the
Worcester festival in September and made
ali agreeable impression on those who were
fortunate enough TO hear him. Bu, even
the Worcester festival cannot set the neces-
sary cosmopolitan seal upon the forehe ad
of singer.
Yesterdays appearance in song recital
was modest. Yet daring. experiment
II is easier to make a success in an orchest ra
concert. surrounded by factitiolls aids and
before an audience whose attention is not
centred in one object furthermore, song
singing j. the severe>t test of vocal art;
even Mai hide Marchesi, who has trained
generations of opera singers. breaches that
doctrine. Mr.. Witherspoon was heard yea
terday by an audience apprecative but
Of a size not commensurate with the ex-
celence of his performance II is safe 10
say that the time will come when he will not
see any empty seats before him when he
sings.
Mr.. With"rspoon has bass voice Of
lovely quality and of sufficient range. 1t
is we'll equali2ad and is under thorough
control. The singer delivers it with free
dom, without forcing. and with admirable
management of the breath. His employ
ment Of head tones is mastery and his
meszc rcce singing is highly finished His
full tone is sonorous, warm and penetrating
His enuncldtion is clear and perfectly in
teligible. II" can sing throughout his
range on all the vowel sounds without
modifying any 50 that they become un-
recognizable. and In the consonants he
finds no obstacle 20 the delivery of a beau
tifuly sustained legato
In short, this Young man comes before
the public with technical equipment
which does credit TO his masters, but still
more 10 himself; for IL could have been
acquired only by conscientious work,
backed by genuine devotion to the art
II would be pleasing 10 hear man sing if
lie had nothing more than Mr Withcr-
spoons voice and technic. Bur this singer
has more He. has exquisite taste. solid
unders, anding,' temperament and imagi-
nation
He knows how 20 color his voice TO meet
the sentiment of a poem, and he neither
underes' imates nor exaggerates that Senti-
menl. He has a good command of =, vles
and Yesterday seemed equally al home
in many. To his credit let il he recorded
that he sang best those songs which most
deserved good singing.
Charming in repose. purity and direct
ness was his delivery Of the classics, Come
raggio de sol" and "Pur dicest- Not
the least tasteful part of his singing in
these was the repression of the vibrato.
That was saved for the first German lied.
in which il was properly placed. This
lied was Schubert'S Am Meer,' not an
easy song. Mr.. Witherspoon sang II beauti-
fully. with poetic perception and with
sincere feeling
This was really the high-water mark
of his recital though he approached II
closely in Brahmss "Feldsinsamlieit " He
disclosed the full measure Of his accom-
pliShments in pure defamation in Rey-
naldo Hahn's La Pax." a song built. like
Cornelius'- Fin Ton" on a single not"
with skilfullv harmonized accompan{
ment Mr.. Wthorspoon showed a fine
sense Of color and firm command of the
mes4c di roce in this song
He was least happy in Elgar'- Pipes Of
Pan" which require, more robust singer;
but moment later he gave an ideal rem
dering of Tirndellis Absent" In short.
his first appearance here was thorough
success II is rare. indeed. tha, New
Workers hear young singer Of so much
promise.