New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-04
ANXIOUsLY AWAITING THE DECISION.
MUS1C-THE DRAMA.
MISS HENscHEL's ENTERTAINMENT.

gentle gathering met in Mendelssohn Hall yes
terday attend the local debut Of Miss Helen
Henschel II largely a gathering OF profess
sional people, and still more largely a gathering
Of the friends Of Mr. Georg Henschel and his Wife
lately deceased the father and mother Of the young
debutante. The people were amiably disposed tow
ard the newcomer. prompted by memories Of many
artistic delights provided for space OF twenty
years by her gifted parents but they also bit
critically inclined and not wholly willing to let
either her winsomeness or their afectonate respect
Of her forebears close their Judgment 10 the short
comrgs Of the entertainment provided. That. IN
deed, snacked a little too much of the drawing
room and the exploitation OF gifted amateurs to De
wholly in keeping with its surroundings. The
affair announced as a vocal recital. but
Young English volinist Miss Winifred Smith, took
part in il. and Miss HenscheI herself not only
sang. but also played the violin and 10 round out
the exhibition OF her accomplishments. finally
played q piauoforte accompaniment for her COM
panion, Operagoers with fairly long memory
may recall an occasion al the Metropolitan opera
House when Nine Senbrich sang an aria, provided
a violin obohgato for a song Of Nine. WILSON'S
and played a mazurka by Chopin the pIanoforte;
but that benefit concert Nine. Sembrich
artist Of established reputation, the opera
season ended. and artistic aim other than
TO give pleasure a houseful Of Mr. Abbeys SYM
pathetic admirers thought OF.
Yesterdays incidents al Mendessohn Hall do not
call for extended or solemn discussion. II was
pleasant 10 make even a concert room acquaint-
with a young woman upon whom so many
lovely gifts and graces have been showered. Miss
Heuschel is undoubtedly the daughter OF her father
sharing with him even the want OF sensuous vocal
charm. One OF her fairy godmothers that gathered
at her cradle not generous. even IL she was
not positively unkind Her voice IS not beautiful
In itself; but she has saving graces in abundance
"a keen intellect a artistic temperament
sympathy with some Of the most gracious forms Of
music. nice intuitions, gentle tastes, large meas
ure Of aptitude and training admirable that II
helps her mental endowment 70 conceal her chief
physical limitation. As singer she IS not yet
ripe for the German songs. which drop their
pIummets deep into the Of human experience
and emotion; bat In such songs those which
made up her third group yesterday, especially the
Italian and French folksongs. she Is Delightfully."-
winning. Most enjoyable. too. was her performance
OF two songs by her father. Donald Blair In
which the Scotch note is sounded. and ''Tausend-
sch0n." in which there is echo OF the German
Volkslied which is most daintily Brahmsian. AS
for her enunciaton. it equally crystalline in
its clearness and purity in all the languages en-
ployed-Englsh. German. French and Italian
Neither Miss Smiths violin playing nor her own
(she joined Miss Smith in performance OF the
slow movement and finale from Bach's concerto for
two violins) in any Of professional stature
though IL helped to exhibit the soundness and
sweetness Of her musical nature