The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-04-14
THE BISPHAM RECITAL

David Bisphams song recital at the
First Baptist church last evening under
the auspices of the Teachers club, while
a very enjoyable occasion made this one
fact very evident, that Mr.. Bispham's
training and work in opera has made
vast inroads into his style and methods
as a concert singer. Whether this is a
change for the better depends very much
upon ones individual tastes and point Of
view.
Mr.. Bispham is ever a welcome guest
in Minneapolis. He possesses marvellous
voice Of wonderful resonance and tim
bre, and with range which is simply
ability as musician which place him in
the front crank of the singers of to- day
but the careful LISTENER, last" evening could
not fail to note lapses from. the high
standards of concert singing which Mr..
Bispham has set for himself in the past
These lapses one is inclined to believe
are the result of operatic singing where
the dramatic action is perhaps uncon-
sciousy depended upon to produce the
desired effects, so that there is lower
ing of the vocal standard and the artist
sings In manner not strictly within the
canOns of concert art. One misses the
elegancies and is not fairly compensated
by the drama ticisms. However, that Mr..
Bispham is wonderful singer and pos
a
moment will deny.
His program last night was most COM
prehensive, embracing three typical songs
which composed the first group, four Ger
man ballads, three arias from the operas.
a group OF modern. songs, and, a group
of old songs In the first group we're
Meyerbeer's "The Monk" and Schubert
''Erl King 1t would be difficult to i'm
agine two more dramatic songs. more
RI ma ica In tIor
was an occasional lapse from the pitch
which narred it somewhat to the acutely
sensitive ear. and this fault was apparent
occasionally thruout the evening. The
/ .'Erl King was taken5at a marvelously
rapid tempo, but was Very musical, and
Mr.. Bispham accomplished some wonder
full effects in the pianissimo passages.
The group of German songs was great
" enjoyed THE Brahms "Minnelied''
was perhaps the best, and was sung with
| tenderness and fine appreciation of
| tonal effects. Richard Strauss "Cae-
CELIA was also sung and won for the
singer a decided encore. OF the opera tic
numbers the Evening Star from Tam
hauser' was well sung, altho not in
| the singers best vein. and the 'Prolog''
from Leoncavallo's 'Il Pagliaccf' was
| thoroly good.
| The group of modern songs began with
Gibert's pirate Song an unattractve
ballad which was not happily rendered
and in which Mr.. Bispham's lapse were
perhaps most prominent. 1t concluded
however, with a thrllingly dramatic higl
note which won out Lucas beautiful
music to Christina Rossettfs Remember
or Forget was finely sung. Damrosch's
setting of Kipling's Danny Deever" wa:
given a wonderfully dramatic rendition
and Won for Mr.. Bispham great applause
and a double encore
The final group of ''old songs was no.
table for the rendition of two charac.
| teristic bits of music which were splen
didy sung. One of these, rollickins
Irish song. "My Love Nell" was SUNS
with an inimitable brogue and great drol
lery. and ELECTED much applause anc
laughter. The closing song was entitled
1.-THE Pretty Creature and was also sung
with fine effect.
g. Howard Boa rClman,