The sun., 1903-11-18
NINE. SEMBRICH'S RECITAL.
AN APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE AT
CARNEGIE HALL.
Demonstration OF the Present State OF
Public Taste In NIusie-The Famous
Singer In Perfect vOice-Her singing
an Exhibition or the Most Exquisite Art

A beautiful demonstration Of the wide
and sincere love for the best in art, love
which has been growing in this community
steadily year after year, was made at Car
| negie Hall yesterday afternoon. 1t was
the occasion Of Nine. Marcella Sembrich's
one song recital. The public plainly rea-
lized that this would be the only oppor-
tunty to hear the greatest art of the great
est lyric singer now rejoicing the world
before she began her winters arduous
task at the opera, where the delicacy and
finish of her lovely art must be sacrificed
to the demands of yawning auditorium,
the potency of Instruments, and, too often,
also, to the cheap requirements OF soulless
music.
In song recital Mime. Sembrich, being
singer OF infinite refnement,o of most intimate
expressiveness, of most dainty vocal touch,
Is at her best Therefore she drew to Car
negie Hall an audience which packed the
auditorium and which showed more than
once in the course of the afternoon that 1t
was acquainted with the works Of song
writers and that it could distinguish the
very best from that which was second to 1t
alone.
Applause of the most enthusiastic kind
followed each number on the programme,
but there was a shade more warmth for
some numbers than for others. The singer
was forced to repeat "Wohin" and "Wid-
mung," and she had to add to the pro-
gramme one of the old English songs she
sings so well, Schumann S Der Nussbaum,'
"Maiden's = Wish" OF course this was the
last of all, and to it the prima donna played
her own accompaniment in that manner
which always brings back recollection
of the fact that she set out in life as pianist.
The qualities of Nine, Sembrichs sur
that it seems to be impossible to say any
thing new about them. Her praises have
been sounded in every literary key, but
criticism has not attained to her infinite
variety. Metaphor and simile have been
exhausted, and still she stands in her un-
affected simplicity, het winsome womanli-
ness and her complete sovereignty over
her own exceptional powers as untouched
by the fame of praise as she is by the chill
blast of envy.
She has never sung better to this public
than she did yesterday afternoon, Her
voice was in splendid condition, and her
management of 1t was perfect, Her inter-
pretations were all little masterpieces. She
began with group Of songs of the old
dei's "Qal Ferfaietta' from 1Partenope,"
aDer Russ. and Mozart's aNtoi che sapete'
from "Nozze di Figaro" Then came some
classical German lieder--Schubert Der
blinde Knabe" and "Wohin," Schumanns
aWer machte dich so krank?" "Alte Laute".
and "Widmung," and Brahms's "Wandel-
ten," "Vorschnelle Schwur" and AN die
Tauben." The final group of miscellaneous
modern songs consisted of Bizet's LA
Coccinelle, Hugo VOLTS "Storchenbot-
schaft" and Richard Strausss "Einkehr,
"Traum durch die Daemmerung' and
"Cecile."
1t was beautiful programme, made up
of gems, and affording the singer full scope
for the exercise Of her powers. The elo-
quence of her defamation in the humorous
Beethoven song and her radiant mood of
comedy stood out in striking contrast to
the serenity of style and classic polish Of
her "Voi che sapete." Her singing Of these
two songs alone must have been lesson
to the teachers and students in the house.
Other songs which she sang especially
well were the second of the Schubert num-
bers, the second of the Schumann group,
all three Of the Brahms songs and the Strauss
numbers. The wonderfully airy manner In
which she foated her tones in the Strauss
1Serenade" must also not be forgotten.
But when all is said and done, 1t is best to
sum up the whole matter in a line. with
acknowledgements to Mr.. Kipling. Sem
brich is Sembrich, and when you have said
that you have come only to the beginnings
of knowledge.