The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-23
MUSIC OF GENTLE KIND.

Concert OF Nine. ROger.Micios ana ben
Davies at Mendelssohn Hall.
Nine. Roger-Miclos, the French pianiste.
and Ben Davies, the English tenor. made
music like the morning stars together yes
terday afternoon, at Mendelssohn Hall. The
lady's appearance was her farewell to
America, which she has traversed with
varying fortunes in the season now ending.
while Mr.. Davies, who crossed the western
ocean to meet festival engagements, sang
for the only time in New York. II was
pretty. polite. highly veneered little con.
cert that the two gave, suitable to the dun
and fruitless days when winter fingers In
the lap offspring and people do not know
exactly what to wear or what to do. When
in doubt, they can go to such concerts and
pass an afternoon without undue INTEL
lectual or emotional strain and with
consciousness OF having been among the
pure In spirit.
Mr.. Davies respected the older traditions
Of his art sufficiently to sing Schumann's
"Mondnacht.' 'Du hist vie cine Blume'
hearers in that elevated drawing-room style
which In regarded as the acme OF vocal
perfection In the land OF the Briton. His
voice has not quite all Of the velvety smooth
ness 1t had Of yore and the falsetto pipes
and quivers little. but Mr.. Davies sings
elegantly, and his smile is irresistible.
His second group consisted OF songs from
the London popular concert repertory,
songs by Goring Thomas and Herbert
Burning. These were precious things, not
to be thrown to the rude and critical musi-
cal mob, but cherished In the sweet init
macy Of the drawing room, where passionate
communications do not corrupt good man
ners and etiquette Ia strictly observed. II
was for these songs, no doubt, that Mr.
Davies robed himself in full festival regala
The sweet young things in the audience
went into raptures over theee numbers
and sighed to think that the singer was
married.
Mime. Roger-Miclos paired her selections
with the English songs 70 a nicely. She
Pfeiffer's 'Inquietude.' a barcarole by
Faure. Grieg's album Leaf and three
intangible gossamer webs by GODDARD.
One Of these was called alfred de Musset
-Lucie," and an extract from the French
.h1w WHAT Sn Even TsasnS
this, no one knew. II began with the words.
'One evening we were alone One should
always be alone when playing such music,
Such exquisitely tenuous fabrics should
eembly Of unpoetic and miscellaneous souls.
1t Is probable that Mime. Roger-Mclos has
a penohant for GODDARD (his music, OF course),
for she plays him whenever she feels that
her public Is in need Of enlightenment as
to the real nature OF her mysterious art.
which has been so persistently and con-
misunderstood. Perhaps. how
ever, IL is as well that this GODDARD music
should steal out Of its almost inviolable
privacy once In a while. One can dimly
discern the great soul Of GODDARD strug-
Cling for expression. Az Sidney Lanier said.
Music Is love in search OF . word"
Poor Godardl Perhaps he was not love,
but his music might have been. At any
rate II has always been in search OF a
word and has never found it. Alayhap this
composer has shot his souls full meaning
eon countless Roger-Micloees will tinkle
his pearly driblets Of dreams on harpe-
chords Of glass in salons Of mother Of pearl.
Who knows2 Anyhow, Nine. Roger-Micloe
played the things a. II she liked them. and
she smots the keyboard more gently than
usual. Some were thankful for this.