The San Francisco call., 1905-01-15

The furor that Schumann-Heink Gre
ated here last season seems well on
the way to repetition in the case of
Gadski. In her first concert one found
the rumors of her remarkable develop
merit since her appearance here three
years ago handsomely confirmed. The
second concert gave further token of
the fact, though it was by no means
so happy In either programme or per-
formance. At the recital of last Sat-
urday, however, one got the Gadski
of the Brunnhilde, the Isolde. of the
last word of the Wagner women.
1t has been my very great pleasure
to have believed highly in the Gadski
possibilities. When she was here with
the Grau company found her singer
whose performance, noble though 1T
was, was short by much of her final
capacities. Yet of the dramatic grip.
the climacteric passion that in her
'1mmolation Scene" ofSaturday after
noon sent one shouting to ones
feet had not dreamed her possessed.
1t was an heroic achievements song
epic. She capped it. too. with the cry
of the Valkyr maid, as ringing. radi-
ant, thrilling as Nordica's own. don't
know how the rest felt about it, but to
me 1t was as If one of our infant earth
quakes had landed me in Walhalla.
Yet do remember swapping hosannas
with the stranger woman next me
who greeted me as "a long-lost sister.
1t is only big magnetism, big tenn
permanent that can so fuse the hearts
of an audience. And Gadski has them.
AS with the truly great, one remem-
lne ha ta1 ~ 1Clri "a
work here. In the lieder one is still
sometimes conscious of the conscious
ness of the artist Yet even then it is
a pleasure to note the beauty Of the
mechanism, the attack just and clean
as bit Of beautiful bowling,
the dynamic values weighed as
gold is weighed, the rounded
and polished phrase. The voice
in it's lower range has gained both
power and sweetness; 1t has ap-
parently lost somewhat of both in Its
upper tones. Yet that this last is a
temporary condition last Saturdays
concert would seem to argue-this aft
ernoon's will prove it. The voice has
still the peculiar liquid quality and that
eloquent little trick of becoming mere
breath of music that characterize the
Gadski organ. Lastly and very pleas
antly, Nine. Gadski is that most agree
able sight to sea beautiful gracious
and beautifully gowned woman.
There will be of Wagner in this
afternoons programme-did / say that
there was to be last recital at half
past two o'clock at the Alhambra?-
the gentle Elizabeth's prayer, and the
"Liebestod" from Tristan and Isolde"
The songs are those of Franz, Mozart,
Schumann, Schubert. Jensen. Brahms.
Bohm and Strauss. 1t is probable that
the audience will be like Schumann-
Heink's last-her largest. 1t should not
be forgotten that in Selmar Negro
witz Nine. Gadski has an accompanist
phenomenon and that the prices are
popular.
At the fourth evening recital of the
Twentieth Century Club, that takes
place on Tuesday evening next at
Steinway Hall, the "Alexander's Feast"
of Handel will be presented. One al
ways expects something interesting
from the Twentieth Century Club, and
always sets it. In it's service to the
rare, the curious the ancient beauti-
full in music, the club is as faithful
as are the Dolmetsches. Not that the
new thing is neglected, but 1t is rather
to the loving revival Of forgotten beau
ties that the club directs it's attention.
The "Alexander's Feast" is a happy
instance. The work is heard most in
frequently, and is conspicuously beau
tiful example of descriptive writing
and of the composers genius. That it
will be well and thoughtfully done goes
almost without saying, and those for
tunate enough to be able to hear 1t are
sure of an unusual quality of enjoy
ment.
New Orleans, the stronghold of