The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-21
NINE. SEMBRTCH'S RECITAL.
Another Of Her Delightful Afternoons Of
Song singing.

sou8 ShhBiu8
The annual song recital Of Nine. Sem
brich has come to be recognized as one Of
the richest Of musical festivals. Hence II
was TO be expected that when this event
came around yesterday at Carnegie Hall
there would be an audience Of great size and
cultivated taste. Thu singer was welcomed
to the stage with prolonged applause and
throughout her entertainment her hearers
manifested their appreciation in delicately
graded demonstrations, ranging all the way
from aifectionste federation Of a song which
did not quite reach them to almost passion
ate ~outpourings OF admiration for those
combinations of matter and manner in
which Nine. Sembrich's ~recitals are pro-
life.
The programme was, "a usual, a triumph
Of skill in construction. The first part con
sisted of old songs so skilfully arranged as
to AFFORD contrast in style and sentiment
This was especially the case in the cap
t~ivating sequence of Scarlatti's DUAL Far.
faletta," Bach's Dist du bel mir" and Cor
ner's dainty sons Of the Christ child. The
temptation to comment on the sequence OF
n in the three parts of the prog ramme
might easily lead to a dissertation on the
art of planning a vocal recital, but this II
not the time for il. Suffice il TO cay that
with the exception Of one or two Of the
Gypsy Songs" Of Dvorak which began the
third part, there was nothing in the list
which did not give scope for all that is love-
hest in Nine. Sembricn's art.
She had to repeat Corners song, Schu-
mann's -Meine hose" and "Auftrage" and
Dvorak's Ais die slte Mutter. and she had
70 add numbers after each part. OF course
the encore at the close Of the recital was the
exquisite -~Serenade" OF Strauss. which Nine.
Sembrich sings 40 bewitchingly . Critical
discussion of this recital would have to enter
into minute details it, il were TO produce
anything in the shape of new comment.
All that has been SAID so often about this
artists song concerts might properly be
repeated, hut that wol I'D he needless.
Let it suffice, then. 70 say that Nine.
Sembrich possesses such dainty ~piquancy
in the gently humorous songs of her roper
TORE and such poetic insight, tenderness
of style and d~elicacy of tone color in the
songS of sentiment tlst she holds her
hearers always under the spell Of a remark
able art Her readings are planned with
such intelligence, such emotional sensi-
bilty and such uncommon musical feeling
for the individuality Of every phrase and
for its place in the general schcmetha even
were the merely sensuOus qualities of her
singing less beautiful than thew are. her
recitals would still be entitled 20 o position
on the topmost level of i~nterpretative art.
Doubtless the musical annals Of the future
will immortaliZc her rs one of the greatest
operate sopranos Of her time and fail 10
do Justice 10 her achievements on what is
foolishly regarded by too many persons as
the less important Geld Of the song. But
the truth IN that when Mime. Sembrich,
possessing q record Of brilliant life behind
the footlights, began her series of American
song ~recitals she spread her artistic win -
for a flight into celestial realms unattain-
able by any mere bird Of operaric paradise.
When the time comes for her 10 retire into
the sunset of her own splendid fame, those
who loved her and understood hcr best
will cherish her memory in their heart
of hearts rs IN incompatible singer of
some Of the immortal songs that were not
born TO die.