The San Francisco call., 1909-01-11
.GADSkI GENEROUS
IN HER fNCORES
Sings Splendidly and Gives Long
Program OF Classical
Music
Divides Honors With Her SYM
pathetic Accompanist,
Frank La Forge
By Walter Anthony

Between the inspiration that bore
Haydn's modest song, My Mother Bids
Me Bind My Hair" to the world and
the inspiration which produced the
''valkyrie Calf and .Dich Theure
Halle there is a history of the devel-
opment of Teuton music. Mime. .Gadski
at her initial concert yesterday trav-
eled from horizon to horizon, from the
east to the west of musicland, and sang
every foot of the way. She was in SUI
perb voice and she did not falter
throughout the entire program but once,
and that was toward the very end,
when, after singing Strauss "zueig
nung' twice and Beachs 1.-The Years at
the SPRING twice, there was the first
evidence that there were muscles in her
throat No program could have been
more comprehensive than hers, except
one that would include an Italian aria.
She sang as suggested Haydns melody
and she sang five Wagnerian numbers,
though only three were on the program;
she gave two dainty French pieces out
of the eighteenth century; she went
back to Englands realm when the Eng
lish had some music of their own and
sang Arne's Lass With the Delicate
Air; she crossed the seas and sang
some of La Forge's songs and Mrs. HI. II.
A. Beach's fine rhapsody; she sang
Schuberts die Junge Nome" and his
"Nacht und Traume,' and her ardience
would not let her go until she had added
The Erl King" She sang two Franz
songs, "Stille Sicherheit-one of the
finest songs in all of music's library
and "Ich Lieb cine Blume." Her audience
would not have enough, and she was
most generous in her responses to its
demands. In fact, it was sort of bar
gain matinee yesterday, so much was
given for the money.
LA FORGE is POPULAR
Frank La Forge found many friends
in the Van Ness theater. He has grown
measureably since he was here before
and he still plays the best accompani
ments that we have heard. No other
singer visiting San Francisco has the
advantage which Nine. Gadslki enjoys
of SO fine and sympathetic an accompa-
mist. He cuts his piano score out and
fits it without wrinkle to the curve of
her melodies. There is no overlapping
of false emphasis; his piano part Is just
where it belongs always, except once in
a while, when he is teo cautious about
covering his sopranos tones with too
much string harmony. 1t was refresh
ing TO observe that his listening public
was not oblivious to his skill and serv-
ices, and rewarded him when he ap-
peared to play his solos with hearty
demonstration of approval. Too often
the accompanist is overlooked in the
distribution of applause, but La Forge
is not, and it would seem as though
Nine. Gadski is more conscious than
any of his large share of the artistic
success which their duets achieve.
| Contrawise, La Forge is more than
fortunate in having the amiable good
will of the great singer and her gra-
ciousness to sing his esoteric songs.
Nine. Gadski sang two which were pro-
grained and then, with smile an
nounced that she was going to sing an
other one by the same composer. La
Forge's musical creativeness is in the
modern field. Not every one can sing
his songs. They are blend of words,
melody and accompanying harmony pat
termed on the model of Schubert's ''Dop-
pe1ganger," where the emotional effect
is triple resultant of the three cur
rents of poetry. melody and harmony.
If he does not get pedantic about it and
continues to keep his musical fount free
from the mud of affectation he will be
one OF the greatest of our American
composers.
GADSkI A GREAT ARTIST
| ! have chosen to take up this much
| time writing ABOUT La Forge because
Nine. Gadski doesn't need it. Every
body knows what a consummate artist
she is. There is still all the bloom of
youth in her voice; there is no lack Of
| intelligence in her phrasing and in her
vivid interpretations, and there is the
same vibrant thrill in her tones.
Yesterdays audience was crowd in
/ the balcony and gallery of the Van
Ness, though there were some empty
seats downstairs. Her audience was
composed of those who love music, and
| it was keenly responsive to the treat
which Nine. Gadski proffered.