New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-02
MUSIC
A SONG RECITAL AND OTHER
MATTERS.
Brass Ornaments on the Ninth
Symphony.

The most significant OF yesterdays musi-
cal occurrences (the bargain counter bene-
fit for unknown beneficiaries at the Metro
pontan opera House in the evening must
be left out of consideration was Nine.
Sembrich's song recital in the afternoon.
1t was doubiy remarkable-for its artistic
offerings and also for the demonstration
which it provided OF the hold which the
great artist has upon the musical public of
New York A third might be suggested lest
the significance Of the first be overlooked.
Nine. Sembrich has retired from the oper-
attic field. She retired under circumstances
that are quite without parallel in the an
nails of the lyric stage here elsewhere in
the civilized world. yet she came back TO
us yesterday as If for the purpose Of pro-
claiming again the artistic mission in which
she has been a worker without a peer for
a quarter of a century. It was as an ex-
emplar of the art of beautiful song in all its
branches that she prepared her programme
and then carried 1t out At the outset she
set for herself task which she must have
known was in some particulars beyond her
physical capacities. 1t is not for a voice
like hers to proclaim the trumpet tones
of oratorto air in the old style like
'Singt dem gottlichen Prophenten," from
Graun's Tod Jesu': but she demonstrated
the style which is necessary to make such
an air effective. Here was only one Illus
tration of the beautiful idealism of the
singer-a quality which has not only
deared her to the public, but made her a
great artistic need to teachers and pupils.
That they appreciate the fact, and that the
lovers of beautiful singing in all it's
branches fully appreciate what recital
by Nine Sembrich means to them or the
art, was proved by the attendance at the
recital and the reception which the singer
received. Every seat in the large audience
room was sold, and hundreds stood and
listened without showing signs of wearl-
ness.
before Nine Sen1brich reached the grand
oratorio style illustrated in the Graun air
she sang an air, 20 Serpina, Penserite,"
from Pergolests 'Serva Padrona." as a
specimen of the classical italian school, an
aria d'imitazione C'Rossignols Amoureux'D.
from Rameaus "Hippoiite ct AriCe." a
dainty French song, Fingo per mic d.
letto," Of unknown origin which Pauline
Viardot rescued from oblivion, and a choice
specimen of Eliza bethan days in the form
of a setting Of Ben Jonson's exquisite lines
beginning Have you seen but a Whyte
lille grow to the music of whose lines no
melody could add a charm, though Nine.
Sembrich's voice did With this portion of
the programme, the most trying (and in a
way most ungratefuD part of her recital,
ended Nine. Sembrch started out to give
nothing but pure delight to her listeners,
though in the second part she remained
true 10 her lovely and artisticaIIy pious
policy Of testifying her devotion to the
gods of her idola try-Schubert, Schumann,
and Brahms. She included Weber, this
time for the sake of the delightful contrast
which his song, "Unbefangerheit." made
between Schubert's Gretchen am Spinn-
rade" and Schumann's ''Liede der Braut."
In the third part, she, as on many occa-
sions IN the past, paid tribute 10 the COM
pcsers of to-day, representing many lands
Bizet, the Frenchman (''Pastorale'), Dali
crOZe the Franco-Swiss CT Oiseau BIeu'-
a delightful trile which gave keenest de-
light, Richard Strauss and Hugo Wolf, the
Germans C'Traum durch die Dammerung"
and Itch hab in Penna Elm Liebsten'D, MI
Sigismund Stojowski with two manuscript
songs, and Zarzycki, her countrymen, the
Poles, and Professor Parker, the American,
one of whose songs. The South Wind"
still iii manuscript and dedicated to his
daughter, concluded the programme
but not the concert, for after the
last number the audience clamored for
more, and still more, despite the fact
that the singer (who had already extended
the list with In the Time OF Roses" Schu-
mann's "Fruhlingsnacht' aud The Lass
with a Delicate Air'O seemed indisposed
10 make three hours entertainment out
Of the affair. Nevertheless, at the close
she gave a song by La Forge, her accom-
PIANIST, Comm Through the Rye" and
the familiar and inevitable vocal mazurka
by Chopin, TO which she plays her own
accompaniment. How did she sing? To
hold the thousands speIlbond, as If, in
Sponsors words, all their senses fiocked
into their ears, and to make her admirers
of quarter OF a century wonder at the
youthful freshness of her voice. The per
lection of her style was matter of course.