The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-24

The Rosary" is one Of the most
beautiful Of the shorter poems in
the English language It's great
popularity, however. must be cred
tied 10 the beautiful music settings
that have been given II, .notably
that OF the American composer
Ethelbert Nevin. which is one that
is 10 be found IN countless thou
sands OF American homes.
The author Of this pretty poem is
Robert Cameron Rogers. There is
no particular story attached 20 its
writing, other than the weaving OF
a little sentimental episode in the
- life OF the author. which he found
well expressed in the string Of
pearls. and they suggested the ros-
airy.
Robert Cameron Rogers. the au-
thor OF the poem, was born In Buff
falo, y. Y, about thirty-six years
ago. the son or sherman $. Rogers,
a noted lawyer. He is a graduate
OF Yale. and now lives at Santa Bar
bara, Cal Besides The Rosary"
he is the author OF 'WM o. the
Wisp, Sea Yarn OF the War Of
1872" "Old Dorset: Chronicles Of a
New York Countryside, and poems.
which have been collected and pub
Hshed in two volumes.
Last fall in a magazine article
contributed by Nine. Schumann-
Heink the noted singer pays a high
tribute 10 Ethelbert Nevin's setting
Of the great and perfect song"
She says: "Nevin was a kindred
soul with Schubert and Schumann
and List as a writer Of songs. and
seems otherwise unaffected by the
modern yaEaries in tone painting.
Schumann would have been proud
20 have written The Rosary And
If Schumann had written IL, what
hidden beauties the critics would
have found in It. But Nevin was an
American. SO his song is merely
bauaI and his Chromatic originality
Just ignorance or effrontery.
1T has always been a mystery 10
me why some American critics
abuse me for singing The Rosary
The fact that it has achieved pOpu-
larity is no reason for condemning
it. I am willing TO go on record
that The Rosary viii he a popular
song long after its detractors are
dead and forgotten"
In speaking Of the merits OF the
song Schumann-Hein says that
the essentials Of a great song are
heart interest and beautiful melody.
and that no one viii deny either TO
this song. The poem recites a soul
full tragedy to which the composer
has achieved a musical setting. ex-
quisitely conceived IN the lyric
mode. and expressed with simplicity
and directness.
When Nine Schumann-H elnk
sang the song in Germany the crit
les were not very much impressed,
but the German public went wild
over it and compelled her to repeat
It every time she sang it.
Next 10 Nevins musical arrange
ment of the Rogers poem. the set
ting by Ferdinand Lust is the most
popular The latter is. II anything,
more musicianly than the former.
and It is more difficult to sing and
requires a wider range OF voice.
Nevin died In New Haven. Conn.
in 1901. and Lust met a tragic
death in a little Tennessee town
several months before. The latter
was at one time musical director Of
the Boston symphony Orchestra. and
his setting Of the Rosary" TO music
occurred on his deathbed.
Nevin was born near Pittsburg,
Pa. in 1862. and Lust was a Ger
man. most Of whose life was spent
in America. He was at one. time a
wealthy man. but the large amount
Of money he had acquired from his
operas and musical compositions
gradually vanished. and as he grew
old he forsook his Vermont home
and drifted to San Francisco, where
he taught the chorus at the Winter
Garden Theater for few years. and
then drifted to Colorado Springs.
Then he became a wanderer, with
out home or Friends. He Joined a
cheap opera company as conductor.
and finally found himself stranded
in a little Tennessee town. without
a cent Of money.
He was lonely, in bad health. and
without a friend Naturally under
such circumstances his mind revert
ed to a romance OF his youth. One
day he ran across Rogers THE
Rosary 1t recalled 10 him the
sweetheart of his early life in the
Fatherland. They had been separ-
~ H. L.