The San Francisco call., 1910-01-10
Il LAuDER CHARTS LOS ANGELES
SEr1BPICH IS STILL pEERLESS'
QUEEN OF SONG IN
A SUPERB RECITAL
Marcella Sembrich Returns and
Delights Large Audience at
the Garriek

For 25 years MarceIla Sembrich has
been a beacon light in the troubled
sea Of American music. During a quar-
ter of century she has not failed in
her watch over the destiny of vocal
art; always she has been active and
artistic for pure singing
The influence of the Wagner school
her; she stood for the purity of sing
ing as singing, and as the successor
of Patti she has disseminated a be-
nign influence for generation in ia
vor of pure tone.
Well, she returned to us yesterday,
and sang as superhly as ever. A tax
ing program did not deter her spirits
nor dim the luster of her perfect tones.
If she chose to, she could have been
singing yet with unimpared brilliance.
MEMORIES OF PERFECT TONE
When art has Graded a singer and
has been constant companion through
out the experiences of years in vocal
endeavor it will be found that the
artist does not suffer from the passing
of time. At least what is lost in
youthful beauty of tone is more than
compensated for in increasing skill and
mellowed and ripened comprehension.
So with Sembrich. There is trace,
once in awhile in her singing of a
diminished luster of her lower tones.
The merest trace ii is, and it does not
reach upward at ali. Her top tones
are as scintillating as ever: her mid
die tones as warm and luscious as ever.
As always, the listener to Marcella
Sembrich goes away cherishing mem
ories of perfectly pure tone. AS q
singing teacher she is without a rival
what she breaches; who indicates in
her own art the immutable laws that
should govern all singing. She is still
peerless Sembrich.
OLD SCHOOL SONGS BEST
The audience at the Garriek yester-
day afternoon filled the house, and
would have wearied anybody but
queen with its Importantly. But she
added numbers ad libitum. and sang
Comm Thro' the Rye in way to
make veteran opera goers weep for
sheer delight.
Her final number, an "exhibition
piece" was strauss "Voce di Prima-
vera" The roulades, trills, runs and
vocal gymnastics were as lively, youth
ful and morninglike as ever, and the
hearers simply glued themselves to
their chairs and wouldn't bulge until
after the diva had returned TO the
stage and had sung gentle Chopin
song, the name of which ! can't recall,
but it's about the bird which shouldn't
be twittering around aimlessly in the
trees, but should be al the loved ones
window singing as Sembrich showed
the song should be sung.
The songs that were best done and
best received We're those which were
from the .old school" An aria from
"Ernani,' some perfect pearls from
Mozart's opera, "Magi Flute and Don
Giovanni" and the Strauss waltz. How
ever Nine. Sembrich showed in her
Schubert and Schumann songs how a
great coloraturist could also be
splendid '1ieder" singer.
PIANIST Is SYMPATHETIC
1t was o'clock before the recital
was over, so insistent was the enthus-
iastic audience to hear more and more
of those beautiful tones
Frank la Forge is the pianist. He
will be remembered the accompanist
for Nine. Gadski on her last two Wis
it's to this city. s.T1is accompaniments
are model of sympathetic playing.
He uses no printed notes. but, fasten-
ing his gaze upon the singer, follows
every curve of melody and every shade
of expression. His piano solos were
well received.
Francis Rogers. baritone. does well
in his duets with Nine. Sembrich. His
Interpretation shows careful express
iveness, but little spontaniety. He
should watch a disposition to bear
down on the pitch. In the ripping.
romantic .'Barcarolle." from Love
Tales of Hoffman, for instance. he
finally even wore the sopranos voice
from the pitch-a trifie. only, but a few
vibrations are great deal too many
He was fat a little. His singing of
the Border Ballad was done with
much enthusiasm, and merited and got
much applause. He is not a great
baritone, but very good one
Another concert next Thursday night
at the Garrick will be given and La
Forge will play Chopin recital