New-York tribune., 1911-01-11
MUSIC
d DAY OF MANY ACTIVITIES
Song Recitals and a Wagner
Concert.

>-or. York ia large city, and the mus!-
cal nbenomena which manifest themselves
therein are frequently both numerous and
varied. They were yesterday and one OF
.beno--a recital by a violin player. eager TO
break into publicity-had Its beginning so
long DELAYED Sy the slow gathering OF IN
audience that the patience OF woul1'bc
reviewers for whom another concert was
calling. was exhausted. and consequently
must remain unchronicled. That was in
the evening In the afternoon there were
song recitals by two men, neither OF whom
had made an essay OF the kind in New
York before. though one OF them had won
much favor (and deserved IT alD on
the operate stage. There can be no ques-
ton but that conditions being favorable,
not only two but even three or four song
rec!tals might receive compensatory pa
tronage in city ike this In a single day.
But favorable conditions" IS only syno-
nyme for personal popularity, al1 when two
strangers present themselves in the same
field simultaneously It generally becomes
necessary, even in this musical metropolis,
that audiences be gathered by the modern
equivalent for the chalked line which on
important political occasions used to be
sent through the public places and streets
OF ancient Athens. BY managerial hook
and crook many hundreds OF people were
brought together in Carnegie Hall yester-
day afternoon to hear Maurice Renaud
sing French songs, and a smaller number,
though they seemed TO belong TO
more sophisticated clan, 10 hear
Reinhold Won Wsrlieh sing German
and English songs and ballads IN Men
dessohn Hall
Under the circumstances, II Is impossible
to discuss the two affairs in as much de-
tail as their interesting character deserved.
NJ. Renaud is In every sense an artist he
puts intelligence Of a high order and fine
feeling into everything that he does. 1t Is
not his fault that sentimentalism OF kind
to which the singers OF German and Eng
lish songs are little addicted runs riot In
the French melodie and romance. and he
would scarcely be a good interpreter OF
French song If he did not affect great emo
tion where little is called for. II is to be
regretted. however, that his vocaliza-
ton, generally admirable. is so often
marred by the use OF open tones
which are unpleasant in quality and false
III IlIOndllOl. ne ldiIcu " pciSS''N N'N
dramatic climax in Schuberts Der LIN
denbaum." but both In this song and in
Der Wanderer" the songs were sung In
French) he disclosed a nice appreciation or
their melodic contours as we'll as their SEN
timents-s much higher appreciation IN
deed. than did his accompanist Richard
Haageman. Naturally he was much more
at home in the French songs. but though
VI. Renaud's ambition TO shine as singer.
pure and simple. may be highly laudaole, II
is only as a dramatic artist that he can
claim distinction
Mr.. Won Warlich's performance would
seem to indicate that he conceives song
singing to be an intimate social function
He has bass voice OF fine quality. rare
command of the technical side Of his art
and real insight into the purposes OF poet
end COMPOSER II was a delight to hear
his reading Of the four ballads by Loewe'
with their marvellous blending OF the mar
rative and lyric elements. But he held both
voice and emotion too sedulously In check
10 sway his audience as he might have
done had he given freer vent to his powers.
His unaffected style. however, has pecui-
lar charm, and when he rids himself OF
the constraint which seemed TO weish upon
him yesterday he will surely become a
popular figure in cur concert rooms. lie
had admirable support in the accompani-
ments played by Uda Waldrop, also new
comer.
The philharmonic concert at Carnegie
Hall last night CT will be repeated on Fri
day afternoon) was devoted wholly 10
Wagners music, and gave first hearing
in New York this season TO Nine. Gadski'
who sang four Of the five songs which
Wagner composed TO words written by Ma
thilde Wesendonck. and the finale or Iris
tan und Isolde" Of which opera the lady
was the inspiring genius. Both the singer
and Mr. Mailer seemed to be In strenu-
Gus mood and pressed for time in the lat
ter number. but there was much to be ad-
nired In the opulence OF vocal and instru-
mental tone In the wonderful apotheosis
OF the love drama, as well as the songs.
which were sung to orchestral accompani-
mCnt. The orchestral numbers, superbiy
scnorous and eloquent were the Faust,
and Flying Dutchman" overtures. the pre-
ludes to Tristan und Isolde" and Die
Meistersinger," and the "Siegfried Idyf'-
a rather long list for one evening.
H. T.. X.