New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-26
MISS FARRAR IN SONGS
An Admired Prima Donna Es-
says a New Field.
AFTERNOON OF SURPRISES
Good Things and Bad in a
Varied List of
Pieces.

There are singers who. when they vent
lre into the realm Of the German Lied,
or the French Melodie, make us indiffer
ent to the quality OF their voices by rea-
son OF the quality of their interpreta-
ton or the skill with which they make
inadequate or poor vocal material sub
servient TO high artistic uses There are
others whose artistic vocalization requites
the listeners for deficiencies for which
nature and not they are to blame; and still
others in which mere sensuous charm OF
tone combined with beauty Of vocaliza-
/ ton makes measurable excuse for lack of
! truthful expression, which is the primary
aim of all singing. Singers Of the last
! class are unwise when they attempt
music in which poetic or dramatic ex
preston is Of greater consequence than
mere 'lascivious pleasing; all classes
! are blameworthy If they mistake the
purpose of song and make an improper
selection when they have so wide field
| to choose from.
| Miss Geraldine Farrar, who gave a song
I recital In Carnegie Hall, does not belong
! TO any one OF these classes She was
unique when she appeared among the
stars at the Metropolitan Opera House,
ard she is unique in the new field which
she has now entered upon. BY the charm
OF her personality and ;he skill OF her
dramatic impersonation she had almost
made the admirers of dramatic singing
! forget the extremely defective vocaliza-
| ton which caused regret and painful APP
prehension when first she came among
u.s. but yesterday. when she essayed a
| higher order of song, in which she had
to forego the help Of scene and action, she
/ compelled the knowers of the art OF song
TO recognize again how far she is from
| being an exemplary vocalist. She COM
| PEELED them to renewed wonder that SO
much intelligence in some respects should
stop so far short of recognition OF her
woful deficiencies in others. How was II
possible, many must have asked them
selves that while acquiring so much train
ing as was exhibited in singing such airs
| rs Handers ooh, Had ] JubaPs Tyre
and MoZart's "Alleluia," for instance, she
should also have possessed herself OF so
faulty, so strange a method OF tone pro-
/ duction, a method which in every ex-
tended phrase plays havoc with the natu-
raj beauty OF her voice. Hers is voice
/ OF exquisite mezzo timbre The luscious
ness which low and half Of her medium
register might easily, so the judicious
must think. have been carried to the limit
of her upward range. Instead. the quail
itv is continually and inexplicably chang
ing. and there is scarcely phrase IN
which the integrity Of its native loneliness
is preserved.
4 similar freakishness marks her IN
| terpretation Of songs. wide gamut OF
sentiment was comprised by her pro-
gramme, which began with an exquisite
song BY Gluck and ended with bit OF
inconseduential daintiness by MacDowel
making it's climax in several fine ex'
amples OF the modern type by Nous
sorgsky. Tschaikowsky and Gretschani'
| now: but the manner in which she
emitted her tones brought monotony into
the recital in spite Of the generally I'M
! conventional nature Of her selections and
the personal interest excited by her APP
pearance and training In these there
was the same amidble intimacy which
she invites when on the operate stage,
! and no small manner OF the success
which she made was due TO them, though
they were frequently out OF tune with
the artistic message which she was at
tempting to publish Nearly every one
of her really fine achievements,
as in the divisions" OF the Han
del and Mozart airs. the keenly
intelligent defamation of Loewe's Der
Edelfalk." the tender grace OF Gritchani-
nows PAX du Soir" and the pathos OF
| Moussorgsky's "Sternlein," was all but
vtiated by the inartistic things OF which
she was guilty in songs which offered less
difficulties to her brains, emotions and
voice. She sang Grieg's Elm TraUm" or
a recall after two Of Loewes ballads, but
left it's poetic depths unexplored; she
failed 10 arouse the slightest interest IN
two songs by Beethoven, for which she
was not altogether 10 blame. and in two
by Schubert for which she was. She sue
ceeded in leaving even superficial warmth
out of Massenet's hackneyed louvre ties
yes bleus, ma Mignonne," and did not
touch the passion of Tschaikowsky' Eel
liebte mich so sehr." which ought to have
fitted as well into her sentimental mood
as Hugo VOLTS I'm not as other las
sizes did into her arch and coquettish
The afternoon. in short. was series OF
surprises. some agreeable. but many much
the opposite. and always the manner In
which she produced her tones was utterly
grievous to the lovers Of good vocaliza'
ton. Yet Miss Farrar had largo au
dience, was much applauded. and wher
she came to the end of her list and gave
the customary informal supplemental en-
tertainment she played her own accom-
paniments to Annie Laurie" and othei
things Till then Mr.. Arthur Rosensteii
accompanied her with taste and skill.