The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-18

singers husband, has written the mu-
sic. The first of the group, Sing to
Me, Sing" was a song of gladness, and
given with zest and sponteniety. The
nigh note at the end of the song was
exquisite. Ferry Me Across the Wa
ter was a sparkling number revealing
a touch of humor.
A song that struck a new note in
concert music was Thomas Hoods
Song of the Shirt" to which Homer
wrote the music. 1t is significant that
in a time of social and industrial agi-
tation, a great prima donna should Sc
lect for presentation to a fashionable
audience an appeal from the depth of
poverty and misery. She sang it with
dramatic power and feeling, her notes
conveying to her listeners a sense of
having back of them the heart cry of
all the sons and daughters of toll I'm
doubtedly the song was acceptable for
IN these days we go to the writer's who
express the fever in our blood, the
misery in our bones. The rebellion
against a long established order has
invaded the realm of, the aesthetic and
round expression in the most plant o.
the arts.
The first group Of songs on the pro-
gram was given in German, the first
a Schubert number, Dem, UnendIich-
en-" lofty in tone and sentiment, sung
in full, even, sustained tones A bright
group was Hugo VOLTS Elf Song"
To do simple things simply is the rare
gift of Madame Homer who gave to her
audience some native Irish melodies,
ana she brought to their presentation
sympathy and illuminating insight and
infections as unaccustomed as the
melodic material with which they are
concerned. To the Iayman these folk
songs offer novel and attractive en-
tertalnment that has to recommend it,
in addition to it's wealth of beautiful
melody that intimate appeal native of
all 1Olk song. To the musician they
offer definite interest because they ac-
complish an expression of Celtic and
Anglo-SaXOn characteristics that more
ambitions forms of art have not achiev-
ed. The Lovers Curse" was one of
these songs, and another that was re-
peated in response to it's enthusiastic
reception was "A Ballynure Ballad
Notable in the last group of songs
was Sidney Laniers Ballad Of Trees
and the Master" The words hint at
the deep Catholicity of religious feel
ing that characterize the poems of
Lanier, and the American composer,
Chadwick, has appropriately robed it
with a melody of a strange and haunt
ing quality. 1t is a song that will be
remembered when dozens of other ap-
pealing songs have been forgotten.
The encores, all except the last, were
English songs, though many deVOteeS
of opera hoped she might respond with
"Orfeo'' or something from Aida, roles
which have contributed much to her
fame. However, at the close Of the
program she gave an aria from the
Huguenots, and it was a summing up,
SO to speak, of her powers of voice
and personality, of technique that made
sport of it's difficult lines.
Personally, Madame Homer is quite
the most beautiful of the eminent sing
ers who have passed in review before
Topeka concert goerS in many a sea-
son, and she is beautiful at close range
She was amply and handsomely gown
ed in a cherry red velvet and chiffon
costume, and there was no glitter or
glare in her ornamentation. She is
known as a homeloving woman of sim
pie habits. who romps on the floor with
her children when she is with them, and
travels without a maid and eschews
the private car. She has been a grand
opera favorite some Is years, and she is
now at the zenith of her greatness.
The recital yesterday opened the SER
les of concerts for the season under
the management of Miss Myrtle Rad
Cliffe. The next number is a violin
concert November I, by Maude Pow
ELL B. H.