New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-13
LONDON LOVES RAGT|ME,
BUT CANNOT SING i
British Output Lacks the Snap
Characteristic of the Real
Broadway Article.
NATIVE TALENT AGHAST
Elsa Maxwell, of California,
Chief Supplier of Songs in
Tempo New to Great
Britain.
~ cable 10 Thc Tribunc !

London. April 12.-Although London
is absolutely ragtimc mad. and the in
sidious wilcs OF raGomania have woood
the stolid Briton from his comfortable
club into the hurly-burly Of syncopatcd
music. there are. after all. but few
music hall singers who can really sing
ragtimc. few who get into the songs the
snap so characteristic Of Broadway
even i'm cabaret.
It has remained for an American rag
time composer. Elsa Maxwell. TO pick mp
a woman. who. she says can really sing
ractimc. This new star is Scotch
girl named Fcllowcs Gordon. She is to
he exploited i'm London. and later VIII
appear on Broadway under the stage
name of Mana Durandc.
she can sing and dance like real
American. although she has never
crossed the water" said Miss Maxwell,
who has herself captiNatcd London
with her bright. catchy tunes and still
snapper lyrics. She has only been here
a few months. hut she has caught the
ear If one or two managers. and tho
new revue for the Alhamhra. written
by Cosmo Gordon LcnnoX. Marie Tenn
pests crstwhilc husband. Will shortly
appear with music and lyrics written
by this Young Californian. she has
Just returned from Berlin. where she
has been arranging for the orchestra
ton of q new operctta
strangely enough. she has the ere
ative gift without having any technical
training. She seems 10 have score
Of musical ideas AZ a time. and is thus
forced to resort to dictation. Miss Max
we'll is regarded as am anomaly IN the
musical world. Musicians who, have
been at much pains TO master all the
technical principles Of their art.
whether as creative or productive
artists. arc al loss TO explain the in
stinct which enables her TO express
herself with absolutely mo- musical
training. in fact. without tho slightest
knowledge Of the most elementary prin-
ciplcs If music She says. Il guess
I'm lust n freak. / really cannot tell
how hit on the little tunes ~ how the
words Just happen 10 ht IN. Puccinl
warned me against studying. fearing |
might lose the gift. but DO not agree
with him. | do most OF my work In
the morning. and never try 10 urge my
ideas faster than they come To the
finger tips. For instance. here is the
chorus Of a new rag which came TO me
this morning. II took exactly five min
utcs 10 syncopate it 10 melody
Miss Maxwell hummed song about
Keep on cleaning. my old glcamy
eyes"
Il don't know what there is in our
American rag that captiVatcs them
here" she continued. except that IT is
so fun of spirit and life. OF course.
they don't play il here as they do at
home. The English have not yet got
tempo under their cpdermis They
sing too straight and don't seem able 10
allow for the invisible beat or put one
IN themselves lnlO inc Hlluul' VI
song"
There are ragtime balls in London.
and now ragtme teas and ragtime
matinees You hear raStime in or
chestra, in the restaurants, in the
streets and on piano organs from the
stunning depths Of Soho 10 al fresco
Park Lane. The danger of the ubiqul-
tous turkey trot' and grizzly bear
was forgotten in the lure of Miss Rag
from the L. S. A. Composers of lcGiti-
mate English musical comedy stand
aghast and wiring their hands in de
SPAR. The eXpostulation of the
Viennese operetta king is loud and oft,
as his delicate scores are torn ruth
lesslv apart to allow Of the interpola-
ton of a little American rhythmic mad
ness. I'VE have just put little ginger
into it," as George Edwardes guilelcssly
apologizcd on the stage of the Gaiety
Theatre.