The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-24

Hemus, the we'll known baritone. MT.
 Hemus to me represents the highest form of musical art He is finished singer, as well as the best teacher I have ever known. l studied with him, expecting at first to become concert singer, but after time Mr. Hemus suggested teaching. He felt that l had the making of good teacher and that l would succeed
 Tn just what does the teacher diff fer from the concert artist?" I asked Preachers are born, not made" Mrs. Steele replied. Tt is that gift of inn parting to the pupil the knowledge that they ought to have, and it isn't every body who can do this Many a great artist couldn't teach to save his life. Many great teacher cant sing a note MT. Hemus thought I had the gift for teaching and so In his studio in New York with Ward Stevens, the noted organist, pianist and composer which was the reading rooms for so many ar lists and so many pupils that he could not personally take, 1 started as a teacher, assisting MT. Hemus, and 10 him l owe all my success. You know they call him second David Bispham in the east. MT. Hemus' voice has all the dramatic fire that Mr. Bispham possessed and his youth of course is a great asset in his favor; he's only 3S
 and recently since he has taken up
 eantillation, which MT. Bispham has made so popular he has made a tre-
 mendous hit. His rendition of The Raven has already made him famous MT Hemus possess three requisites Tor the perfect singer" Mrs. Steel con- tinued, that seldom found; per- feet legato, coloring and tone produc- ton, and mezzo voice. His critics have tried to dub the latter falsetto, but he has proven successfully that it is not: if is the Dpanfiful halftpna ic.t Il, eXquisitely appealing shsng in the world We heard MT. Hemus in the ballroom of 1 the Waldorf ballroom sing mezzo voice l that would float and float through space
 like cloudy--and finally end in the
 most wonderful tone that the human | voice can produce"
 Tn coming to Birmingham you find a musical atmosphere 10 doubt that is attractive, but you must miss the many adVantages after so long a residence in New York; I suggested
 T have never met with a more cor
 dlal reception than I've had here," said I Mrs. Steele. q visited in Birmingham sometime ago and saw the opportuni- ties unsteady ana I've wanted to come here ever since. 1 feel that Birmingham l Is very promising and only a few days after l got here I joined the Music study clul, which is conducted to my
 mind, on very delightful plan The A'tef Pio5iuiii iilstl l HtdTu at the club was the manuscript recital given by Mrs. Florrnoy Rivers, the director of the Sherwood Music school, and was never more impressed with any thing than with the talent of this cleevr woman. I heard so many manu- script recitals in New York and I felt very much at homo when I heard this
 one here"
 "The opera and the concerts. the tre-
 mendous sc pc of music In New York Is of such vast advantage to the mu.
 sic student I suggested.
 "I enjoyed the opera and the concerts
 immensely said Mrs. Steele, "and one of my pleasantest recollectfons was the
 Rubenstein club, which was a great treat from every standpoint to me. I had the Pleasure of meeting Liza Lehman at one of the Rubenstein concerts. also Madame Nordica, who sang Mrs. Beaeh'e Years at the Spring with the full Ru-
 bensten chorus and part of the Metro politan orchestra"
 What do you think of our American composers?" I asked. "Why is it that we
 do not have any great operas written by | Americans or any great songs?'
 T think we have the songs" was the
 reply. T regard Charles Gilbert Spross whom I know very well, as one of our greatest composers. l think Mrs Beach Harriet Ware, Mary Turner Salter and | lot of others have done some splendid song compositions.
 Mfr Stross, by the way. was a freduent
 visitor at the studio of MT Heums when was in New York. and played his &C., compartments when could not Mir
 Hemus says that MT. Spross is the only accompanist he has ever seen who could
 play ''The Erl King like an orchestra Wasn't that beautiful compliment" And speaking of my plea for better
 English songs" Mrs. Steele said in con- clusion 'It is the singers who do moi
 make of our music what they should
 That is the reason we are considered be- hind the times in composition. Why, if
 our American singers would only sing our l songs instead of trying to sing the for eign things, we would rank as high ss any nation in the matter of composition"