New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-10
OPERA, ORATORIO
And RECITALS
Mr.. HamIin, Mr.. Fryer, La
Boheme' and 'Gerontius'
All Heard.
BY II. Z. KREHBIEL.

/ The occurrences in the local field oil
music which invited serious attention
Yesterday were a song recital by George
/ Hamlin at Aeolian Hall in the after
noon. a recital of pianoforte music by
Herbert Fryer in the same room IN the
/ evening. a performance of Sir Edward
Elgar's "Gerontius" by the 0ratorio So
cietv in Carnegie Hall in the evening
and a rendition of Puccinis "Boheme
at the Metropolitan Opera House IN the
evening. Repetitions at the opera are
-ubiects for comment only for the sake
of those individuals who chance TO De
in attendance and have not taken the
trouble to read the earlier notices
To them the significance OF the aIalr
is very selhshly) determined by the
fact that they were present put
this view degrades the duty OF
reviewer 70 that OF reporter
only, and If it runs out INTO
record that one or the other singer
was not in as good voice as usual IL
harms the singer and does no good 10
arr. II is a cynical view (though a
widely prevalent one) that people VINO
on 10 the opera must read their news
1aner next morning TO find out whether
or not they enjoyed themselves the
L .
with the best advantages IN the world
for forming their own conclusions,
ought to be above such sway II
thev are not arrived at higher stage
of musical culture now, It IS not likely
that thew ever will be. We believe
tbev are and that they are entitled to
nroner respect. Simply TO. the sake
If the record It may be mentioned that
Nine. Aida replaced Mile. Bori IN the
nar. rs Mimi, and that the 81 OF the
rast was as at the performance earlier
i, tho season. OF Nine. Alda's I'M
nersonation there is nothing new TO be
said: certainly nothing profitable TO
public knowledge.
Mr.. Hamlin has sung songs for u5
for years and his excellent qualities
have never failed of appreciation. IL
has NOT been possible for all TO admire
the quality Of his voice, but no dis
eliminating lover of song-German
song in especial-has been able or
DESTROYS to withhold admiration Tor his
splendid ability as an interpreter OF the
highest form of lyricisr. lie is
cerebral singer" but not in the mar
row sense which was in the mind OF
the German critic who invented the
term to characterize an artist VINO
gave voice TO the sentiment OF poem
without bringing the sensuous charm or
its musical setting into notlce--he Is
intellectual and also emotional 10
many he may seem deficient in purely
vocal charm: that is a physical mat
ter over which he has no control. But
all that brains. healthy sentiment,
sound training and artistic sincerity
can suggest he has enlisted IN the SER
vice of his art. And II was pleasure
To observe how these good qualities
were appreciated by his audience yes
terday. His programme was unconven-
tional. even in its drafts on such clas-
sizes as Haydn, Schubert and Schumann.
Their songs made up the first part of
his programme. Then came songs by
Lalo. Van Eyken, Flick. Sinding, GAM,
Mrs. Beach, Carpenter, Grieg, Vein
gartner. Strauss. Bettinelli, Quilter and
Herman-almost as many national rep
resentatives as there were songs, and
so we'll were they all sung that no de-
sire was awakened 10 dwell even in
thought on the shortcomings of this
one or the other.
"Gerontius" was performed for the
sixth time by the Oratorio Society,
which was the first organization 10
give il a hearing in America Once
before. as on this occasion. Mr.. Ger
vase Elves was brought from England
to sing the principal part, and the
action of Mr.. Koemmenich and the d.
rectors of the society found complete
justification in the contribution which !
the English artist gave to the perform
ance Of the oratorio-far and away the |
finest that the work has received in
New York. Mr.. Elves has made Ger
ontius "A specially. The part is COM
pletely identified with him in England
and would be in this country were he
more available and the oratorio more
popular. II is Cigars masterpiece be- |
yond question. and the finest musical