The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-12
By W. J. HENDERSON.

- Preface" declared that when
artists fell to talking about
their art It was a good time for critics
to sit silent and listen, to the end that
they might learn something. 1t Is for
that reason that the music reviewer Of
THE Sun momentarily steps aside to
permit the utterance Of some thought
lately aroused In a singer Of some dis.
tinction living in this town. One learns
from his letter that he attended the
concert given for the benefit of the
Musicians Club and that he was much
moved by the contributions Of two
famous artists. However, let him speak
tor himself
Some eighty years ago an italian
Jewess named Pasta was one OF the
operate gcddesses OF Europe in tragic
roles, she was held 10 he superior even
TO the spoiled child Of nature MALI
bran-this all despite the fact that she
possessed neither beauty Of voice nor
beauty OF person. Talma, the first
among French actors Of that time.
heard her sing one evening in Rossini's
'Tancred!,' an operate version. now
completely obsolete. Of Voltaires Tan
crede.' At the conclusion of the per-
Torrance he sought out the prima
donna and said to her:
Madame you realize the ideal OF
my artistic life; the aim OF the true
artist Is to touch the heart OF the
public
II thought OF this story yesterday
as ] sat in Carnegie Hall listening to
Schumann-H eink and Paderewski. who
in my opinion are In their respective
fields the greatest artists of our day.
Others may be equally gifted physically
t,,,, H., l,,,
as they do the hearts OF their hearers
On the stage Schumann-Heink stands
before you as the duplication OF free
noble woma nhood and transmits TO you
without affectation her Interpretation
of the composers glimpscs Of truth.
PaderewslSi. at the piano. Is the embodi-
ment of the poet manly and sane, yet
instinct with the spirit OF highest
romance. What wonder that thousa nds
assemble to hear the message OF these
two mussians!
Are not musicians too often oblivious
Of the fact that emotion Ia the very es-
eence OF music and that Talma's dctum
Is as true to-day as the day II was
uttered? Technique is valuable as
means TO an end. physical gifts speak to
the physical senses, Intellect speaks TO
intellect, but the most vital message OF
ell Is that which passes from heart TO
heart. F. r."
To this opinion the laymon as we'll as
the hardened critic will respond Amen"
But OF course one wishes to know lust
whose heart II Is that IL touched. What
sort of heart Is il? To what does II re-
spond? And so we come back TO the
eternal problem of the nature, constitu-
ton and aims of art. Let us admit that
art II mans expression OF his concep-
ton of the beautiful and let us also
concede THAT ideal beauty must excite
profound emotion, or in plain words
touch the heart. But can we escape the
question about the character OF the
heart itself?
For illustration there IL a large and
worthy class Of persons who cannot be
touched by any painting which does not
tell a sentimental story. This class of
people bow In alteration before .Ruhenss
descent from the Cross" not because
they perceive the majesty of its art. not
because they see any art at all, but be-
cause It brings to their minds the pas
sion of Christ and all that II means
These same people CULVER with emotion
In the presence Of Raraels Madonna
In the Dresden gallery and for almost
the same reasons. Those who are not
plous viii feel certain emotional agita-
ton over the representation OF beau
tiful young mother and her child
Who has not met people who believe
that any picture containing n child per.
forming some childish act IL beautiful
There Is one picture OF baby looking
at n big dog and saying to IT, Cant 70,
talkH" There are women whose eve,
become quite watery when they see this
So we are driven to ask whether mi,
sort of appeal from heart To heart ia o.
very grave importance in the domain O.
art and N we are honest. we shall con
Tess that II Is not
''"- ~ the most difficult things /,
gain Is perception OF the balance q
the relations between personality an,
art II 80 happens that In many In
stances the personality Is what give
life and influence to the art This 4
especially the case with actors an,
opera singers II IA n almost the san
degree tho case with singers who Dc