New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-27
TWO ADMIRABLE
CHAMBER CONCERTS
The Singing Of Vernon d'Arnalle
and Playing of Maud Powell
and Arthur LOesSer.
BY II. f. KREHBIEL.

Il would be great saving Of time
and space and labor II the ends OF
the recorder Of musical doings IN New
York and the wishes Of the newspaper
readers could be served day by day
by a table Of happenings and a use
Of asterisks according TO Baedeker
No star, something good TO avoid II
repeated; one star, fair 10 middling,
threatening no injury 20 eardrums
or taste; two stars, artistically good;
three stars, highly commendable. In
that case there would be both room
and inclination to discuss features OF
real pith and moment whenever they
showed themselves. II may be that
the recorders will como 20 such a
pass before the end of the season,
for it already requires date
book with big PEGS to note the
concerts planned. and the season is
only fortnight old. Two concerts
given In Aeolian Hall yesterday. would
have merited a triple asterisk. They
were song recital by Vernon OAR
MALE In the afternoon and recital OF
violin music which one number made
more than that In the evening. Mr.
d'Arnalle, for the greater part, sang
songs by John Alden Carpenter and
set down as classics by those who use
the term as an indication Of excellence
merely; Schubert, Franz, Schumann and
Brahms. To these songs he added a
couple OF Irish folksongs. and two
songs by John Aldon Carpenter and
Henry X. Iadley, in English. The Ger
man selections were all unhackneyed,
which gave them a special Interest, and
were sung with such admirable diction,
understanding and feeling that they set
one 20 wondering as 10 how the singer
got so Gallo a name or so excellent an
understanding OF the German tongue
and German sentiment There Is moth
ing remarkable about his voice, though
It Is pleasant and servtceable one;
nor about mis- vocaliEation, though II
commended itself highly 20 the judg-
ment OF the judicious. The delightful
thing about his singing was that IL
came from the heart and appealed TO
the heart. In short, that 1t was what
song singing should be, and so was
justified an expression of praise which
may sound tame, but which is deserved
by fewer than one singer out OF twenty
as recitals have gone ever since the
high form OF entertainment took pos
session OF the concert rooms.
The evening AFFAIR was the annual
concert Of Maud Powell. and what
made il moro than a recital Of violin
music was the cooperation Of pianist,
Arthur Loesser. in a performance OF
Vincent d'Indy's sonata in { major.
Before this piece was reached Miss
Powell had disclosed some OF the least
amicable traits OF her playing in De
Beriot's seventh concerto and prelude
and fugue by Rust, that artistic son OF
/ Bach. In her treatment OF these
works she was unnecessarily and ag-
gressively pugnacious, and did wrong
70 the music. her violin and her own
fine reputation as player OF
solid technical and intellectual
parts. A finer sense OF propriety in
fused her playing Of Leclair's Sara
bande, but not until she joined her
companion in an exposition Of the un-
familiar sonata by dIndy did she do
her own rare musical instincts and
abilities Justice IL is q work OF an
unusual type, whose beauties do not
disclose themselves either 10 the self