New-York tribune., 1915-03-30
GERMAN SONG,
RUSSIAN SERVICES
Supplementary Note on
Miss Won DresSer'S
Singing.
FREDERICK THE GREAT
ON GERMAN ARTISTS
Arrangements and Iransla-
tions in the Greek
Liturgy.
By II. L. KREHBIEL.

By II. L. kREHBlEL-
Three persons who are no doubt good
Mt heart and honest in their concern
for the moral wellbeing OF The
Tribune's commentator on musical al
fairs have recently written letters to
the editor dissenting from their inter-
pretations Of the reviewers utterances.
One of these letters is printed below,
toqether with some observations when,
il Is hoped, will satisfy the writer OF
the letter and encourage interest IN
an extremely interesting subject Inc
other two would have also been printed
had they not gone astray, tallen py
the wayside or been distracted from
the bulging overcoat pocket OF TINS
miserable sinner Of reviewer whlIe
on his way home from the opera mousse
last Thursday evening.
But il is possible to give the sub
stance Of the notes. Both were very
short. very emphat.c and both disclosed
n knowledge of the workings or what
this writer is sometimes pleased 10
hope is a mind which Is surprising In
the face of what might be called
generation Of documentary evidence 10
The contrary. "H. 4. K.," In notice
of Miss Marcia Van Dresser's song re-
cital last week, called attention to the
early history of that agreeable woman
on the stage of her native land ano
recorded the fact that an unsatisned
ambition had sent her 10 Germany,
where she Sang in some OF the munici-
nal theatres, of which we hear so much
as promoters of musical culture, and
reached out toward the ideals when
thew set" Ii was intimated that
though she had attained some OF these
ideals it was possible that some OF her
old admirers might not have felt graft
fed at the achievement. But discus
sion OF this question was sternly
frowned down. Then came the remark
which. we fancy, together with the
work of q copy reader (who ought TO
he ashamed Of himself for putting up
such a head as Miss Van Dresser
German Singer stirred our CORE
spondcnts to anger. Here 1t Is IN all
its iniquity: she went from US
charming young American woman ana
agreeable artist; she returns a thor
oughly Teutonized dramatic singer
with an enlarged voice and dlmln-
ishcd art" ,,,,
Taken together with the awful head
line here was evidence that the music
reviewer of The Tribune hated the
Kaiser and all things German, and per
mitted his feeling Of animosity to color
his opinion of Miss V-.n Dresser's sing
ing. ,c.
man music and German singing think
there Is anything derosatory IN ne ne
epithet German" or "Ieutonlzed d.
Why should reviewer who has cham
pioned German opera and some e'e-
ments in German singing for forty
years have given away TO a naughty
passion while listening 20 n singer or
whom he has always thought and sala
pleasant things? There are German
singers in the Metropolitan opera
Companv who have been praised and
not faulted for the manner IN "nIch
they have exemp,ifed the good things
in German song. We have never heard
that Miss Hempel, or Mme. ODer, o.
Mime. Natzenauer. or Nme. Kurt or tnelr
friends have felt outraged when they
were described IS German artists.
II ought not 10 be necessary to con-
fess il. but the fact Is II +. X. has a
rood deal mere than sneaking iona
ness for German art and German ar
fists. lie once had 20 see hlmScH de-
scribcd in New York newspaper as d
"spurred and booted Hessian' VINO wa
trampling upon the good people VINO
wanted 20 hear Italian opera, Dd1 "'Ig
prevented by the Hess ran aqyocacy o.
German cpcra. But H. L. X. isn't a
Hessian; nor IS he Prussian, 1iouth u
he feels that he Is better Ieutoh
tbon the greatest Of all Prussiars when
II comes 90 treating German singers
fairly. -.
s:caI history that Rhcn Frederlck the
Greats theatrical iRtrHd1Ht, Count
Zierotin-Lilgenau, suggested to the
roval Aautist that Nine. Mara cone OF
the greatest singers IF her day. be en-
coced for the Royal Opera, Frederlc1
rcplied: I'D rather have a horse whih-
rev me an aria than to have German
in NV opera as prima donna. But IN
the end he was conquered by Nine
Mans voice and art, and she became
tbe brightest ornament Of his royal
company =
However, there will be no harm II
ambitious Young singers read warn
ing in the remark about the change
which has come over Miss Van 'esser s.
yoice and art. A good many years ago
Nine Narchesi. herself a German, visit
o. some of the lyric theatres. OF her
fatherland and described the onditIons
wb.ch she found there. Most Of all she
deplorcd the damage done to young
Voices BY the system which turned all
singers into maids Of all work.
New Workers have had some oppor,
tuuities to note the effects OF study ana
employment in German theatres on
American singers; but Of the hundreds
who go to Germany (and italy TOO
and come back to seclusion here, only
those who have special opportunities
for observation hear. The tale IS TOO
pitiful to tell.