New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-12
MONTENEGRO OPERA
in new TRIUMPH
Loves of Three Kings Re
peatS Success of More
than a Year Ago.
IL 'AMORE DEL TIRE RE-
APPEALS TO AUDIENCE
Percy Granger, In Piano Recital,
pleaSes in Folk Song
Prescriptions.

Montemczzis opera, "LAmore del
ire Re- which had its first perform
ancc IN America at the Metropolitan
Opera House a little more than a year
ago, and then caused surprised delight
lall the greater because neither IL nor
its composer had ever been heard OK
on this side OF the Atlantic), was per-
formed again last night for the first
time this season.
Five representations last year saw
10 grow In the appreciation and adm
tion Of the musical portion OF New
York's opera public. II whs then taken
TO London, and IT was with no little
surprise that the American music re-
viewers learned that their English col
leagues were in rowise IN accord with
them about it's merits. Our scintillant
friend Mr.. Hale, OF Boston, called at
tcniion 10 the fact that the new opera
had received no more attention in Lon
don despite its novelty than I'll Trova-
tore" with a new cast would have got
in "The Transcript" newspaper IN
Boston.
II does not appear. however, that
London's failure TO recognize the ex-
cellence of the work-4s fact largely, II
not wholly, due TO a very faulty per-
Metropolitan management or the New
York public Last night it again made
it's powerful appeal, through the merits
Of the fine and strong play, the equally
fine and strong musical setting OF ITS
words and scene and the thrillingly
dramatic singing of the artists chiefly
concerned in it. These were those who
were concerned in its production here
in January. 1914 They were Mile.
Bori, Signori Ferrari-Fontana and
Pasduale and Mr.. Didur, all OF them in
spired, like the orchestra, by Signor
Toscanini
After the columns of praise that
have been written about the opera and
the Interpretation which it has re-
ceived further words may well be
spared. There ought, however, 70 be an
expression of gratitude that "L'Amore
del Ire Re" has been kept in the
Metropolitan repertory, because, like
Boris GodounoW," IL has increased
the intellectual and aesthetic wealth
and experience of the opera going pub
lie without the adventurous help OF
any Of the singers in whom some fond
" foolish persons seem to think that
our opera is summed up.
Percy Granger, an Anglo-Australian
musician, who has been in New YORK
for some months and 10 whom Inc
Tribune has had several occasions 10
refer, gave a pianoforte recital IN
heolian Hall yesterday afternoon. Mr..
Grainger's name had become reasonably
familiar here as q collector and ar
ranger of English folksongs. HIS Tour
pieces in this field OF work had given
him an extremely amiable repute, m
deed, and though there was quality
in it which pointed toward the posses
sion of an interesting creative indlyid-
uality, there was nothing 10 show that
he was a pianoforte virtuoso. in that
capacity his reputation was confined TO
only a few persons who had heard nm
play in private.
There was something in his tran
scriptions Of folk music, however
which indicated that II he played the
pianoforte ut all his performances
would be full of the re-creative spirit,
that. in short, he would put into the
music of others an individuality which
would make il strong and vital, which
would make the composer live again
in a sense not indicated wholly by the
symbols OF the printed page. And this
was the the experience as made by
yesterdays recital.
He played Busoni's transcription OF
Bach's prelude and fugue IN ID, and the
audience forgot it's admiration for the
technical mastery of the archaic com
position in the grip which the music
took upon its feelings, for the music
carried them through wide emotional
gamut and left them almost breath
less in climaXes reached not by sheer
technical mastery, but by wonderful
disclosure of the musical heart OF the
composition. II was not only Bach that
he made interesting, but Busonl. lie
accomplished the same feat again with
Rrahms's variations on rocco
harpsichord theme by Handel, ana
then. first with an added piece
bv Schumann. a Romance, he be
gan an hour or more or sou!iuI
iyricism which embraced not only
a group OF small prescriptions by
Grieg, but also an ingratiating compo--
sition. half ballad, half romance, o.
his own called Colonial Song, emo,
rin's posthumous study in A-fat and
IL the programme was followedl Ra,
veI's "Ondine" and Albeniz's "Triana.
This group was interrupted by ms
stirring "Mock Morris" well calcu-
lated to keep up the interest IN EngnSh
music warmed into life by his iolk-
song prescriptions, with which the
New York public is rapidly becoming
familiar. -,
Mr.. Granger is pianist OF the high
est order. a master technician, but
deyotee also Of beauty and its appro-
pirate expression through the medium
Of the pianoforte, He commands
crisp. resilient touch, splendid sense
OF rhythm to match it. and also love
". clinging legato when it is called Tor.
lie took his hearers captive at the
outset of his recital and held them
so I'M the end. II. +. X.