New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-13
Artist Sings at Concert
Given TO Help Her
COuntrymen.
KNEISEL QUARTET
IN NEW MUSIC
Ever Young and Ever Fair,
Tribute to Diva by Crowd
Of Admirers.
BY II. f. KREHBIEL.

her everlasting departure from tne
operate stage six years ago and been
the recipient Of what was probably the
most extraordinary and grandiose trio-
ute ever paid to a lyric artist, and Il
she had not at the time remindc her
admirers that she was member Of
the company that inaugurated the Met
ropolitan Opera House, il might seem
ungallant to refer TO the long period
Of time during which She has been
high priestess Of the beautiful in New
York's temples and the finest Of all eX-
emplars that a generation Of sing
ers have been privileged to study.
But these facts, coming 70 mind
yesterday afternoon, when, after
an absence Of two years, she
gave a song recital in Carnegie
Hall only added TO the wondermcnt and
admiration which that recital excited.
The affair had been arranged and an
nounced in the ordinary course OF
events when the lady's patriotic a'fec-
tions were stirred by the suIerings o.
her countrymen in their ancestral home
and she resolved to give its proceeds
to the fund raising by the American
committee of which she was chosen
president. The circumstance might
have been considered as removing
it in manner az least outside
the domain of critical comment, but
this would have been an artistic
misfortune and most distinctly o
los for beautiful as il was in contem-
plation as a benevolent affair, II was
more lovely and at the same time more
valuable as an episode IN the artistic
activities of the season. Ever young
and ever fair" was the judgment Of the
thousands who had gathered, quite m
the old manner, when she appeared
upon the platform, and thrice mar
vellous" was the judgment long before
she had finished her self-set task OF
singing almost without lntermlsslon
for two hours. To the knowing and
there were hundreds of such IN the
vast audience concert was less a
miracle performed by q gracious and
gifted woman than an eXempllilcatlon
Thirty years ago, when the singer.
filled with the fresh vigor Of youth
and bubbiing over with its eXuberance.
held her own on the stage OF the opera
house with such popular idols as Patti
end Nilsson, she could not and did not
exert such a hold uD0n her hearers as
she did yesterday when she sang NOR
than a score Of songs German, Ing
lish. French. Polish and Norwegian
without the adyentitious aid OF scenery
and action But that she could DO this
was all owing 20 the gifts, graces and
requirements which were recognized
when first she came into the notice OF
the local public. Summed up In a
word. these rare qualities meant musl-
cianship. When i'm the spring Of 1884
size disclosed the fact that she was not
only a past mistress of the art of sing
ing. but that she could also play the
pianofOrte almost as well as she could
sing and could perform upon the violin
quite as well as upon the pianoforte,
those who knew the meaning Of the
word knew that so long as she re-
NAMED alive she would not be lost 10
.art. The voice might depart, but the
lessons which her use of It had taught
would remain, remain like benedlc-
tion 10 fortunate generations.
That voice is not gone and the ART
behind 10 is as potent as ever. mat
was made plain to delighted thousands
Yesterday. Carnegie Hall was crowded
Capacity" said the managers OF the
affair in their prosaically technical
jargon. That meant some 10000 when
would go 10 the benficiarles Of the al
fair. and TO the sum was added some
hundreds derived from the sale Of
the books of words which were sold
bv some of Nine. Sembrichs pupils,
headed by Alma Gluck, and other
friends With that end of the affair we
have no further concern; haply 10 VIII
be cared for by others in another part
of this journal. Nine. Sembrich fol-
lowed one OF her old lines IN planning
her programme. but omitted the char
acteristic group Of classical Italian
airs in order TO gain larger oppor-
tunity for her favorite song compos-
crs, Schubert, Schumann and Brahms.
The list was printed in these columns
last Sunday and need not be repeated.
But it was considerably extended 10
satisfy the demands for more made
during the singing and at the close oi
each group. Thus Monro's old English
"My Lovely Celia" was added 70 the
Schubert group; Schumann's dainty
Sandman" was repeated, and "truh-
added 20 the songs By that
composer. and that song calling out
new enthusiasm Nine. Sembrlch harked
back to her memorable recital Of
folksongs and sang that most ex-
duisite Of Irish airs. THE Coulln. ,
after the Brahms set she sang Polish
folksong. The final group was Of a
character - Dcbussy's
"Fautoches" called for a repetition as
did also Mr.. La FORCES new song,
Longing" and the composer. who
played the most exquisite accompani-
ments all afternoon as usual, without
hook. was compelled 20 share the hon
ors with the singer. a Juror Of en-
thusiasm followed the Norwegian folk
song. "Kom Kjyra," which brought the
set list TO close, and then began the
usual aftermath. Arne's THE Lass
with the Delicate Air" was not enough,
nor Arensky's I'm Dance | Lately En-
braced Her.; Chopin's "Maiden's
Wish" with the singer playing the ae-
compartment, had to come as matter
of course. There were cheers and
calls for more, but IL was half after
) o'clock and the lights were turned
out. So ended a most notable and
most delightful affair.
Mile. Alma Gluck headed the band Of
young women who sold programmes
and Polish badges After the pro
gramme Nine Sembrich held an infor-
NAL reception behind the scenes which
was turned into a kissing bee by the
numbesr Of temperamental friends who
crowded round their favorte Zimbal-
ist and Josef Hofmann were there. as