Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-11-26

~ rome, which Sir FORBES
.5SS Robertson made his own
1ISsI called the Passing of the
~ Third Floor Back" So re-
freshing and idyllic, and like breath
uf fresh air after some of the plays
one sees. Do you remember the
typical boarding house before the
Third Floor Back came into it, how
dngy it was and how sordid the
lives of the people who lived there:
Yet the very first night the stranger
was in their midst the transforms
ton begun. These people were not
really bad people, they were simply
in rut of the unpleasant things, and
instead of mastering their environ
ment, the environment was rap
idly mastering them. Then the
Third Floor Back came into their
lives, and, oh, what a change it made.
The cad went in for decent enter
tainment, ito give pleasure without
vulgarity," the artist did not debase
his talent, but lived up to his ideals
of the best.
The. wealthy, retired "boolde," in
stead OF spending his money on vain
personal desires, became an art pa
"tron," and the poor relation Of the
nobility became instead the rich
aunt OF her nearer but neglected rela-
tives. He even brought sunshine into
the life of the lonely little servant,
and gave her food for thought, some
thing to live up to and to enrich her
life. Everyone with whom he came
in contact was influenced for the bet
ter, because he appealed to their
nobler selves, helped them to look
beyond the petty annoyances to the
bigger and higher sides of life, and
led them to think clearly and to
live up to the best that was in them.
He never lectured or criticised the
small things; his work was entirely
done by an almost subconscious sug-
gestion.
1t is rather a peculiar play, with
the principle character unnamed. He
was simply called by the location OF
his room, and nobody knew who he
was nor whence he came. | happened
to be reading this over the other day,
and was idly wondering about him.
Who was he. anyway? Who could
so easily and so remarkably effect
so many different kinds of people,
. from so many walks of life who hap
pened to be living in proximity to
one another?
Then of a sudden this thought
came. He wasn't person at all,
Just an impersonation. Why wasn't
= he the impersonation of active par
ticipation and cooperation in good
music locally? For once this comes
into a community md lives right with
the people, il has much the same eff
feet. Could this have been the Sc
cret of his IDENTIFY
| wonder.
Her Omaha friends will be inter-
ested in the following newspaper
comments of the Boston recital of
Miss Frances Nash, and which were
selected for several similar ones:
Boston Transcript, Nov. 15.--Miss Nash
played yesterday at Steinert hall in q way
that proved her mettie for accomplish
ment and her love Of her art Indeed from
present indications, the fame Of Miss Nash
is likely to Increase in other ways than
advertisement, for she played an introduce
tory recital with an eager warmth and
an enthusiastic instinct for muaic which
kept her. audience continually and music
ally alive to what she had to tell them.
She has an Unborn musical understanding,
and not an acquired substitute for it--an
understanding which brings in natural suit.
Intelligent phrasing, and stressins. and
generally sound Interpretation. Miss Nash
plays always In her own way OF individu-
atty, seif-suffcienoy and good sense. She
does not labor over Ltsztian difficulties,
and, what is rarer, she does not flannt them
but always plays them with some ease.
with warmth. and with beauty Of tone.
Where others would resort to brilliant ao-
complishment she reveals engaging light
ness and taste of sturdy volume. She has
a fine reserve force and mover becomes
so Intoxicated by 1t as to call upon II
for every possible occasion. Miss Nash's
natural warmth of feeling must most~con-
seal in the romantic ardors Of Chopin and
Liszt
Boston Globe, Nov. 15.--Miss Nssh's play
ing shows pleasing qualities and denotes
a musical nature. There is spontaniety
and freedom In expression. 1t Is Keller
to sit before a player who does not take
the plano too seriously. 1t Is possible that
It's several contemporaneous inventors and
It's present makers intended the instru-
ment should give pleasure. Elasticity in
tempo is a gift to be grateful for Miss
Nash also has an agreeable touch varieu
and expressive. She was warmly applauded.
The Auditorium is conducting
purely nebular Course of Concerts I'M
der municipal auspices this season.
Godowsky appeared there in this man.
ner in October, and last Thursday
evening Julia Claussen. the famous
contralto, gave perfectly hypotheti-
cal recital there before an audience
composed Of politicians, public and
buttermilk. So far this course has
been entirely successful from con-
templative and anticipatory point of
view, and future announcements of
great artists to appear upon this de-
cidedly unusual course will be awaited
with speculative and, shall one say,
an astral interest?
1.-THE good that men do lives after
them" The other day Mr.. Simms
showed me letter written to him by
Mr.. Landsberg after concert by the
Musical Art society, which Mr.. Simms
was then conducting. 1t was note
of sincere appreciation and thanked
s-Mr. Simms for the pleasure the music
and its presentation had given him. A
little appreciation from fellow artists
often helps long way in the musical
world, where the most that is accom-
plshed is done for love of the work
rather than hope of great remunera-
tive compensation. Mr.. Landsberg
often wrote these little notes of appre-
citation, and they were always greatly
appreciated by the recipients.
.