The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-02
SOME NEW BOOKS.


Nrs. Lon TelleGen's Life Of Gerald
ine Farrar.
NJ believe that a benevolent fate has
had watch owe me-" says GERALDINE
FARRAR in Geraldine Fdrrdr. the Story
Of an American Singer. by Herself
(HolShton Mifiin); some have called
!. tr.s. some nave spoken OF the hard
wq5k and the many years OF study;
Others nave cited my career as an In
stance of American pluck and per-
severance. But deep down in my
heart / feel much has been directed
by fate" The book shows clearly
enough the happy combination Of
these factors In a successful career.
the hard work which does not always
win and "Farrar's luck" TO turn the
balance.
In 1894, when she was twelve years
old. Miss Farrar sang in a May carni-
val in her birthplace. Melrose. Mass.
In n pageant of famous women i'm
personated by local talent she was
selected to represent Jennie Lind
singing Home. Sweet Home" But
with characteristic disregard" for in
Z She pm dttly utuiu'u W
sing an aria in Italian first: "Thc
prima donna Of my dreams would nat
urally dazzle her hearers with a selec-
ton In some foreign tongue and then
graciously respond 70 the clamorous
multitude with a simple ballad" The
girls Italian-in a song from Faust"
might have astonished an Italian,
but was quite satisfactory to the Mel
rose folks. The singer was recalled
several times. and finished with the
American n In the audience was
a pupil OF Mrs. J. II. Long. then the
best known singing teacher in Boston:
and she arranged for the girl to go
10 the city to sing for Mrs. Long.
Thus began the career.
Miss Farrar copies her first press
notice. from n Melrose newspaper.
May 81, 1896:
Miss Geraldine Farrsr. daughter OF MIR.
and Mrs. :. n. Farrsr. has a voice of
great power and richness. Many who
heard her for the FIRST time at the vesper
service last Sunday afternoon were greatly
surprised. She Is only thirteen years OF
sEc. but has a future OF great promise.
aud 4, is believed that Melrose will some
:" NC Hi'il Va uFt dNtdlUll'llN lH III
world OF music.
Not always is II given 10 the Jour-
nalistic critic % music and musicians
to prophesy so correctly. Miss Far
rar's first pay for singing was SO,
earned al a recital in Melrose. Febru-
airy 5. 1896. In the spring OF 1895 she
and her mother were received at the
White House by Mrs. Mckinley:
President Mckinley was occupied in his
private office with cngrossing business con
nected with the war. suddenly the otio Ia,
news came Of Dewey great victory at
Manila. The President. with the official
dispatches in his hand. entered the room
where his devoted wife IVES surrounded
by a sympathetic group OF friends. In
turn We were each presented to Mr.. Nc
Kfnlcy. and then. thrilled by the an.
nouncement OF the victory. Mrs Mckinley
asked me to cling The star spangled
Banner" There was a plano In the room.
for Mrs. Mckinley was intensely devoted
to music. ! played my own accompani-
ment. and, stirred by the glorious news
and inspired by the presence Of the Presi-
dent and his wife and the compliment Of
hsing asked to sing the national anthem
In the white House, I sang with all the
ardor and intensity OF which my nature
was CapaDle.
The story recalls Miss Farrar's inn
promptu leading of a Metropolitan au-
dience in the anthem after the tragedy
Of the Lusitania.
Paris and Berlin. In January. 1903.
Farrar's second season at the ROYAL
Opera. there came a Hofmarschall
from the palace to the American sing
cr's apartment to command her pres
ence at the palace that night. She
was notified that either lavender or
black must be worm. with gloves. hut
no Jewelry. II am sorry" she said
"meekly." as she now r~eports-"but I
never wear black and ! never wear
lavender. Neither color is becoming
to me-" The Mortified courtier remon-
strated in vain; the custom of the
court was not the custom Of the free
born democrat from Molrosc. cit IS
my CUSTOM" she said with a fnality
equal to hat of the Kaiser's own de-
crees. ito wear what ! choose when
] sing, and according to my mood;
and l choose 10 wear white. Further
more. ] never YEA gloves while sing
Ing" The emissary Of Wilhelm was
stumped: he would "see." 500 came
the message that Miss Farrar could
dress as she pleased. but she must
come. ~ wore white" The Kaiser
was conquered.
OF her venture into the movies
Miss F'arrar says: why shouldn't |?
] have never been the o~vercautious
prima donna. swathed in cotton, silent
save for singing, for fear Of undue
fatigue upon the voice-the human
vOcaliZer, No. I like the novel and
the unusual always. and l adore TO
act" The emphasis Is her own.