The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1916-11-04

u16ueSL plICu OF enthusiasm. This
evidence of a gracious personality i'm
mediately placed singer and audience
en- rapport with one another.
Several numbers had of a necessity
TO be omitted, Mr.. Burleigh feeling,
rightly, that his voice was in no con-
dition to attempt the difficult pass
ages. Assisted by Miss Albreta c.
Bell, who proved a most painstak.
ing and sympathetic accompai1yist, the
distinguished baritone so1oist took his
audience through a well chosen pro-
gramme, representing a wide range
OF contrasting compositions Mr.
Burleigh possesses a dramatic bari
tone voice of great purity and range,
which he uses in the most sympathetic
manner. He is, in addition, possessed
OF a fine stage presence, with ability
to reflect sentiment of the song in his
expression.
In the first number which MI. Bur-
leigh presented, Beethoven's Hymn
to Nature" the singers efforts to
arise to the spirit Of the composition
left one with a feeling of regret that
he was unable to do full justice to the
theme of the composition. In "The
Wanderer, (Schubert) and ""The Two
Grenadiers" (Schumann), Mr.. Bur-
leigh, with splendid artistic abandon
and courage, scared above mere
physical stress, and rendered both of
these numbers with spirit and fervor,
Schubert's "Staendchen" was del
icately executed, the artist losing none
of the sweet tonal effects that fairly
breath throughout this beautiful sere-
made. In the third and fifth series Of
the recital (the entire fourth being
omitted), Mr.. Burleigh was delight
fully Eat home,'' four numbers of
which were his own arrangement. The
first Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
was feelingly rendered, but in dig My
Grave Long and Narrow" and Skinner
Doan' Let Dis Harves' Pass" he was
truly fine, rendering these songs with
all the tonal expression that has been
the means of placing Negro Folk and
Dialect Songs in the front: rank of
American musical composition. In
the final number "Exhortation, by
Cook, he fairly excelled himself. His
splendid minor tones were truly in
spring. All the pathos and the
weirdly sweet melody that flows
through all Negro Folk Songs were in
harmonious evidence. One quickly
sensed the deeply religious fervor with
which the singer SO artistically, and
spiritually clothed this number. Even
in. the piano movement, Mr. Burleigh
acting as his own accompanies, one
realized that the mans heart and soul
were in his work here. In the
writer's opinion, Mr. Burleigh is es-
sentially an artist who can be heard
to the best advantage in compositions
of this nature, where the theme is
deeply religious.
Mr. Robert Strong, organist, who
opened the programme, contributed
two delightful numbers, namely, the
Grand Choeur, by Rogers, and Dubois
"Cantilene Nuptiale." .
In the course Of Mr.. Burleigh's re-
marks he feelingly referred to the
audiences sympathetic effectiveness
and spontaneous, whole-hearted ap-
plause. When he contrasted the con-
duct Of Eastern audiences with that Of
the West, he paid the latter a most
generous compliment. Permit the
writer to say that it was the most
decorous, generous and sympathetic
audience that it has been his privilege
to observe in any section of the States
or Canada.
Regardless Of the weather condi-
tions, the recital was an all round sue
cess. While the artists contributed
hAf,s oh - x1
fair. the audience was no whit behind
in It's contribution Of sincere and gen.
erous acknowledgement Of what could
easily have been dismal failure.
Frederic Hart Williams.