Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-20
KELLYS' SONGS OF
IRISH FOLK LORE
Program Offered for Social Settle
ment Delights Large Audience
with It's Many Beauties.
UNUSUAL STYLE HAS CHARMS
ny HENRIETTA NJ. REEFS.


in this way an insight into the char
acter and customs Of its inhabitants;
one may look at pictures Of its nat
ural beauties. and OF the life OF its
cities and gain an idea Of the sur
roundings in which the people live
and their activities, but in the folk
songs Of a people one gets a peep
into the very hearts OF the people
themselves. They are brought Wv
idly near to us than IN any other
way.
Last evening the Omaha Social Settle
ment presented Mr.. and NDrs Thomas J.
/ Kelly in n program Of Irish Folk Songs
at the Fontenelle ball room, and ireland
with its Joys and sorrows, its legends
touch OF its history and many OF us
/ loveliest sentiments. lived before an audi
ence which filled the spacious ball room
to the last chair and gave the most fiat
tering attention Mr.. and Mrs. Kelly are
so we'll known in our city for their ar
tistic work that everyone expected de-
| lghtful treat and needless TO say they
were not disappointed.
{ Mrs. Kelly Charms.
Mrs Kelly was heard to excellent ad-
vantage in her share OF the program,
/ presenting the songs with the charm OF
manner. style. and artistry OF interpreta-
ton which has come to be associated
I with her. Mr. Kelly sang with his ac-
customed elegance and artistic ability.
and presented his short Introduction and
many remarks throughout the program
/ in highly entertaining manner, so much
so that It did not occur to anyone how
, instructive they also were. These lent
atmosphere to the songs and n little
! touch Of informality to the program. A
| short description OF the song, a little OF
/ its history or Of the time in which it
was most popular, and an idea of the
| various types presented made an exqui-
I site setting for the lovely old melodies
and accumulated their main qualities.
The program opened with a short in
PRODUCTION, containing Sidney l.anicr's
/ Greeting TO Ireland" and Thomas
Moore's version OF the Shamrock legend.
both poetic bits, which put the audience
just into the right mood for the songs.
A most beautiful lullaby. arranged by
Charles Viliers stanford. suggested In
fancy" Childhood" was represented by
three folk songs OF fairies, leprahauns
and loughrymen in which beauty of
melody and the dainty imaginative fac
ulty of the people was noticeable.
The Ninepenny Fidil." sung with in
imitablc skill by Mr.. Kelly caused much
amusement In this group.
Delights We're sIany.
THE Sentimental Lover" associated
with Youth. headed a group of especially
charming songs of which when Love
Is Kind" sung by Mrs Kelly, was the
greatest favorite. Mrs. Kelly's interpre-
tatlon OF this fascinating Moore poem
was such that the audience would not
be content until she had repeated the
last verse. THE Devotional Lover, -
Grown Ups" brought three more lovely
folk melodies. in which the charm of
sentiment is so closely associated with
the beauty OF music that each one
seems the most charming. There Is also
about them naive simplicity, which was
brought out with minute care by the
Kellys. 1t reminds one that there is
more art required In the singing OF a
simple song well than Is necessary in
many more pretentious number.
J In the second half of the program MIR.
Kelly spoke OF the religious conscious
ness of the Irish people. which is clearly
} seen in n great many OF their folk
songs. Mrs. Kelly sang a Christmas
carol which illustrated the point "1he
National Consciousness" was touched
} upon by the street song OF 1856, ''Llli-
) bulero,' which with the shan Van
Voght," both of which were sung by
Mr.. Kelly. who said that even to this
day there are streets In Ireland, where
! IL is not advisable to sing either one OF
the other The Tear and the Smile
= headed two groups of carefully chosen
: melodies. Some of the "GoltTee." a
9 lament type. others OF the "Gauntree'
type or the Smile"
one Song of sorrow.
e In these Mrs. Kelly's over Here" 4
famine song gave Mrs Kelly an oppor
! tunity for some Of the most artistic sing
Il ing OF the evening, and the impression