New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-13
Music of Yesterday
Miss Hempel Goes Away
Is Heard in Concert and
in Figaro
BY II. L. KREHBIEL

MISS Frieda Hempel gave a concert
{ of opera airs and songs in Carnegie
Hall yesterday afternoon and in the
/ evening said farewell 70 the opera pub
I lie for the season at the Metropolitan
Opera House in a performance Of lie
NOZze di Figaro" II was the thlrd
representation Of Mozart's delightful
comic opera this year and probably the
last, unless Mr.. Gatti has IN view fur
Their experiment in the field which year
after year IS receding further and FUR
Their from the comprehension and eapac-
tiles OF the opera singers Of to-day.
Touching that fact we shall have some
thing 70 say presently
Perhaps the most obvious thing about
Miss HempePs concert was its sincere,
altogether amiable and quite successful
effort 20 perpetuate the tradition IN
both operate and song singing when
Nine. Sembrlch has represented almost
alone for a generation.
The effort was manifest in both ilelds
represented by her programme. She
sang two Of Handel's airs, DUAL far
falletta" from the Italian opera Par
tenOpe" and Come, beloved" from AT
Atlanta" Tin English, and "Casta Diva
from Bellini's Norma" Also, Ike
Nine. Sembrich. she made a real show
piece out of an instrumental waltz
: Strauss "Wine, Woman ana Song
OF her thirteen songs, some were
from Madame Scmbrich's familiar list,
not 20 speak of those which sac added
20 her list on recalls. ike Brahms. s
/ ergeblichcs Standchen,' Hugo Nolts
"Elfenlied' and Schumann's "Nuss-
baum.'
These facts are not recorded in a spirit
OF criticism, but Of praise. Miss Hem
pei chose a good model and did honor
10 her eXamplar, not only in her selec-
ton. but also in her manner OF sing
ing. Never has her voice sounded more
fresh and beautiful, never has it come
forth more spontaneously, more flu
entity. with greater limpidity and equa-
bility of register. Her most charming
effects were attained in the songs OF
light texture and playful sentiment,
such as VOLTS "Mausfalle," Humper-
Cinck's "Wiegenlied' and Brshms's ex-
quisitely arch serenade; never has she
given a finer exhibition of legat0 IN
phrase "a well as consistency OF tcr2
than in Schumann's "Mondnacht.'
In songs Of deeper emotional import
there was an occasional loss Of tonal
values at the end Of phrases and a
trihing neglect of expressive punctua-
ton, as there was a failure Of emo
tional climax at the close Of Strauss
serenade, for instance, but Of pure
musical and interpretative charm her
singing was full ard. 70 connoisseurs,
her concert was a delight. Mr.. Hage-
mann played her accom- paniments, well,
on the whole. but with less Difference
20 her refined style at times than il
deserved.
In the opera airs at her concert and
IN the performance Of ale Nozze di
Figaro" in the evening Miss Hempel
compelled a mixture OF regret a. her
departure with the pleasure which her
singing gave. The larger lines Of the
classic style were not present in her
performance Of "Casta Diva" but there
was a fine appreciation of their spirit
and their demands even If IL was eS-
pressed in miniature. She was the one
singer in the opera who showed full
knowledge OF the technical require
ments Of Mozart's music and who dis
closed complete familiarity with the
musical text as 10 was read in Mozart's
time. That text is not all set down
Tor the eye in the symbols as they ap-
pear on the printed page. There are
conventions in the airs, as well as the
recitatives, which are TO be learned
from tradition and study OF the art Of
song.
One of these is the use of the IN
written appoggiatura, with which most
singers. whether German or Italian,
seem to be as unfamiliar to-day as Ger
man conductors are with the true mean
ing of the time designation "Andante."
In the eighteenth century this, as its
root indicates, meant that the music, 10
use a slang term, should get a move
on" Mr. Mailer, when he conducted
'Don Giovanni" and lie Nozze" here.
conceived it 70 be something quite
sluggish. and so does Mr.. Bodanzky in
the male Of the comedy where there is
anything but the cheerful happiness
indicated b. the words ("Pace. pace II
MIC tesoro') in the music after the
reconciliation Of Susanna and Figaro.
The climax of beauty Of the Won
derful finale OF the second act wrought
by the introduction Of Cherubino's COM
mission, was without humor at the first
performance, but last night 1t went