The sun., 1918-12-30
SOPHIE BRASLAU IN
CONCERT OF SONGS
Metropolitan COntralto Sings
at Interesting Recital in
Carnegie Hall.
PROGRAMME Is VARIED
New and Poignant Lyric by
Debussy Written in War
Time Proves Eloquent.

II is a significant fact familiar to all
watchers In the towers of Tllion that when
o0"r7 stars whlrl from their orbits an
fair into the o recital field, great Is
tho fall thereof Two famous xpo-
ucnts Of the lyric drama proved brilliant
exceptions 20 the rule. Lii Lehman
and Marcella Sembrich. The peer OF
either has not yet appeared. Never
thcless three young women at one time
or another associated with the Metro
politan have been more successful In
sing recital than in opera.
Alma Gluck and Anna Case have
found so much more favor in the con-
cert world that their fame spreads from
coast to coast and they have become
peculiarly independent. They nave well
deserved what they have. Sophie
Rraslau. contralto, Is still a member
of the Metropolitan forces and is usually
d!scerned In the backgrounds Of the
lyric stage with occasional advances
toward the footlights. Her ShdncwiS in
Mr.. Cadman's opera OF that name will
be remembered.
Miss Braslau at Carnegie.
Misc Braslau was heard in an after
noon OF songs at Carnegie Hall yester-
day. She delivered herself OF lyrics in
what sounded to the uninstructed ear
VI II y llSattltl lIht IN
and in Russian, Hebrew. French. Italian
and English. Since the "lieder abend'
was driven back across the Rhine son
Singers have taken unto themselves the
gift Of the allied tongues.
Miss Braslau IL much to be preferred
IN q concert Of songs. The opera stage
covers her with a veil OF apathy. and the
Sombre quality Of her tones. intensified
by pressure iniudiriously applied under
the apparent impression that she car
make herself moro contralto than nature
Intended her to be. robs her OF the brill
fancy and v~ivacity necessary TO the
theatre. All of which is a pity, because
she has one Of the most beautiful voices
now before the public.
She does not sing well in song recital
~ technique alone is TO he considered.
She has Of late forced her voice into
the hollow spaces of the pharynx and Il
Is only at rare intervals that a tone
escapes her vigilance and her soft palate.
and sings itself dams le masque' to the
enrichment OF its sorority. It's beauty
and its value as a medium OF express
sion.
interesting Recital Singer.
But despite this and other serious
technical defects Miss Braslau IS
an interesting recital singer. She
mas lpFliDE. WnlCl S0e communicate
by sheer conquest Of her own III made
tones. She sets well dow into
the inwardness OF her songs and
she publishes her conceptions IN clear
style. She did this yesterday with espe-
c!al eloquence in a new song by De-
busy. Noel des Enfants.' a poignant
lyric written since the war fell upon
France. Miss Braslau brought out
pretty nearly the entire content OF the
number.
She was admirable In her delivery
OF A Hebrew chant by Binder, though
in II her vocal shortcomings were clearly
in evidence. Among other things she
SANG a group Of four songs by Gahrieis
Sibella. who temporarily replaced Kurt
SCHNEIDER at the piano. Mr.. Sibella's
songs were kindly received n the
poorest Of them was enthusiastically
encored. The best was a madrigal in
early seventeenth century style, well
conceived ard skiifully written.