The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-16
GEORGE aEfStAEL
AND HIS FRIENDS

and whether he accompanies me or
accom- oany rlys i. Il 10 absolutely the
same thing" such combinations az
this arc unusual. but It Ia still rare-
to find a great singer who is his own
best accompanied. The case Of Sir
George Henschel may really be consid-
cred unique. One would give rood
& sal 30 have from bis own pen an
account OF how he developed that
extraordinary giit of sitting at the
piano In intimate touch With his audi
ence and producing his voice with the
same marvellous effect rs If he were
standing face to face with those to
whom he was singing.
In the Musings and Memories OF
"a Musician" Sir George has put
down many things about many men.
and some few quite interesting notes
of the musical way OF thinking or
great musicians, but he has left al
most wholly out of account that art
in which he himself was supreme. or
course, the foundations of bis success
lay in his admirable gifts and train
ing as a pianist in his histrionic tall
ents and In his fine and sympathetic
baritone voice But what governing
lara istie quality WAS his which succeed
Cd in fnsing all three into a haruio
,nious whole? The portrait II Hen
Isehel by John Sargent, which forms
the froltispiece to tho volume, pro-
! lvides some aid to the solution Of the
problem. Versatility and Intellectual
power are markedly present IN the
face. which without being gay gives
an g. aordinary effect Of loveliness;
but the portrait also brings out a GER
tain faculty OF NJ eaeurenent and of CO.
ordination which must have greatly
helped him to proportion and adjust
his musical erdowmerts till they at
, Ia, 49, I.
lie concealed art,
tn Sugh Henschers sense of proper
!. ton mas thus aided him throughout
hs musical career II certainly deserts
him IS writer Of the book under con-
siGcration. His musings have very
= little OF hat interpretive quality
: which throws Light upo1 the man
= him n (iudeef. be himself express
ly dicclaims any autobioCra phical IN
- tert) While many Of the memories re-
call incidents such rs any tourist of
more than average ability. and with
:. tynfJci7nt iAtroiuctions might include
: ia his record OF travels.
= So far as the material In bsographi-
:. cal, II may Re ai'!ded into an account
" nj his early life and musical training.
:, his en.erkence as p singer OF Euro
r oeau reputation, and further the DC
= Rod when no added to his engage
. nents and responsibilities By becom-
ing conductor first ofthe Boston Sym
: trnony Orchestra and later OF the Lon.
e don symphony Orch sstrn and Scot
: fish Orchestra IN Glasgow From tn:
- point OF composer, 1t Ia possible ever
to distinguish "a fourth period. fol
= HenscheFs principal York in this di.
:. renuon, apart from tho writing oi
~ som was accomplished after his
:. CONG 'ete establishment OF the Bos
= ton and London orchestras
!. Hcnsch@l was the con OF parents
= in humble cirromstan ces. hut proud OF
= their Polish descent. Ills early life
=" waa spsnt IN prestau. wNcvs he ha 4
: his first musical obstruction. after
a ward studying ~ FNipxig ard Berlin
g In the Prussian canitai he came under
the influence OF Joseph Joachim, who
r. was then the heed OF the Royal High
: School for Music. When ne wa:
r twenty-four yearn old. that Is In 1874
= se got an important engagement a
y Ceicn-ne for one of the famous Neither
= Rhenish music festivals, when III
sang the part of Harapha in Handerl
t"Sarnron." On that occasion also III
had the good fortune 20 meet Brahms
who extended 20 him a friendship thai
was one OF the notable events OF hi.
,ife. Three years later hs fulfilled hi,
II first engagement In England, where
after time he settled ana was ret.
/ urati2ed- From 1881 to 1881 Hen.
sches WAS engaged in starting the Pos
ton Symphony orchestra and in con.
Quoting II for the frst three seasons
u This, too, was the time of his mar.
10 rs>-1so 10 the American soprano, Ms,
n lillian Bailey. With whom he gsv'
"a encearee them to both the British nj
y American plb''c, Except for coca
sionsi visits abroad. tho rest Of tbs
J. period covered by the book was spent
is in the British Isles
In truth, the connecting links az
T. through the book ara Hensche~s
Is friendships rather than his work Az
~ q yonnT man he takes Il holiday ir
" the Austrian AIRS to be near he Joa-
rhirns; makes music with them in the
" evenings, and often starts NJ O'Clock
y IN the morning for whole days
q tramp over the hilltops with the grea,
= Niofn-st Asain. when Brahms parts
n from him after another holiday, tie
h goes with Heusctei in the diligence
r some three miles Of the way. and the
q sast rtsht the latter catches OF tbs
T. famous musician is out of the carriage
IL wlnfow; such a picture. he says, al
,- could never be forgotten, ''as far as
- The eve could reach. nothing but
moor and clouds and BrahmR" o.
Il take this con- anion picture OF Jenny
It tAnd, % fun OF conversation that. &C.
q tSl1-paHylLS fteI@cfet TO her from
door. she passes out with him arounc
the corner OF Mor~ton Gardens. anc
idown the street until he insists or
j. escortin~ her back.
y Here ans there are matters OF more
-5 importance from 4 genuinely musica
o point OF view Eeuschel has rightly
IA re asured these wui ds Of =, Brahms
+, ken when they were alone, eyi-
= gently without prem editation. There
E, Is no real creating" he said, without
II hard work. That which you woult
70 call in"enjon~~that In to say
thought, an dea--is simply an inspi
Ie ration from above for which am no
= responsible, which is nc merit o.
8 mine. Yea, IL Is present. a gift
% which 7 ought even to desp.se until
IS ~ - fr, Nw'n By right O,
L. hard work. And there need be nj
% -. "a ti.&t. etEhcr. 1t n al
- with The saed-corn. II terminates I'm.
l., cons -iooAly and in spite of ourselves
- 1he Least pleasing pages OF thii
. af~S relate 10 Henschel's intercourse
N with people Of high degrees, and YET
the 10 is "a certain disarrnfng frankness
l. in these attempted sclf-revelaiions
'g On one of his professional visits II
of Darmstadt he VIE entertained at thu