The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-20
FOUR SISTINE CHOIR
SOLOISTS ARE HERE
This Is First Trip of Famous
Singers From Their Ma
tive Italy.
TO MAKE CONCERT TOUR
Newspaper Enterprise, Build
ing Height, Prohibition, Tax
Their Mental Grasp.

Until yesterday morning Alessandro
Gabrielli. the soprano Of the world
famous quartet of soioists from the Sis
tine Chapel choir OF the Vatican. Rome"
(to quote from the printed announcement
OF their coming 10 America), supposed
that his exquisite falsetto notes were
the highest things on earth. When he
struck New York and took look around
following his arrival In Boston Sunday
with his three fellow songbirds he ac-
knowlcdged his mistake. He knows now
that the Woolworth tower is higher.
The contralto Of this renowned quartet
Is Luigi Gentili, the basso is Augusta dos
Santos. and the tenor is LILO Cecchini,
and September IA, in Carnegie Hall, the
four will begin the series of concerts
which are designed to show America
what real music is At present they are
at the Hotel Chatham, digesting their
FIRST Impressions of this so strange, mar
vellous and incomprehensible country
where ones picture. taken at 10 A. NJ.
on ones landing at the dock, is at 3
p. M. that same day on the front page
OF the newspapers sold on the streets OF
Boston, quickness not to be under
|lstood-and where a Government other
wise delightful and not to be criticised
by visitors who are receiving such
courtesy actually interferes with a gen.
tleman's right to have wine with his
dinner. Yes. prohibition is beyond the
mental grasp of the Vatican singers
Not that they expect to be incon-
venienced. A little of the best with the
meals IS all the throat OF a singer should
have, end that they are assured OF
having during their four months stay.
Not of Roman Choir.
The coming of these soloists, who are
not to be confused with the Roman choir
that is due later, is rather an event in
musical as well as in Catholic circles.
for 1t is the first time that America ever
succeeded in Turing the pride Of the
Sistine Chapel away from Rome. Many
times for many years, from back in p.
j. Barnums day and before, agencies
and individuals here have made the at
tempt, but always vainly The soloists
OF the Sistine choir had to be on hand
for all red letter occasions, to lead the
singing when cardinals were ordained
or any other special festival took place.
And now they must return to Rome in
time for the Christmas celebrations so
they will sail by the middle of December.
Senior dos Santos, the basso. who
served thirty-four months In the italian
army. was recalled from the 'front.' to
the Sistine Chapel on several important
musical occasions. such as Easter
/ Mark j. Samuels OF the Wolfsohn
Musical Bureau went over for the quar-
tet and chaperoned them back and he
says he drew a long breath of relief
when he finally delivered them safely
in Boston. Having never been out OF
Italy before. they have the naive Curl
osity of children about everything they
see, and to satisfy their curiosity and
at the Same time guard their threats
from climatic changes was considerable
OF r strainJof Mr.. Samuels.
Senior Gabrielle. who Is the fieshy one
OF the lot and looks like basso, though
he is the soprano. requires the most
care His throat is said by specialists
to be constructed just like that OF the
prifha donna whose notes his resemble,
| and he is terribly afraid of drafts All
The members of the Wolfsohn agency
| were up there holding shawls at the
windows when reporters arrived. Ga
brielli, 1t appears. began his career as
| boy soprano. and his voice never
! changed. He looks bit like Caruso
| by the way
None Speaks English.
| Senior Gentili. the contralto, is the
| linguist of the party. When they ar
rived in Boston none could speak a
word of English, but now Gentili car
say Thank you" Charming" De
lighted" How do you do?" and several
other things in real Americanese.
The singers were accorded an audi
| ence by Cardinal O'Connell during thei
stay in Boston. They brought will
| them letters OF introduction to American
prelates of the Catholic Church from DR.
Ernesto Boezi. musical director OF thu
Chapel of St. Peters, the Vatican from
! Basilius Cardinal Vicarius, the de fact,
| Bishop of Rome; from Lorenzo Perosi
| director of the Sistine Chapel, who de
scribes them as very great musicians
and for a long time singers at the Sis
tine Chapel and from various othe
Italian dignitaries. These letters wer
shown to reporters yesterday In proc
of the genuiueness of the quartet. TIL
Yicar-General. Merry del Val. also wrot
for them a bon voyage.
In their concerts they will be accom-
panied by Albert Cammetti, organist AM
musical director at the Sistine Chapel
They will sing not only sacred bu
| operate selections. and such moder
music as Debussy's. After the openin
concert in New York they will tou
the country, going as far west a
Omaha. On their return they will CIV
farewell concerts in this city. The Sis
tine Choir was founded in the year 34I
and for a long time only priests wer