Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-31


in the St. Francis Auditorium on
Museum night, Tuesday evening. for
the piano recital by Homer Grunn,
composer and pianist of Los Angeles,
who was assisted by Mrs. Ramona
Rollins Griffin, now of Gallup, but
formerly of Los Angeles, and daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs. Warren e. Roll
Inns, of Santa Fe Art Colony The
recital was all that had been predicted
for it, and more, for Santa Fe has not
heard the equal of Mr.. Grunn for
many moons. 1t is impossible to tell
in mere words the delight of the soul
! feast that was granted those in at
J tendance. Mr.. Grunn is more than
| pianist or composer. He is an artist,
man who lives his music and who
expresses it as it is given few to voice
their songs. His technique is superb
| it was developed and finished Under
Europe's best known modern masters
but all the fine points of technique,
| Of incompatible grace. of skillful
pedaling and extraordinary lingering,
were forgotten in the sweetness of the
notes and chords that ''ravished the
ear" List, himself, no doubt. would
Ihave been gratified to have heard MS
"Ballade in b Minor" as rendered on
Tuesday evening by Mr.. Grunn. Depth
of feeling, romantic color, sympathetic
understa nding Of the composer. and
with it all a message of his own ana
power that comes from knowledge and
experience, combined to give an unfor-
gettable tone picture. which is put
/ into descriptive words by Lord Byron
in 1.-The Prisoner of Chillon," when
he describes the ripple and the
thunder of the waves against the mas
sive walls of the castle. the dashing
of the spray and the rocking of the
earth as contrasted with the quiet
gloom of the dungeon and the despair
of the prisoner. Overwhelming as
was the rendition of the Ballade, 1t
was not any more beautiful than the
Indian Suite of Zuni Impressions. For
sheer beauty nothing more lovely
could be imagined than Mr. Grunns
rendition of his own Rainbow
Spring" for instance, or THE Flute
IGod," while as a characteristique the
Rain Dance" had it's special appeal
The Rainbow Spring was a YER
liable cascade of tonal harmonies,
shimmering like the colors of the rain
bow and woven into a melody or
supernal charm. Mysterious Story"
had simple, direct qualities that yet
led off into mysticism, into dream
world of enchantment. With the
heights reached by Zuni Impressions,
there was hardly any letting down
in Sea Pictures of which Mr.. Grunn
lis also the composer, but which diff
fer in trend from Zuni Impressions
as the desert differs from the rock
bound Pacific coast. The concert
waltz, 'In Springtime," is melodious
! wi
by Mr.. Grunn and on Tuesday even
ing interpreted on the piano with an
abandon and yet, finesse, that captur-
ed the audience. Rubenstein's diff
cult Concert Study was given with
the precision of the classic pianist,
the master who would not change a
iot or title even though he has the
power and the Imagination in fellow
masters composition 1t was all
together fine. Naturally. Mr.. Grunn
was encored each time and in response
he scattered musical gems whose
beauty fairly made the audience gasp.
Mrs. Griffin was in fine voice ana
her dramatic presence left nothing
to be desired. She is a Santa Fe
favorite just as she was favorite on
the New York concert stage. She
voluntarily subordinated herself on
the master of the evening, and yet
sacrificed not not whit of her powers
in singing such difficult arias as "One
Fine Day" from Puccini's Madam
Butterfly" However, it was in
Charles F. Lummis' "The Star" set 10
music by Rogers, that Mrs. Griffin
pleased her audience most, and she
had to repeat it. 1.-THE Gypsy Song,
from the opera "Maytime." as VIII
as THE Sea Hath Its Pearls by
CAM, under whom, by the way, Mr..
Grunn' studied for a while, were ex-
ceedingly well sung by Mrs. Griffin.
She was also most delightful in Lang's
Irish Love Song" in Bennett
Chinese suite "On the Chang and
in Gilberts Bonnie Sweet Bessie.
The encores she sang were well select
ed and fitting the fine range of her
voice and -ordinating. as It were,
with the character of the program. It
was gracious act on part of Mr.
! Grunn and Mrs. Griffin that they con-
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