The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-05

for November, 1907, the present writer
referred to this matter, saying:
"Agujari and Catalani had more ex-
traordinary voices, but the former had
little else, while the latter failed wholly
in simple and plalntive melodies
Pasta and Grisi excelled Patti in the
splendor Of their dramatic powers, but
neither could equal her in the fiawless
emission of tones. Malibran, the great
daughter OF Manuel Garcia, had a style
which was marred by questionable
taste in ornament"
Doubtless PATHS greatest rival In
facility and elegance was Jenny Lind
but PATHS voice was more extensive
more rich and more thoroughly equal.
lied. Nine. Patti executed all the dag
cling cadenzas Of her roles with con-
summate ease, exquisite taste and
perfect quality of tone. She sane
sentimental numbers, such as 'Ah.
fors lui' in 'Traviata,' faultlessly
Her Zerind in Don Giovanni Rostnn
In Ii Barbiere' and Martha in Flotoyr's
opera will doubtless remain the mod
els Of vocal ease, abandon and spon-
taneity, and the highest embodiments
OF elegant and vivacious comedy in
the domain Of opera"
In the same article the writer ex-
pressed regret that the famous So
prano was one of the last representa-
uves of a school OF singing that was
SLOWLY dying out. Fortunately there
have been soue Indications in recent
years that pure singing, as distin-
guished from 30 called Interpretation
without the foundations of technic, is
still regarded as worth while. The
adulation OF Mime. Tetrazzini and Mime.
Galli-Curci shows that the public is
still ready to enthrone the singer.
1t is true that lack of perfect ex-
amples has permitted a depreciation
In public taste. and that much very
bad singing is now mistaken for art;
but let half a dozen real singers ap-
pear above the horizon and all this
viii quickly be changed. 1t is no new
incident in comedy that the valet is
mistaken for the nobleman TIL the
real lord appears upon the scene.
Doubtless some OF the younger read
ers OF this department of THE Sun
would with interest steep their spirits
in a detailed comparison of Nine. Patti
with the reigning queens of song"
The writer can discern no great profit
in such 3 comparison. If. for instance,
he assures these readers that their
adored Galli-Curci is not worthy to
be discussed beside Patti they must
at once dismiss him as an old fogy
who has lost the zest of life. Then might
arise even some adorers of Nine. Bar
rientos to present her claims, and to
them the writer would be forced to
bring the still greater shock of his
conviction that Mabel Garrison is a
better singer than the Spaniard.
No, the method of criticism by COM
parison, even at its best. Is unsatis-
factory. All one can do is to para
phrase Kipling and declare that Patti
was Patti and when You have said
that you have but come to the be-
ginnings of knowledge. It is more
encouraging for us to contemplate the
future and to cherish the hope that
the ardent pursuit of high vocal ideals
may once more become general. No
one wishes to hear a violin badly
played. with a rough quality Of tone,
a scratchy bow, false information and a
slovenly style. even though 1t be true
(Which is disputable) that the violin
is the most expressive instrument
Yet people go to the opera and listen
to Just such treatment of beautiful
natural voices and applaud raptur-
ously. The cure for this is in the
power of the singers. Let them sing,
II not as well as Patti. as near to it
ne