Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1920-01-24

other country.
Today none would think of giving vocal
recital in which American songs did not fg.
ure. But there was a time when celebrated
singers evaded American songs on the spec
lous plea that English was unsingable
Madame Patti, in answer to the direct
question, els English good language to
sing?' answered me, ''English is not good
language to sing only to those who do not
know how to sing it..
In her glorious days | have seen an audi
ence OF thousands bend forward in breath
less silence as she sang ''Home, Sweet
IlOme;' the sOftest notes of that supreme
mezzo voice of hers carried each distinctly
enunciated word lingeringly, sympathetic
cally, with a ravishing beauty of tone alive
with tenderness and meaning.
Nevertheless in past years, not so very
far away, concert singers, both eminent and
aspirant, generous proportion of them
American ones at that, declared persistently
that English was not to be attempted without
offending their artistic sensibilties
Suddenly all changed. Madame Nordica
it was who proved the foremost figure in
the movement. Her artistic position was
unassailable; she could do as she willed.
Above all she was ardently an American.
Eagerly she sought out songs by her country
men, placing them in recital programs that
she sang throughout the United States
Madame Nordica it was who made tireless
propaganda for Charles Wakefield Cadmn,
whose great meodie talent she instantly
recognized when he was utterly unknown
Since that time when he first gave out his
admired song, "Land of the Sky.bue
Water,' what mass of songs and nstru-
mental pieces he has written, as we'll as the
opera. "Shaneweis,' which had the dstinc-
ton of being presented at the Metropolitan
Opera House 70 her he owes primarily
his quick rise to fame.
James II Rogers lovely song. cat Part
ing" she found by accident, lying on
piano in Cleveland. In one season she made
it nationally know. Nevin' s "Mighty LAX
a Rose was sent her in a mass of music
for inspection. IIumming it once through to
it's accompaniment, heard her say emphati-
cally, "That song | will sing!" A trife it
is undoubtedly, and light one, but it holds
the kernel of universal appeal to audiences.
And she knew it.
This was not all that Madame Nordica
did in her continuous patriotic interest. In
London in 1897, the year Of Queen Vic
toria s Diaomnd Jubilee, she gave there a
splendid impetus to the songs Of the Ameri-
cans, and at period when the British
knew little of them. Having told ner that
| would that season lecture in London on
"American Song Composers" she exclaim-
ed enthusiastically, 81 am going to sing
your program of illustratons!'
;l,,e to her word, she did and without
thought of fee. From that time on Amer:
can songs grew in favor there: today they
find generous space in London programs.
Our noted singers were not slow in JOIN
no y steadily growing American movement.
Foreign artists entered in the to pre-
sent songs by Americans Our people,
learning the beauty Of their own songs, de-
handed them. What crop of young song
composers has sprung up in consequences
Today the best Of their songs equal in
beauty the best by living composers of any
country. This is an evidence of what real
recognition will accomplish.
What mass of foreign propaganda
American music has had to fight against!
Germans in high authority in musical organi-