Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-19
.FRIEDA HEMPEL CHARMS
~AUD|ENCEATA AUDITORIUM
Christmas Spirit Seems to Pcrvndc
Entire Auditorium and Con-
cert Company.
WINS GREAT APPLAUSE
Cocnraad Dos Demonstrates He Is
Sterling Artist and Frank In
Forge That lie Is Most Finished
Accompanies.

Radiating with charm as n girl OF
sixteen. Frieda lIempel held captive
n brilliant audience at the City Aud
itorium last night. If she had not
sung a note. her personality would
have been sufficient to have kept the
audience in their seats for a long
time. but she did sing with all the
superb art that is associated with
her name. II seems that the Christ
mas spirit pervaded the entire aud
itorium, the soprano. her assisting
artists, Coenraad V. Bos. pianist, and
August Rodcman. ~futist. and her
hearers. There vas not the Slight
est thing to mar this. the most bril-
liant concert that has been given in
Richmond in the last five years.
Imagine a beautiful bisque doll ar
rayed in n hale OF orange gold, and
you have Fricda Hempcl, the mag
netic woman.
Sings "Arioso."
She chose as her opening number
the "Arioso," from Cantata Con Stro-
ment:, and sweet Bird" from II PEN
s%ieroso, both of Handel The OPEN
ing phrase WAS one Long, delicious
flight Of s~ustcnuto. which revealed
instantly her finely schooled and
prodisious breath control. II was like
a tone drawn out by the sweep OF a
cellists bow, authoritative, cffortleSs,
and her thrill SO indescribably re-
freshing after the mechanics of CALI
Curci; pearls strung together. en- the
chain OF an artistic nature, and un-
TO say the audience went into ecstasy.
The surGing melody OF Schubert's
:"Whiiher?" was given with
Hernacular, but not as passionate an
utterance of Schubert as one would
care to hear. Her s~ustenuto was par
ticularly lovely in this number.
With as many facets as the dia-
mcnds which she wore. is the art OF
Hempel, Take. for instance. Rogers
entraneing little "virEin's Luliaby"
Elusive quality OF tone and womanly
tenderness she breathed into this
song. Here is n voice from which
no amount OF training can eradicate
nature. 1t is like the cultivated rose
that has not lost its wild sisters
perfume. Fresh as q summers rain,
iridescent as the cres;ing fountain in
the sunlight.
"1ierdstnnn's Song" Wonderful.
Interest centcred in her delivery of
the iamous "Herdsman's Song" as
HiS u 81 al III
piano with wonderful effect. with the
echoes overlapping each other with |
tmazinE perfection. She followed
Night Wind" Despite the fact that
the Auditorium was warm, one want
ed TO reach for their wraps. for she
ghost story time OF childhood. All.
what Z scale she displayed in his
number. EHquisite, liquid and as per-
feet Is human throat could produce.
Her scale is worth a journey of many !
days 70 hear. and. incidently, What an
~aCconpanst Mr. Bos was in this and
I'll her other numbers.
! mink FOR once tina tiny contrcres
q the local press Will agree with me
that cotnraad Bos is. with the pos
s.tle exception of that sterling artist,
Frank La Forge the most finished
accompanist h "a has stepped on a
Richmond stage IN the memoir OF
,,aals ~ensTI.!cn of Inc p,am:S,; lot .ve
'Eieeie' OF Rachman!noh. ITO Elise"
OF Beethoven, and waltz in G fat
Of cho?!n: He is a poetic PLAYER with
OF the dazzling variety. In fact. he
was refreshing in this particular. for
he never seemed al odds or mad with
the unoiendinE instrument. He has
dignity and po!se and a velvet touch,
and his scale is n thing OF beauty.
His Two first numbers OF the group
having the contrast that one looks
for in the Interpretation OF the Polish
masters compositions.
Sings -Dixic."
Miss Hempel gave next the famous
co-!i aria FROM The Daughter OF the
Regiment TO the nute obliSato OF Mr..
Rodeman. which was perhaps the
most brilliantly technical thing that
she cssaycd, the trio in the end be-
ing especially beautiful. To tho burst
Of applause that followed his she
sang Dixie" as an encore. sung at 4
terrific tempo. aH!! foil2wed it by
song. ~"Daddy's:- s~SseGtheartf' Mr.
EoGeman played next G!uck's Reign
of the Blessed Spirits" and the
"Arabcslue" Of Dcbussy, and followed
with a very finished delivery of the
"TaInhorine." by Gocscc. as an en-
core. The soprano then closed the
program with the 'Nesper hymn 30
tamiiiar 70 an Episcopaiians.
"Lul!aby." by L!curance. and Troyer's
dramatic Invocation TO the Sun
God which was In striking contrast
to the rendition OF Claimants "IndIan
Princess" heard in Richmond last
season. While not rs barharic. Miss
Hempels Interpretation was more de-
rotional The Lullaby" in this group.
was one OF the lovelicst things she
offered. II made tired eyes of middle
cradle under hcavcn-a mothers
breast.
Ill q bumpcr Of sparkling cham
payne, iIcmpel in closing sang with
all the abandon of the Eicnese.
strauss 'Rluc Danube" and. when
the audience refused TO leave, n
sang Hone, Sweet llome"-too love-
~ TO describe.
ItNts~ -