New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
By II. E. krehbiel

Dy i. L.. NlCllb4Cl
Once upon a time it was the custom
foreign musical artists-singers,
konists, pianists, what-not-to visit
BE writer's for the daily newspapers
whose attention they were to COM
hsnd themselves by public perform
laees. AS a rule, the visits were for
bal affairs. Unless the visitor brought
letter from mutual friend the leav-
,g Of card or polite invitation to
he projected concert sufficed; more
sss seldom ventured upon in the case
n writer's of known probity and repute
N independence, honesty and unself-
shness of judgment. For that move
Fshar avenues were, still are, open.
syertheless, the custom was discour-
'sed by the newspaper men and now it
practically obsolete. Every review
mad reasons a-plenty for his action.
10 some, no doubt, respect for the art
music was sufficient to make them
hah that it might be kept from all
'srsonal equation; they did not relish
sslng its representatives "crook the
Pregnant hinges Of the knee" in the
POPE that thrift might follow fawn-
ag" Others, we fancy, were prompted
|" selfish desire to preserve their
'wn peace of mind and an unselfish
Slsh to preserve the same mental tran
|yu'nsy as far as possible in the
|ase OF those whom it was duty to
'''ac'ze. Praise might encourage an
utss in the belief that it had been
"0ked by Aattery, and dispraise by
1' conviction that individual resent
aent was prompted by some other in
s'eacc. In either case it was best to
"0la the personal equation, which
'a'o De most easily done by discour-
wing Doth expectation and apprehen-
lion. ''0''
00mething might be said about the
a'euent dlsappointments met by re-
's"efs IN their contact with artists
'Ssclsily about the disillusionment
.a''a follows the discovery that so
H.! VI the latter are narrow of artis-
IL, knowledge and vision, interested
"'y IN themselves and the fields in
Esneh they are active and which are
.'euiascribed by their brains and
~s s''es or fingers. An operatic singer
~ Knows only one part in each of the
,..a .''ss OF small repertory, who learns
E part through the laborious piano
"'e pounding of coach and is igno-
'a' OF its significance in the drama
49,: "noie, is not Intellectually inter
s''As 10 anybody TO whom the lyric
~s@a is an object of affection or even
as,s Interest. So violinists who know
l,s'a'as about the great body of piano
"' orchestral and dramatic music,
~ ny, p'snists whose knowledge is SINH
-" restricted. But that is a matter
.ls"aas extraneous to our present
1Aess' which is concerned with the
ss''s'ng methods of artists and their
AsEers and the standards of judg-
~. .a' which those managers, through
y" agents of publicity, invite.
s''euiation of Laudatory Articles
Aas custom OF personal visitation
.s 'as fallen into decay, though no,
s'eseiy sbolished--it never will be
4. ''ns as human nature enters into
constitution of the artist-the
,,.s. ss'.ss Of seeking to compel undue
NM sSOn by PRONUNCIATION of laudatory
w.. Ss' cams into vogue. AT first the
was to influence the reviewers
~ nope that the praise woulc
.s0,ass through them into the
M S.s,saension of the public. Tha,
49, 49, sttll prevails. though the com.
10y g editors has opened the doc,