New-York tribune., 1921-10-09
AU Incidents Here
Noted Are Warranted
q inc, Though
Names Are Omitted.
Many Are the Debuts
Since Bdrnuf,a Started
The Jenny Lind Boon,

The tenor suddenly broke down and weps
Historically The enthusiast learned later
that the singer had been involved in a tragedy
Of some sort and that his nerves were so un
settled that the sight 6 crowd brought on
severe mental attacks The tenor did not need
manager. He needed psychatrst
Jenny Lind was already renowned through
out the globe when P. T. Barnum brought her
to these shores, but Barnum who as George
NJ Cohan once observed, was a wise puv.
brought her to the attention of American au-
dlences by circus methods. The Barnum trad;-
ton of exploiting musical attractions con-
tlnued until recent years. 1t was the aura Of
mystery and egendry that was hung over
Paderewski on his first American tour that
drew the crowds as much as his pianism. Ger
tam vlrtuoso pianists of an earlier era are said
TO nave lndulged in musical dues. Two per-
formers would appear on the same platform
IN competitive exercises, and it is possible that
some players went so far as to challenge the
best musician in each town on their timer
aries to a piano battle. Even so. Beethoven
occasionally appeared in a sort of all-comers
improvisation match.
a manager who was asked whether Barnum
would have equal success today replied that
ne might, but that big-tent tactics weren't
necessary to bring a concert artist in popular
favor.
Let the critics discover them" he said
That's the best way. If the artist is really
fine he'll get all the attention that is his due
Il ne isn't, no amount of stunt work can make
him permanent success"
Recently manager brought over singer
with the announcement that the newcomer
would be the sensation of the era The advance
advertising was costly and ostentatious. The
city was flooded with pamphlets and letters.
linen came the great recital and the upshot
was dangerously close to beautiful and en-
phatc blah. The singer had talent. but he
could not live up to the hyperbolic fanfares
with which he had been heralded. In Bar
NUNS time he might have had the town bv
the ears, but musical taste has advanced
The most successful new violinist of the last
season was a young girl who came here with
almost no preliminary advertising, but her
hfSt concert was near riot There had been
no attempt to play up her European successes.
no effort to create an interest in her per
sonality. Her managers knew that she was an
artist and gambed on her artistry alone
The venerable ruses of press agentry, in
ciuding milk baths, lost jewelry and bizarre
behavior no longer help to gather an audience
for performer But now and then some
personal oddity calls attention to an artist
after the ordinary appeals have failed.
singer IN a comic opera won much critical
praise for the beauty Of his voice but when
he gave a song recital the public did not ser-
ously test the seating capacity Of the hall. A
little while later bearded singer Of another
nationality and with another name appeared.
giving a similar program with similar voice
and with similar methods of singing. Was
ne the comic opera star? Or was this freak
Of nature that there should be two men so
similar IN appearance, voice and delivery? The
bearded gentleman was non-connlittal. and
the critics agreed that it didn't matter. be-
cause he was an excellent artist Yet there
be those who hint wisely that at least one
singer won new start by growing beard
and by changing his name
If this gentleman found the way to success
by letting his hair grow, there is also lady
who came into her own by cutting her hair
short. When she first appeared she won re-
spect, but she vas no great drawing card. Or
her second appearance she wore quaint gown
Her hair had been bobbed-and in those days
oobbed hair was still something to talk about.
She played on darxened stage, with light
shining on her hands over the keyboard And
the crowds came