The broad ax., 1921-09-10

of a pin, so closely WIS Hei
baId 70 the sudden end-a glorious
burst of applause to the genius OF ner
art.
In Miss Cleo Diekerson, a recent
honor graduate of a post course from
the Chicago Musical College, that eele-
brated school, where so many eeleorl-
tics have labored for the goal, had a
fitting representative. She played the
great and acknowledged difficult GA
Minor Concerto" by Grieg, by some
regarded as his masterpiece, in thor
oughly composed and scholarly manner;
from its moody beginning to its ees-
tatie conclusion Miss Diekerson was
master of self, yet played with the
abandon which bespeaks the true art
ist Her rendition of this number, so
difficult in technie and interpretive
subtlety, placed her in the front rank
of the younger pianists.
The concluding number on the pro-
gram, and what is regarded by art
lists as the honor place, was reserved
for the appearance of Madame Nj. Cal
lowav- Byron, that great artist so sell
dom heard here at her home; though
in other parts of this country she has
more frequently appeared. In Europe,
France, Germany, Sweden, Spain and
even in that land of song, Italy-she
is quite well known as a most unusual
dramatic soprano, singing in the sew
cral languages of the countries men
toned, acceptably, too. No higher
compliment can be offered a singer OF
any other nation-not TO speak of race
than to be able to sing to that people
in their vernacular, and to their salts
faction and applause. Such are her
accomplishments, such her experience.
Many were the persons, hearing her
on this program, unaware of the won
derful achievements and experiences OF
the singer, abroad, before the Great
War forced the cancellation of her con-
tracts for two seasons ahead, en-
traneed, delighted and enthralled, at
her wonderful power and sway of her
audience. even for a dramatic soprano;
from her touching and timbrous low
c to her high Call thrilling, color
full, convincing and compelling; what
ever the Observation-Disclosures the tone.
The evenness of her scale of more than
two oetaves is rare, TO say the very
least.
Madame Byron chose for her vocal
and dramatic exposition a wonder song,
and few there be to essay it-using
good Judgment. It was POnehielli s
''Suicidio" from the opera, seldom
heard, fla GiOeOnda." In her express
sion of the heroine's despair and de-
cision that naught was left but sui
eide, no mere dramatic expression
could equal what her musical express
sion made of and added to the tense
situation drawn about the singer, until
she was the incarnation of the heroine
herself. She sounded the very depths
of human despair and misery, and al
though sung in italian, her audience
heard. felt-understOOd.
In her encore, which was rapturOusly
given, when the audience finally found
itself, the Madame came back with a
Russian Nightingale song, that for
delieacy of expression, nuanee, roulade
and trill. was the climax of technical
expression. The song writer had ex-
hausted his art in giving written ex-
preston to the bird IS sOng-nO part of
the singers art was left unreeorded.
The singer sang the song, the music
as it was; but far beyond the power
of the writer, however skillful to de-
pict, the Madame sang, as it could not
be recorded, save on the phonograph,
the song of the lark; as only the South
ern moeking bird can initiate it. She
skipped not, slurred nor blurred a note
of the rapid passages, as only birds,
save few, can do; nor left unexpressed
one single interpretive thought.
The Madame s trilll Well, there are
trills and there are trills!! Hers are
the last named. They were those of
the Mocking bird; not sometimes on,
more oftimes off the piteh-in that
wavering and uncertain tone that
oftimes makes you fear the singer will
never again reach the piteh-ever and
anon aeeelerating her alterations in
her endeavor to steady herself. Some
times il was a cry of sorrow, sometime:
one of Joy and sometimes it was just
a trill for the pleasure of singer anC
the sought. On the semitone, on the
whole tone, and the next phrase almost
on the third differing eOloring chasing
the other kaHedOseOpieally. Few color
atura soprani can get away with thii
number as did Madame Byron, tn,
Diva. For her last number, demanded
she gave the SUM Indian &" Sun God, ,
wonderful and weird composition
but tuneful and impressive. The mum
Der ends with a simple prayer anC
"Bless US" a fitting ending it was t
la perfect day and program that we shall
long again to be blessed to hear. Mis-
Gussie Rue Harris, of Birmingham