Evening journal., 1921-08-03
Tenor MASTERED
i. S. ANTHEM
Used Own Phonetic System
in Studying "Star Span
gled Banner"
AGREE HIS PLACE
is HARD TO FILL

NEW YORK, Aug. 8. - Caruso's
admiration for things American was
well known, and when. at the open
ing of the season at the Metropolitan
/ Opera House in New York during
the early days of the war, it was de-
cided to sing "The Star Spangled
; Banner" after the second act of
Aida" the tenor, who, of course,
sang the leading role in the opera,
entered with zest into the plan. How
evr. through his infrequent use Of
English in singing he was not able to
do full justice to the national an
them. At least he felt he had not
4 sung it as clearly as he could wish.
His command of English was very
good, and for ordinary converse
tional purposes his utterance was
pleasant to listen to. as 1t had an
agreeable touch OF accent. But for
singing purposes Caruso felt his in
tonation could be improved. And as
he desired to sing the anthem during
the war, he set to work with charac-
teristic industry and determination
to master it. He decided to use his
own phonetic system for it.
Sitting at his desk in a hotel. he
had a fiend repeat the words slowly
to him, while he carefully wrote
them down as they struck his ear.
The words in his own handwriting
were printed in the Sunday magazine
section Of The New York Sun on
J November 25, 1917. It will be noticed
there. were peculiarities in his tran
scription, such as the use of "dhi
for "the." Here is The Star
; Spangled Banner" according to the
great singers own Interpretation:
: o seiixen iu sii bal dhi dons erH lait
huat so praudl nj held
at dhi tuailaits last glimmin
' husi brod straps and
brait stars dhru dhi perilos fait-or oh
I remparts nj
!. uact uere so gallonth strimmin
I And dhi Rockets red gler dhi
90 bombs burstin in er
ghev pruf dhru dhi matt
dhat aur fleg uos still
s dher-O Sc doss dhet star spanglld ban
- ner let ueuf or dhi lend OF dhi fri ans
= dhi HON Of dhi breuf
The version 1 have made" Carusi
e said at the time. lis identcally tn
o way the English words sound whei
r an Italian hears them sung. I hav
carried it all over with me and whei
time allowed 1 would glance at tn
= words until became perfect.
Il am very happy. / shall be abl
to give a splendid touch 70 you
American anthem. and it Is a grea
honor to me. and 1t was all so YER
y easy. Now that have mastered tn
} verse / am going to read the won
derful story about the man VIII
wrote those words"
Caruso's place remains untitled
le Great singing names are handle
N from mouth TO mouth, dissected, dis
s. cussed and reviewed, all with IN
't same result. No one OF them
good enough TO take the master
=. place.
Is London reports that Giovanr
lMartineri will take Caruso's plac
!. ~ at the Metropolitan Opera this sea
son but at the Metropolitan ther
"A was no confirmation OF the report.
.. Giovanni is a fine lyric tenor
II. 1.-THE United Press was informed toda,
m but he cannot compare with ca
russo. who was almost a miracle. II
Mt will sing here this season. it is tru
~ but so will Gigli and Howard and
e. handful OF other stars equally II
IS NOUS as MartinellL"
At the Musical America Offices n
no successor could be named.
ne There are many fine singers q
ms the Metropolitan boards today. fn'
probably, than. anywhere else in n
us world" It was stated. "But the
or are all OF an equal standard. Thei
is no great outstanding artist vii
the voice OF a Caruso-as yet Shou
nc one come along. America would |
- r..L ....aI.-.- Lr. do hin. l.n..n.