The New York herald., 1921-08-03
Enrico Caruso.

Il
ENRIco CARUso was the greatest tenor
of his day. one of the greatest sing
ers of modern times. His personality
had much to do with it. Behind the
voice were intellect, ambition, will
power, unconquerable artistic in
stinct and an unbounded spirit of
| playfulness. In his boyhood he
starved to sing. In his early striv-
ings he persisted in the face Of dis
couragement and failure. When, Of
sudden and to his own momentary
surprise, he found himself success,
facing the ascent to fame and for
tune. he threw all the enthusiasm OF
his Latin nature into his career. He
sang with his mind and soul as well
as his throat, and lungs.
Though he had scanty regular IN
struction in his youth, he had full
appreciation Of the value Of mind and
mental attainment. He emphasized
the point more than once in his auto
biographical outgivings. So while he
sang and made money, acquired
celebrity, saw the world. drank deep
in the cup Of enjoyment of life, he
never ceased to study. None who fol-
lowed him during the eighteen years
Of his New York engagements but is
well aware of the steady evolution
OF his art. His singing he refined and
perfected from the glorious robus-
tiousness of his first years to an
admirable standard of vocal mastery.
His stage methods became more fin
i3hed and impressive. Even in the
matter Of makeup he triumphed over
disadvantages so as to present a
tragic and commanding figure in such
roles as John OF Lcyden' In lie
Prophete" and Eledzar in La Juive."
All his representations were marked
by mature comprehension both Of the
book and the score. His characterize
tion was as true as the methods Of
the opera stage permit; his singing
was. at least in his best years, con-
scientiously and intelligently modu-
lated to the sentiment or passion to
be expressed. Love poured from his
lips with roseate warmth and exqui-
site thrill; but It was in passages Of
tragic intensity that he reached the
apogee OF his musical expression and
swept his hearers away with him in
whirlwinds of applause.
OF course the driving force behind
the notes a2d the stage business was
CARUso the man. His intensity and
vivacity of spirit, not exhausted with
the flame Of the scene, had to find
expression in horseplay during the
curtain calls; these gayeties only en-
deared him to his public. they were
SO human. In his hours of leisure
his mind and his hand were always
mere amusements sake that he could
Rave made success as a cartoonist had
he not been greater as a singer.
In one respect CARUso is destined
tc enjoy a more lasting fame than
any Of the great tenors, almost any
OF the great singers who preceded
him. What Is CAMpANINI to-day but
memory to few elderly people?
What is TAMAGNo or JEAN DE REszKE?
Even OF PATTI only sparse, brief
records Of declining days are to be
heard. But thanks to the wonders
Of THOMAS A. EDIsoN's great record
Ing invention the molten gold Of
CARUso's magic tones may delight the
senses and inspire the souls of music
lovers a hundred, two hundred years
in the future with an almost unveiled
purity and an almost undiminished
appeal.
The comparative quality of the
great tenor voices which at intervals
have enriched musical art is a favor
ite topic Of discussion. In the future
II will no longer be matter OF
impossible word painting and still
more impossible decision. The voices
ihoAC Pti hiohCnt ia InclL Hucob tCbtd-
sizes will be the possession of all
generations for contrast, for ap-
praisal. for enjoyment. Among them
all, no one OF to-day will doubt, the
wonderful artist who has just passed
away will hold always an undisputed
place as Of the first and best.
To Americans in particular this
hope will be dear, because it was in
this country that he achieved his
crowning successes and won the first
superlative recognition OF his gifts.
During the war he gave unstinting
aid to every American activity. He
finally made his home here and by his
marriage added link which entities
the country to claim him as its own,
however his art may have been the
property OF the entire world.
A Million a Day Clerk Waste.