New-York tribune., 1921-10-23
By II. E. Krehbiel

Wewish that we might wholeheartedly
uge every lover Of Schubert's music,
d nery admirer Of the most spontaneous
E nd prolific nelodist that the world has
i rer seen, to visit the Ambassador Thea
H Ter and hear Blossom Time" We can
give the advice with sincerity and some
grace because of the excellence of the
musical performance and the beauty OF
80 much of the music as has not been
too much adulterated to make it serve
b the purposes OF comic operetta; but with
the recommendation must go an express
sion Of regret that the adapters of the
German comedy should have thought It
necessary to cover its ariable face with
the grimmacing mask OF vulgarity and
trivolity. The shorseplay Of Mr.. Dam
forth not only taints the atmosphere
created by much Of the music, but also
distorts the historical picture. So, for
that matter, does the impersonation of
Franz Schubert by Mr.. Peacock. What
Is done with the other characters in the
play who once were veritable people
and boon companions of the composer
does not much signify. Franz von
Sehober, the poet, some Of whose poems
Schubert composed, plays a significant
part in the story; but the story is
wholly Actional and It does not make
! ary difference whether or not the char
! aeter Of the poet hears any similitude
! vita the original who, IS q poet, has
not written q large name in the book of
Germsn literature. He provided Schu-
cert with twelve songs and the libretto
/ for an opera ("Alfonso und Estrella")
which never reached a performance till
List took pity on it and gave 1t, with
many elisions, at Weimar, quarter of
scentury after the death Of the COM
. poser.
VI the other historical characters in
as play, Kupolwieser and Moritz Won
snwind were painters Of whom only
40 latter lives in the books which
Ak about music, and that chiefly be-
cause OF his paintings in the Wart-
'arg. the scene OF the contest of min
'''eisy cultivated by Wagner in "Tann-
asuser' How they work and act on
'he stage is negligible matter, but
lis bit disconcerting to see Vogl
WAC sings but little, although the man
"a feai lie was the most potent of all
Asen1s in stimulating Schubert to crea-
I'VE work and making him known to the
pa0nc Vogl, however, was much older
azn The composer and could not be
~soc MS rival in love without disturb
'aee Of the historical verities. So the
sses becomes vocal and the singer re-
mains all but mute
: sauOsft's CharacttS Changed
Z 40 Fit the Love stSry
."s the sake of the love story In
ss pay Schubert's character has been
S's metamorphosed. He Is q nonen-
ny uil near the close, when he be-
's moody m.lksop, oozing mus
Il sentiment from every pore. Schu-
was scant and hesitant of speech
- sfistocratic company, but among his
W. IVA companions he was anything but
Il spny and retiring; on the contrary,
was probably as gay a roysterersas
4 VI them, during the hours which
a 'pSas with them, and these were
Il =. VI tnose not given to sleeps He
81 s..,, 'o' his conviviality with his
s." a ard reputation, though the de-
81 ~. sS' oi nature and society may have
81 u. UNJUST. For the romance in the
81 authors went to the land Of
/ !. y instead of fact. The life story
81 s.,., "aoers contains little about his
81 i. snsai passions and that little is
81 n ''aeaed upon in Blossom Time"
Ia 4. 'e OF remuneration injected into
|8 n "suy Tor the sake of pathos and
81 apmor the SCHOOLGIRL notion of
n a,s great musicians compose is all
. i. = ie' Ike the tale which makes
N s...s aaTp minor Sonata a song of
81 seas longing and abnegation.
s. s,;e. We know Schubert was never
81 d s,s s's IN love. A remark attributed
d, 80 - ss made to his pupil, daugh-
.shst eOuht Esterhazy, to the effect
kt,rs Haa not dedicated song to her
d. -, ali his. songs were hers, is
ground for the belief that ne