The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-10-26
Record Enthusiasm Greets
Edward JohnsOn's Re
cital at Elks.
ENCORES DEMANDED
lBx WESLEY La VIoLETTEl

pass. The largest and most demon
strative audience in many years as
sembled last night to hear this superb
artist in the first musical number on
the Simmons Course. 1t would have
been possible to have tucked away a
few more at the Elks club, but at
that it was record many were hap
py to see.
From one viewpoint it is hard to
say which gave the greatest thrill
last night; the splendid singing of
this Metropolitan tenor, or the eager,
expectant throng pouring into the
club before the concert, and the vast
audience at it's close that simply
would not go home until he had added
few extras. 1t almost seemed like
first night" in Chicago, though it
did not reach the temperature and in
sistency which would require the dim
ming of the lights as a means of fore
ing them out. But few nights like
last night will make more than one
artist come to Kenosha with a~reper-
toire of encores that will be limited
only by his physical endurance. Mr..
Johnson at the close was just begin
ming to respond to his enthusiastic
clamorers and was singing with a
glorious freedom and spontanaiety of
tone that he hadn't reached at any
time previous. Being accustomed to
sing for hours in an opera, he could
easily have gone on indefinitely, and
what vocal gems he would have been
lavish with can only be left to mag
nation. Edgar Nelson offered accom-
paniments that were perfection in
their support and pianism.
A Mastery Program.
These are only a few of the re-
marks should like to make. But it
would be too selfish to take all the
space to pat ourselves on the back and
say really nothing about the artistry
of man who could make people in
Kenosha stand up and wave their
handkerchiefs in enthusiasm. If Ed
ward Johnson but knew, he gave us
a feast for sore eyes, as well as
for weary ears!
1t is not always that one finds an
artist who is as happy and artistic
in his program making, as. he is in his
singing. Last night brought the happy
combination. This man knows what
he sings best, what he likes, and what
his audience likes-and sets out joy
fully to do it. 1t was program of
such contrasts and range that every
one must have found many things on
it that they personally liked best. l
was especially moved by the lovely
song of Rubenstein, and the quiet,
meditative beauty of Hugo VOLTS
"E'en little things can yield us perfect
pleasure" Certainly this song can.
But 1 had a real thrill at the close
when in response to his insistent
listeners, Mr.. Johnson came out and
gave one of the most superb perform
ances / have ever heard of the aria,
"Vesta la giubba," from "Pagliacci."
1t was given with such fervent emo
ton, such a gorgeous pouring forth
of tone that it seemed quite like the
heart cry of the artist himself. 1t
literally sent the audience wild.
Influence of the Drama.
The years behind the footlights
have given "Edoardo di Giovanni" a
skill in the portrayal of stories in
song that make some of his interpre-
tations especially appealing and eff
fective. l couldn't help but wonder
whether it was Pizzetti or Johnson
who was the fortunate one last night.
1t would be hard to find a number
more masterfully and dramatically set
than is Pizzetti's story of the man
who was foolish from too much
drink" It's atmosphere is positively
so vivid and gripping that one seems
to see the tragedy enacted before his
eyes. 1t requires genius to conceive
and bring forth such a song, and it
requires another type of genius that
can take number so barren in the
usual lush of sensuous melody and
make it one of the most compelling
numbers on long program Chat was
even then too short). Here was the
stark, grim humor in all its tragedy
and pathos set as foil against the
lovely shepherds pastorale in the same
composers 81 Pastori." 1t was a mas
terly stroke, CLINT of the real fire.
There was real conviction and ideal
ism necessary to bring out such a
song as Russell's setting of Tagore'
81 Hold Her Hands" 1t is a concep-
ton of atmosphere and content, rather
than obvious melodic charm. But it
was sung with such sympathy and
understanding, and beauty of tone,
that the song made very fine i'm
preston. The lovely Twilight by
Katherine Glen had to be repeated. 1t
would be quite impossible to go into
all the details of each number. An
eager, responsive audience, tingling
with enthusiasm, thrilling to the mes
sage of beautiful music, beautifully
portrayed; that was last highland
it will not soon be forgotten. Such
audiences for the Flonzaley's, Cortot,
and Spaulding (for they are just such
artists might do much towards
making this course possible next year
"You know how it's"