The New York herald., 1922-08-20
John Mccormack,
in Improved Health,
Tries Voice Again
Singers Friend Tells OF Plan
for Study Under Henschel
Before Resuming Concerts.

d. T. McSweeney. intimate friend or
John Mccormack, and co-parrner In the
management of his concert tours. who
Is at present enjoying q holiday at
Vichy. France, writing to friend in
this city recently. says:
Il know there have been a great many
contradictory statements and rumors re-
garding Mr.. John McCormacks health.
his plans for the immediate future. &C.
So l want to give you the facts direct.
from headquarters.
Il have spent Just a week with
Mr.. Mccormack at Stow-on-the- Void.
Worcestershire. BY the way, this & not
John McCormack's English estate
as some of the American papers had It.
He has simply rented the place for the
season, from the family of the late Sir
John Murray Scott, intimate friends OF
his for many years.
John Mccormack today looks better
than he has for long time. He
spends two hours day, Sunday ex-
cepted, rain or shine, roaming the
countryside. shooting rabbits, and
when the game keeper is not looking
an occasional partridge. He is as rabid
tennis fan as ever. and a set or two
between showers Is almost a daily
event.
when met him at the Savoy Hotel
the day I arrived from America, was
agreably surprised to see how well he
looked. Calling my attention to the
shrinkage Of the waist line with evil
dent pride. he inquired; DO you sup
pose they will give job in the movies
when l get back?'
Now, regarding his voice and his
plans for the immediate future. his
friends may rest assured that his voice
is as good as it ever was He could
give concert tomorrow, but he won't
He has made up his mind to take a
good long rest; and do not think any
one will deny that he Is entitled to it.
Tries HIS Voice Again.
Two days after my arrival in !. -udon
] heard John Mccormack s'ng for the
first time since he sang in Chicago sun
day afternoon, April 2. He sang four
selections and it certainly was good to
near his voice again; the voice we
feared. during Holy Week. would be
stilled forever 1t was at reception
given in his honor by Herbert Hughes
at the latter's home In Chelsea. Mr.
hughes had invited a number of people
prominent in London musical circles. in
cluding Ernest Newman, Robin Leere
critics, and Frank Bridge Arnold Bax
and John Ireland. well known compos-
ers. One of the critics remarked to me i:
AFTER listening to such a lot of poor
singing all the season II certainly Is
good to get ones ears rinsed out in this
way
Regarding Mr.. McCormack's plans.
he has decided to take things easy in
the singing line until next spring, when
he ftatA a. ~.4ts
brief concert tour. He may give a few
operate performances in Monte Carlo in
the meantime. He will spend the month
OF August In Ireland. September and
part of October he will be the guest of
Gen. Jack Stewart from Montana in the
iatter's shooting preserves up In the
north Of Scotland.
To study Again.
Then he will go back to the musical
kindergarten once more. For three
hours a day. three days a week, for a
period OF three months he will be
coached in the lieder classics by Sir
Georg Honschel. recognized as the fore
most living interpreter OF the works o.
the great masters.
"You don't find many singers who
having attained popularity and a posi-
tion In the song world equal to McCor-
mack, would consider II necessary TO do
thing of this sort. No. they would
say. Let we'll enough alone He is al
ways the student. always trying to i'm
prove.
Incidentally. It Is q great compliment
to Mr.. Mccormack that Sir Georg
should come out OF retirement to
which he Is clearly entitled at the end
of brilliant career. He is now past
threescore and ten. i shall consider 1t
great privilege he writes. TO work
with such a capable. brilliant and seri-
Gus artist as John Mccormack
after sojourn in tho south Of
France he viii return to the United
States probably In the early part OF
March.