New-York tribune., 1922-10-23
Artists Usher.
I'm the Winter
Concert Season
Programs of WerrenratIa and
Slobodskaja Draw Varied
Groups of Music Lovers
TO Afternoon Rccitals
Calls ClIrci Not al Best
John Powell Shows Sound Art
in Well Chosen Program:
Caators Honor Writer

Wnas may be called the hoodgateS
were not thrown wide open yesterday
ktsere will be a few hours for rest, re-
freshment and the girding up Of }oifs
before that will happen next Sunday,
but q considerable volume OF musical
water ran through the spiilway yester-
day. There were two song recitals and
Pianoforte recital in the afternoon,
and concerts in the Hippodrome and
Carnegie Hall in the evening It is
doubtful If anybody except the slaves
or duty attended any two of the affairs,
even where the hours permitted. But
that is q condition for which observers
and managers have learned to make
allowance. New York is so big city
that for every concert given there is
a distinct class of listeners. Mr. Rel
nald Werrenrath, who gave song re-.
citai IN Carnegie Hall in the afternoon,
was heard by large assemblage of
persons who have learned within the
last two decades to appreciate artistic
song IN it's universal aspect. Nine. Slo-
.hoeskaja, who gave a song recital at
the same time in Town Hall, had for
her hearers body, naturally much less
numerous. for whom Russian art
song, sung in the language which
was native to the composers,
is still used by an element in cur
population. 1t is not yet 30 large
an element as that to whom the can
tillation Of synagogal cantors and the
playing of artists who hail from Rus
sian Jewry attract TO concerts like that
given in Carnegie Hall in the evening,
and which is drawn from the city's
East Side. That element has increased
to such huge dimensions that it re-
ceives special consideration from the
managers. Its growth in numbers
and its capacity for enjoyment
present an interesting subject to
the student of musical affairs. For
it, largely, the Hippodrome concerts
have come into acknowledgements in
which artists who are become COM
mercially minded, in harmony with the
trend of pretty much everything in life,
sacrifice artistic standards for the sake
of pecuniary profit. The sacrifice, it
should be explained, is not always in
the manner of performance or in the
choice of music, though it is manifest
in willingness to resort to the things
which will catch the ear Of the ground
lings in both respects.
Cater to Public Taste
Mr. Mccormack, who sang at the
Hippodreme week before, and Nine
Galli-Curci, who sang there last night
ease their consciences by giving
hostages to art at the beginning of
their programs and cater. without
scruple to the taste which they know
has led the thousands into the places
built for spectacular show and not
designed or fitted for communion with
the art of Apollo. The differing con-
duct of these different audiences will
invite discussion some day. A Tribune
reviewer, who attended the concert of
Yiddish cabaret singer in Town Hall
on Saturday evening, limited at this
conduct when he observed that the
atmosphere of the concert was "far
from formal" We should say so. AS
at Mischa Elman's first concert in Car
pegie" Hall this year hundred or more
of the people in attendance filled the
spaces between the groups of songs
by standing on their feet, exchanging
greeting across the room and prom
enadina up and down the aisles calling
on friends. 1t would be churlish to
begrudge them their enjoyment, but
they were grossly spelling the pleasure
% the majority, who had come to en-
JOY the music.
Werrenrath Program Excellent
of Mr.. Werrenrath's audience yester-
day, nor Mr. Powell's, and only in a
small degree that of Mile. Slobodskaja's.
Mr. Werrenrath adhered to his old
method of list of good songs-Ger-
man, French, English and American,
with the usual infusion of Danish
compositions, for which he has a
special liking-and also his old and
delightful habit of singing them all in
the most refined and intelligent man
ner. Mlee. Slobodskaja sang chiefly
Russian art songs and operate airs
in the intense manner which, together
with their prevailing melancholy cast,
made them somewhat monotonous.
What she did with two opera airs by
Gluck and Beethoven's "Ah! perfdo
spergiuro" ought, perhaps, to be de-