The Washington times., 1922-09-28
ANG[O.SAXON To
EVOLVE IDEAL
STYLE IN MUSIC
Victor ooIibart Says American
Art May Profit From Defects
Of Foreign Nations.

That the art OF the Americans in
Interpretation may draw to it's profit
from a great number of international
sources. rejecting their defects while
adopting their merits, is the belief
Of Victor Golibart. American tenor,
who predicts that the Anglo saxon
will evolve an ideal musical style,
especially for the voice.
Indeed" he says, in Musical
America, II think that this ideal
musical style has in certain in
stances already been achieved. The
foreign races have certain well.de-
fined characteristics. The Italian
has a certain tendency to white
ness of voice, the Frenchman to
nasality and the German to what
we might style the cultural quail.
ity. OF course, their respective Ian
guages have something to do with
this, but 1t becomes a fixed char
acteristic even when the artist Is
singing in a strange tongue.
The untutored audience fondly
believes that the imported singer Is
superior, and a foreign label indeed
often covers a variety Of vocal sins.
I think the 'scoopings.' the sobs and
strokes Of the glottis exhibited by
Continental singers would never es-
cape the condemnation Of our own
teachers. 1t is not these lamentable
arts we should borrow from abroad,
but the different varieties of finesse.
Just as believe that within fifty
years at the most our musical
thought will crystallise into signi.
ficant expression, l predict that our
best singers will be distinguished
for flawless method and taste. Among
instances OF superb Anglo-Saxon
artists have been, OF course, Melba
and Nordica."
As to the choice Of music for the
concert stage. Mr.. GolibaCt contends
that many operate arias are unfit
ted for this purpose. He decries par
ticularly the errors in Interpretation
which are, he affirms, so often heard
in these arias. Many tenors." he
says, "sing Rodolfo's Narrative In.
until they come to the
verse beginning Chi son. where
they raise their voices out Of all pro-
portion to the lack Of emotion In
the words. The high note receives
attention to the detriment OF the
meaning OF the song. Certain arias
are better fitted for recital purposes,
but the Arioso from 'Pagliacci.' and
in general all scenes of a dynamic
nature, are very inappropriate when
torn from their setting.
I'm the matter of translating songs
into English. one should proceed
with discretion. Certain German
lieder withstand the process very
well-notably Brahms and Schu.
mann's songs OF the heart But
Carnival and Other.
French numbers lose much OF their
charm and atmosphere when 20
treated on recital programs. The
Negro spiritual has OF late been
rather overdone. Although those OF
Burleigh and William Reddick. for
instance, are valuable contributions
to American music, certain lmtta-
tors have degraded the form by max
ing II ludicrous and robbing II OF. its
essential religious fervor. One fault,
in my estimation, is the elaborate
setting bristling with modern de-
vices in the piano accompaniment,
which would certainly have bewilder-
ed the simple native singer"
A native OF Tennessee, Mr.. Coll.
bart speaks with authority Of au-
thentic music Of the South. 1t was
not until he had been graduated from
college in 1903, and had engaged
with his brother in the pursuit OF
mine.operator in his native State,
that he embarked on a professional
career as singer.