New-York tribune., 1922-10-06
UkrainianChoir
A M arv Of
Technical Skill
Singing of Russian Folk
Songs Notable for Its
Precision and Command
of Effect of Nuance
Passages !, Mar
Harmony Peculiar to Musco.
vite Compositions Nota-
Bile Feature of Singing


something too much of this" will
soon be spoken Of the kinds of Rus
sian art which disports themselves in
concert rooms and playhouses. In the
slang of the day, we have been "fed
up" with Russian violinists, pianists,
dancers, singers, operas, vaudeville
sketches, songs, choruses, ballets and
choruses for several years. Though
these things have flooded US the tide
IS stlii rising. Russian ''revue" is,
we believe, in the offing, and also a
dramatic company. Much that is ar
tlst:cally good has come to us out of
RUSSIA, as we'll as much that is ar
tlstically bad. Touching the former,
1T may be said with Gilbert and Sui
lIvan's Major that while we all like
comedy it is most enjoyable in modera-
tlon. Candy for breakfast, candy for
luncheon, candy for dinner and candy
TO-. tea is apt to be clogging after a
whlle. Russian music is not all candy,
by any means. In fact, much of it is
wholesome pabulum; but if we are to
continue to enjoy it we must not be
surprised with it.
1t is long time since a Russian
musical organization first gave US the
thrill of novel and delightful sensa-
ton. 1t must have been all of half a
century ago, and one of the phrases
sung by male quartet still haunts our
memory. Then we heard-it was also
long ago and in London n--Slaviansky's
cnoir. counterpart of the Ukrairian
cholr which gave a concert last night
IN Carnegie Hall. The memory of it's
singing and the music which it sang
still fingers in our ear, though since
then we have had many experiences
with the style of art here at home.
Unlucky Episode Recalled
one of those experiences we are not
likely to forget, for we were personally
concerned with Nine. Lineff in an eff
Tort to introduce Russian folk music
to the local public something more
than twenty years ago. and made a
mess OF it by speaking feelingly of the
gratitude which the people of the
Northern states felt toward the Rus
sian Car because at critical moment
in our Civil War he had relieved the
mind OF our tortured President by Civ
ing. him to understand that the mys-
Russian navy in the harbors of New
York nd San Francisco meant no i'll
will to he Federal government. Some
OF our readers may remember the
Trent -. r. Having retreated from
the stage in as good order as possible,
we were met by Nine. Lineff, who, pale
of face and with faltering voice, begged
US when we went on for the second
part of the program to omit all COM
plimentary illusions to the Russian
government.
1t was our first experience with
Russian Bolshevism Cor what was its
equivalent in those days) and we had
faced it with the innocence of a lamb,
thinking all the time that the Kisses
and yells and tramplings were only
and impatience to see the dancers who
true state Of affairs, we set Madame
Lineff's mind at ease by telling her
that there would be no explanatory re-
marks in the second part and placed
ourselves on exhibition for public ap-
probrium in balcony box.
Two Choirs Compared
That was that and is perhaps for
gotten by everybody except the actor
in the incident who is now recalling
it. Madame Lineff's choir was like
Slavinsky's except that it was crude,
having been recruited from local anna
teurs. The Ukranian Choir, which sang
last night under the direction of Prof,
Alexander Koshetz, is counterpart Of
the organization which we heard in
London after tour in South America.
Like that choir it is company of
singers who have been trained to the
highest degree of technical perfec
tion, not notable for euphcny of vocal
tone. In that respect, if we must in
dulge in comparison to make ourselves
plain, it is distinctly inferior to the
Scandinavian choir of about the same
size, which has twice come to us from
st. Olaf's College in Wisconsin, but
marvellous in its precision and its
of effect; of nuance-their
qualities have, in fact, been wrought
to such a superlative degree of
perfection that their employment
approaches dangerously near to
seeming an affectation. This apprehen
sion is heightened by the frequent re-
sort to the device of humming for which
the composers who have arranged the
folksongs are responsible. Song is ar
a