New-York tribune., 1922-10-16
C,onlpatriots Cheer
UJkrainian Choir. in
Second Recital Here
Conductor koshetz Evokes
Admirable Effects From
His Singers; 2 Soloists
Also Present Numbers
By II. E. kreAbiel

How many Russians there are In
New York City we do not know. Look
ing at the audience in the Hippodrome
yesterday afternoon when the Ukrain-
ian Choir gave it's second concert, we
are tempted to follow the example set
by Mark Twain when he denied the
statistics touching the number Of Jews
In Vienna and said he knew there were
several millions because he had
counted them. The colossal room
seemed to be full. And they must be
a prosperous folk, for they must have
paid something like 5,00o,Oo0,0 900 rubles
tcurrent value) for their tickets. Be-
sides that, good many of them (per-
haps not all Of them Russians) bought
an .intelligentIy prepared book Of
words, which was also a themat,c cata-
logue, paying for each, let US say,
100000 rubles.
This has nothing to do with the ar
tistic value Of the concert, touching
which we are better informed than
about Russian finances. We never
owned any Russian money except sill
yer b0-kopeck piece which Lieutenant
Dannenhower, who had been rescued
almost blind by Mr.. James Gordon Ben
nett's expedition, gave US as a souve-
mir because we escorted him to the Full
ton Ferry. If we had not lost that
pocket piece we should now be able to
count ourself among the semi-million.
aires. Yesterdays concert, however,
was worth all the money that the audi
ence paid for it and all the enthusiasm
which they lavished upon it. To ordi-
nary music lovers, indeed, it seemed
that the generosity of the public had
been bit too literally recompensed by
the singers. Seventeen set numbers by
the choir were supplemented bv two
groups of operatic airs and songs by
Mines. Koshetz and Slobodskaia. and
to choruses and solos there were added
what in newspaper English are called
"encores"--s several of them. But no
matter. After listening for two hours
and quarter conscience gave permis-
sion for one to go home and leave the
rest of the program on ones plate for
the lean gentleman pictured by Charles
Leland in that delightful book ffor-
gotten, we fear) entitled "Johnnykins
and the Goblins." Had it not been for
the solos it would have beer both
agreeable and profitable to remain to
the end Of the concert. 1t is deplor-
dUIe 1dCI, however, LnaC we nave been
disappointed in all the Russian women
singers whom we have heard. No
doubt Mines. Koshetz and Slobodskaia
appeal to the Russian heart and ear.
1t must be that they stand as good ex-
emplars Of Russian operatic song, for
they are obviously versed in the man
ner Of the Russian composers as we'll
as self-sacrifcingly sincere In their
publication of that manner. IL they
fail to meet a cosmopolitan standard
it Is, perhaps, because that standard
expects more sensuous sham than their
voices possess and a better command
of what is considered beautiful vocal
ization the world over. Dramatic ex-
preston may be overdone even in the
music of Rimsky Korsakoff, Tschaikoff-
sky, Moussorgsky and their compa-
triots, which would not be marred by
smooth, sustained style and SEN
suously beautiful quality Of tone. In
music, even dramatic music melody, as
such, has its rights which must be re-
spected.
The quality Of the sopranos has lit
tie to commend II ON the score of
euphony, but they emit and sustain
their tones in manner that is ravish-
ing to ears attuned to the essentials of
good singing. Witness the exquisite
effect of the solo voice in the song
entitled "Shtchedryk," which in per.