San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-04
GREAT SINGER
STILL CHARMS
DESPITE ACE
Nine. Schumann-Heink Dis
plays Marvellous Use
of Voice.
WELL CHOSEN PROGRA
Young Violinist on Bill
Also Shows Much
Ability.
WELL CHOSEN PROGRA

Age cannot wither her. nor custom
stale her infinite variety" was writ
ten of Cleopatra. and it may be said
with equal truth of Madame Schu-
mann-H ehk, the greatest living con-
tralto, and in many ways, the greatest
living singer before the public today,
Sir James Barrie once said that he
never could tell whether a woman was
beautiful or not until she was over
fifty-that it took at least that long
for all her generous impulses and kind
~ thoughts to write themselves plain
ly enough ON her face for him TO read.
Whoever thinks of Directing to the
Coliseum because it hasn't been paint
ed recently? No one without the years
of experience that Nine. Schumann-
Heink has had, not only of music and
singing, but of life, could know and
think and feel enough to sing as she
does. straight into the hearts of her
enchanted listeners. There is sort
of Peace on Earth, good will to men"
quality about her singing and about
her personality-the two are inter-
hangeable-that is Il veritable balm
of Gilead To criticize her singing in
the ordinary seIse of the term, is an
impertinence that the greatest must
clans would scarcely attempt: to en-
JOY and thrill with the charm and art
of it. is a privilege that the least as
well as the greatest may revel in and
bow before.
Audiences Always Lauded Her.
If her listeners are not overwhelmed,
as in past years, with the sheer force
of her dynamic voice, its limitless
range and power. vitality and warmth,
they are as enchanted as ever with the
marvellous use she makes of it-her
exquisite nuances of tone color, her
expressive meZzo-vOce singing, he-
flawless pianissimOs, her exact intona-
ton and rhythm, her perfect trills and
florid runs. and the might. majesty
and power" of her more intense sing
ing. She need not use the pleading
quality as she did for her opening
number. All rendimi, Quelle core"
for she has never lost the heart of her
great American public.
The program was chosen with the
splendid art that distinguishes every
thing that Nine. Schumann-Heink
does. The writer wished that Bach's
immortal MY heart ever faithful
had been the choice for a second num-
Der. instead of the Samson and Da-
lila aria with which we are all too
familiar. but with that one exception
the selection of songs left nothing to
be desired. There is no other singer
who can sing the German lieder songs
as Schumann-H eink sings them, and
the four chosen, showed every variety
of song and singing, from the tender
dignity of Beethoven's Itch Liebe
Dich"; the anxiety. fear and elfin
charm of "Erlkonig" and the gaiety
of "Heideroslein" of Schubert's; the
grace of the Brahms "Wiegenlied.'
and the sprightly charm of the Rel
maun. "spinneriedschen." The encores
to this group, were "Bolero' of Ar
diti's and the Lieurance by the Wa
tiers of Minnetonka." The Cry of
Racher' by Mary Turner Salter, which
was sung by request, was the most in
tensely dramatic number OF the whole
program. and struck a separate chord
of response from each listener. No
other singer can make a song seem as
much the intimate personal experience
of her listeners, as Schumann-Heink
can. The Lullaby" by Huerter was
perfect contrast and almost relief
from the tension of the Cry" Chad
wick's DANA" was a light and grace
full as il coloratura soprano were
singing it, and the high notes as full
and fresh as girls, but the Kos
ary," by Nevin. which closed the pro-
gram. struck the darker notes again
and left them to linger.
Miss Hartleman Shove Talent.
1t is very seldom that young woIn-
an violinist appears before the public
with the many claims TO recognition
that Miss Florence Hardeman shows.
She is still very young-not more than
twenty-but many of the things sne
does with ease and charm would pre-
sent insurmountable technical ditt-
culties to many older and more ex-
perienced yiolinists. She seems so
sure of her own ability. that several OF
the numbers she played were perhaps
chosen as a medium for virtuosity-no-
tably the Tartini-Kreisler "Naria-
TONS" and her first number. the +
Sharp Minor Concerto of Nieuxtemps.
In the familiar. Caprice Viennoise'
of Kreisler's her Interpretation and
tempos are exactly the same as hrels-
Ter himself uses. The Caprice
BASQUE" of Sarasate's, also suggested
Kreisler.
1t would be hard to praise too high
" the thorough musicianship OF the
delightful Accomplishments of Rather
inc Hoffman. The rerfect sympathy
and accord between the solOists and
the accompanist was very ma. ked. AS
Nine. Schumann-Heink herself re-
marked from the stage, Katie is
fine"