The broad ax., 1924-04-26

ond Hungarian Rhapsody ana an
other Chopin waltz The audience
received this artists playing with pro-
longed applause. Err Beatty, who
served As accompanist, added to the
effectiveness of the program by his
own 6ne technical work and. above
ali, By his sympathetic understanding
Of Kathryn Meisle's message through
song.
r. ". Dett Speaks
R. Nathaniel Dett, on the invitation
Of Principal J, E. Gregg, recently de-
livered at the Hampton Institute
Sunday evening service a report Of his
concert tour, which included Cappa-
hoosie, Va; St. Paul, Selkirk and
Winnipeg, Canada; Chicago, Cleve-
land. St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Fort
Worth and Cincinnati. Everywhere
this Negro composer-pianist was
greeted by large and appreciative audi
ences. His compositions were played
and sung by leading white and colored
musicians. His recital-lectures were
given wide and favorable newspaper
reports. Music said r. Nathaniel
Dett, brings people to common IN
Outstanding. People everywhere are
showing tremendous interest in Ne
gro music. The outside world is try
ing to understand Negroes who have
poured into their music so much Of
their soul and experience. Now is
the time for some Negro to write a
wonderful oratorio, orchestral COM
position, book, or play There is =
growing desire to do justice to the
Negro"
The music critics were unanimous
in their praise Of R. Nathaniel Dett's
work as a composer and pianist. They
paid tribute to him a. the FIRST Ameri-
can to express the Negro folksong in
classical terms"
Critics Praise Negro Composer
"Mr. Dett," said critic in the "St,
Paul News" who reported the recital
lecture, which was given under the
auspices of the Everywoman Progress
sive Council and which was enriched
BY the excellent work Of Stanley Ho-
ban, Scotch baritone of Winnipeg,
in his own compositions patterns most
OF the themes after Negro folk meIo-
dies, but he develops them contra
puntuaiIy and with modern harmonies.
His themes are very lovely They are
primitive, just as the folk music from
which they are modelled is primitive
and SO they usually respond well only
to simple and more or less primitive
treatment But when the balancing Of
counter melodies and harmonies be-
comes at all involved the piece must
lose its primitive aspect and, conse-
quently, its Negro characteristics.
"In some of his shorter pieces Mr..
Dett does conform to the limitations
Of his material, and the rich sincere
fervor of the music is admirably sus4
tanned. In the longer compositions,
however, where the meiodic treatment
necessarily becomes more complex,
these Negro characteristics invariably
become diluted or altogether lost. But
Mr.. Dett's unpretentious works are by
no means lacking in beauty. Beyond
the Dream, OF the 'EnehaHtment
Suite was far the best Of the compo-
sitions he played last night In fact,
this whole suite is very enjoyable
music.
fEnchantment Suite describes inn
pressionisticalIy a mans quest for
happiness and his baff1ement. The
FIRST movement is wierd 1ncantation'
based upon an impassionsd Negro
theme. It is answered BY the Song
Of the Shrine, which is a soft, mys-
terious melody, after which comes the
savage Dance Of Desire. This opens
over an oriental figure in the bass;
then as the wild free dance gets under
way the figure becomes simply tom
tom in the lower register Of the piano,
the music swirls madIy up to terrific
crash, and the dance Is over. Beyond
the Dream is a gentle. enigmaticaI
movement that wanders through sue
cession Of exquisite melodies for a
while and closes 10 spirit Of doubt