Evening star., 1925-03-22
MUSIC

1
| cipally upon the. music of the first
| American, the Indians. was given by
| Charles Wakefield Cadman, composer
| pianist, and Princess Tsianfna, meZzo-
| soprano, of the Cherokee tribe, for the
| benefit of the MacDowell Colony, at
Rauscreh's yesterday afternoon under
the auspices of the alumnae chapter
of Mu Phi Epsilon musical sorority.
The program was well balanced and
| contained many interesting new num-
| bers as well as several old favorites.
! The latter included Land of the Sky
Blue Water and "At Downing by
| Cadman, and Lieurance's Waters of
| Minnetonka," all sung with feeling
| by Princess Tsianina.
| Indian Dawn" the newest song by
| Zamecnik, a Cleveland composer, was
| sung for the first time in public. 1t
is a charming number and should
prove popular. Canoe Song" is a
| new Cadman song that has fine.
| catchy melody and good setting. AS
| lne composer pointed out, 1t has a
unique arrangement of conflicting
! rhythms. The singers dramatic in
depreciation of this number added
considerably to It's effectiveness. 1t
| is based upon an Ojibwa theme.
Beautiful Contralto Tones.
.Troyer's Invocation to the Sun
God" and Sunrise Call" both based
upon Zuni themes were other high
lights among the vocal numbers.
"Muji Mukisin," genuine Ojibwa
song, had emphatic rhythms not a
| little suggestive of Russian folk mu-
sic. Tsianina stated that she would
like to give talk sometime upon
the striking similarities between In
dian and other folk music, especially
| that OF the Russians and the Scandi
navians.
She displayed beautiful, deep con-
tralto tones and pleasing head tones,
the latter especially noticeable in her
dramatic ability as we'll in the two
songs from "Shanewis," the Indian
opera written by Mr.. Cadman, and
based upon facts in the life of Tsian-
ina. She also sang quaint Blanket
Song" and "Ho, Ye Warriors" by Mr..
Cadman and Frederick Logans Pale
Moon"
Dominant among the piano numbers
were the three selections from Mr..
Cadman's Hollywood Suite" which
he played with fascinating style and
Interpretation. Perhaps the most
appreciated was the humorous musi-
cal sketch, ITO a Comedian" written
for Charles Chaplin, close friend of
the composers. June on the Boule-
ward" is dedicated to Mary Pickford,
another friend, and Twilight at Syca-
| more Nook" is music picture of
Cadman's own home. Original effects
are attempted in these works. They
are distinctly modern in treatment
and quite programmatic.
Two Piano Selections.
From An Indian Village" based
on an Omaha Indian theme, and THE
Dan nf ha Afot
zuni theme, were both written orig
inally for orchestral performance and
Transcribed later for the piano. The
latter was given In ballet version by
the Denishawn Dancers in a program
here last year. ITO Vanishing
Race" based on another Zuni motif.
was more somber number, but
equally interesting.
Mr.. Cadman generously insisted
that he should share credit with
Francis La F1esche. ethnologist of
the Smithsonian Institution, who was
present, and with Alice Cunningham
Fletcher, both of whom have brought
TO his attention many Of the basic
themes for his compositions. His en-
cores Included two of his own COM
positions, one, Love Son." an earlier
work, the other, Melody in G. Flat"
Mr.. Cadman was interested after
his concert in hearing how New York
received his new opera, a one-act
production based on Nathaniel Haw-
thorne's "Rappaccinrs Daughter"
called in the operatic version, THE
Garden of Mystery" presented at Car
negfe Hail. New York, for the first
time last night. 1t is the story of
a maiden cursed with the spell of
poisoning every person on whom she
gazed.
Believes Public Likes 1t
"The public really liked it, regard
! less of what critics said" protested
| the composer earnestly, when faced
with the reviews that were quite un-
kind. "The audience insisted upon
IL curtain calls. Do you call that in
difference or boredom? OF course I
made a mistake in allowing an anna
teur organization to put 1T on for
charity" said Mr.. Cadman. The pro-
duction was for the benefit of the
Association of Music School Settle
ments
They must remember that Puccini's
Butterfly was laid on the shelf for
five years, and Bizet died heartbroken
because the critics said that Carmen
was no good Oh, well, L was a music
critic myself for four years and 7
know how 1t is. wish that 'Naoma,'
my new Indian opera, could be pro-
duced In Washington" Mr.. Cadman
aooed. Mr.. La F1esche wrote the
Iibretto for 1T and 1t Is very good"
The music to the Garden of Mys
terry Is based on old Italian folk
songs and is entirely different from