Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20


~ of the music season of 1929
4 n 80, with Felicia Rybier's
piano recital the. feature OF last
week and the program of the
Kedroff Quartet, which formally
opens the Community Institute
course next Wednesday. the fea-
ture of the coming week-two
forerunners of the season proper
it is heartening to contemplate
the recent success of Emma Redell
in her recital in New York last
Wednesday.
Emma Redell is a Washington
girl. She grew up. here, received
her education generally and her
preliminary vocal training in the
National Capital. She went. in
evitabIy, to New York to continue
those studies and She completed
them in Vienna, Austria, where
she made her concert debut. Later
she concertized all over Europe.
She began her operate career
In the provincial opera house OF
Augsburg, Germany. Her contract
there was unusual for an Ameri-
can and was renewed later. She
was trained in many prima donna
roles and sang them over and
over, gaining that SO essential eX-
perience and developing initiative
and artistry in interpretations.
She sang in other opera houses in
Germany and finally returned to
Washington on visit to her
brother and his family here before
sailing for South Africa, where
her husband was going on bust
ness. In that dark continent"
Miss Redell won the attendance
of record audiences and amaz-
ingly discriminating criticism that
was very favorable. She spent the
past Summer in Milan, Italy, rest
ing and studying, and now last
Wednesday came her formal debut
in her own country at Carnegie
Hall.
A distinguished musician and
former music critic wrote the
review of that concert especially
for The Star that appeared in the
news columns last Thursday. In
it the writer emphasized that:
Miss Emma Redell, American
dramatic soprano, made q sue
ceSSful debut at Carnegie Hall,
New York City, last night before
an audience which testified from
the very first group its apprecia-
ton Of her voice and personality"
The comments concerning her
voice included. Miss Redell has
charming and warmly tinted So
prano voice, smooth and even in
its legato work and with no hint
of any defect in its production.
The quality of her voice was al
ways agreeable and pleasing to
the ear. 1t penetrated with a
warm and tender emotion most
appealing to the sympathies of her
audience" - "a dramatic
singer of versatility and expert
ence." ut was not until
her Brahms group, however, that
Miss Redell struck her true con-
cert stride, one which will make
her favorite with recital audi
ences everywhere. Her warm,
lovely tones were particularlys tell
ing in the more lyric character of
these lieder. >"
1t might be added that the
asteriSkS Id the above do not
mean passages deleted because
they were nnfayorable, but be-
cause it is mot the idea to give
here complete repetition of what
was printed Thursday, but rather
to indicate The outstanding points
of values of Miss RedelPs voice,
personality and fitness as sing
ing artist.
It is to be hoped that the time
is not far off when Miss Redell
will be heard here, in what is
practically her home town." both
In recital and in opera.
A MOTHER young singer recently
had a debut in New York. She
was another Emma, too. Emma
Otero of Havana, Cuba. Like a
certain American singer with the
same type of voice-a coloratura
soprano-the bigger and better
business instincts of enthusiastic
friends, meaning to be helpful, al
most brought disaster instead OF
emphasizing, success. Senorite
Otero was so feted before the day
of her debut that when the actua
time arrived for her program She
was tired and her best friends
admit that she did not do hersel1
justice. It is to be hoped that
when this singer appears in Wash
ington, as she is scheduled to dc
a little later in the season. Sht
will respect the demands of ar
and leave her hospitality FOL
friends until afterward.
+
A VOCAL quartet which has beer
compared to a fine string
quartet in the perfection of thu
balanced tone achieved by it
members and their excellent CO.
operation comes for the SECOND
time to Washington this season
The Kedroff Quartet from RusSii
will present classical and foil
songs of it's native country ant
by other composers at Contra
High School Wednesday night.
A particularly beautiful memor.
of the earlier visit of this quar-
tet is connected with its sing
ing of the Russian Easter muSi
at the Russian Orthodox Church
here. 1t is a very modest church
only the beginning of what som
day doubtless will be beautiful
ornate edifice. However. even tn
most gorgeous Max Rheinhar
setting could not add to the i'm
pressive dignity and hauntin
beauty Of the music as sung b
the Kedron Quartet.
This quartet of musicianl
singers is a rare example. as
&hn nrn,1rn knnMin as the. EnQliSl