Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-12
M u S &C
sIGRID oNEGIN's RECITAL.


The leading contralto on the concert
stage today, Segrid Onegin,. appeared
in her annual recital here last night.
The large audience in Constitution Hall
gave her appreciative applause after
every number. An encore was demand
ed after each group. Among the en-
cores were Mobiles Seigneurs, Salut!"
from Meyerbeer's opera, Les Hugue-
nots": Der Schmid," by; Brahms: q
German Christmas lullaby, Der Erl-
koenig." by Schubert, and Good
Night" a charming little song with
music by Chopin and words set to 1t
by the singer.
Nine. Onegin never was in better
voice and her charming personality and
facile command of expression to convey
the message of her song in her face as
well as in her voice, won all her old
admirers afresh and added new ones
to the ranks. This last quality is dem
onstrated to the fullest in the Schubert
"Erlkoenig." to which Mime. Onegin
manages to give fresh, increased dra-
matte meaning every time that she
sings it. Again last night this song
dominated her entire proraIn, next to
the last encore though 1t was.
In the first group of old Italian songs
by Lott and Paisiello, the
singer showed her complete command of
from mellow low tones to ringing high
notes, fine breath control and ability
to give varied tone color to the same
phrase oft-repeated. AS usual this
singer could be depended upon to give
unusual songs For her German lieder
she chose three rarely heard songs by
Mendelssohn. OF these, the 'Hexen-
lied" approached somewhat in theme
and treatment the standard for dra-
tat taff az hxy
egin's "Erlkoenig" In q group of rare
folk songs of varied type, Nine. On
egin sang with apparent familiarity in
Swedish, Russian and Norwegian as well
as the more customary French. Each
song was a gem of its kind and given
with artistic finish yet never stressed.
so that one felt the singer was trying
to make art songs out of folk mefo-
dies. The final number listed was
equally fresh to the constant concert
goer. It was an air from RoSsini' S
opera, LA Cenerentola," entitled
"Naoui all affano," and was replete with
florid runs and trills. all of which the
singer compassed with marked hexi-
bility.
At the piano, Nine Onegin was as
sisted none too competently by Hermann
Reuter-. He also played group OF
solos which included the familiar "Prel-
ude In C Sharp Minor" of Rachmani-
noff and the "Liebestraum" Of List, as
well as a rather rambling composition
of his own entitled "ValSe Boston.
There was nothing distinctive In his
playing. He blurred his chords and was
rather careless at times in the actual
notes he played and his pedallng was
far from admirable H. F.
THE cANTATAs OF BACH"
A Roodly number of enthusiasts fol-
fhe music of Johann Sebastian Bach
gathered in the little chamber music
auditorium of the Library of Congress
Yesterday afternoon to hear DR.. Charlie:
Sanford Terry talk on THE Cantata'
of Bach" DR.. Terry came here from
oxford. He is the writer OF many bril-
liant and valuable books on musica
subjects, including the third edition o.
Groves Dictionary of Music" He y
generally considered one OF the out
standing authorities on Bach, and hi!
book, Johann Sebastian Bach" is uSec
as a text book.
It was the cantata, religious dra'
matte piece, developed from the Ger
man motel and the italian idiom, opera
that was the subject of this lecture
This form of musical writing wal
brought to its highest state of develop
Snent by Bach. The Leipzig organist Sc
q record by composing more than 30'
cantatas. For 20 years he produced on
a month without break in schedule
This was the genius who also Shone il
various other activities in the field 0
music and left the great Mass In
Minor" as his dominant work.
The cantatas, according to DR.. Terry
were based upon hymn and scriptur.
selected for the day. Protestants still
opposed music in the church. but Bacl
not only performed his cantatas, bu
in their construction held closely u
the form of the mass. Every cantat.
was inscribed at the beginning Will
Jesus, Help Me" and closed by IT
God Alone" These cantatas we're tn
despair of amateurs, boys selected 10
the choirs and town musicians. Ate
Baci1's death, many Of them were los'
Bach's widow sold a bundle Of then
for trifie. At sundry times. variou
members of the family disposed o
other bundles. Mozart is credited a
being instrumental in gathering man,
of them together again and properl