Evening star., 1933-10-22


powerful enough to see that they could
be put into execution. A few more
laws concerning what can and what
cannot be done in musical education
and musical production would not be
amisS.
WHILE the music season has Off
cially been started with the two
orchestral concerts of the past week
and will enter it's recital stage with
the appearance Of Lawrence TIbbett on
November 5, it will not be completely
in running order until the beginning of
Mrs. Townsend's concert series on De-
cember 13.
The Wednesday morning musicales
have been brilliant musical affairs for
many years, and, being of rather an
exclusive nature have carried a par
ticular stamp of their own. Mrs
Townsend has been unusually fortunate
in her choice of artists, seeking novelty
while demanding artistry that has
passed the test of the critical all over
the world.
Seven concerts have been planned for
this Winter with two artists of inter-
national fame on each program. Fur
thermore, Mrs. Townsend is following
lllC universal pldll VI tilC
prices for her series to the needs of
the time so that these concerts can
now be enjoyed by those who would
most surely profit BY them and who
heretofore could not afford to include
them in their budget
First on her list will be Gertrude
Kappel. who will appear jointly with
Richard Crooks on the program of De-
cember l3. Nine. Kappel made Ope-
ratio history just year ago when she
sang the title role Of Strauss Electra"
at the Metropolitan. The effect of that
opera was a surprise for all concerned
for, while it was believed that New
York was ready to hear Strauss mas
terpiece and receive it with sophista-
Gated appreciation. no one really ex
pected the tremendous ovation and the
wild enthusiasm that forced an entire
audience to its feet in order to applaud
the better for Is long minutes. Ger
trude Kappel sang Electra and sang it
so beautifully that the conviction has
taken form that it is entirely the fault
of the singer if the music of Strauss
opera is unmanagable vocally. Strauss
himself said that Nine. Kappel was the
best Electra he had ever seen.
This would all seem to underline the
fact that because Of possessing mag
nificent voice of extraordinary cultiva-
ton to withstand the strain Nine Kap-
pei was a singer essentially for opera,
but this is not so. On the subsequent
concert tour Nine Kappel made up her
program of German Lieder and again
swept the audiences off their feet with
her beautiful delivery Some Of these
lovely German songs. often neglected in
this country. will be on Nine. KappeHs
program at the opening concert of Mrs.
Townsend'S series.
livery Wednesday morning at Gas
II over the Amalgamated hook-up
William A. c. zerfi, noted vocal
teacher of New York. broadcasts dis
cussion on the problems confronting
the student and teacher Of singing.
These vocal lectures bear the title DO
YOU sing?" a name that instantly at
tracts the attention of every one inter-
ested in the art At the end of the lee
ture Mr.. Zerffi answers vocal ques-
tions which have been sent to him dur
ing the week.
1t is an excellent thing to have these
problems brought out into the open as
it we're and frankly examined by a
man who by serious and constant study
is we'll equipped to find correct solu-
tions. No doubt Mr. Zerffi is deluged
by advice and suggestions and over
whelmed with vocal riddles. He there
fore knows just what is directly need
ed and how to be helpful with sound
knowledge.
Mr.. Zerffi will be well remembered
here for the lectures he gave on the
same subject on February 4, 1925. and
April 7, 1926. at the National Museum.
On the latter date he took for his
topic Fact and Folly in the World of
Song and used colored models and
charts of the vocal parts to demon
strate his theories.
The lectures over the air will un-
doubtedly attract large invisible au-
dience who will absorb for their future
benefit the ideas and advice of an au-
thority such as Mr.. Zerffi.