Evening star., 1933-12-03

music Still more could be done by
cmulatng their attitude toward music
in general, the tendency OF which is
to adjust it to their national idea The
this his con41E feTing oou2d Would sr9s Bs
far OH The way 10 A dednlte music
of our own colored by our national
characteristics which are as worthy of
Immortality by way of music as that
steps toward this goal is having more
CT cur recital programs sung In English.
Mr. Tibbett's diction in English Is
v.ndication of its musicality and the
avard recently bestowed upon him by
tGo American Academy OF Arts ana
] ters for excellence in stage diction
srcaks for itself. 1t is significant that
h is the first opera singer to receive
tl' honor which had formerly been
conferred on such outstanding per-
sHragcS of the drama as Walter Hamp-
tor. Edith Wynne MatthiSon, Otis
SIX nner and George Arliss.
When en American singer wishes TO
attain either of the two major opera
companies that this country could boast.
lct alone try his art farther afeld,
che of the essential requirements Is that
h. sing without accent and with clear
accommodation in German. French and
allan The latter language will come
tho easiest to him. but for German anG
French long hours OF intensive study
will be necessary before he dare sing
IN those languages. The same is true
G. a concert singer. Beside the time
spent in carefully practicing foreign
tongue that requires an unnatural (for
u.s. adjustment of the vocal mechanism.
how much time is given to the same
kind CT study Of English?
On a c1hcert program several groups
of scne5 Will be sung in foreign Ian
guages ard one. perhaps in English.
In the audience which has paid to hear
the singer how many will understand
and be able to follow the nuamces. the
particular shadings OF meaning, of the
words that compose the poem. For the
sake of those who are not familiar with
the languages. the poem must be trans
lated somehow and the audience is re-
Quired to follow the meaning as best it
can. The harmonious blending Of word |
and music. the fact that the composer
has chosen that particular note as most
proper to express the word itself, the
. clever arrangement OF musical and
poetic accent is all lest since the poem
is not understood.
In English there have been many
JNIlC poets WDUSe pOtlllS dle HluSlC llSell !
It must be admitted by all that great
part Of their beauty is due to the ,nu-
sical combination of words and the /
choice of the words with the most |
musical sound. II this kind of genius
could be interested in forming the |
translationS of songs and operas there
would not only be new angle Of en-
joyment for the general concert-going !
public but new impetus given both /
the art Of poetry and music.
During the many years that opera |
has been given in this country. audi |
ences have sat night after night listen
ing TO it's production in foreign Ian
guages. Their enjoyment of the per-
formance was either interrupted by the |
need Of looking at the libretto to dis
cover what had caused the dramatic !
excitement on the stage 'and usually
finding it expressed in foolish language /
or in giving up and concentrating the
attention on the music alone. 1t is safe
to wager that outside of the foreign
born listeners. not a hundred people in
the large opera audiences can follow
word for word what is being sung.
The lovely songs OF Schumann. Schu-
bert. Brahms, Wolf Faure. D'Indy,
Clausson. Hue cannot be enjoyed by
the average listener when sung in their
native language. There remains ever
the impenetrable veil of foreign tongue
clouding the beauty of the music. half
of which lies in the perfect union OF
word and tone. 1t is possible to retain
this union if proper translation be
made Entire programs Of Schuberts
songs are sung in French, and Faures
or other French composers are in
cluded in concerts given in Germany.
but always sung in German. Never has
i been known in the history of music
that opera was given in any European
country by native company sung in
any other language but the one OF the
country. Whole seasons of Shakespear-
isn drama are given in European capi-
td]5 but never in English.
Why. then. should we hang on to the
old ideas that something would be lost
through the giving of opera or concert
programs In English or that English Is
T. difficult language to sing? If English
Singers would devote the same time and
Care 10 the training OF themselves in
proper diction. and If the poets Of the
country would give us poetical and
sensible translation that would carry
out the original plans of the composers.
there would be great astonishment at
the discovery of how truly beautiful the
English language is when combined
with music. There is no commendation
languages unless one has acquired the /
natives appreciation of the infnitesi-
NAL shadings in the meanings Of words,
and even then there remains the enor-
nous percentage Of music lovers in the
audience who are incapable Of under
standing.
instrumental music has, of course, |
become universal but the affectation of ,
singing in other languages has closed |
nj ore ion, nf tiara t,ir
TO the general public besides operating !
materially against the formation of an |
Amo4 lean opera. When the marvellous |
richness OF foreign songs and foreign I
operas is open to the appreciation OF |
every one who listens, through the /
medium of the English language then !
VIII q greater musical reaction take /
pace, foY nothing so awakens the soul |
to beauty as the human voice ex- /
pressing in the mother tongue the
sentiments grown dear through daily |
associations. Surely, then, renais-
sance of vocal and poetic art would take
place, and q music be conceived that
would do what all music has done, i'm
mortalize the sentiments and character |
1stics of nation.
THE cancellation Of Lily PonS' concert |
on November 20 was undoubtedly q
source Of great disappointment to
many. Her appearance was eagerly !
awaited, for she has not been heard |
here III some time, and in the public |
favor there Is no one who can COM
p,etely replace her. Although one
would not question her right to rest |
when rest was needed. it is only re-
grettable that Washington was one of /
the cities that has had to suffer by
the cancellation. The tantalizing fact
that Lily PonS is and has been near
here yet not heard in concert here for
some time but serves to whet the desire
to count her among the artists of the
Winter season.
This lovely young singer, who COM
bines all the attractive attributes tn
.~t;-S w