The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-23
Nelson Eddy Thrills His
Listeners in High|ight Of
Martens Musical Series
English's Filled to Limit for
Performance by Popu-
lar Baritone.
BY JAMES THRASHER

One Of the least excited of a ca
pacity crowd which damned every
available space at EngliSh's yester-
day, Nelson Eddy sang a concert
that stamped him, first of all, as
sincere and distinguished musician.
1t is an obviously difficult task for
Mr.. Eddy to choose a program APP
pealing to all classes of his ardent
admirers. Fortunately. however, he
chose yesterdays songs with dis
elimination, and assembled a list of
unquestioned merit. Divested of the
glamour which is rightly his. the
singer gave a performance that is
one of the highlights of the season s
Martens concerts, which he brought
to a close.
Mr.. Eddy gave particularly fine
performance of his first two groups.
consisting of the recitative and aria.
Non piu andrai," from MozartS
Marriage of Figaro" and songs by
Erich Wolff. Brahms and Strauss.
The Mozart with the recitative
really 'recited' instead of sung) was
given out with swiftly changing
light and shade, yet its expressive
ness never escaped the characteris-
tic classic" bounds which distin-
guish the composer. His Italian
diction, like his German, French
and English, was perfection.
Sung Only BY a Few
Surprisingly few singers give us
VOLTS "Du Bist So Jung" which
opened the second group. perhaps
because they are waiting for the
composer to die to give him his Just
due. 1t is one of the great love
songs in vocal literature. and Mr.
Eddy brought to it depth of I'M
Outstanding and emotional sincerity
The singer enhanced these and
the following two groups with dis
Greet but delightful hiStrionic
touches. Whether or not he learned
his acting in Hollywood, he employs
it to best advantage. He has WIN
ming personality but becoming
dignity to 60 with it.
Following the Ballad of Adamas-
tor from Meyerbeer's "L'Atricaine. .
group of English songs was heard:
Tschaikowsky's Pilgrims Song;
Route Marchin' by Stock: Roger
CUTTERS Nov Sleeps the Crimson
Petal" and Love Went a-Riding, 3"
by Frank Bridge. Program builders
often fall down in their choice of
songs in our own language, but there
is no complaint of Mr.. Eddy's choice.
He gave each one performance of
the same artistic forethought that
characterized the more pretentious
items of the concert.
Sings "Ah, Sweet Mystery"
If Rachmaninoff's idea Of Heaven
Is place where his &C Sharp Minor
Prelude" never is played, doubtless
Mr.. Eddy's is of a happy realm
where no one requests "Ah. Sweet
Mystery of Life" But while he
lives among us he will have to sing
it, as he did yesterday. His encores.
in fact, were as numerous as his
programmed songs.
Removed from the psuedo-perfec-
ton of the motion picture sound
track. Mr.. Eddy's voice is found to
be rich in timbre, flexible and, if
not of stupendous power, rich in
shading. It was marred yesterday
only by a huskiness and forced
quality in some parts of the upper
register. Sound training and artistic
employment of his vocal equipment
always are evident. He has right
full place among the great American
baritoneS of our day-a singer who,
exposed to inordinate popularity, re-
mains a fine musician.
The accompanist, apparently des-
tined to an inevitable place in the
last paragraph, was Theodore Pax
son. Playing without notes and
with thorough understanding of
his art, he takes a place with
Leopold Mittman, heard two weeks
ago, as the seasons best. AS soloist,
Mr.. Paxson played Bach's organ
toccata and "Fugue in D Minor, :"
played in his own transcription
rather than that of Tausig, of which
the world long since has grown
weary. Encores by Lecuona and
Debussy supplemented the Bach,
and all were played exceptionally
we'll