Evening star., 1937-02-27

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Those who liked her become inarticu-
p late in trying to describe the effect
of her singing, while the opposing
parties are not only vociferous in their
denunciation, but have slightly in
jured attitude, as though they re-
sented being defrauded of their prom
ised elation.
A singer who has had such Sensa-
tional success as Flagstad, and who
has been so lavishly advertised, is
bound to bring some such reaction.
She came to this country without
benefit of much advance publicity, but
the day following her Metropolitan
debut the publicity began, and has
increased with every appearance.
81 Not once has she let her audiences
down nor failed to provide them with
the most perfect interpretations of
the great roles in which she has been
cast, that has been heard in the pres
ent era. This success is, of course,
operatic, and because she has been
able to overWhelm her public with
q complete visual and vocal preSenta-
ton of these noble characters, there
has been little criticism of her in any
way.
THE local public has only heard her,
except over the air, as a concert
artist, and she represents such a de-
layman is not capable of orienting
himself and consequently condemns
what is new and strange to him. This
attitude, particularly in Washington.
where the vocal standard lagS behind
that of the instrumentalistS, is what
causes concern. 1t means, simply,
that we have had so few opportunities
to hear really great singing in its all
encompassing sense, that our ears
and minds are not attuned to it, and
are liable to reject what is different.
Let us go straight to the point and
consider the main attribute of her
concert appearance. which is really
the foundation of most of the cri-
ticism-her repoSe. If we glance back
over all the singers who have given
recitalS here. We will not find one,
particularly among the women, who
can remain so perfectly quiet and
sing high notes or low, dramatic arlaS
or songs without the slightest con-
tortion of body or face. Because we
are accustomed to tensely, claSped
hands, to faces agonized with every
emotion. to bodies that use their
energy either to produce the tone or
project the interpretive idea, Flagstad,
who has no need of such things, Is
acclaimed cold. 1t may prove inter-
esting to an audience to watch these
contortions and feel that the very
heart of a song is being given to it,
but it is not good vocal technique.
If there is any doubt about it, let any
singer stand as quietly, manage his
breath invisibly, and produce his tones
as evenly and as emotionally cOlored
as does Flagstad. 1t is not easy to
do and most revealing as to the sound
ness of technical control.
"A Ill that singers have to guide them
in this day are the rules of the
old masters when the art of singing
was in its heyday. With all the ad-
vance in knowledge which time has
brought. these rules have never been
bettered and remain still the founda-
ton of good singing. They sound
simple but are very difficult of per-
fecting, so difficult that most singers
will not give the time to mastering
them or are unable to do so. They are
perfect bodily position, repose, sup
port of the tone on the breath, open
throat, the voice placed in the reso-
mating chamber and freedom of the
tongue and throat muscles.
Every nervous movement of the body
distorts this perfect ensemble. Most
singers who resort to them are really
jncapable of producing their voices