The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-02-07

1 tuck Musical ATt SOcleIy.- 1L IS many years since waterbury has had the opportunity to listen to @ well chosen program by male singer, MT. Kipnis has the distinction of being designated a basso of the Metropolitan Opera, but he is actu- ally a bass-baritone with even sug- gestions of tenor tones in his broad range of voice. Notable in all of his work is the easy transition from one range to another. His selection of songs for the recital in this city was gratifying to his enthusiastic listeners. It was an evening of rare entertainment and MT. Kipnis' ar- tistic work in songs varying from the aria from "Don Carlos" by Verdi to his concluding Russian folk songs inclined the audience to repeatedly ask for more.
 Discriminating Choice
 So wisely and carefully does MT. Kipnis pick and select his program songs that the listener progresses from one vocal delight to another. Obviously, as you hear him sing, he does no particular song better or best. It is a question of your own preference. Last night he gave four of the Schubert neder and these songs were not mercy songs with Fritz Kitzinger identifying himself as pianist-accompanist, but they were narrative bits, lovely stories with their musical background. In these songs, sung in smooth flawless German, as in all of MT. Kipnis' se- lections in a foreign language, the artist gave brief history outlining the text. This was an agreeable in- novation and added greatly to the enjoyment and appreciation of what he had to offer. His Schubert was characterized by lovely flowing tones, smooth legato. a controlled pianissimo, and an intense dramatic fervor, according to the text. His four Schubert choices were "Gute Nacht," "Fischerweise," Der Wan derer," and lastly the highly dra- matic and difficult Der Erlkonig. ? The four were done to perfection with style and finish, and MT. Kip nis' change of mood to suit each song was worth noting.
 This dramatic quality that was expressed in even his simplest songs was effected with the same appar- ent ease in his tonal coloring, his phrasing, and such technicalities that made for perfection but not s too precise performance. The thing that impressed most was that in all of his vocal work the feeling was that it was 8 natural operation, a blending of superb artistry, with nc diminishing of the emotional intent that was the composers. 'Don Carlos"
 MT. Kipnis began his program with a splendid area from Don Carlos" The dramatic content was explained by the singer. Next he presented his Schubert group fol- lowed by two numbers of varying temperament, the first lovely de- scriptive French song which he ex- plained was more or less of popu- lar folk song, "Le Cor" by Flegier and Mephisto's Serenade from Faust" by Gounod. In the latter the singers dramatic ability was noted. In "Le Corr (The Horn) a a delightful little story was unfold ed, the voice carrying on 8 beauti- full melody and the piano accom- paniment repeating at intervals a horn motif.
 MT. Kipnis' English songs, each carefully done were Katherine Breid's Song in the Desert" "Clorinda" by O. Morgan, Into the Night" by Clara Edwards, and Little Jack Horner" (with apologies to Handel) by J. Michael Diack. The simple Jack Horner nursery rhyme became work of art according to Handel in this particular arrangement of the last song in the English group. The singers final offerings in the Russian language were typical folk songs, the first Rainbow adapted by GretchinoR, "The Ring" Might and Soldiers Song" While these fifteen songs on the program gave something of an idea of the vocal range of MT. Kipnis with all its grades of tonal coloring one felt he would have fifteen more by other composers and that he would do as good job. His vocal resources, Sc one is impressed, are boundless. Fritz Kitzinger at the piano was a skillful and artistic assistant. Added numbers sung by Mir. Kipnis were the Brahms serenade "Guten Abend"; Passing Bly," by Purcell another Brahms, Tod, Vie Bitter bist du" and lastly Richard Strauss Dream of Twilight" M. M.