RejsenTilAmerika_1912

CHICAGO 67 the Norwegian folksong »Oh, Ola, Ola«, sympathetically presented by Mr. Holboll to the subdued but effective accompaniment of a humm ing chorus. The folk dance by Heise afforded the chorus opportunity for the emphasis of a quality that eminently distinguished the art of the o r­ ganization as compared whit male choruses generally—namely: the p ro ­ nounced rhythm ical accent. The musical interest of the afternoon centered, however, in the singing of Mr. Nissen, who unquestionably deserves to be numbered among the great baritones of the present. His voice has that absolute beauty, that pu rity and virility that characterize no rthern voices as con­ trasted w ith the w arm er and more sensuous beauty of the voices of southern Europe. In volume and range it is unusual. It is employed with a mastery of the laws of bei canto that suggests Italian training. But the interpretative art of the singer is distinguished by qualities of restraint and simplicity that seem endowed with a deeper sincerity than is to be discovered in the more obvious intentions of the Italian. To make Grieg’s little song, »The Great White Host,« the medium for the expression of so much poetry and charm demands a finer art than to proclaim the sorrows of Canio with many tears and high Es, or to ex­ pound ihe cheap philosophy of the »Prologue,« with its wearying array of platitudes. Therefore, Mr. Nissen deserved the applause that was bestowed upon him so generously. I C h ic a g o E x a m in e r siger M a u ric e R o s e n f e ld bl. a.: The chorus is one of the best m annerchors which we have heard here in some time. It compares favorably w ith our Mendelssohn Club and is a wellbalanced and sonorous body. The diction and intonation is excel­ lent and they sing with considerable vigor and fine tone shading. There is a certain fresh quality in their voices, and their director, Salomon Levysohn, has trained them with m inute care and with firm though apparently gentle methods. He is a sort of self-abnegating per­ sonality who obtains all the results of precision and tonal nuance w ithout much ado and w ithout any demonstrative signs. Nevertheless the chorus is precise and prompt in obeying his slightest wishes and the results are highly gratifying from a musical standpoint. G a b rie l K a tz e n b e r g e r s Anmeldelse i T ä g lic h e Illin o is S ta a ts z e itu n g saa saaledes ud: A u s d e m R e i c h e d e r T ö n e . E in e n R i e s e n -E r fo lg h a b e n die d ä n is c h e n S ä n g e r v o n d e r U n iv e r s itä t K o p e n h a g e n in ih r e m g e s tr ig e n e rste n K o n z e r t in d e r O r c h e s te r h a lle e rr u n g e n . -—- D e r d a r a u f f o lg e n d e E m p f a n g u n d d a s B a n k e tt im A u d i ­ t o r iu m e b e n s o v o ll g e lu n g e n u n d in j e d e r H in s ic h t e p o c h e m a c h e n d . Um die Stunde des Beginnes des vielversprechenden Konzertes öffneten sich die Schleusen des Himmels und der Regen floss in Strömen hernieder. Alle diese atmosphärischen Störungen waren nicht imstande, eine wahre Völkerwanderung nach der Orchesterhalle zu hemmen, um dem vornehmen Sängerbesuch von jenseits des Atläntics gebührende Würdigung und Anerkennung zu zollen. Man drängte sich nach den E in