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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
Society of
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YorK
metier in the class of songs he sang and the hall
in which he sang them. It is, we should think,
a unique occurrence that a vocalist should be
offered a double encore in the Gentlemen's Con-
cert Hall, but such was the case with Mr.
Greene, after Mr. Stanford's arrangement of an
old Irish air, "My Love's an Arbutus." He
sang first another of Stanford's arranged songs,
and second a very expressive Scotch song. Mr.
Greene put so much feeling into his efforts,
and was able, within the limits of the room, to
display so much delicate finesse that was audible
and telling, that there is no reason for surprise
at the exceptional effect his ballad singing pro-
duced.—Manchester Courier.
Symphony Society of New York will
give during the coming season six after-
noon and six evening concerts at Music Hall,
under the direction of Mr. Walter Damrosch.
The programs will be of the highest attractive
order of excellence, and will include the best
works of the greatest composers. Some of the
most renowned vocal and instrumental solo
artists in the world will appear. The Symphony
Society will this season surpass all its former
successful efforts to please the music loving
people of New York.
Another singer of very high rank was in-
The most famous basso singer in Europe at
cluded
in last night's cast, Mr. Plunket Greene,
the present time is Mr. Plunket Greene, a young
a.
young
Irishman, who has already won golden
Irishman who has astonished England and the
continent of Europe. While in Europe last opinions not only in London, but even before
summer Mr. Morris Reno, President of the the severer tribunals of the authorities of the
Music Hall Co., of New York, visited this noted Wagner Theatre at Bayreuth. Mr. Greene gave
basso and heard him sing. The result of the a singularly impressive rendering of Schubert's
interview was that Mr. Plunket Greene was '' Litanei,'' and showed his versatility by sing-
engaged by Mr. Reno to appear in America this ing later the Irish ballad, '' Off to Philadelphia;''
season, with the Symphony Orchestra of New he also took part in a duet and a quartet. His
voice is a full rich bass, of remarkable range
York and other first-class organizations.
Mr. Plunket Greene is not yet thirty years and thrilling quality, and his method of pro-
old, and his success has been truly phenomenal. duction and command of artistic phrasing are
A very remarkable thing concerning him is the beyond reproach. More noteworthy still is his
fact that he became a singer by accident. He seriousness of purpose and his facility of sympa-
had been called to the bar in Dublin, and was thetic expression. He was most heartily appre-
winning a reputation as an able lawyer when ciated, and won enthusiastic recalls.—Edinburgh
his health became affected, and he went to Italy Scottish Leader.
for treatment. Here the rich, sonorous quality
A very interesting feature in the recital was
of his speaking voice attracted the attention of Mr. Plunket Greene's remarkably fine singing
some musicians with whom he was acquainted, of three old Hungarian songs arranged by F.
and they induced him to have his voice culti- Korbay. The singularly wild and characteristic
vated for singing. The experiment proved a melodies have been cleverly adapted by the com-
decided success. Mr. Plunket Greene was pro- poser without losing any of their original force,
ficient in the European languages and within and Mr. Greene's singing of them was so full of
two years he was known as the most versatile vigor and intensity that it called forth a burst
basso of the day. His masterly delivery of of prolonged and well-deserved applause, and an
German songs aroused the enthusiasm of the inevitable encore.—London Saturday Revieiv.
German people, and their musical critics declared
A trio of old Hungarian melodies, arranged
that his pronunciation of their language in sing-
by F. Korbay, was interpreted by Mr. Plunket
ing Wagner's music was worthy the emulation
Greene with fine descriptive finish, the conclud-
of the native vocalists.
ing section being given with all the declamatory
Mr. Plunket Greene is not only a great singer fire to which the talented basso's magnificent
of classical music, but he is considered the best voice so readily lends itself.—Brighton Adver-
balladist in Great Britain. He sings Irish tiset.
humorous songs with the drollest kind of a
Mr. Plunket Greene gave an excellent and
brogue, and readily won his way to the enthu-
finished
rendering of Mozart's " Qui Stfegno, "
siastic approval of Dublin concert-goers. His
which
showed
command over a voice at once
singing also of the very highest and most ex-
remarkable
for
richness and resonance. Mr.
acting classical and romantic songs has won for
him the unstinted encomiums of the press of Greene further contributed two Irish songs, and
Great Britain and the European continent. The in all his performances proved himself to be
critics declare that his voice is faultlessly pro- already an accomplished singer, master of the
duced, his musicianship finished and accurate, technique of his art, with that intuitive leaning
and his pronunciation of the language in which to what is true and genuine in art which pro-
he sings wonderfully correct. His voice, his mises great things in the future. It is long
method and his expression, together with his since a young singer has come before the public
sincerity^of feeling and admirable taste, give with such fresh beauty of voice, such excellent
promise of his eventually becoming one of the training, and such intelligence and declamatory
most distinguished artists of the lyric stage. He power.—Glasgow Herald.
is of splendid physical stature and of exceed-
With a voice possessing uncommon richness
ingly fine presence. These natural endowments, and power, and with his fine artistic insight,
supplemented by his magnificent voice, combine Mr. Greene promises to take the highest rank
to render him a most attractive figure on the among concert vocalists, and would be welcomed
stage and a general favorite with the public. with open arms by operatic entrepreneurs if he
When he appears in this country, under the chose to study for the lyric stage.—Glasgow
auspices of the Symphony Society of New York, News.
he will receive a cordial welcome, and it may
Mr. Plunket Greene, who has long since won
not be unsafe to predict that he will achieve a his way to the enthusiastic approval of Dublin
reputation in America that will; even surpass concert-goers, renewed his triumphs. The selec-
the renown he has won in Europe.
tions given by him were two from Schumann,
We append some of the numerous press no- " Mit Myrthen und Rosen" and "Die Rose,
tices of Mr. Plunket Greene, which will serve to die Lillie," and in response to an enthusiastic
indicate the high regard in which he is held by encore he repeated the latter. He again appear-
the press of Great Britain :
ed later and sang a couple of selections from
Mr. Plunket Greene seemed quite to find his Villiers Stanford, "My Love's an Arbutus,"
and '' The Flight of the Earls,'' which he gave
with boldness and vigor ; and in response to an
energetic demand, sang " Life of My Life," by
Gatty, ably rendering the passionate expression
of intense emotion, which might be almost said
to vibrate in every note of this song, which, if
we mistake not, has never before been sung in
this city.—Irish Times.
White-Smith Music Publishing Co., Boston.
Voice : " My God, My Father," sacred song for
soprano or tenor, by M. L. Eaton, an excellent
devotional melody; "Woman's Love," "Mo-
ther's Lullaby," two exquisite songs by C. A.
White, published since his death ; '' Oh Come
My Love To Me ! " by Loren Bragdon, a very
good song of faithful love. Piano : '' Eugenie
Waltz," by Henry B. Kronlage, rhythmic and
graceful; '' Beatrice Polka,'' by Frank Addis
Kent, bright and spirited.
Oliver Ditson Company, Boston. Voice:
" Heart Of My Heart Sleep On," words by D.
W. C. Nesfield, music by Emma Gee, a fervid
serenade glowing with feeling ; '' The Old Cow
Bell," words and music by Carrie E. Baldwin, a
pleasant song of home and memory. Piano :
" Lucile Waltzes," by T. Leslie Carpenter, har-
monious and smoothly flowing; "Zanzibar
Caprice," by John Francis Gilder, very brilliant.
The following music for the mandolin has been
admirably composed and arranged by Walter
Fay Lewis : '' Valse Espagnole," " Harvard
Medley Waltz, " " For Love Of Her Polka."
The November number of the " New York
Musical Echo," published by Messrs. Peek &
Son, New York, contains superior vocal and in-
strumental music. The songs are, "Let Me
Love Thee," "Questioning," " I Won't Be A
Nun," "'Twixt Love And Duty." The piano
selections are, " Passing Regiment Grand
March," "Fire Patrol Galop," " I n Sohtuer-
land, " " Rigoletto " (potpourri).
f\\) Old l/iolii?.
has recently come into the possession
of Prof. W. Monroe Sage, of Bergen, N.
Y., a violin which has quite an interesting his-
tory. It was made by Stradivarius, the cele-
brated violin maker of Cremona, Italy, in 1649.
It was owned by famous French and Italian
violinists of the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries, and figured in many of the greatest
concerts and opera performances of the periods
referred to, and some years previously to its
present ownership it was the property of the
great Alard, professor and composer in the Con-
servatory of Leipsic. Crawford, the celebrated
antique collector of New York city, purchased
the instrument of Alard some fifteen years
since, and latterly sold it to Prof. Sage, of Ber-
gen. The instrument is valued at some $4000.—
New York Daily News.
THE; Laurel Drum and Fife Corps has been
organized at Washington, D. C.