Music Trade Review
Issue: 1927 Vol. 84 N. 9 - Page 48
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
48
The Music Trade Review
"You Can't Go Wrong-
With Any FEIST'Safcf
61*1
SUNDAY
A Mid-Vest Sensatiorv
Sweeping The Country!
MILLER,
COHN
KRUEGEH
H Hilt
FEBRUARY 26, 1927
"King's Henchman" Scores
Hit at Metropolitan Opera
Deems Taylor's Work, Published by J. Fischer
& Bro., Hailed Both by Press and Public at
Its Premiere
The eagerly awaited Deems Taylor opera,
"The King's Henchman," had its first public
performance in the Metropolitan Opera House,
New York, on Thursday, February 17. The
opera, hailed as an immediate success and the
best of American productions, was played to a
brilliant audience who greeted it with extraor-
dinary enthusiasm.
The book is by Edna St. Vincent Millay, the
score by Mr. Taylor and the leading parts were
played by Americans. The setting is Anglo-
Saxon, based upon history and legend which
tells of Eadger, of Wessex, King of England, in
the early part of the tenth century, thus giving
the basis for the proper operatic atmosphere
and the use of historical costumes.
There is a brief and brilliant orchestral pre-
lude which announces the knightly music of the
King before the curtain rises on the opening
scene of Eadger's court at Winchester.
Throughout the whole opera Mr. Taylor's score
shows his melodic gifts and he makes much of
the atmosphere that is provided in the libretto
through mystery and climaxes. There is a folk
song of Cornwall which Mr. Taylor is particu-
larly qualified to utilize, due to his long experi-
ence in choral writing.
Among the artists who took leading parts
were Lawrence Tibbett, Edward Johnson,
Florence Easton, Merle Alcock, George Meader,
William Gustafson and Louis d'Angelo. The
conductor was Tullio Serafin and the chorus
master was Giulio Setti.
Deems Taylor and Edna St. Vincent Millay
were sought out at the close of each act and
at the conclusion of the performance and es-
corted to the stage to take curtain calls. They
were presented with two huge laurel wreaths
tied with red, white and blue ribbons with their
opera's name, "The King's Henchman," and its
date, February 17, 1927, "with the compliments
of and congratulations of the Board of Direc-
tors of the Metropolitan Opera Co." To Mr.
Taylor was also presented a large cigarette cab-
inet from thirty American singers of the com-
pany, half of whom had taken part in the eve-
ning's performance. The performance, accord-
ing to Mr. Gatti, was for the first time in the
premiere of a native work sold out.
J. Fischer & Bro., 119 West Fortieth street,
New York City, publish the score.
Since the above reception of Deems Taylor's
work the Metropolitan Opera Co. has arranged
with him for another American operatic work
to be finished within the next two years and to
be used at the opening of the new Metropolitan
Opera House or before, if completed.
ANIMATE
THE,
Keys
WITH
New Fischer Songs
L£O. FEIST.Inc,
FEtST BLDG.,
231-235 W. 40 t h ST.,
iV^Hr YOFUHL
A fine list of new songs has just come from
the J. Fischer & B o., music publishing house,
New York. "Stirrings in the Earth" is the
strange title of a short song by J. Bertram Fox
to poem by James Joyce, which on examina-
tion proves to be a charming and very sincere
little song for high voice, with delightfully fan-
tastic and charming verse.
The list includes others of Mr. Fox's songs,
and every one seems a perfect little gem, their
titles being: "Evening," (John Milton), high;
"A Ballad," (Baring), high; "Tears" and "Sad-
ness," (Cramer-Byng), high-medium; "Even-
tide," (Bronte), high-medum; "O Inexpressible
as Sweet," (Woodbcrry) high-low; "Wonder,"
(Towne), high; "Dusk," high-low; "Falling
Snow," (Amy Lowell), high, and "Starlight,"
(Van Dyke), high.
ALL WHO LIKED'NO IA"
WILL IVANT
SamFox^PubCo
CLLVELAND
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review.
^T\.
NEW YOHK
48
The Music Trade Review
"You Can't Go Wrong-
With Any FEIST'Safcf
61*1
SUNDAY
A Mid-Vest Sensatiorv
Sweeping The Country!
MILLER,
COHN
KRUEGEH
H Hilt
FEBRUARY 26, 1927
"King's Henchman" Scores
Hit at Metropolitan Opera
Deems Taylor's Work, Published by J. Fischer
& Bro., Hailed Both by Press and Public at
Its Premiere
The eagerly awaited Deems Taylor opera,
"The King's Henchman," had its first public
performance in the Metropolitan Opera House,
New York, on Thursday, February 17. The
opera, hailed as an immediate success and the
best of American productions, was played to a
brilliant audience who greeted it with extraor-
dinary enthusiasm.
The book is by Edna St. Vincent Millay, the
score by Mr. Taylor and the leading parts were
played by Americans. The setting is Anglo-
Saxon, based upon history and legend which
tells of Eadger, of Wessex, King of England, in
the early part of the tenth century, thus giving
the basis for the proper operatic atmosphere
and the use of historical costumes.
There is a brief and brilliant orchestral pre-
lude which announces the knightly music of the
King before the curtain rises on the opening
scene of Eadger's court at Winchester.
Throughout the whole opera Mr. Taylor's score
shows his melodic gifts and he makes much of
the atmosphere that is provided in the libretto
through mystery and climaxes. There is a folk
song of Cornwall which Mr. Taylor is particu-
larly qualified to utilize, due to his long experi-
ence in choral writing.
Among the artists who took leading parts
were Lawrence Tibbett, Edward Johnson,
Florence Easton, Merle Alcock, George Meader,
William Gustafson and Louis d'Angelo. The
conductor was Tullio Serafin and the chorus
master was Giulio Setti.
Deems Taylor and Edna St. Vincent Millay
were sought out at the close of each act and
at the conclusion of the performance and es-
corted to the stage to take curtain calls. They
were presented with two huge laurel wreaths
tied with red, white and blue ribbons with their
opera's name, "The King's Henchman," and its
date, February 17, 1927, "with the compliments
of and congratulations of the Board of Direc-
tors of the Metropolitan Opera Co." To Mr.
Taylor was also presented a large cigarette cab-
inet from thirty American singers of the com-
pany, half of whom had taken part in the eve-
ning's performance. The performance, accord-
ing to Mr. Gatti, was for the first time in the
premiere of a native work sold out.
J. Fischer & Bro., 119 West Fortieth street,
New York City, publish the score.
Since the above reception of Deems Taylor's
work the Metropolitan Opera Co. has arranged
with him for another American operatic work
to be finished within the next two years and to
be used at the opening of the new Metropolitan
Opera House or before, if completed.
ANIMATE
THE,
Keys
WITH
New Fischer Songs
L£O. FEIST.Inc,
FEtST BLDG.,
231-235 W. 40 t h ST.,
iV^Hr YOFUHL
A fine list of new songs has just come from
the J. Fischer & B o., music publishing house,
New York. "Stirrings in the Earth" is the
strange title of a short song by J. Bertram Fox
to poem by James Joyce, which on examina-
tion proves to be a charming and very sincere
little song for high voice, with delightfully fan-
tastic and charming verse.
The list includes others of Mr. Fox's songs,
and every one seems a perfect little gem, their
titles being: "Evening," (John Milton), high;
"A Ballad," (Baring), high; "Tears" and "Sad-
ness," (Cramer-Byng), high-medium; "Even-
tide," (Bronte), high-medum; "O Inexpressible
as Sweet," (Woodbcrry) high-low; "Wonder,"
(Towne), high; "Dusk," high-low; "Falling
Snow," (Amy Lowell), high, and "Starlight,"
(Van Dyke), high.
ALL WHO LIKED'NO IA"
WILL IVANT
SamFox^PubCo
CLLVELAND
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review.
^T\.
NEW YOHK
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