Americans seem to be particularly fond of Schumann. When artists are
engaged for concert performances it is the custom in this country to
present optional programs to the managers of the local concert
enterprises. These managers represent all possible kinds of taste. It is
the experience of most concert artists that the Schumann selections are
almost invariably chosen. This is true of the West as well as of the
South and East. One section of the program is without exception devoted
to what they call classical songs and by this they mean the best songs
rather than the songs whose chief claim is that they are from the old
Italian schools of Carissimi, Scarlatti, etc. I make it a special point
to present as many songs as possible with English words. The English
language is not a difficult language in which to sing; and when the
translation coincides with the original I can see no reason why American
readers who may not be familiar with a foreign tongue should be denied
the privilege of understanding what the song is about. If they do not
understand, why sing words at all? Why not vocalize the melodies upon
some vowel? Songs, however, were meant to combine poetry and music; and
unless the audience has the benefit of understanding both, it has been
defrauded of one of its chief delights.
Some German poems, however, are almost untranslatable. It is for this
reason that many of the works of Loewe, for instance, have never attained
wide popularity. The legends which Loewe employed are often delightful,
but the difficulties of translation are such that the original meaning
is either marred or destroyed. The songs or ballads of Loewe, without the
words, do not seem to grasp American audiences and singers find it a
thankless task to try to force them upon the public.
I have been so long in America that I feel it my duty to share in
popularizing the works of the many talented American composers. I
frequently place MacDowell's beautiful songs on my programs; and the
works of many other American composers, including Mrs. H. H. A. Beach,
Sidney Homer, Frank Le Forge and others make fine concert numbers. It
has seemed to me that America has a large future in the field of lyric
composition. American poets have long since won their place in the
international Hall of Fame. The lyrical spirit which they have expressed
verbally will surely be imbued in the music of American composers. The
opportunity is already here. Americans demand the best the world can
produce. It makes no difference what the nationality of the composer.
However, Americans are first of all patriotic; and the composer who
produces real lyric masterpieces is not likely to be asked to wait for
fame and competence, as did Schubert and Schumann.
[Illustration: MME. AMELITA GALLI-CURCI.
(C) Victor Georg.]