Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 4, No. 8 (1930-05)

May, 1930 The Phonograph Monthly Review 257 part? Accordingly, Massenet, who was a great admirer of Miss Garden's “Thais,” consented to make some slight alterations in the role of Jean to permit her to sing the part, and in it this unique singing actress achieved one of the great- est triumphs of her career. Mary Garden's al- most uncanny power of identifying herself with her operatic characters is a part of dramatic his- tory, but of all her feats the greatest is the un- believable art with which she disguises her ex- uberant femininity in the role of the minstrel who, for the time being, becomes a monk. In Miss Garden's singing one admires most the ex- pressiveness which, after all, is far rarer and far more precious than any amount of mere sen- suous beauty. Incidentally, this “Liberty” aria is sung ex- quisitely. Jean follows the Prior into the monastery, and soon he is installed as a regular inmate, but he finds that he cannot serve the Blessed Virgin in any way: he cannot write holy hymns, neither can he sing them; he can only eat and drink, and he is laughed at by all. But brother Boniface, the cook, one day, While peeling his radishes, tells him that the Virgin is the friend of the humble, and that a shepherd's pipe is as pleasing to her as were the costly gifts of the Magi. And so the Merry-Andrew is comforted. To convince him, Boniface sings the “Legende de la Sauge” (Legends of the Sagebrush) which tells the quaint old story of the proud and beautiful rose that refused to shelter the Infant Jesus from the wrath of Herod, for fear of staining its lovely petals, but whose life was saved by the humble flowering sage that cheerfully undertook the task of hiding the Christ-child in its bower of leaves. Thus the lowly bush became signally blessed above all other flowers. “Legende de la Sauge,” sung by Marcel Journet, (Victor 6785). This record is finely sung by this famous bass, but this is an abbreviated version, only half of it being given here. Legende de la Sauge, Part I: “La Vierge en- tend fort bien” Part 2: “Fleurissait une sauge.” # This Legend of the Sage-brush is the unques- tioned gem of the score. Here is the entire num- ber, complete in 2 parts, upon a 12-inch record, sung inimitably by the Algerian baritone, Dinh Gilly. This is a superlatively good recording. It is listed by the French Gramophone Co. (F. G. Co.,) No. DB-693. “Le Jongleur de Notre Dame,” Fantaisie; Part I and Part 2, played by the Musique de la garde republicaine. (F. G. Co., K-15138). We often read that a certain selection contains “all the gems of the opera.” Sometimes it is true—oftener it is not. In the case of this Fan- taisie, however, unusual taste and discrimina- tion has been used in its arrangement, and it may be enthusiastically recommended to all who love the music of “Le Jongleur,” and their name is legion. This is one of the records that one will enjoy hearing over and over again, for the mu- sic is admirably in keeping with the quaint leg- end; full of flowing melody, exquisite coloring, and curious contrasts, to which the subject and its treatment give rise. This Fantaisie is of the greatest interest, whether regarded as a “con- densed score” of a favorite opera, or played as a concert piece. Massenet's seventeenth opera is an airy trifle which, so far, has not been heard in America. “Cherubin'' is the same youngster as Cherubino, the youthful gallant in Mozart's “Marriage of Fi- garo.” In Massenet's opera he is but seventeen; his handsome appearance and his personal charm, however, make him a most successful lover. The plot of the opera concerns a Spanish dancer, l'Ensoleillad, who has been singled out for the King's especial favor, and has been sum- moned to the royal palace, but the spoiled beauty encounters the youthful Don Juan, and paused for an affair with him. As far as I can find, there is but one record from this operatic bon-bon. “Aubade” (Serenade) from “Cherubin,” sung by Madame Emma Eames. (Victor, 88135). This is by no means one of Mme. Eames’ best disks—the opening phrases of the “Aubade” have recorded badly. Even at that, the melody is de- lightful and the selection is decidedly worth while. Don Quixote Don Quixote, one of the greatest figures in literary history, comes to the operatic stage in Massenet's opera. The role of the pitifully chi- valrous and crack-brained cavalier was originally written for that king of bassos—the Russian, Chaliapin—and first created by him in Europe, with a triumph that left his audiences breathless with admiration. In America the work was first given by the Chicago Opera Company, M. Vanni Marcoux assuming the role of the crazy, noble idealist in one of the most magnificent perform- ances of his career. Miss Mary Garden gathered new laurels in the part of “La Belle Dulcinee.” Henri Cain, the distinguished French author, has arranged an eminently operatic version of the Cervantes story, to which Massenet has writ- ten by far the most inspired music of his later period. The librettist has retained the “high spots” of the romance, and added certain em- bellishments of his own for the sake of contrast and excitement. Dulcinea, for example, who in the original is a simple country wench, blossoms forth in the Massenet opera as “La Belle Dul- cinee,” a Spanish professional beauty of infinite emotional possibilities,—to put it mildly. Don Quichotte and his faithful servant, Sancho Pan- ba, and the incident of the windmills are familiar to all lovers of the immortal story, but it is an- other matter to follow the plot of the opera— which appears to be, for the greater part, origi- nal with Monsieur Cain. In act I, Don Quinchotte appears under the balcony of the notorious Dulcinee, and sings a serenade—and a thoroughly delightful one it is.