Impressive Lyric Beauty In Mattiwilda Dobbs’s Singing

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28927, 22 June 1959, Page 12

Impressive Lyric Beauty In Mattiwilda Dobbs’s Singing

There was a very large audience for Miss Mattiwilda Dobbs’s solo recital in the Civic Theatre on Saturday evening. The elegance of her singing must have caused every hearer to be keen to be present when she sings with the National Orchestra next Thursday.

In her singing of a long and testing programme there was everything to interest and much to enchant her listeners. Her voice, rich in many changing colours. is beautifully even throughout its wide compass. Every phrase is under perfect control in meaning, tonal nuance, and rhythmic shape. Her interpretations. although the result of much study and musical judgment, come from the heart as well as the head.

It was the lyric beauty of her singing which impressed so deeply. She did not go for big effects, but there was always the impression of power in reserve. There was beauty in her every sound. The vowels were pure and produced with a natural ease. Everything flowed in unimpeded fashion."

Miss Dobbs showed a nice discrimination in her choice of items, for there was excellent balance and contrast in the programme. She began with four songs by Mozart. There was a new texture of voice with every song. Poised presentations they were, with exquisite clarity of line and purity of tone. In the aria “Ach, ich liebte” from ”11 Seraglio” we heard, for the first time. Miss Dobbs's powers of flexibility ' in coloratura singing. Her voice, away up above the snowline, is

exciting in its sureness of attack, in the agility with which dangerous leaps and “what have you” are effected. Although Miss Dobbs has remarkable powers as a coloratura singer, she did not overload the programme with these gymnastics. She gave us the whole gamut in “Una Voce Poco Fa” from the ‘‘Barber of Seville”—a work which falls happily and naturally into its place in the opera but loses something on the concert platform. The Russian folk-song. “The Nightingale.’’ also gave opportunity for dazzle. Seven lieder by Brahms were completely delightful. Their performances were marked with such understanding, tenderness, passionate feeling, and serenity. There was a high sheen on all the technical devices used, and Miss Dobbs gave a deeply personal interpretation of the music without in any way calling attention to herself.

Four Italian songs by Resphighi. Castelnuovo-Tedesco. and Pizzetti were not only interesting in themselves but also showed how well equipped Miss Dobbs is for singing music of the romantic Italian operas. It was easy to understand how greatly she must charm her hearers in the great opera houses. The first song. “Rain,” was sung with gentle fluttering sounds. ‘‘The Starling" was movingly beautiful. It began with some warm and mellow low notes, and then, in sweeping phrases so sympathetically coloured, it made a lush place for itself in its hearers' hearts. Rapid articulation, with pretty little turns like the gurgling of a brook, made the “Shepherdess” also a song to be remembered. Ten folk-songs from Sweden. France. Brazil, Russia. England, and America ended the programme. "Pastourelle,” ”0 Pallida Madonna.” and “Lizette” were utterly delightful. Possibly we are accustomed to more robust renderings of ‘‘The Gospel Train” and “Michieu Banjo" and Miss Dobbs’s interpretations seemed to lack fire. “Greensleeves” seemed to have rather too much emotion. ‘‘L’aio de Rotso" had a dainty twirl and the Argentinian “Gato" was a riotous song with a somewhat harsh accompaniment. Mr Geoffrey Parsons was a sympathetic accompanist and played two works by Chopin as solo items. —C.F.B.