CLARA BUTT FAREWELL

Evening Star, Issue 19186, 1 March 1926, Page 2

CLARA BUTT FAREWELL

The feature of the last programme of the Clara Butt-Kennerly Rumford season, presented to a large audience in His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday night, was Dvorak’s five Biblical songs. In these Dame Clara Butt’s voice and method were gloriously, displayed. These settings of psalms give great scope for dramatic effect. Really arresting recitative in ‘ Clouds and Darkness ’ gradually progresses through ‘ Lord, Thou Art My Refuge ’ to the greater predominance of melody tin the more aria-like ‘ Hear My Rraycr,’ which contains intense passages, such as the confession of the overwhelming fear of death, to which none but the most powerful voices could do justice. The intoning with which ‘ God is My Shepherd ’ begins opened out a lyric of sombre beauty, hut the closing effect suffered through the bizarre production of the concluding words “they shall comfort me.” The final song of the bracket, ‘ I Will Sing New Songs of Gladness,’ was a full-throated rapture, the sensation of triumph being overwhelming. Dvorak’s work showed Dame Clara Butt at her very best, it being hard to conceive how any' living singer could better expound it. The organ obligato to it, announced on the programme, was absent. Among other numbers the simplicity of Leoni’s ‘ The Little Bird ’ and the robustness of Stephenson’s ‘ Ship of My Dreams ’ were notable; find Mr Kennedy Rumford, besides singing ‘Where’er You Walk,’ Ireland’s ‘ Vagabond,’ and other songs, did his share in making GoringThomas’s duet ‘ Night Hymn at Sea ’ a thorough success. Madame Aussenac as solo pianist and Mr Roy Ellett as accompanist contributed towards a programme which progressed amid scenes of considerable enthusiasm.

“ She lias refused my suit!” the hero on the stage exclaimed dramatically. “ Mother,” loudly whispered a little boy in the audience, “ what does he want her to wear his clothes for?”