again after that opera. I could not bear to think of such a man's
voice in a woman. This was when Mapelson was here in 1884. I never
heard her again until 1908 at Ye Liberty. Everybody had lauded her all
these years, and I never expressed my opinion but held to my
impressions on my first hearing of her work. At last I asked myself,
why should all these musical people call her great and praise her tone
productions as being so perfect, and I stand alone in my opinion. I
resolved, if she ever came again, to hear and see if the fault lay
with me. The opportunity was granted me in 1908 and, engaging a box in
the gallery, I took two pupils with me to hear the great singer and
accord her justice if I had erred. I beheld a wholesome looking woman,
but not beautiful. She was gowned in a stylish robe of rich material,
and on her head a white lace hat with soft white plumes which lent a
charm and softened her otherwise angular features. If I had received a
shock at her first appearance, I certainly was the most surprised
woman in the audience when she began her group of songs. Her first
notes convinced me that she had changed her methods completely since
singing in opera. She had found that singing in concert and singing
the heavy work of Wagner were two distinct methods, and to succeed she
had chosen the Bel Canto and forsaken Wagner. I never heard a more
beautiful lullaby than she sang, with all tenderness and mother love
running throughout her lines. Her German songs were also charming and
well phrased and the interpretation perfect. Knowing the German
language myself, I was able to appreciate and understand her rendering
of them. It was only once she gave one or two of those former
bellowing notes, and as quickly as she had uttered them she changed to
the touchful notes that were more pleasing. I fully enjoyed the
concert as much as I had disliked the opera which I heard in 1884 and
which had left such an ugly impression. It is with the greatest
pleasure that I also add my best appreciation of Schumann-Heink's
singing, for she now sings just as an artist should who understands
the art of singing, correctly, naturally, easily and comfortably.

To gain the height of vocal art is to have no apparent method, but to
sing with perfect facility from one end of the voice to the other,
emitting all the notes clearly and yet with power; to have each note
of the scale sound the same in quality and tonal beauty as the ones
before and af