11
MUSICAL COURIER
April 12, 1923

FLORENCE EASTON
F>RIIVIA DONNA SOF״RA.ISIO, METROPOLITAN OPERA COMPANY
APPEARS AS SOLOIST WITH THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA ON MAR. 23 AND 24, 1923
SJxpr ess-iiau?- 24,19 23
By FLORENCE PIERCE REED
Florence Easton was the soloist and was In truth an artist, not only for- her splendid musicianship. lovely Voice and pleasing personality, hut she was a delight :to the eve as ■well as the ear. She sung two of Mr. Rothwell’s song's, “Midsummer Nlg-ht” and “Bacchanale,” for which he made the orchestration¿ The first named moved In stately legato, while the second is ©f the staccato style and operatic in treatment.
ULTRA-MODERN TYPE
Both are of that merciless ultramodern type in which the accompaniment does battle with the voice, of course a strictly fine mu-• sical battle. Both are devilish hard to sing and they demand exactly such a seasoned artist as Miss Easton to put them over and,to bring put the literary values as well as the brilliant musical possibilities'. Both conductor and singer received an ovation at the close. 1־'"’the singer’s artistry and vocal resources were heavily tested in the aria gtiA scene from ”Oberon" (Weber)1 ',Ocean! Thou Mighty Monster.” This tempestuous vocal storm and cyclone combined is old echoolish and has an anti-climax, but it makes such positive demands on technique that it is a thing of ornament and vocal display.
Miss Easton gave as perfect a rendition of it as one could wish and received an ovation from audl» once and orchestra!, • 1-1;״1 ־־
Incidentally, she sung it in English ahd her superb diction and enunciation are־ the best arguments we know for opera-ln-Engllsh. The program will be repeated tonight.
Record Sat.Mar 24
1923
By R. W. BOROUGH
TWO of.Conductor Rothwell’s songs sounding the modern note, ‘,Midsummer Night” aKd “Bacchifhale,” were sung with .fine'sympathy and understanding,by -Florence Easton, soprano; whose previous work ! in opera had ,won her many friends here, ÿfte •“Bacchanale,” in which Roth-well supplies, a dramatic ,tnusical 'set-ting for .a ,jervfent f spring poem by Beilis Untermeyer, rose, to a magnificent embjitonal find!«.- ■Miss Easton’s Work was ,distinguished by beauty of tone and a singniar purity of diction as well׳ as-inteilectual clarity.
BH'é gava #ftiag3liflcent interpretation of 'the aria; “Ocean; Thou Mighty-. Mijns-tpr;;1 ,fi-om ■Weber’s 1*bberon.’־' and, was : recalled . again־ and ־again, tb !He stage. by;*àh ap-
) Underwood & Underwood.
Los Angeles Times
Mch 24,1933
By Edwin Schallert
Had It not been that audiences at symphony concerts generally maintain a dignity, even in their, approval of surpassing experiences, I am sure that a series of cheers and shouts would have greeted the singing of Florence Easton yesterday afternoon' at Philharmonic Auditorium. - As it was, she received one of. the finest bouquets of ap-
______ ~;at —	—
any musical artist this season tor her rendition of Ocean, Thou Mighty . Monster,” .which was the principal inriil on the program presented by thè Philharmonic Orchestra, . under, the direction of Walter Henry Rothwell, yesterday atfernoor■
MisS Easton's, voice, is, of course, not Unfamiliar here. It has only been about ׳ two' seasons ago since she was ׳ heard with the Scotti Grand Opera Company in several important rbleq¿and her reputation for essaying all'manner of operatic interpretations, and being airever-dependabie singer, ha3 spread from New York' to the musically informed in ali parts pf the country. It. Was an'-especial pleasure, therefore, to hear her undertake something so consummately dlfBcult as the arie from Weber’s “Oberon,” and for the feeling and fortitude that she put into the presentation of this she deserves -new laurels of local esteem ana praise.
BRUNSWICK RECORDS
Aeolian Hall, New York
Herald Mar 24 1923
By CARL BRONSON
BIG OVATION
Florence Easton introduced her share of fire into the program and won an ovation of the most •pronounced type. In heir presentation of the two Rothwell songs, with orchestral accompaniment, the singer seemed unfamiliar with the words. These songs are, nevertheless, very worthwhile and the scoring colorful and bold. “The Midsummer Night” is as calm as “The Bacchanale” is roisterous, and in the latter the voice of the singer was: scored with the orchestration in a’n ultra Wagnerian mode. Rothwell writes with understanding and considerable freedom and these, slight nibbles help to bring forward his symphonic poem.
One of the greatest vocal tours of force
susyuned^dmmatic_forceheajd since y.llli 1 ,Tffmanr^’TTTrTTTeg^TTer audiences with the same aria was achieved bv Miss Easton in Webers “Ocean. Thou Mighty Monster.11 This bberon epic has not been done for years. We have not had the voices that could meet its demands: THRILLING PROGRAM Miss_Ejastonlhowevertjneti-i£ver¿־ requirement and fairly lifted the dignified symphonic audience '׳ to bravos ot excitement.. It was an interval of real power long to be remembered, wherein singer and orchestra met in a perfect unity of expression in one of the most sublime impressions ever attempted in music. It might seem fulsome to remark that Miss Easton’s voice has developed wonderfully since her visit here with Seotti, but added to this is an irresistible fire which impresses words and tons upon the very soul of her hearers.
Lob Angelee Examiner Mch 24 1923
BY FLORENCE LAWRENCE
VIBRANCY, enthusiasm and interest mark the Philharmonic symphony concerts for this
week.
Rarely has Walter Henry Rothwell assembled a more׳ potent combination of melody, rhythm and magnificent harmonies than in his offering for this occasion. Yesterday afternoon a huge audience _at the~ Auditbrium enjoyed alike . the orchestra and the soleist, Florence ?iastori, and plaudits ahd flower marked the affair with exiyptjnnaT brilliance-	־
Miss Easton has a powerful voice which combines not only the much desired quality, hut that lyricism which is so gracious an adjunct¿ !Her opening numbers, two son^s by Mr; Rothwell, “Midsummer Night” and “Baeehanale,” were done with a sincerity and finish which proved alike her splendid musicianship and her fine sense of pitch. For her second number she Bang the Weber aria, “Ocean, 1 Thou Mighty Monster,” from “Oberon,” with s£jendid sweep and phrasing of exceptional
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