The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-11-10
T,,r r,esT PARISH coxcrRr.-we think

rur Tsfpsr PARISH CONCERT. We think
thai every person who was present at the Con-
cert last night will coincide with us in the
opinion that it was most delightful popular
entertainment. The hall was very well filled,
and the audience were almost all acquainted
with each other, so that the ordinary stiffness
OF public musicals was entirely thrown aside,
and, between the first and second parts of the
programme, gentlemen circulated round the
room and paid their respects to their lady
friends.
The first part of the evening was devoted to
selections from different composers. Both
Mrs. Wetherbae and Miss Boyd displayed their
voices to great advantage and SO charmed
their bearers that they insisted on an encore,
which was responded to by Mrs. Wetherbee' s
singing the latter part of Aria from Donizetti
again, thereupon causing repetition of the
plaudits by her wonderful runs and trills;
while Miss Boyd gave "'Twas within mile OF
Edinboro' town" Mr. Thurston sang the
song by Grantz very sweetiy, and Shaw's bass
had fine scope for expression in "Tm but the
whitening flower" Mr.. McKenney has we'll
cultivated bass voice and gave great deal of
pleasure by his rendering of Graham's charm
ing poem, "1f doughty Deeds" set to music by
Sullivan. Kotzschmar's "Barcarole'' has the
real flavor of the Adriatic about it, and the la
dies and gentlemen did it full justice. Mr.
Kotzschmar and Mrs. Allen played the Over
ture to Kreutzer's might in Granada" splen-
didly. The time was perfectly marked, and in
the passages where you hear the revealing par
ty, first in the distance and then gradually ap-
preaching nearer and nearer, until their merry
chorus seems to be actually present with you,
the crescendo was very fine indeed Then the
soft signing of the winds and the hum of the
insects was so very expressive in the plan
issimo.
But the gem of the evening was the Weber
Mass in G. Weber's music has always been
favorite of ours, but the music that is contained
in this mass is of the kind that particularly in
spires religious fervor. 1t does not seem
strange that Catholics should be so devout
when listening to such enchanting strains, for
they are laden with all the fascination that
pertains to dim religious aisles and lighted Ia
pers. And how gloriously that treble quar-
tette Gang from the Kyrie at the beginning to
the final Amen. The choruses were excellent,
we'll sustained, keeping correct time and sing
ing with great expression; particularly would
we mention the Scum Sancto Spiritu," inter-
woven with which were the trills and runs of
Mrs. Weatherbee; the grand soemnity of the
"Sanctus' breaking into the joyful paans of
the "Hosanna;" and in the solos the ezra
tias Agimus," GET Incarnatus" and "Dona
Nobis" Of Mrs. Weatherbee, the sweet render
ing of "Qu TOLLS by Mr.. Thurston, Shaw's
fine bass in the "Cum Sancto," that exquisite
"Benedictus" by the Quartetee, and last but
not least Mrs. Webb's rich flute-like tones in
that charming "Agnus Del" The accompa-
niment upon the grand piano by Kotxschmar
does net call for any special mention on Our
part 1t is well known that Kotzschmar as an
accompanist has few superiors anywhere.
We hope we shall hear more of these charm
ing concerts, but not in that hall. We were
satisfied last night it was not the proper place
for music The acoustic qualities were such
as to bring out the tones too sharp, in both the
instrumental and vocal portions of the enter
tainment.