The Portland daily press., 1871-02-22

ways felt free to maintain" that Reception
Hall was not adapted for concerts In shape
it is parallelogram with heavy beams running
athwart the ceiling-aglinst which sound
strikes and reverberates rendering its acous
tic properties anything but what they should
be. 1t is therefore matter for particular COM
ment that the concert last night should bave
been such a success, and that both the vocal
and instrumental effects should have been so
excellent We hope, however, that if another
concert is given it may take place in Fluent's
Hall, which is admirably suited for the pur-
pose.
The audience last night was very brilliant
and critical, and fully tested The seating capac
ity of the auditorium. The programme was
very carefully prepared and the selections we're
rather of the popular than of the severely
class school, using the term popular in the
sense OF pleasing to the average musical ear.
The programme opened with Weber's "Invita.
tion a la Danse," which has lately become IA
miliar to our readers by the exquisite treat
mont it received from the Thomas orchestra
1t was arranged on this occasion Tor eight
hands, and its seductive measures were admir-
ably interpreted by Mrs. Alien and the Misses
Dyer, Libby and Nichols. Their precision of
time, delicacy of shading and general excel
lence of execution must have been especially
worthy OF mention since it evoked SO much
pleasure, while the "reminiscences of that su-
perb body of musicians still haunted tue mem
ory. The graceful Franz sons-"The Woods
exhibited the sweet cortralto of Miss Farley,
while the duett of Mendelssohp, entitled the
Autumn Song,' was full of the soft tender
spirit that is such a remarkable feature of the
composer breathing forth pathos that told of
the dying year, and admirably adapted to the
sympathetic voices of Mrs. Farley and Mrs.
Webb. The latter lady was suffering from a
severe cold, but it was hardly perceptible in
her rendering of the music. Miss Burpee ex-
hibted delicate crisp touch and an excellent
technique. Her interpretion of the "RoDdo''
by Hitler was very smooth, the equality and
poise of the fingers being noticeable, the time
also being carefully observed without hurry
ing. The sextette of Campana's, which closed
the first part was both brilliant and melodious,
the voices harmonizipg and blending most
perfectly, and this was especially noticeable in
the combination of the clear tones of Miss
Lewis soprano with the rich flute notes of
Mrs. Brown.
The second part was the most striking por-
tion CT the programme. The trio originally ar
ranged for soprano, alto and tenor by Costa
and sung by Mrs. Farley, Miss Farley and
Mrs. Webb might appropriately be called
''liDked sweetness" while Rossini's "Taran-
tella" with its clear cut staccato passages and
brilliant "chromatic fireworks" was admira-
bly, suited to Miss Boyd's voice and was exc
cuted in a manner that caused the audience to
insist on repetition. Gadi's "Symphony in
G minor is considered the best of his works
and somewhat recalls Memo elssohn in style.
The first movement was of the dreamy relig-
ious order, while the second was rather vigor-
GUS and dramatic in style with very marked
time and introducing march. 1t received
full justice at the hands of Misses Libby and
Millett and was the most elaborate selection of
the evening The gem of the entertainment
was the solo by Mrs. Weatherbee, which dis
played her best qualities of voice and her mag
niicent execution to greater advantage than
anything we have heard her sing for long
time, it being the "Fdusts siempre" of Doni-
zetti which, we believe, is sometimes intro
duced into the opera of Don Giovanni" This
enjoyable concert closed with Abt's delicious
chorus "The chime of silvery Sabbath Bells"
sung by the club in manner that fully dis
played its beauties but hardly equal TO Schu-
bert's 1.-The Lord is my Shepherd
The accomplishments by Mrs. Allen were
admirable. She seemed to feel the singers.
The new piano, Chlckering grand, was used
for the first time on this occasion and was
adorned by superb basket Of flowers.