St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-03-24
The Musical Convention.

| lures winch maze IL "tTtnN Oi Is pccial
notice. The daily exercises were accord
! in" TO the usual routinc-rchcarsal morn.
inc. afternoon and evening; concerts
Thursday and Friday evenings, with a
matinee Friday afternoon. Mr.. Scion
Wilder OF Boston, appcarc Is musical di-
rector, and made. we believe. his debut in
Vermont. He had the confidence of the
class ut the beginning. and apparently
grew in favor TO the close. His success
i'll producing the music IchearScd accord
in% to his idea. was pleasantly noticeable.
Though we might differ with him in some
respects, we certainly shall not quarrel
with him over matters of taste. Some men
have hobbicS-othcIs freaks. His Sudden
and emphatic 0cceIcrdH90 at the close of
IGf01mdtHS in Stabat Mater. struck us Is
very odd. and The more unwclcomc as it
came at place where the ear dcsilcs all
there i for il. With the chorus carving
on lis parts with 4 volume and Nf"Or in
the best sense enjoyable. and 0ycrtoppcd
by Mis-. Smiths solo, so frrvcntly perform
~ d''i tuil'lli>'Ltu DE y HtblDiiloilS, we
felt ~ an Interested and delighted listener.
that we would rather continue TINT slate
of tIim"S than cut il an instant short.
There were other things quite rs I'M
looked for and quite rs odd, such n his
r,turd in the double chorus. Rock OF
Ages" Bat we make NJ unlricnGly crili-
ciSm OF Mr.. W. He made many friends
here, and will have hearty welcome
should he come back at ancthcr time. In
the present case he was well sustained.
both in the chorus and solo departments
Though the parts. as usual. were not we'll
balanced. all were very good. The So
prano. rs Is common. WAS much the most
powerful, and the tenor the weakest. The
bass WAS excellent in quality but not sui-
iicicnt in volume for the soprano. All the
parts sung in GOOD tune. and studied dill
gently and successfully the music assign
cd them. Their promptncs> and Ic%uIari-
ty At rchrarsalS. aS well a. their rro"rcs>
,lrriug the convention. WAS hi@hlv COM
mcmdallr.
The Convention committee did good
and bold thing when they determined to
call To their assistance such eminent solo
| talent. None of the ~pioi>i~ Except Mr..
| BaInIbrr. had ever sung here before.
Nevertheless they were moi without rcpII-
taliun here. Thri: various rood point :
and qualities had been sufficiently hrradrd
to create the livclc>t interest to hear them.
Mrs. Smiths reputation. already national.
cannot he affected bY the wort OF our
testimony. Perfectly at home upon the
stage. possessing" Il voice of the iiucst quail
lily and unusual compass. and cultured Il
few American sopranos are. it is no Won
der if She both surprised and delighted
our people. Miss Ryan's voice i a CON
tlalto OF great power. and i used with
cOmmcndable skill and feeling. Bv her
good Sin%in" and agreeable. kindly man,
ncrS. she made warm friends. all ol whom
will wish her the fullest success in her
pans for the further culture OF her musi-
cal powers. Mr.. FcsScudcn'> voice i Il
trnor-tnc purcSt OF the pure. 1t is pure
and pleasant in quality. aud purely tenor
in its compass. II is not strong. but
nevertheless. it is musical in every
fibre. The best adapted. perhaps. to bal
lad, ii i by no means wanting in the tine
bTe demanded for the heavier work OF the
cantata aud the oratorin. Not often, il
ever, has it fallen 10 the lot of Il Vermont
audience to listen to tenor so good.
or Barnabrc-or the two BarnabrcS
we might say-wr hardly know what to
| speak. There was one. looking tor all
the world IL grave H. Il mini>.r., with
face OF almost tolbiddinw sanrtimony.
and >imgin" with firm. rich voice OF
churcl-likc quality. AID there was Tia,
other, wrau"ln". Sc0din". drclaimn".
acting. Sin"inw-acIu hat, cGntortiUniSt.-
again and again convul-in" the aIdrnc,
with laughter while he l,i"nr,l the cOnvul-
sion of li- own body with the pains %
''rhcumltirS." The two men nr,. So IN.
| like that they ought not to he named i.
the same article. though they wear llI,
same white ncck-tir and black hruadclnth
~ Il comic h. i, inimitablr. ~ a singer
enjoyable an good.
The SOLO singing nl all these person,
was excellent, willie some OF then part
singing VA, Just laulll,>>. The two lOu
part->om"S. with English trXt-thr nam"
of which We do not rcmrmbrr.--wrrc il
the highest degree enjoyable All thci
parts in S!Ibat Mater. though sometime,
quite difficult. were performed admir- rbly
| The precision and ucaincS~ of the duet. il
this work. 10y Mrs. Smith and Mis- Ryan
could hardly bc cNcrllrd. What We SAY
of the part-sin"in". does not apply to tn,
thread bare dues. Master and scholar,
and Caller Green llayim" been ''raSp
ed on by every tchth-ratc concert trOHp'
in every village OF Vermont for the las
fifteen years. and having in them molhin.
to commend lhcm-cihrr of music. Wit @
ingenuity. we confess To complete discom
litu'c while they were being performed
Don't, good BnStOnian%. ever brin" then
TO Vermont again, we pray Won. Ii seem
4 painful degradation of the musical abili
ties of one who can SING. II know that m,
Rcdccmcr Iivcth," aud "Rcioicr greatly.
rs Mrs. Smith can, to attempt 10 adap
them TO the stupid comicali;ics OF This sill
", Master and Scholars" At the con
cert Thu SHAY, and the matinc", Mr.. \. J
Phillips of Montpelier. took Il part. Iii
voice i very smooth, sweet tenor. AN,
hi songs. "Down by the Mil" and 20
loving heart" were well done. and listen
ed to with great pleasure. Mr.. ii. {
, Eddy. or%anist at Bethany Church, Mont