, 1876-12-15
ADJUSTMENTS.


pleasant chamber reunions this season, but lts
first public appearance before ita associate mcm-
befs was made last evening at Mccormick Hall.
Tho audience was quite large, showing that the
popular intercst in this Society has not waned,
and tho turnout OF active members also speaks
we'll for their own Interest In II. There were
about 12s singers in the ranks, divided as fol-
lows: sopranos, IS; altos, 25 tcnors, 30; Lassos,
IS. Mr.. Carl Wolfsohn still remains at the
holm, with az much enthusiasm and industry aa
ever.
The programme wns one Of extraordinary In
terest, since Il embraced many novelties, among
them Rhcinbcrgcr's Cycle Of Ballads known as
tho "Toggenburg" aud Gadc's dramatic poem,
"Comala-" As these works arc eutiroly un-
known here. brief statement OF their
general character will be Of Interest.
Rhclnbcrgcr Ia almost as unknown to
our conccrtrgocrs as his Ballad Cycle. A
few Of his miuor instrumental compositions
have beeu performed In sorecs given by tho
students Of tho Musical College, but beyond
these tho name Is almost new In our pro-
grammc. 1lis first composition was q three
tHe music o'' 10 caidcrons id ~ wonderful d s aei e
clan " and Raimond's "a Unfortunate Crown;''
Sta''at Mater for solos, Chorus. and orchestra;
turo; " Tho Seven Kayens,h a romantic opera
t9 three acts, beside piano works., songs, and
fhnts,a.mnsie; aN'sAs The st1ry ot lhe ToEgenou.e
o nsa oye Tc j. q sFe xfa s2sthsT s sc n
as that Of ..Con,ala." 1t Is tho lament OF the
Knight Of Toggcnburg for. Ills lady whom
ilis causclcss Jealousy has slain. l.
although there sat tlmcf similarity Il senii,
ment Between Hhcinbcrger and schun,ann, aud
o distinct flavor Of McndeItsohn In one number.
Tho work is 1nelodious md pleasing through
out, the music containing a great variety Of
phases, from the most tender and soothing airs
TO the ltfclike aud vigorous. It Is somewhat
elcgiac in It's nature, and very dramatic through
out, md affords choral society ample op-
known here than Rhelnbergcr, and Jet Is COM
paratively. stranger. Cldcago coucert-eocrs
have heard ono Of bis symphonies, some minor
works Tor the Btsings, unl his "Efl King ~ can-
compared with the vigorous tonc-pocul Com
ala." Its autograph title runs as follows:
mComala, Dramatic Poem, ,aftcr Qsstan, set y
" a'S Gae SF s0 ShoFqs H. and orHttf y S,es X
the copy which is now being Issued serially In
D4otghFa Jo"rnas Of -Husic, Is as follows:
comala, the daughter Of sarno, Ming Of 1nnis-
.3se 30 isyr y .tadiiG,on sntsstained yioent pa;
her love; aud co,aaia, clad Is warrior, followed
him IN an expedition agalnst Caraeul, King Of
the carnn y naai s leaves s hes on heighs % Whence
abe can overlook the nght, and promises, II yicto.
"s sp. ts3sssans e. ssn q sws sTe 1ss M Of An
appear to her. they movs toward the battle Geld
she imagines. tho battle iost. and Mngal tialn.'
Overcome With grief, con,aid d!es. tyngasretnrns
sl %ssus x d a s
mentlng, he bids the bastls prasn her In song. aud
with her ate ndauts to wait heE departing soul with
hymns 10 the ahodcs OF the fathers.
The work was produced for the first time
under Gmle's direction at Leipzig IN tei3, where
It malc sensation, the composer then being In
his 2bth .year: II contains kone very fine male
very difficult and make great deulands upon the
powers OF the singers. It some passages also 1t
Is written very high, especially in tho male
ehoruscs. It Is almost equally divided between
eonpanying tho former, and CoHsdla the latter.
Some Of the male chorlses are very powerful
and stirring, requiring grcat dramatic power to
give them requisite expression, while most Of
written IN light, tender, a.ll gentle vein. The
music seems, In great degree, to bc the quaint
and characteristic strain Of the NOrthcrngrs, IT,
lustrattug the poetry Of oss!an. 1t Is Ia Gaae,s
narian sources, from whIcls, however, he has
now completely emancfpatcd himself. It has
also a "Reminiscences OF alendelssohu, wllo first
recognized tho genius OF Gade, but there is SO
that II eau hardly be called the work Of an
imltator. The "Comala." although BY far the
more difficult Of the two works. Waa the best IN
oMnE principally to tas ds.ess r.
tho "Comala" the sollsts-Mra: lharston, Mrs.
Fox, Mrs. Daltour, md alr. Dcrgstcin-wero
very effective. Mrs; Thurston delivered the ri:
citatiVc md !nuse Of the title role with unusual
expression thnn sllc has ever displayed before.
Her singing In all respects mamifcstg great I'M
provcment over iast season.. Mrs. Fox's sing
Ing Of tile ballnd "Froa' LoshlIn Came. 10
nntt1N ~ rtIUntnr1r artistic AffrFf
which was extremely crcltahle. The other
solo work was we'll done, md tic chttrua also
dil la WORK well, more especially ,n the srtrt:
tIo society i more perfect than ever hcfore.
The soprli,os hay0 fa!lcn off some, owing to tho
luck OF Pleading voices. but tho other pasts arc
wei sustained an,i ase fully up 70 their efforts
was q setting oi Mrs. Iisfi!ans' xellktown
puam, "Tho Pilgrim Fathers" BY 3ls. Fred
crsck ", Root, which was excoiently sung. aud
xlll reflect credit upon Mr.: No1t as . compost.
ID it1A: fusue 10 form, lss55ins 70 % . seusns,
itous, i aud t' shs' sentiment M ''1~' q lie wloio
poem has been we'll Interpreted. It Is an ur-
held It's own, notwithstanding the dangerons To-
cality between the " Colnala" and tho "Tog-
gcnburg." The remaining vocal number was
tt'at aussqne gem q Aossrs' ni WAh, rcndimi qnel
style, With string accompaniment act by Mr..
Eddy. Miss Whito has the credit Of Introducing
this beautiful aria, and has evidently given #
very careful study.
III addition to the vocal numbers Of tho pro-
Eratalne Tiers were solo Instrumental numbers
which added greatly TO It's interest. Mrs. Wat
son, the iayot,te pianist, WHO has who has done
such good service in times past for the Beetl1o-
Ven Society, played the g minor concerto Of Men
dclssohu IN 4 man,lur that evnced moot careful
study md thorough appreciation Of the score,
aud Mr. Eichhcina also acquitted himself with
great credit Ia Ills performance Ut popper's
beautiful somanza for cello. The Society y
to be congratulated In having thu services Of
two such unpretcutious but excellent players ut
IT, command. MlBa 1ngersoil, tho pianist
Of the Sscicty, although shg had tho l!oa's share
Of the evenings work, furnished the ucco1npanl-
ments with her usual steadlncss, precision, and
Effectiveness. A. whole, the Society Ia 10 ba
crullled With having Introduced the season sue
cessiully, aud with giving prnu't.e that !te
future concerts Will ha very enjoyable. II VIII
now aaslress Itself to tho study Of Verdi's
.Manxon! Hequ!em," which will be produced
Fsb ~, A rleasai,t featura Of the CONCERT last
evening WAS the fact that II occurred upon Mr.
Wolfsolln's birthday. which was eelehtatcd after