Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-06-01
M|ke Mtahttator*
FRIDAY MORNING. JUNE 1. 1877.
Local.
The Wheat Concerts.

Staunton owes Leo Wheat a good deal
not only in the way of entertainment, but
instruction. He was, we believe, about
the first person to test our city with con-
certs in which classical music preponder-
ated, and we are grateful to him for discov-
ering that our people are anxious to i'm
prove. His two concerts, Monday and
Tuesday nights were success in point OF
the numbers attracted and the applause
received. Mr.. Wheat himself is not new
to Staunton and needs no setting forth of
his merits as an artist which are acknowl
edged everywhere. His execution, we may
say, was not at its best this visit, in con-
sequence of an accident to his left hand.
Or his own composition the TIE Deum in
G. given Monday night was a very fine
work, original aud striking. The melody
for the alto where the chorus. joins in
unison was simply beautiful-just one Of
those things than which you think moth
ing can better. In his Easter anthem we
should have liked more seriousness. AS
to Mr.. Wheat as an accompanies,
whether on piano or organ, we have al
ways been and, till he reforms, will ever be
his devoted opponent. We can't consent
to this sacrifice of the human voice to the
piano; setting up a nice quartette and then
drowning them out. We rather think that
| no great pianist should ever be allowed to
play Accomplishments. He is merciless.
The quartette is one that has not been
/ approached in excellence at any former en-
tertainments here. Miss Alice Swain, the
} soprano has a very fine voice of great COM
pass, though not thoroughly cultivated.
| In the Carnival of Venice she reached
d, though so thinly as not to leave good
impression. Her voice is flexible and her
method good.
Mr.. Redford, the tenor, many of us have
heard before 1t is perfect tenor of the
purest quality, and very sympathetic, but
not of great power. In the higher notes,
where it is forced, this weakness gives
harshness to it, but in the natural voice,
Brignoli, in his best days, never had a
| voice of more exquisite sweetness than
Redford's. In "My lovely child, good
night,'' and in the Land of the swal-
lows" duette with Miss Maggie Red
ford, this sweetness of tone was particu.
larly noticeable.
Miss Maggie Bedford, the contralto, is
the artist of the quartette, and such con-
scientious artist with all. that it is hard
not to be extravagant in her praise. He1
two descriptive songs, "The Raft and
"The Storm" were worthy of the highest
commentator.
The basso, Mr.. W. H. Grant, has what
might be called magnificent voice, il
magnifcence includes power, compass AND
sweetness. The ease with which, in Poor
Lionel" he gave low E flat, gave the au-
dience an idea Of what he could do. Had
he sung ''Let me like soldier fall
Though written for tenor), as he was re.
quested, he would have carried the audi
ence by storm.
Every one of the quartettes was we'll
rendered, Miss SWANS singing in the
spinning wheeP' quartette being splen.
did.
There were some changes in the pro
gramme both nights. the most noticeable
les being the substitution of the over
ture to ''Semiramis," for the "Merry
wives of Windsor (duo by Mr.. Wheat and
Prof. Ide), the first night, and the substi-
tuition, the second night, of the ''Sonata
Patethique," for the 'sMoonlight Sonata, -
and melody of popular melodies for
for Mr.. Wheat's own wedding March, .
We trust soon again to welcome Mr..
Wheat and his choir back to Staunton.