St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-02-14
The Musical Festival.

w men our ldSb paper wis pIiHteu
| the annual musical convention of the
St. JOhnsbury Choral Union was il
progress. From the very start, it prom
ised success so far as numbers were
concerned, both in the chorus and the
audiences. Every rehearsal had fail
number of hearers, while the matineeS
of both Thursday and Friday after
moons were given to full houses. The
matinee of Thursday was short, ant
unsatisfactory to many who did not gel
in early enough to hear the magnificent
chorus drill. But the concert Thursday
evening was very fine indeed and the
matinee Friday afternoon was all thai
could be desired. Some of the best
chorus singing, however, was done al
the closing concert Friday evening
Mendelsson's Forty second Psalm. will
solo parts, took nearly a half hour, and
perhaps considering its difficult render
ing, was as fine us anything on the pro-
gram but GOunod's ''Sanctus" pleased
us most of all that the chorus attempted
OF the special artists and features of the
convention, We will speak but briefly
Miss Whinnery sung maguificently.
The brilliant Bolero from "Sicillian
Vespers )" ''The Skylark," with it's runs
and trills; the dreamy "Angel's Sere-
made" and the simpler songs and bal
lads, were all finely given; but her
best efforts were the solos in the 42d
Psalm, "Hear My Prayer and ave
Maria" Her voice seems exactly adapt
ed for that music, and she sung it most
beautifully.
Mrs. GriswOld consented to appear
as sOloist only at the earnest soicita-
ton of the committee, and her part
was not il prominent one at her own
request, but her songs were selected
with excellent taste and gave much
pleasure to the audience. "Looking
Back" pleased us the most, but the
familiar crosse Bud" given in response
to an encore, seemed to please the
audience best.
Mr.. Fessenden has always been the
favorite tenor here, but it seemed to
us he never sung so well before and
it is hard to conceive of Il finer voice
than his. If we were to mention all bic
songs which pleased us it would be
necessary to give a complete list of all
he sung, but the tenor solo in the
"Sanctus" from Gounod's Mass, seemed
absolutely faultless.
Mrs. Shepard is an almost indis-
pensable part of Il musical convention.
and her accomplishments, both in solo
and chorus, were all that eOnld be de-
sired. She played solos at the concert
Thursday evening and the matinee
Friday afternoon, but with character
istic kindness, gave up her place at
the Friday evening concert to Miss Ida
Bancroft, who played very acceptably.
The orchestral numbers were given
with a delicacy and finish which be-
speaks true artists; and the accom-
panlments to the Mendelssohn selections
weresplendidly performed, adding much
to their effectiveness, and winning the
hearty approval of the conductor. The
accompaniment to the Duet from
Roberto" was finely given, but in
Mrs. GriswOld's song, they seemed to
be altogether astray for a few bars
when most needed. Mr.. Stock bridge
played the cello obligato to Miss Whin-
nery's song, "Angel's Serenade," most
exquisitely.
But the browning glory of the con-
ventlon was the noble chorus, WHICH