Daily globe., 1883-05-29
A GREAT EVENT.
The May Festiya1-The First Night.

OF the new market house. To say that the
concert was successful would be putting it
very mildly. The concert was grand
and even sublime undertaking, with only
one disadvantage and that was not musi-
cally but from the fault of the house. It
is shame that st. Paul, with her hu ndred
thousand inhabitants, has not hall to &C.
commodatea chorus and orchestra such as
it was our privilege to hear last evening.
The tenors and basses of the chorus
were placed on the stage, while
a temporary staging had been erecte d for
the sopranos, contraltos and orchestra.
The stage had been suitably and hand
somely decorated for the occasion. The en-
senl6le had a most pleasing effect and will
long be remembered by the large audience
present. Mr.. Theodore Thomas met with
a perfect ovation on making his appear
ance, and his orchestra cannot be praised
too highly. The instruments are bal
anced to perfection, and every man So
Ioist. But of this we will speak later.
Mr.. Thomas is accompanied by quar-
tette party, consisting of Mrs. E. HHmph-
rey Allen, Mrs. Annie Hartdegen, sopranos,
Mrs. Belle Cole, contralto, Mr. Fred Har-
vey, tenor, and Mr.. Franz Remmertz,
basso, and our old favorite
Mime Julie Rive-King, SOLO pianist,
adding to this assemblage
the st. Paul Choral So
ciety and material for a concert capable
of rendering the music allotted to last
nights programme in manner of the
highest excellence. Certainly the great
expectations held out have been more than
realized, a great treat, great event, and
tbs foundation stone for musical festivals
has been laid in st. Paul. Let Us build on
it, and take our position among the other
cities of the Union as the musical city,
which we assuredly are.
The programme opened with the over
ture Leonore No. 3, Beethoven. The COM
position is in natural, is quite classical
and purely in the we'll
known style of the composer,
majestic, and played in most faultless
manner, every instrument filling its allot-
ted part in a way at once charming and
captivating, and met with the most hearty
applause. Then followed a Romanza and
Scherzo from the fourth symphony by
Schumann, opening with Oboe solo, giving
the theme, and winding its way through an
intricate mass of harmony. The Scherzo
is in pantomime style, with its jumping
cadence, making happy comparison with
the more somber Romanza.
Mr.. Franz Remmertz' baritone solo, "Am
Meer," was a superb piece of vocalization.
This gentleman has an immense register,
(his voice Is as big as his body,) exquis-
itely trained, even. regular and excellent
method. cam Meer'' is one of Schubert's
best compositions, and it has
seldom been better rendered. The
quality of Mr.. Remmertz' voice is full,
round and strong, full of health and vigor,
and if we mistake not his rendition of mu-
sic allotted to him for Wednesday evening
as Olaf in the 'Erl Kings Daughter" will
be magnificent piece of work. Mr..
Remmertz met with hearty applause and
bowed his acknowledgements.
The next number was given by Nine
Rive King, .'Piano concerto,' in G minor,
by Saint Ivans. Nine. King may be Justly
entitled the queen of pianists. Her meth
Cd, phrasing and tecnique are simply SD
thought it impossible for her
to improve, but she has improved
and her rendition of the concerto was a
triumph. Such piano playing and such
orchestral accompaniment is seldom heard.
her playing is firm as her soul. She seems
to conjure the intricate harmoniss from
the keyboard as if she were extemporizing
rather than having her whole repertoire by
memory. The Allegro-Acherzando was
charmingly played, and the presto was
taken with lightning speed, but every note
as distinct and clear as bella tarentel
movement.
No. 4. The "Forty-second Psalm" with
soloists Mrs. Humphrey Allen, Mr.. Harvey
and Mr.. Remmertz, conducted by Signor
Jannotta. No doubt an orchestra like Mr.
Thomas makes all the difference in effect
in the world. The chorus has worked
faithfully and hard, and the result must
have been gratifying to the performers as
well as to the audience. The lovely
accomplishments were beautifully played;
the violin passages, for which this compo
sition is so famed, being remarkable. The
movements were taken as if by one instru-
ment-such --;ity is grand-while the
values of ligf and shade were exquisitely
beautiful. Tie caoru5es went smoothly
and steadily and the parts were we'll bal
anced. It : rstaais sable what proficiency
the chorus has allGined in three months
practice.
VI ACOol nno AA1OSO AO~14AS1y SuIl&
by Mrs. Allen. This lady's voice is of a
very pure quality. with a very equal reg
lister, showing careful study and cuItiva-
tion, but is little marred by shake
which she would do we'll to use less. Her
recitation ''My tears have been my meat"
and the following aria ''In Jehovah's Tenn
ple,' were we'll rendered, the
effect being heightened by the
female chorus. "Trust in the Lord"
by the chorus was splendidly sung and
showed the metal it was composed Of
The recitation ''My God Within Me- was
ably rendered by Mrs. Allen, and was we'll
supported by the male quartette. The
last chorus went with will that was re-
freshing to hear and brought down the
house. It was an agreeable surprise to
the audience. SIgnor Jannotta deserves
great credit for his work.
No. 5, symphonic poem ''Les 'Reludes"
by List. For this number the audience
seemed impatient. The rendition of this
composition by the orchestra was above
criticism. Mr.. Thomas has his men under
the most perfect control. The slightest
look or gesture is instantaneously taken
up-perfectly marvellous. The allegro
full of Instrumentation, was exGuisiteIy
performed. The adante and allegro mort
oza, was piece of perfection and delight