Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-11-29
rHE MozARF coNsERvAToEY ooNoERr.

SAA"0 WAASA dccCLADASd Ou A1O4ud'
3 night to hear the concert provided b,
. Mr.. Wayne Wilson, and we are salts
I fed that the music was heard with al
appreciation which augurs well fol
the encouragement OF really goot
+ music among us.
The leading attractions for connois
seurs were the two instrumentalists
r Messrs. Werner and Strelezki, both O
+ national, If not of worldwide reputa
: ton; and the concert commenced
with Duo Concertante, executed by
. the two. well calculated to exhibit Their
consummate mastery of their respect
i've Instruments 1t was the Introduc.
ton and Polonaise OPP. OF Chopin.
Mr.. Charles Werner is thoroughly
accomplished uoloncellist and it is
not too much to say that whatever his
instrument is capable of he can elicit
from it. This versatility of power
was well manifested in the piece al
ready spoken OF. Whether it was the
noble breadth of expression which
was demanded in the Introduction or
the brilliant and. fantastic effects of the
Polonaise which tested his powers,
both were equally brought out in all
their force and beauty; the upper
notes approaching in fineness and del
icacy those of good violin, while they
surpassed them in full sorority of tone.
Again in the obligato accompaniment
to Mrs. Ullathorne's singing it was the
sympathetic quality of his playing
which was most brought out, the IN
strument telling as a second voice, a
tenor singer supporting the contralto.
Two pieces were evidently given as
tours de force; one an old air called ia
Musette" part of which was played in
imitation OF the nauseite, species of
small bag pipe in use in the south of
France and Italy; the other a highly
staccato effect (given as an encore,)
which suggested the idea of an air ac-
companied by small drum. Finally
Remenyi's Hungarian Rhapsodies
combined all the effects with a skill
and mastery which must be nearly I'M
approachable. We have said too much
about this consummate artist for the
space at our disposal, yet not half
enough to express our own sentiments.
Anton Strelezki the pianist, as we
have said, first appeared in the Duo
Concertante. 1t is a great merit, show
ing the true artist, that neither indul-
ges in the vulgar ambition of trying
to make his own part predominant,
but each, with the modesty and reserve
of the highest art, subordinaGed his
own individuality to the ensemble of
the composition. When his turn for
solo playing did arrive IN the contrast
ed pieces of Chopin and Mendelssohn
he showed his true grasp of the instru-
ment as well as a power OF sympathetic
Interpretation while difficulties van
ished before his perfect execution,
making the most intricate passages
seem easy-to those who had never
tried them. Nor was there less skill,
though less manifestation of it, in the
tact and judgment with which he ac-
cCmpanied Werner'S solos.
Of the two ladies, it is only justice to
them to explain that they neither of
them, came forward as public sing
ers, but rather as accomplished anna
teurs now IN the incipient stage of a
professional career. 1t would be in
justice, therefore, to hold them up to |
the standard of professional eminence |
and we will only say OF them that they |
both evince powers that will probably |
place them high hereafter in the pro-
fession, should they decide upon en-
bracing it.
Mrs. Henry Berry has a soprano |
voice Of clear resonance in its upper |
register with considerable fiexibility, |
indeed fexibility seems to be the quail
ity she has most aimed at, Judging |
from the profusion with which she |
introduces the trill as an ornament.
Her selection of pieces points in the |
same direction, the two being the |
Nightingale's trill by Cans and the |
Bijou Song from Faust, in both OF
which she exhibited considerable ex-
ecutive accomplishments. The quail
ity she needs to cultivate is a sustain |
ed information, her voice having a ten
dency to flatten when she sings either
a long note or protracted trill.
Mrs. Ullathorne has exactly the
merits which Mrs. Berry lacks and
lacks those which the other lady pos
sesses. With a powerful voice she
has a true and firm information but
lacks fexibility. The precision of
her information was admirably shown
in the air of Gounod's, which she sang
with Mr.. Werner's cello obligato;
nothing but absolute precision on the
part of both artists could have produc
ed that perfect accord without which
the harmony would have been lost
and the music sacrificed.
Shall we without offense advise each
of these ladies to study the merits of
the other, Mrs, Ullathorne to aim at
the flexibility of Mrs. Berry, and the
latter lady to strive to acquire the
firmness and steadiness of information
which distinguish Mrs. Ullathornes
method.
OF Mr.. Downes we will only say
that he is clever gentleman and
thorough musician, but when he at
tempts Mozart's great aria, it is our
painful duty to remind him that his
voice was younger twenty years ago
than it is now. We have long resisted
that unpleasant conviction in the case
of our own vocal powers such as they
have been, but alas, no one can contend
successfully against time. We gave 1t
up some years ago. and would have
done so with advantage a good deal
earlier in life. ID. +. w.