Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-06-06
AUGUSTA FEMALE SEMINARY.

teacher Of singing and piano playing, BIT
proved by the very delightful duet he sun
| with one of his pupils, that he himself has
voice which has been cultivated to the highes
degree. In speaking of the care with whic
Miss Baldwin chooses the very best instruct
i ors, we should also mention that she does a
| in her power to assist her teachers by giv1n
| them the best means to accomplish their h1g
aim for exceilency. This was demonstrate
| in the recent purchase Of two beautiful Con
| cert Grands, of the largest size, by the celepra
ted firm of Chickering & Co.. of Boston, Mass
which she bought just for concerts and reel
tails given during and at the end OF session
by teachers and pupils, and which showed Il
great advantage on this occasion by thei
sweet and sympathetic, yet powerful and r1cl
| tone. How those magnificent instrument
rang under the cultivated touch of the fai
players, sometimes in mere plaintive whis
per and then again with power and richness
that still sounded mellow, sympathetic ant
agreeable.
| The concert on Monday night began with ,
short chorus sung with precision and purity
| of tone and which was followed by vocal ane
| instrumental solos, duets and double quar-
| tettes on four pianos. These latter pieces II
which eight players perform at the same tint
have proven great feature at this school ant
are doubtless great benefit to the young la
dies who perform them with such accuracy
that one cannot detect in any performance thu
slightest deviation from any of the othel
pianos.
How gradually sounded the grandest of al
musical creations. the Finale from the 5tt
Symphony by Beethoven. played by Misses
o. Edwards, J. Meetze, A. Wallace, M. Logan
F. Paris, NJ. Tinsley, B. Alexander and F
Smith, pupils of Prof. r. W. Hamer. Che soft
dreamy middle part was rendered with such
delicacy, that, although all eight performers
played you had to listen very attentively tc
hear its sweet tones and when this was follow
ed by the stirring march movement, the effect
was almost electrifying.
Another of those quartettes was L'Africaine
ILLUSTRATION for pianos-by Meyerbeer. per-
formed by Misses F.Fitz. V.Snyder ,N.Leonard,
M. Howell, J. Warner. v. Goode, F. Edwards
and E. Brubeck. It introduced different move
ments from that gorgeous opera and was rem
dered by the young ladies with much taste and
brilliancy. Special mention was merited by
another of their concerted pieces, the Jubilee
Overture, by Weber, in which the shades and
lights were bought out with wonderful effect,
and which closed the first nights concert SO
appropriately with that grand national air,
God Save the Queen" with its rich accompa-
niment Of runs and broken chords. 1t was per-
formed by Misses A. Craig. NJ. Hudson, M.
Clopton, B. Walt, L. Smart, L. Jeter, A. Walter
and M. p Graham.
OF the duos for 2 players on pianos, of which
we heard larger number than usual, and
which were all beautifully performed, we have
to point out some which deserve special notice.
The Duo classique by Hitler was played charm
ingly by Misses F. Fitz and G. Tipping, who
showed much self-control and virtuosity In
its rendering. The very difficult Duo on airs
from the Opera Tampa, so ingeniously ar
ranged by Thalberg. was performed with much
skill and accuracy by Misses G. Brown and P.
HabIcht. The leading melodies were always
brought out prominently and the dorid and
difficult accompaniment was discreetly subor-
linated to the more important Melodies
Misses 4. Child and G. Patterson played the
Duo on airs from Belisario by CORA, with its
many difficult runs, broken chords and octayes
n such a mastery way that 1t elected the
most hearty applause and reflected great credit
N Prof. Hamer's training.
The in strumental solos were all played with
much skill and artistic feeling. Miss J. Meetze
performed that very brilliant Finale from
Webers Concertetueck with much distinct
ness and dash Miss F. Edwards showed
very cultivated touch in the rendering Of
Transcription, from Traviata
Misses A. Brubeck and V. Goode proved by
the performance of two of Chapin's difficult
pieces Ia Scherzo and the Bolero) that they
have not only mastered the technical diff
Guilty of the compositions, but have entered
in ito the aesthetic meaning of this most poetic of
all composers. There were two solos by Raft,
Polka de la REEVE and La Fileuse, played re-
speotively by Misses A. Wallace and M. Logan,
in a manner that would have done credit to
many an experienced public performer. Miss
]. Warner played with much bravoura the
difficult Galop Chromatique by List, and
Miss o. Edwards brought Tuesday nights per-
Torrance to fitting end with the very exact
ing Tremolo by Gottschalk, which she played
with remarkable clearness and endurance.
Having been led TO speak SO much OF the in
strum tai part of the programme, we cannot
refrain, now, from offering our heartiest con-
CALCULATIONS to Miss Douglas, the vocal in
structress who may justly be loud of the eff
1ciency of her pupils. What teacher would
not gladly own such singers ss her careful
training has educated Her first soloist, Miss
F. Smith, sang a brilliant Valse by Arditi
Win ali Tie NlNaclty anu ulstiuCIuCnn tAS
music required. The next piece was of an en-
tirely opposite character, The sweet, sad
strains of Thomas celebrated song from
Mignon, "Dost thou know that sweet land ?''
were very practically and touchingly sung by
Miss c. Mercier. In the two sisters, Misses P.
and M. Habicht she has two voices than
which no better could be desired The one a
high brilliant Soprano, the other a sympa-
Tl,4 tod q
vigor and brilliancy required for such a song
as, Soena ed Aria from La Travlata. by Verdi.
the other distinguished herself not less in
those sorrowful. deeply-felt strains of 1.-The
Watcher" by GeibeI, and then the voices OF
the two blended so well together in that most
difficult Duet, Outs est Homo" from Rossini's
StabRt Mater, that one readily may envy q
family circle with such power for delightful
enjoyment All these songs were rewarded by
a most vigorous applause. and the fair singers
responded in the former cases with some sim
pie Songs. and In the latter with repeating g
portion OF the duet.
The other Vocal Duet, 'Primavera d'amore'
by Lucantoni and sung by Misses q. Lindsay
and o. Edwards were much enjoyed, and com
plimented on account of the precision with
which it was sung. Though Miss K. Pratt evi
IDENTIFY suffered from indisposition, her render
ing of the Grand Aria by Verdi was admirable
and showed very highly cultivated voice. II
is needless to speak of Miss K. McGuffin's voice
to any of our readers, as she is SO we'll known
as our foremost vocalist in the city, but We
think she surpassed herself in this instance
and her rendition of the Rectative and Cava
tina from Beliini's La Somnambula was worthy
of any experienced artist. In response to the
most enthusiastic 81 plause, she favored hel
admirers with 1.-THE last rose of Summer,
which she sang with great pathos and feeling
On Tuesday night, the chorus, 81 waited fol
the Lord" by Mendelssohn, was sung by Mis-!
Douglas pupils with q finish and precision
highly commendable, Miss V. Buttermore,
pupil of Prof. B. meyer. sang Mia Piccrella by
Gomez with beautiful clear voice and witt
musical feeling. really touching great testi
mony for the efficient training she received
from her faithful instructor. She, as well al
Miss H. Brown, who was the last, but not tn,
least ofthe vocalists, had to give encores, Mis-
q. Brown sang brilliant Valse by TORY, IL
which she showed her clear stoccato notes tt
great advantage.
Altogether the whole programme, as well IL
its arrangement, including the Representative,
masters of the different schools up to the pres