Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-01
CHORUS CONCERT.
The McNein Clubs Second Grand Con-
cert Last Night.

NO uACF<Cih SluDo SccOn0 uTanu Sou-
cert Last Night.
The second concert of the Mcneil Club
drew large audience last night at the
Metropolitan Theater. The programme
was carried out as given in the RECORD
UNION yesterday. Mr.. Ben. Clark, of San
Francisco, tenor, made good impression
and won encores for each of his numbers.
He has strong, resonant voice, clear and
of broad register There is not SO much
feeling in Lis tones as have tenors of like
capacity who might be named, but his
style is good and his method awakens COM
mendatlon if it does not arouse marked en-
thusiasm. For the frs. encore he sang
q The Maid OF the Mill and it was one of
the most enjoyable songs of the evening.
In the duet with Mr.. Kinross from " TIE
Lily of Killarney" both gentlemen were
warmly applauded and recalled 10 repeat
the beautiful selection. Miss Mary
Fox, of San Francisco, contralto, has q
flexible voice which she uses with intelli-
gence; ii is true in information and strong
and sweet. 1t did not manifest dramatic
quality in high degree. but the audience
was quite unanimously impressed with the
idea that her selections were not well
chosen tor the occasion; certainly they did
not rouse an audience strongly disposed to
be very kindly and anxious to be moved
by the singer. To this, however, an excep-
ton is 10 be made for the beautiful song
she gave" Winds at Rest" which was re-
fined Interpretation of feeling music. She
was recalled after each number favored with
some rich floral tributes, and sang for the
first encore "Of Thee I'm Thinking Mar
gheretta." With the exceptions noted,
L.. i i 1
achieved greater success with selections of
different character. The chorus did not
with its first number warm" the au-
dience towards it at all. 1t succeed better
with the second. The Tear" and in The
third, Bucks exquisite arrangement for
male chorus of the Scotch ballad ANNE
Laurie" it broke down undeniable reserve
and was compelled by the audience to re-
peat the entire selection. In the next, it
had the audience fully enlisted for it, and
in the fifth number. Rosebud Fair" t
proved beyond all question that it has
made great advancement. and paid COM
pliment TO conductor Kinross by its rend-
ton Of the difficult score 1t proved that
1t is well-balanced body, doing its work
carefully and with precision. Increased
familiarity by the public with male chorus
singing, of which we have comparatively
little here, will reveal greater merits in the
work of this club than may be now con-
fessed. The fact must be kept in mind
that music for heavy male choruses has
very distinctive character, and is quite
apart from that for mixed voices. That
sang last night is standard, and though the
graver selections seemed 10 many too mildly
expressive, yet they were in strict keeping
with the best models. Evidence that the
audience felt the numbers for the chorus to
be too severe and lacking in color, was
given in the eagerness with which they re-
ceived the apparently lighter and more
spirited choruses. But analysed coolly and
spassionately, the work of the chorus
demonstrated that precisely the object OF
its formation is being accomplished and
that body OF singers is being well trained
10 expressive, tasteful and correct male
chorus singing, that will with every exhi-
bition, be found to be marked by more of
feeling and vividness. The stage last even
ing was handsomely dressed, and all the
details for the comfort of the auditors al
tended to with nicely. Miss Amelia BOIL
was accompanist and presided al the piano
with entire satisfaction. The audience was
gratified by being furnished by the Club
with the full text of all the songs, in q
little souvenir volume prefaced by the pro-
gramme, thus enabling the songs to be fol-
lowed with satisfaction.