Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-23
HE MUSIC WORLD.
Inauguration of the Butler Street
NJ. Z. Church Organ By
WONDERFUL BLIND ORGANlST.
Magnificent Instrument Full OF Sweet,
MelOdious Tones.
OSSIP ABOUT OUR LOCAL MUSICIANS

The new organ erected for the Butler
treet NJ E. Church by the Granville Wood
Son Pine Organ Company, of Worthwhile,
uch.. was inaugurated last Friday even
10 in the presence of an amiable audience
nat comfortably flied the prettily remod-
led auditorium. The programme was as
FLOWS:
Torcbligbt March. .Meyerbeer
Mr.. David ID. Wood,
The eminent organist Of st; stephen'sP. E.
Cantiuue Pour Noel ..................D' Adams
Mr.. Ii. b. Brockett,
ateIv returned from European Conservatorles.
Andante from symphony No. 3....-..-.Mozart
Mr.. David ID. Wood. ~,
Mrs ii ". Is. Wolfe and Mr. IL B. Brockett.
. EXtemporization. ...... Retter
Mr.. Carl Retter,
Director May Festival Chorus; Organist at Syna-
gogue. Eighth street. city, and Calvary
Z. E. Church, East End, city.
4. My Redeemer and My Lord. .-.-.. Dudley BUCK
Mrs. w: b. Wolfe,
Pupil of Madam Rolla.
MIR. ID. ID. Wood.
Mrs ". B. Wolfe and MIR. II. B. BroeseIt;
STerture. Semiramide. Rossini
Mr. David ID. Wood.
VIM, b, nj. Comsey. Accompanies
Organist of First English Lutheran Church.
II was 60LlrelN uunSC6SSdIy III DdO
aste to put descriptive tags to the names of
hese well-known local singers and players.
such stuff is bad enough on Pat Gilmore's
programme; it is worse in the present in
tance-aside from the fact that these tags
re not in all points exactly correct.
Interest centered, of course, upon Mr..
Woods playing. He labored under diff
ulties: there had been but the least oppor-
unity for acquainting himself with the
.rgan. which the workmen left (not entirely
ompletedD at :30P. NJ. Moreover, Mr.. Wood
anne to Pittsburg to visit his brother, Mr..
rohn A. Wood, for the express purpose ofre-
uperating from condition of i'll health, and
,ould not be expected to be in his best form.
like Mr. E. B. Perry, the exquisite piano
Dlayer and lecturer. Mr.. Wood neither
lsks nor needs any odds at the critics
lands on account of his being totally sight
ess. But it is proper to state that fact In
order to fully appreciate the marvellous
mastery acquired over a strange instrument
lnder such circumstances.
These elements made Mr.. Woods playing
simply amazing as feat of skill. Entirely
Ipart from and above such considerations,
however, was the truly artistic quality of
Ill that he did, making his interpretations
delightful solely upon their merits as such.
His programme, to be sure, was very light,
including not one genuine organ compost
ion: but the selection was not inappropriate
20 the occasion and the audience, however,
much some few may have wished to hear
Mr.. Wood In works of a representative char
scter. But whatever he did, it was done like
4 true artist in pure organistic style.
Technically, the pedal runs in the Handel
chorus, the pedal figure in the extempore
variations as America" (as an encore
piece), and the particularly skilliul regis
ration of the Beethoven Serenade and the
Mozart Andante deserve to be singled out
among many other points. Clear, musi-
,ianly phrasing, true feeling and conserva-
i've, but original conception, gave high
Irtistic value to all OF Mr.. Woods num-
1ers.
Mr.. Brockett's only solo number was
placed too high on the programme for the
,elated writer to hear it. 1t found favor
With the audience, winning hearty encore.
In place of the Rossini duet was sung one
1y Donizetti, "Say Once Again, 1 Love
Thee" In this and in the charming bar
.arolle by Gounod, Mr.. Brockert''s admir- |
ble taste and high degree of vocal finish |
we're made perfectly evident. They scarcely |
ave fair opportunity to judge of the result |
# foreign training upor the popular tenor's |
'oice.
Mrs. Wolfe, whom all Will remember
,etter as Miss Emma Bingler, upheld her
,art in the duets very well, in view of
light rehearsal. She also sang pleasinglY,
not very stro lgly, Handel's II Know
That NV Redeemer Liveth, which was in
erpolated into Mr.. Woods last number, he
,laying the accompaniment. But it was in
Bucks lovely, though somewhat rambling,
acred song, that Mrs. Wolfe did her best
york, showing vocal purity and an emo
ional warmth and sympathy that she has
arely excelled.
Mr.. Retter was hampered, as was Mr..
Wood, by lack of familiarity with the in
trument; drawback particularly disas-
rous to an improvisation which ordinarily
las as its sole apology for being intruded
lpon the public the full display of the vari-
,us stops and effects of the organ. Lacking
his apology, the improvisation were better
,mitted. In the accomplishments, Mr.. Ret
er (Mr. McComsey did not appear made
many good points, but at times used too
much organ-reeds especially-and a too
ontinuous loft. pedal bass.
~
The Specifications of the organ thus inau-
'urated are as follows: