Evening journal., 1889-12-21
The DMesslAAv IN PHILADELPHIA.
The Tuesday Club Of This City Takes
Part in Last nights Performance.

PART in Last Nights Performance.
Handel's oratorio OF 1.-The Messiah"
was given at the Philadelphia Academy
Of music. last evening, by the combined
choruses of the Philadelphia Chorus and
the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia
fhe Germantown Choral and the Tuesday
Club Of this city.
The soloists were Miss Margaret H.
Elliott. soprano, OF Philadelphia Miss
Gertrude Edmunds, alto, Of Boston;
George J. Parker, tenor, of Boston, and
William Z Harper, bass, of New York.
The orchestra numbered sixty MUSICIANS,
selected from Philadelphia and New York.
Walter Hall was organist and Thomas A.
Beckett, 1r., of Philadelphia, pianist
There were 524 voices in the chorus,
but eleven less than the largest chorus
that ever sang in Philadelphia. The Sc
lected orchestra contained sixty perform
ers. W. w. Gilchrist was the director.
The Tuesday Club, TO the number Of
1856 persons, left this city on a special
train Of four cars on the p, W. 4 B. R.
r. Thev occupied the front seats on
the stage. The special train, returning,
left the Broad Street Station at midnight.
arriving in this city shortly before
o'clock. About seveHty-ive persons
attended the concert from this city,
going and returning with the Tuesday
Club on the special train.
The hallejujah chorus aroused great
enthusiasm and was encored. The
audience, which completely filed the
house, stood during the singing Of it.
1t was noted that though the voice of
Miss Elliot. the soprano, was perhaps
somewhat sweeter than Miss Currinder's.
it did not appear to have any more
volume.
The Philadelphia Public Ledger speaks
in part as follows Of the chorus: sTher,
may have been nobler chorus on ths
Academy Of Music stage than that which
last night faced the crowded house as
sembled to hear Handel's oratorio Of the
Messiah, but, If so, II has not been ia
recent years Whether in the purely
vocal fulness, or in work like the stupen
dous "Hallelujah, the chorus sang
almost without exception, with freshness
swing and accuracy, and its achievement:
were heartily recognized by the immense
audience.
wv. w. Gilchrist was the conductor
60 record the success Of the concert Is in
itself TO say that he, as usual, proved al
admirable one.
The philadelphia Times says. 9Th,
body OF vocies was very fine and the sing
ing was firm and strong. With such 1
volume Of sound the large choruses, lik,
For unto us. could not fail to be i'm
pressive, though the oratorio, as a whole
might nave been conducted with greater
vivacity"
The Press says in part again In tn,
Hallelujuh Chorus the result was mos
satisfying. The volume of sound wal
magnificent, the various parts in perfect
accord and the sublime music was thun
dered forth with a dignifed joyousnesl
that was in the highest degree inspiring
1t is not 70 be expected that all the chora
work was on the high plane Of that abov,
referred to- For instance, And He shal
purify the sons Of Levy was decidedly
ragged and Lift up your heads, o, y,
Gates was given in a somewhat spilitlesi
fashion. While the members Of eacl
division signalized themselves by excel
lent'work, it is to the sopranos tha
especial praise must be accorded.