Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-02
A BRILLIANT CONCERT.

A BRILLIANT CONCERT.
Last sunday by the GOunod Soci-
ety-The Fine Work of the Soloists.
The production of Gounod's sacred
triology, 'The Redemption" by the Gou-
nod society of this city at the Hyperion
theatre last evening was a most fitting
close to the second annual meeting of the
Connecticut Teachers association, and was
highly enjoyed by the large audience pres
emit. Of all the rich musical treats afforded
the people. of this city during the various
sessions Of the convention, the rendition
of Gounod's MASTERPIECES last evening
was clearly the gem, and fully met the
high anticipations formed regarding it.
Never, not even excepting the memorably
successful production last February, has
the triology been better rendered in this
city, and indeed it were hard to imagine
how the beautiful, sympathetic music
could be better rendered than it was at the
hands of the Gounod society and the
various soloists last evening.
The entire chorus, both ladies and gen.
tlemen, were in excellent voice aud sang
as only the Gounod society can sing.
The 1875 clear young voices filled the
theater with volume of sweet music as is
seldom heard, and in choruses and semi
training and earnest, conscientious study.
It certainly is something to be proud of,
that purely local organization such as
the Gounod society is, can score such a
well deserved success in an oratorio of the
calibre of the Redemption.
The soloists were Mrs. S. S. Thompson
of this city, soprano; Mrs. Virginia P.
Markwick of Hartford, contralto; Mr..
Charles Herbert Clarke of Boston, tenor,
and Mr.. Ericsson F. Bushnell, formerly of
this city, but now of NewYork, basso-and
each and all were in most excellent voice
and rendered the beautiful and impressive
music of their respective parts in such
manner as to fully confirm them the artists
they have shown themselves to be in the
past.
Mrs. S. S. Thompson's beautiful and ad
mirably cultivated voice was heard to es-
pecial advantage in the solo parts as well
as in the various quartettes interspersed
throughout the trilogy. Indeed, the work
of Mrs. Thompson last night was some of
the best that accomplished vocalist has
ever given us. She was compelled to re-
spond to an encore after her solo, "From
Thy Love as a Father" Miss Virginia
Markwick is the possessor of remarkably
rich, clear contralto voice of great COM
pass, which she uses with most excellent
effect, and her singing more than charmed
the vast audience present last evening.
She sang with expression and feeling, and
her rendition was in every way equal to
Miss Winant's in February. Mr.. CLARK
the tenor, WAS also in fine voice, and re-
peated in every way the success he made
at the previous rendition in February last.
Mr.. Ericsson Bushnell was, perhaps, vo-
cally the bright particular star of the pro-
duction. Never has his vigorous, manly
basso been heard to greater advantage
than it was last evening. From the time
he commenced to singhe held his audience
in almost breathless attention, and at the
end of each solo he was warmly ap.
plauded.
The orchestra was the celebrated Ger
mani orchestra of Boston (Mr. Emil Moll-
enhauer concert mastery. Their excel
lent work at the former production is re-
membered, and their work last evening
fully equaled if not excelled their previous
meretorious efforts
Great praise is also due to Messrs. Rich
mond P. Paine and John J. Bishop; to the
former for the able manner in which he
conducted the entire production, and tc
the later for his excellent work upon the
organ,