The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-12-20
S0GIB9Y'S FESTIVAL.
Christmas Recognized As
a Season for Cheer
and Music.
SUCCESS Of FasIHIGHTLi MusGiLEs.
A Large Amount Of Excellent Tai
eut Available for the Pur-
pose other Social
Events.

Events.
From time inmemorial. the genius Of
Craftsmanship and the spirit Of music
have gone hama in hand. II was carol
that ushered Ia the first Christmas day.
and down the long line of the centuries.
our joyful feast has been always accom-
panied by the sound Of singing. The
very name of Christmas calls to mind soft
voices Of choristers in mellow chant
or joyful carol. while tue mighty heart OF
the organ throbs ceaselessly through
psalm and prayer. 1t recalls the Christ
mas waits, singing in praise OF Noel. in
the frosty air Of the evening. It rings
with the songs Of wassail. jovIal and roll
licking choruses. that breathe no spirit
of silent fast and prayer. but praise OK the
Drumming punch bowl and exc the
sturdy meat pie IL is time
for song, for twenty centuries woven
ana interviewer with ancestral melody.
At this season. therefore. ii is not I'M
fitting that we should turn our attention
to new society that seems destined to
work revolution in our city's musical
history. Despite the fact that we boast
OF two operate companies, Jersey City
can In no sense be called music loving
community. We have musicians, and
true ones too. In large enough
numbers, but they are isolated
individuals. or at the best. groups of three
or four. We have amateur orchestras.
choral societies and concert courses. but
af~= a mn of
Of disconnected compositions. and en-
bodying no systematic musical study.
For years Jersey City hes felt the need
of an association which should unite its
scattered music lovers into q society for
the organized study OF the worlds COM
posers.
THE FoRTSfGHTLY MUSICALEs
Such society has at last been founded.
The Fortuightly Muslcales, although its
history extends over period or very few
months, has already won the appreciation
which it deserves 1t takes for it's object
the systematizsd study of series of COM
posers lives aud works. from Bach and
Wagner, intending in its course such
names as Mart, Haydn. Handel,
Beethoven. Spohr, Schubert and Schu-
mann. Limited TO membership
of TWENTY-FIVE, It embraces some of the
most noted OF our musicians and music
lovers. Miss Lucy Nelson is the PEesi-
dent Mr.. William Adams. Secretary and
Treasurer. while Air. John A, Holland,
Mrs. Robert G.. Lyle and Miss Lucy Nell
son compose the Music Committee.
Every other Thursday evening pro-
gramme is rendered. whose plan might
serve as model for any musical clnb
4 critical and analytical essay on
the life and work OF the selected anthor
Is read. a1d illustrated by prominent
numbers from his works. interpreted by
piano, violin, voice, tries and quartettes.
%f.eF sal
an unusually lue arr y of talent.
among which all Jersey City music
| lovers will recognize the names of Miss
Lucy Nelson and Miss Florence Turner
soprano; Miss Katrina Green. contralto;
Messrs- VIM. Hunter Brown and VIM +.
Brown. bassos; Mr.. John Arnold Hol-
land and Mr.. De Reitte, yioliuists; Mr.
Burt, cello. and Mrs. Hunter Brown,
Mrs Hood Fem and Mrs. r. G. Lyle,
pianists.
SPECIMEN PROGRAMME.
A specimen programme was that rem
dered last Thursday evening The meet
ing opened with thoughtful essay on
the life ana work of Handel aHd HAYDN.
composers for the evening, delivered by
Miss smith, Haydn's Trio No. 6was rem
der ed by Mrs. Hunter Brown. piano: Mr..
John A Holland, violin. and Mr.. Burt,
cello. Miss Katrina Green's mellow
contralto next rendered the aria He WAS
drspised." from the Messiah. A Haydn
sonata for -ioiin and piano WAS inter-
preted by Mrs. HoOd-Fenn and Mr.. LIE
Reitte. Mr.. William +. Brown. sang an
aria from judas Maccabeus 10 his well
known style. and an exquisite rendition
OF Handel's famous Largo" by Mr.. John
Arnold Holland completed the pre-
gramme.
The last named artist may well claim
our attention. This yonng violinist has
just returned from Germany, where for
L. .1rasr
famous teachers of that land Of harmony.
Connoisseurs of New York and Brooklyn,
Chicago, Boston and Montreal have in
this country met and recognized his tall
cut. In purity of tone and technique he
has few rivals. while in housekeeping
he is almost unapproachabie. 1t requires
no great prophet to predict the future of
this young musician.
Miss Lucy Nelson is too well known ia
Jersey CITY aud Newark to need more
than mention here. As leading soprano
in ST. Johns Free Church some time
since, her success WAS uIquestioned, and
when last week it was announced that
she was TO sing ut an uptown church, her
admiring friends crowded the building.
Miss Katrina Green's rich voice. both
in soprano and contraito parts, has
charmed the audieuced at Melopoia reci-
tais. and Miss Turner is the Tabernacle's
leading musical attraction. Mr. and Mrs.
William Hunter Brown have held a
prominent place in society and musical
circles for several years. ard nothing but
praise can be said of Messrs. La Reitte
and Burt. Miss Jessie Smith is the con-
tralto OF the Park Reformed Church aDd
pupil Of Federlein, who also taught
Miss Nelson.
One Of the youngest and most promis-
Ing members OF the club is Mr. Jerry
Meyer. who pursued his studies in Ger
many in company with MIR Holland and
now ranks high among our Dianists. conf
bInng remarkable technique with
breadth OF comprehension remarkable
for a more mature musician.
st1he Fortnightly' has passed the ex-
detrimental stage. and entered upon ca
reer which it is to be hoped will not soon
terminate.
SOCIAL, NOTES