Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-09
MUSIC IN ALLEGHENY.



The Concert of the Sister Citys Association
AN Interesting Cantats A DiMcul
l. Task BraveIy Met-Lenten Social Nat.
ters.
In spite OF the raw, rainy weather Carne
gle Hall, Allegheny, was quite comfortably
filed last night with an audience Of the
high class customary at the concerts
Of the Allegheny Musical Association. II
was the third concert OF this seasons series
though only the second one in which the
chorus has participated.
Henry Smart's dramatic cantata, "The
Bride of Dunkerron," occupied the greater
portion Of the evening. While new to the
Allegheny chorus, the work is not new to
locaLlisteners, having been given by the
Mozart Club about two years ago. It was
written for the Birmingham Festival OF
1864, the very year In which darkness finally
settled upon its gifted composer, COM
pelling him TO dictate, instead of
writing, tho much esteemed works,
produced during the last Is years of his life.
The story is an old tradition of the Kerry
coast about an fll-assorted match between
ended disastrously to both, as ill-assorted
matches notoriously do. Smart Is at his best
In this music, which in small compass is full
points. wSether her II Il be ths tender % love re- pas as
sages between the lovers, the sea-kng's e1-
ulG1ng In his element, the storm-sptrtts
wildly denouncfng, or the serfs and maidens
pfteously lamenting the doom Of the hapless
pair.
An Absence That Was Noticeable.
In last nights performance the absence of
the orchestra meant great loss of color and
contrast from such work. Miss Adele
Reahards really exceptional aptitude as an
accompanies, however, made Of the piano
forte as serviceable a substitute for the
orchestra as could we'll be expected. The
chorus work was in many respects highly
creditable to Conductor w. A. Lafferty
and his singers. Still, it must be
said, that this cantata with its
frequent division of the voices,
Phrases, presents task rather too difficult
fora chorus of this size and material with
out opportunity for the most abundant re-
and shaEy In divided passages, the fntona-
tions were not always clean and a general
sense Of undue effort prevailed. Never
theless there were moments Of powerful
eject and many passages handled with the
refined shading which is this chorus strong
est point.
To Mr.. Homer Moore must be given the
palm. as among the soloists. both for the
technical skill with which he manipulated
his noble baritone, and for the spirit and
feeling Of his interpretations Besides the
role OF the Sea- King. Mr.. Moee sang in the
Evening Star" romanza pfGeTam%S from Tann. 1ne
haeuser." Miss Harriet Worrall, of CIeve-
land. made her local debut an occasion for
considerable graduation. Her voice is q,
pure and notably sympathetic soprano. and
she sang with much emotional intensity
particularly in her later solo, q passionate
song entitled "a Cry of Love-" by Augusta
Worrall was not so successful in the more
elaborate vocaliZatfon of the duet from
Xerdi's early and ltttle-prized opera II
Masnadieri," founded on Schiller's drama,
1.-THE Robbers"
Where He Won and Lost
Mr.. Frederick j. Bussman's smooth and
curiously characteristic tenor was heard to
the greatest advantage in the Sicilienne
from "Cavalleria Rusticana," which he
rather unwisely sang from behind the stage
That graceful air comports admirably with
Mr.. Bussman's voice and STYLE While sue
cessful in the more lyric portions of the role
of DunkeTron, he was lacking in dramatic
force where that quality was
fel! short of the clearness of emphasis and
and the amplitude of style demand
ed by the broad, sweeping melody. He was
appearance, playing melodious Evening
Song" by Nachez, and a simple, sweet
'Slumber Song" of his own. with pure,
smooth tone and much dellcacy of express
sion. Mi. H. G. Archer, a compara-
lively recent arrival from period
of organ study in Berlin. opened
the evening with minor prelude of Bach,
and later contributed Guilmah's g picturesque
'Marche Nuptialen and Eugene Thayer's
variations on the Russian National Hymn
Though hampered by the organs being
somewhat out Of condition, Mr.. Archer dis
played considerable amount of manual
ind pedal technique, much taste and faoil-
ty in registration and a style in keeping
with the legitimate character Of the modern
organ. C. WIS.