The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-02-19
MEL0p0IA'S MUSIC.
A Delightful Concert at the Grove
Street Baptist Church.

Palms, blossoms, sweet music aud fair
women. All these were combined in one
delightful whole ut the second Melopoia
private concert in the First Baptist
Church last night. A few moments after
the appointed hour the twenty-six ladies
who compose the society, passed through
dark-red portieres upon the stage to open
the programme with Anderson's Tell Me
What the Brook Doth Sing" and "In
Dreamy Shadow Lying" The close hnr-
mony of the first selection Is not ale
lated to display women's voices TO their
best advantage, but the second was per-
fectly adapued and melodiously rendered,
especially the sudden crescendo at But,
ahi my heart is bold'ning fast"
Governs glee, Lady Bird" received a
recall, principally because the sopranos
did some conscientious If not altogether
successful reaching after high notes,
while the final decrescendo was renark-
ably well done, but there was constant
danger of that bane of feminine %chorals.
a too aggressive alto part. Not a trace OF
this, however. could be found in "Ye
Spotted Snakes" from Mendelssohn's
midsummer Nights Dream" which In
PRODUCED soprano solos for Miss Jennie
Clerihew and Miss Jennie Toffey. Miss
Clerihew and Miss Toffey more than mer-
tied the applause which kept Mr.. Baier
bowling so long.
GOOD CHORAL WORE.
1t would be hard To imagine a better
piece of choral work than that OF
the society at the passage "Philomel with
melody" when during the last bars of the
solo, the parts gently blend In harmony
until almost before the ear has recognized
their presence, they are swelling into a
eaft Ir1lnhv Rhain h0rOQrfu Ravaria waa
given with excellent attention to shading,
and the closing selection, Little Elsie"
was noteworthy for its rapid pianissimo
passages n the peculiar portamento
ending.
The first of Miss Katrina Green's three
songs, Bohm's Calm as the Night"
showed the soft richness Of her lower
register, "Phillada Flouts Me" was Il
dainty bit of Sixteenth Century melody,
and Nevin's Good Night. Beloved"
showed that two artists may hold entirely
conceptions of the same selec-
ton, as ninety per cent. OF the audience
realized, fresh from the last Schubert and
Miss Olive Fremstadt's rendition of the
same song. Miss Green's tempo was much
faster, and be it said to her credit, she
did not take the last note falsetto.
CHARMING INSTRUMENTATION.
As tor the soloiSts not OF the society,
Miss Flavie van der Haende certainly had
tine charm OF novelty, IOr iaQY VlOlOncel-
lists are comparatively rare. A tarantelle
by Linduer was her first selection. notice
able for liGhtness and brilliancy of execu-
ton, and for extended passages of rapid
double-stopping. Miss Van der Haende
also played Dunkler's LA Fileuse." aud
responded TO a recall with a serenade by
Pfeill.
The star of the evening was undoubted-
ly MIR. w. II. Rieger. His talent evidently
lies more Oh romantic than dramatic lines
and his first selection, an aria of Beliiui,
displayed that defect which tenors so
often POSSESSES tendency to.drop in pitch.
when for his second selection he SUBJ
stituted a dainty ballad. I'm My Garden
Garden Grows a Blossom" the audience
went wild, and rendered him no less than
five tremendous recalls. to TWO OF which
he responded with Woods ''Vorsatz" and
a bit OF melody. Would You?" There is
Il rich quality in Mr.. Rieger's voice which
fails to appear In fiorid music, but is ire
sistible in the ballads.
Especial mention should be made of
Mrs. w. Hunter Browns accompaniment
to the "Midsummer Nights Dream
glee. During the long intermissjon the
members of the society fitted from pew
to pew, exchanging greetings, and the
church looked like Il large drawing
room, but all conversational attempts
ceased with the first chords of the piano,
ana a more attentive and appreciative
audience never met in Jersey City.