The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-23
Yet II Was Pronounced by Every One
Gratifying Artistic Success.
Magnificent Choral Work That Showed Care
full and conscientious Training on the
Part Of Its Director.
Nordica and Margaret Reid Surpass
the Expectations of the People.
Triumph for Miss Walker-Hall Well Filled
Some Talk of Giving Popular
Concert n Thursday.
WAS A DISTINCT SUCCESS.

WAS DISTINCT SUCCESS.
Our Grand Concert Gives a Taste of What
the Festival Might Have Been.
The big concert at Tomlinson Hall last
night was q grand success artlstically. and
to comment on it financially. it may be
added that there were over 1900 people in
the hall. representing over $500 to the
box office. NordIca's magnificent voice on
this night IN measure made the
music people overlook the failure OF
the festival and Margaret Reid, just
rs the advertisement truthfully read. came
back with q more thorough knowledge of
how to please big audiences and amore
graceful confidence in her powers. Then
there was the chorus. SO drilled now that
the old musician would hardly compare 1t
with the chorus of the first musical festival
in Indianapolis few years ago. The swift
jerk and swish of Director AreDs's baton
seems TO exact just so much and
no more of the harmony from each
group of voices. There is no drag
ging. no solitary echo of some
tagging chorister the crescent os and dimln-
uendos rise and fall with grace. and with
voices in unison. while the tone and power
of these $50 voices are SO developed that
the spacious hall com pletely loses it's lone
someness.
This year the gowns OF the fair choristers
did not Dartake OF the general whiteness.
for varied colors prevailed. giving pretty
effect. There were all the fashionable
shades dear to the feminine heart
this season. but the pink, the
blue and white made struggle
to give q patriotic aspect to the gowning.
The dress is, of course. what one noticed
before the first note OF the piano was
struck, and after that all was forgotten in
Mordica. Reid and the magnificent choral
voices.
The hall was not deliberately decorated,
pots of palms. spiral aud tropical greens
forming hedge for the chorus and soloists
Some of the musicians really insisted that
the chorus sang to better effect without an
orchestra. citing the old truism that an
instrument Is q detriment TO the purity
and tone OF the human voice. piano
answered for the entire programme, and IL
was not Paderewski- advertised instru-
ment at all Bringing Paderewski to mind
recalls the questioning OF u visitor from
the country who was uniformed as TO the
personnel of the festival. and confidently
remarked TO his companion that THAT
in his hand.D 1t was not Paderewski
however. only Director Arens to whom ne
referred. This latter gentleman partici-
pated In the honors OF the evening. the
chorus giving him vigorous salute as he
came upon the platform. 1t was alters when
the first um Der was given, and by that time
the he was we'll filled. There was little
distinction between the balcony audience
and the down stairs audience. Not great
many of che gen tlemsn appeared in COS
tune du riguer and full evening dress was
by no means a feature of the concert.
Miss Reid was a trifie late IN arriving.
and her first solo was deferred until after
Mr.. SchlIewens numbers.
The opening chorus was Mourn. Ye
Afflicted Children" from Man Mountain"
HandePs great oratorio Judas Mae.
s ssessn f snd the was s snsnsry well
classical programme on account of it's I'M
pressive effect on the musical we'll
lay mind. Director Arens's baton seemed
TO be the magic wand that brought out the
touching wall from the sopranos and
tenors, aud again 10 draw out deep woe
from the bassos. while at the end
came the mournful. almost tragic lament:
Your father Is no more" The musicians
commented upon the wonderful enuncia-
tion OF the chorus taken collectivels. The
director received bunch of American
Beauties as a compliment TO his work.
MIR. Schliswen enjoyed q triumph. He
pressed his old violin 10 his breast, dropped
played before. The adagio contained
almost ballad IN every half dozen strains.
SO it seemed 20 the uDtutOred mind. and
withai there WAS such deftness of touch.
such smoothness aud softness. now tender
and again almost pathetic. Suddenly
would come that low cry that only the
violin knows. 10 one enraptured
by the witchery of this In
strument in masters hand,
one strain might be compared in an ethe.
real way to the passing of autumn twi-
light. or TO one more fascinated. it might
be lkened TO the coming on of dusk on O
cad sunday evening when one thinks
of Tears, Idle Tears" His render
ing of Ernsts Airs Hongroise" showed his
vigorous bowling. hddling if you please. Mr..
Phillstine. where there was q charm In the
fantastical fitting from note TO note. In
terwoven In the conclusion of TINS selec-
ti0n was an almost plaintive air. An aD-
plause lasting three minutes followed the
retirement of Mr.. Scbliewin.
Miss Reid's aria from Jean de NEVILLE
was brilliant add showed to adv antage the
perfectly cultivated voice of this Hoosier
artistic. Nordiea was fairly radiant and
dazzling In striped silk gown. bedecked
with pins and clusters of diamonds
volume of sweet sound and poured il into
the far recesses of the hall. The chorus
was no more delighted than the audience
and after the aria from 'Herodiade." the
p 20 cry s out for rn' the 50 famous n sos
prano. She might have enjoyed her tri-
umph in Westminster Abbey more. but
10 could not have been heartier in its tone
than that OF last night Miss Sadie Walker
surprised an Indianapolis audience, The
home people have often heard her sing. but
not by the side of such on artist as n ordica.
with whom she had duett. sustaining her
part with great credit. She was given q
royal encore and responded.