Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-05
IN MUS zeal CIR CLES
The Choral Society Will Resume Its Re
hearsals Next Monday Evening.
All It's Plans AIaturcd for the Present
Season-cthcr Items of Much
Local Interest.

| LIE Suoidf ooSiSty Will Aolu llo III 81 iC-
hearsal- for this season at Typographical
Hall Monday night. The plans for the work
of the society are fully matured and in
clude the production of three oratorios.
| 1.-THE Messiah" Samson and Deilah" and
| elijah" The solosts for these oratorios
have already been engaged, and the work
| of the board of directors is farther ad-
| vanced this year than at the beginning of
| any previous season Everything looks to
| prosperous sixteenth season of the So
| ciety's career. The director, DR.. Harry c.
| Sherman, is anxious that there should be
full attendance at the opening rehearsal, so
| that good start may be made. Samson
and Delilah" VIII be the work first taken
up, as it will require more care in it's prep
| aration than the Messiah" which is
regular thing with the society, and with the
music of which the members are thoroughly
| familiar.
1t is expected that there will be quite an
accession of new members, and it is hoped
that by the end of this month the limit of
| active membership will be reached. AL
| ready many singers who have heretofore
held aloof from the society have s:gnified
| their intention of entering into it's active
| work, and the board of directors feels very
| much encouraged at the outlook. 1t is also
| expected that the list of honorary members
this year will exceed that of any previous
period. The society each year has been in
| creasng its hold upon the musc-loving
| community, and it's successful work last
season commended it more strongly than
| ever. Its mission is high one-that of
presenting tine best class of music of a re-
| lig.ous order-and in doing this it becomes
an educator in the highest form of musical
| composition. The fee for honorary mem
bership is within the reach of nearly every
| one, and the price Of admission to its con-
| certs is placed at figure that no one can
object to- In this respect the Choral So
ciety is different from similar organization
| in other cities Elsewhere oratorio is given
but the performances usually take place in
| hall with comparatively limited ca
pacity, ard the cost of production neces-
sarlly makes the entertainment one that
| can be enjoyed only by the very well-to-do.
The board of directors of the Choral So
| c:ety 1eel that Its work should be for the
benefit of the masses. and SO the largest
| hall in the city has been secured in order
| that the scale Of prices which has hereto
| fore obtained shall not be increased. A So
| ciety like this deserves the most hearty en-
| enlargement of the entire community, and
this support can be most substantially in
dicated by swelling the honorary member
| ship list.
Apropos Of the coming of Rev. DR.. Tai
mage to this city as co-pastor of the First
| Presbyterian Church, It may be stated that
this church at one time had PROBABLY the
finest male quartet since the Beethoven
| organization, and there have been some
| good mixed voices there, too DIR. G. f.
Johnston. the present director, who has &C.
cupied the same position for many years.
will doubtless maintain a high standard
| of excellence in the choir.
| Two musicians have left Washington this
week whose loss will be greatly felt during
| the coming season. One is Miss Lolita
| Mills, who went to New York last Tuesday
| where she will take up her residence, and
| henceforth become identified with musical
interests there. 1t is hoped that she will be
heard in concert here during the winter
NO pianist has gone out from this city with
| more pronounced talent or with better
equipment, so far as her studies are con-
cerned. and her frierds predict great sue
cess for her. The other was Mr.. Anton
| kaspar, the violinist, who sailed for Europe
| Wednesday. He will go to Prague, and his
purpose is to remain there and at Paris for
chosen instrument Already his fame is
more than local. and he plays with
| technique and expression rarely met with
| In one of his age. He has great talent, and
the true musicianly spirit, and will I'M
deubtedly develop into peformer of re-
markabe finish. -
Mrs H. H. Mills. who expected to give
one day in each week to New York, finds
that the demands upon her time here are
so great that it will be impossible for her to
carry out her original intention.
| Miss Anita Cluss, the harp:st, who made
a very successful season at the different
| watering places during the summer, is
planning series of concerts for this win
full.
Prof. Ernest Lent's String Orchestra will
begin its rehearsals next Wednesday, and
| 1t is expected that the membership will be
| increased to sixty. Two concerts are ar
ranged for this orchestra the first to take
place December Z, and the program is al
ready out. The soloists will be Messrs. VIM.
Holcomb and Fitzhugh Goldsborough and
| Miss Louise Carson violinists and Miss
| Mary Helen Howe, soprano.
| The criticism of church choirs by musi-
clans is not pleasant thing. for with each
OH ~ tI.,k
remark there are always surrounding cir
| cumstances that are known only to those
connected with that particular church, and
which, If known would remove from any
| honest remark any desire to say anything
| that would wound the most sensitive. Take
church that has plenty of money, and
which either absolutely or by implication
| advertises that it proposes to get the best
choir obtainable, the work of that choir is
legitimately subject to criticism if its work
is not up to the highest standard But in
church where the financial condition is not
strong, although this may not be generally
known, the choir should not be animad-
verified upon, even in general terms, for the
people do the best in their power, and they
are often more earnest and conscientious
than those who receive much higher sala-
| r1es Thought}ess uttefance by musicians
in criticism of others often cause many un-
| necessary heartaches.
| Miss Ella Shearnlan Partridge we'll
known Washington girl, has been admitted
to the musical course at Yale University.
| The Georgetown Orchestra has not yet
formulated any plans for the coming sea-
son. but at the business meeting, which
will be held next week. it is expected that
the work for the winter will be mapped
out. Last season the orchestra closed
without a cent of debt. and it is in good
shape to continue the excellent work 1t
| has carried on for SO many years. There
has been no change in its status since its
| last concert, and it is expected that those
who have heretofore been its mainstay in
| diligence and ability will continue their
| interest in the admirable organization,
which is not surpassed by any similar as
| ISOLATION of amateur musicians in the
| country.
The subscriptions for the first concert of
the new symphony orchestra which Mr..
| Herman Rakemann has assembled are be-
ing made in good shape, and it is expect
ed that as the people get back to the city
the list will be rapidly filled. SO that the
| financial success of the undertaking will
| be assured long before the date of the
| performance. The list is in the hands of
Mr. E. H. Droop, who. has undertaken the
business management of the orchestra.
The well-known ability of Mr. Rakemann
as a musician and leader guarantees that
| the work of the orchestra will be W to
the highest standard.