Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-14
IN MI SICAL CIRCLES
The Choral Sooiety's Coming Presentation
Of Handels Messiah"
Features of Local Interest in the
trict Musicians.

| trict Musicians.
| The most important local musical event
| thus far this season will be the presenta-
| ton Of the oratorio Of the Messiah at
Convention Hall next Tuesday evening.
The Choral Society. which will give it. is
| the foremost musical society in the Dis
| trict, and during it's long career has pre-
| sented some rotable performances. Its aim
has always been high, and it has given the
people of Washington an opportunity to
| hear the highest form of sacred compost
ton sung in the best manner, both as to
the choruses ard solos. In the latter re-
| spect the most eminent singers of the coun-
try have sung in connection with the Choir
al Society. and the names of Emma Juch,
| Mary Howe, Lillian Blauvelt, 1talo Campo
mini. VIM. LAWN. Whitney Woodbridge,
| Gertrude Edwards, Katharine Fleming, DR..
| Hopkinson and Emil Fischer will be well
remembered by those who have been regu-
| lar attendants at the society's perform
ances. For several years it has been the
custom of the society to give Handers
| Messiah" during the Christmas holidays,
and Its presentation at that time Is pecu-
Iiarly appropriate This year the perform
| ance comes somewhat egrlier, on account
of misunderstanding with the Conven ton
Hall management. but it is hoped that the
same substantial support which has here
| tofore been given to the society will be ex-
| tended now.
Interest attaches to this performance in
| several respects. In the first place the So
ciety will sing. for the first time in many
| years, under the dir ection Of DR.. Harry c.
| Sherman, who was the first leader OF the
society and who laid It's foundation for
Miss Charlotte Maconda. soprano; Miss
| Ruth Thompson. contralto: Mr.. Z: Z.
| Towne, tenor, and DR.. Carl Duff Miss
| Thompson is Washington girl and her
| " ork in the choir of the First Congrega-
tional Church and in concert here before
she took up her residence in New York is
| well remembered. Her many friends here
will be eager to hear her now that she has
| developed her fine contralto voice to its full
possibilities.
| One Of the most notable features Of the
| Messiah" will be the fact that the orches-
| trail accompaniment will be by the new
| Washington Symphony Orchestra, which
has been formed by Mr.. Herman Rakemann.
Heretofore the Choral Society has been COM
| PEELED to seek its orchestra from outside
| the city, but now it has home organization
| that 1t is expected will be fully equal to any
! are now on sale at Ellis music store and it
| is hoped that every seat in the large hall
will be occupied Tuesday evening.
The concert in Washington by the Boston
symphony Orchestra, at MetZerott Music
| Hall. next Tuesday evening, will be the
| thirteen hundred and thirty-ifth perform
ance Of this now national organization since
| Its foundation, fourteen years ago. This
remarkable total establishes a record that
| probably cannot be duplicated in the world.
Some of the older European orchestras have
! New York Philharmonic Society, the parent
orchestral organization of this country, can
| show, rising fifty years to it's credit but the
| lesser number of concerts given annually so
reduces the total number that the Boston
symphony Orchestra undoubtedly heads the
| list. Seven hundred and nineteen perform
ances have been given in Boston and 615 in
| thirty-seven cities throughout the United
| Maine Minnesota
| bridge, Mass, with series of 81 concerts
which begun the first year Of the orchestra's
existence, and which are given under the
| auspices Of Harvard College in their Me-
| mortal Hall, heads the list of cities visited,
and then come Philadelphia, 40 Providence.
| Al; New York, A; Washington, A. AS
Stunning an average of five selections for
each concert, there have been between 5000
| and 1000 numbers performed Over 1000
soloists have appeared, something over one
half of them singers, and the balance
| divided among pianists, violinists and vio-
| loncellists. As the Boston Symphony is an
organization founded and maintained by a
private citizen, it has always been the policy
| OF the management to refrain from the pub
| lication of any financial details. but it is
| safe to assert that even a most moderate
average Of receipts would result in an
| enormous sum of money expended in the
patronage bestowed upon these concerts
Seventeen states are represented in the
cities in which performances have been
| given-excelent evidence that the Boston
Symphony Orchestra is now national or
| ganiZation
All the church choirs are busy in prepa-
ration Of their Christmas music, and the
choirs are working hard at rehearsals
Most OF the programs not vet made
public but at st. Patrcks Church LIE Pre-
vots Mass will he given with full orcnes-
ira, under the direction of Prof. Mama
On the last day of the year at this church
there will he a grand thanksgiving service
at which Mgr. Satolli will officiate and it
is expected that Bishop Keane will preach
q rfon I'M nc ctr
composed by Mr. Rufus Garland, in honor
of Mgr. Satolli, will be sung under Prof
Maina's direction, with full orchestral ac-
compartment.
1t is understood that Mr.. Herndon Nor
sell will again take charge of the choir
of St. Andrews Episcopal Church. The
excellent music rendered during the pc
riod that he formerly had control is
| guarantee that in future the choir will be
| credit to him and to the church
Mrs. Thomas c. Noyes will sing at the
Calvary Baptist Church tomorrow at the
morning service
Washington musical circles have an adj
dition In tie person of Mr.. Chas. P. Burton,
who has removed here from Baltimore. He
is musician of varied attachments, and
a good orchestral conductor.
Ondricek. the violinist. was fellow stu
| dent in Prague with Prof. Josef Kaspar
of this city. and the latter has many in
terestfng stories to tell Of the now IA
nous musicians early career.
Prof. I. Williams Pearmans second pop
ular concert Will be given at the Cniver-
salist Church the 23d instant and in har-
mony with the season the program will
be made up chiefly of carols. Some of the
best local talent will participate
MI Leighter. the crganist and director
of Epiphany Church choir, has not yet de-
ternined what oratorio will be presented
this season. but 1t will be one in which his
force will be heard to advantage.
The popular opera, III. NJ. S. Pinafore"
will be produced early in February by
Prof. Geo. w. Lawrence and his pupils
The rehearsals began last Tuesday even
Ing under very favorable circumstances
The chorus will number about forty voices
| At the next concert of the Washington
String Orchestra the solosts will be Mrs
! Ernest Lent, Anne La Chaume and Ri
varde, the great French violinist The
New York press has spoken very highly of
Rivarde, some critics considering him the
best violinist heard there since Sarasate
his style being said to be full of remark
able elegance and of poetry.
| Mr.. Archibald Olmstead this afternoon
gave the second of series of monthly piano