The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-18
MUSICAL MATTERS.
Professor Tallie Morgan. who vii

PROFESSOR Tallie Morgan, who Will to-
morrow take charge Of the music at
Washington Square Methodist church.
New York city, is probably one of the
best choir masters in this valley. Mr..
Morgan became first known as a choir
leader at Simpson Methodist Episco-
pal church, where he successfully con-
Quoted the music for some time. He
was subsequently employed at the
Providence Baptist church; the Provi-
dence Methodist church and at the
Plymouth Congregational church. For
the past two years Mr.. Morgan has had
charge of the music at the First Pres
byterian church and has been very sue
cessful in keeping the chorus choir to-
gether. Perhaps Mr.. Morgan's great
est work was the organization of the
choir for the Mills meetings. These
meetings were held during the Worlds
fair, at a time when 1000 of our best
known vOcalists had been selected to
compete for the greats sprize at the Chi
cago eisteddfod. When a can was
made for chorus of 600 additional
voices to take part in the Mills meet
ings several choir leaders in the city
refused to undertake the task of or
ganizing such a chorus, declaring that
1t would be an impossibility. Mr.. Nor
gan, however. finally consented to try
the experiment of gathering a chorus
from the highways and by-ways. and
went actively at the work about six
weeks before the opening of the revival
meetings. A chorus of 500 voices was
organized and the majority of the sing
ers were unknown in chorus work. The
success of the venture Is best evidenced
in the statement of Evangelist Mills,
who said that II was the best chorus
that had ever furnished music for his
meetings. From this chorus was Or
ganized the association that presented
the Fall of Babylon" at the Frothing-
ham some months later. During his
career as choir leader Mr. Morgan has
had marked success in keeping his
chorus singers interested in their work,
which has doubtless been a great aid in
musical achievements, and 1t Is prob
able that his efforts in metropolitan
fields will be crowned with success.
The Mackay Opera company, which
Is presenting popular operas at the
Academy of Music at popular prices. is
an organization Of more than usual
merit. The company includes q num-
ber of excellent principals, two really
funny comedians and a large and effi
cient chorus, whose vocal efforts are
more successful than their claims to
Deduty. lHe CoIHpdHy IS u ledTeT dp-
proach to the old Bennett T. Moulton
standard of excellence than that Of any
organization that has been seen here
of recent years. Manager Mackay's
idea has very evidently been to present
the different operas in such a manner
as to provide as much merriment as
possible. and he has succeeded very
well. The costumes are good and In ev-
cry way the company is superior to any
popular priced comic opera company
that has appeared here for several
years, At the matinee this afternoon
Gilbert & Sullivan's pirates of Pen
zance" will be sung, and at the even
ing performance the bill will be "Oli-
vette."
Alfred Wooler, tenor at Elm Park
Methodist church. Is becoming promi-
nent as a song writer. His sentimental
compositions are equal to the best Eng
lish ballads published and ought to
make the writer celebrated. Sweet
Little Mary" recently published by
Ditson 4, Co., has already had q large
sale, and he has several other meri-
torious compositions that have not yet
been published, which will no doubt be
received with equal favor.
"GoiSC INOycS IkChWtli, the we'll
known organist and composer. has
adopted q novel method Of securing a
new collection Of original hymns for
church service. Mr.. Rockwell began on
Jan. 1 writing one hymn a day, and
now has collection of seveteen tune
full melodies. At the end of the year he
proposes to make selections from the
list. which will be embodied in a book
of original hymns.
II \ /
Sousa's band Is now on tour through
Oregon and California. The band will
return to New York in time to play the
usual summer engagement at Manhat-
tan beach. While on this tour Sousa's
band will visit Scranton. The manager
promises the best entertainment this
season that has been given by this
popular musical organization.
Il II
BY special request the Christmas
choruses will be repeated by the choir
of the Penn Avenue Baptist church at
the services tomorrow.
THE MAGAZINES.