The Redwood gazette., 1896-08-13
SUMMER SCHOOL CLOSES.
Prof. Congdon EntertainS With His
Trained Chorus of $50
Voices.
Gifts From Pupils to Superinten-
dent Race and the other
Instructors.

Luz ouuuol CIdluluS oCuOOl, III ooo-
sion in this city during the four weeks
ending last Friday, closed in blaze
of musical and rhetorical glory on the
evening of that day. In the neigh
borhood of $50 trained voices, under
the direction of Prof. G. H. Congdon,
united in one grand chorus in sending
forth patriotic music, while Prof.
Congdon, Mrs. F. w. Philbrick and
Charles Buxton added to the musical
feast by singing Duets and solos.
Miss Elizabeth Bissell read and Rev.
John Sinclair and E. G. Patterson Of
fered short notes and comments.
1t was the hottest night of the sea-
son. 1t was sweltering hot, and the
jumbo lamps in the Methodist church
added to the heat and made the even
ing one long to be remembered by the
spectators and assistants, who were
continually wiping sweat from their
brows and who were waving fans as
though the audience was swaying to
and fro. The concert which, by the
way, was free, was scheduled to occur
in the Presbyterian church, but owing
to the anticipated large crowd the
scene was changed to the Methodist
church.
1t was after 81 o'clock before the
opening selection was announced. It
was by the chorus of trained voices
from the summer school. The students
were all placed in the southern tier of
seats, filling them from pulpit to the
east wall, line of males being the
eastern barrier. The ratio of females
to males in the chorus was about 16 to
1, and consequently the female voices
alone we're heard, except when Prot.
Congdon chimed in and strengthened
the male teacher students. The song
was patriotic one, touching on the
flag. At motion Of Prof. Congdon
the chorus arose and soon the united
voices were sending forth beautiful
music. Prof. Congdon publicly ex-
hibited, for the first time in this city,
his splendid ability as musical di-
rector and trainer of choruses. When
welding his baton hand or hands
around he seemed to extract from his
pupils just such music as he wanted
now soft, now strong, now the tenor,
now the soprano and so on. The whole
chorus programme was but the work
of two weeks and those who heard the
students are certain that Prof. Cong
don's musical efforts here were not in
vain. The audience was exceedingly
icy, true, but Redwood Falls audien-
ces always have been icy to chorus mu-
sic, and while appreciative, seem to
lack faculty of expressing their ap-
probation. 1t was a hot night, too,
and the spectators did not want to ex-
ercise themselves unduly.
Prof. Congdon and Mrs. F. w.
Philbrick sang duett and then, to an
encore sang another. Both efforts
were superb. Prof. Congdon's rich,
mellow tenor voice was delightful
while Mrs. Philbrick, always favor
ite, seemed to excel all previous ef-
forts. A heavy eontralto, smooth and
sublime, mingled with the mellow
tenor, made the rendition of the two
selections as fine musical efforts as
have ever been heard in this city.
Charles Buxton sang two bass solos,
the last in response to an encore. Mr..
Buxton fairly outdid himself. Miss
Elizabeth Bissell read battle selec-
ton and it was enthusiastically re-
ceived.
During the evening Rev. John Sim
clair responded on behalf of the sum-
mer school. He stated that it had
been magnificent thing and that the