The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-05
FESTIvALNEXTM MONTH
THE PROGRAMME FOR THE ANNUAL
SEASON OF MUSIC.
Concerts to he CIassined-Chora1
Works I'm Rehearsal-some OF the
New soloists.

Inere mas been very little SAID PUBLICLY
about the May Festival for this season The
quiet only portends the usual musical sue
cess. for while there has not been much
talking. there has been any quantity OF wor<
going on The chorus reaearsals are belna
held every Monday evening az High School
hall under the direction OF F. X Arens-
The concerts this year viii be classified in
a similar manner to those OF last year. Ths
festival viii open Monday evening. May :.
at the usual place. That evening the pro-
gramme will be Of a miscellaneous charac-
ter. The second evening viii be Romantio
night and Wednesday evening Wagner night
The first matinee viii be a symphony con-
cert and the second matinee an artist con-
cert This will give a wide variety 10 ths
programmes. there wiz be nothing monoto-
nous in any particular. and as for choice. il
viii be Only matter OF taste. and not one OF
quality. which will attract.
The choral part of the festival will include
'Daybreak," by Elton flaming. which. in the
estimation OF many, was one Of the most ex-
quisite things ever given by the chorus. In
response to a general request this Will De
repeated, and it will be sung with even more
artistic finish than last year. Another cho-
rus viii be ''Miriam's Song OF Triumph
by Schubert. This is for a mezzo-soprano
solo and the chorus and orchestra! This Is
a particularly effective composition. 1t de-
scribes the passing OF the children of Israel
| through the Red sea and the drowning OF
| the Egyptian hordes. Miriam was a cele-
brated Jewish songstress and prophecies. and
| the song of triumph is a triumphant master
piece of melody. as Wei as musical compost
ton. 1t gives. in a wonderful combination
| Of sounds. the rushing OF the waves. the
passing through the sea, the tramp OF the
horses. and through II all are the voices OF
| the hosts Of people. This is the most smbi-
| uous work OF the festival chorus this year.
There has been a call from the directorate
| this year for shorter choruses. Very few
| really good ones are wriaen. The best short
work is Fair Ellen" which has been given
| two seasons, and met with great favor both
| times. All the great and magnificent works
| take more or less time, and not infrequenfly
| they are arranged to I'LL a whole concert
evening. These long works are full OF inter
| est, but the music selected this year Is all
| short. One which will undoubtedly appeal
to the largest audience that could be gath
| cred in Tomlnson Hall win be the Barbara
| Fritchie," by Jules Jordan. II Is written
after the famous poem OF the same name. and
| the music is rather Of the popular style. II
| includes snatches of the '-Star-spangied Ban
i iAcA, diiu VIII arouse an eullucldtm when
sung by the large chorus The works men,
toned viii be given the first evening. Tues
| day evening will be Romantic night. The
great chorus for this concert will be Schu-
| mann's 1.-THE Minstrers Curse" This VIII
have. in connection with the music Of the
chorus. soprano, alto. tenor and bass solo
and the accompaniment OF the full orches-
| ira Another selection will be THE Sun
| Worshipers.'' by Goring Thomas. The
scene Of this is laid in India. where the peo-
| pie worshiped the sun deity. There Is q
part for the Brahmin priest, which is very
| effective One of the most inspiring OF the
parts OF this composition is the chorus
Praise to the Sum-
FOR WAGNER NIGHT.
| When the festival directors suggested hay
| ing Wagner night several years ago, many
predicted that there were not enough people
| in indianapolis who cared for Wagner's mu-
| sic and who would patronize the festival
that night They were mistaken, for the
| Wagner night was one of the greatest OF the
| Whole festival. successful, in fact thar
no programme has been considered complete
since without Wagner night This year
the Wagner programme will be given
wednesday night, as usual.
Several OF the great operas will be pre-
4
| there will be the Messengers OF Peace /"
This includes a ladies' chorus, a male chorus
and soprano and tenor solo. This is one OF
the most beautiful selections sn the whole
| opera. and the several parts will make II a
fine part Of the evenings concert. Another
| opera represented will be .Tannhauser."
with its truly great Pilgrims Chorus" IL
will be remembered that the only weak place
in last years festival was I'm the rendition
| OF this chorus. When the programme for this
| year was being made up there was a oues-
tion as to whether the Pilgrims Chorus
| should be attempted. A vote was taken by
| the members OF the chorus. and IL was unan-
| imous that IL should be sung. This Is the
| chorus which showed the worth OF the or
chestra last year more than all the remain
| der OF its playing. When the chorus was
| singing Mr.. Arens found that the voices
| were fatting, and at word from him the
whole orchestra transposed the music a half
| tone None but musicians know the difn-
Guilty OF reading music In one key and play
| ing it in another This is what the orches-
ira did. The chorus this year will give the
| orchestra no opportunity to show or in the
same way. and the Pilgrims Chorus VIII De
a feature OF the Wagner programme. An
other work is the Kaiser March," with the
cnorus nnale- Ii was written by Wagner 70
| celebrate the return OF Emperor William.
and the finale was sung by thousands OF
| voices at The time OF its presentation. The
| orchestra and chorus will give this work ana
It's wonderful power and beauty will be ex-
| pressed with the full strength or both
The finale OF the first act or "Lohensrin''
has been chosen as a notable work and win
| be the last OF the chorsls for the Wagner
night.
THE TWO SYMPHONIES
Among the instrumental works TO be given
are two symphonies. The first is the PAS
| toral Symphony Of Beethoven. This is CON
sidered one or the greatest pieces OF de-
| scriptiye music ever written. Ii is Inst what
its name suggests picture Of pastoral nfe
The full effect OF the orchestra Is brought
out in the several music pictures which the
composer seeks TO represent. There are quiet
fields. winding streams. birds and flowers ana
| all the pastoral life which makes such =
scene complete. II is not only great work.
but one destined to outliye many other great
ones. The second OF tie symphonies Is The
Re hat'' OF Mozart. fine representation %
music OF this character. There Is 10 be no