Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-07-03
CHORAL UNION CONCERT NO. 2.
Another Highly CredItnbIe Performance
Last Evening.

The repetition, by urgent request, of the
Holy City in the Congregational church
last evening was in a high degree success
full. The noble organ never appeared to
better advantage or with more telling eff
feet.
Mr.. Howe, with rare taste, accompanied
each soloist, and his registration was an
inspiration to each and delight to the aud
itors. With the choral numbers the or
gan was especially effective and noticeably
helpful, and much credit is due Mr.. Howe
for his gratuitous assistance throughout,
Miss Macdonald presided at the harp
again with great satisfaction to all. The
temperature of the room was such that 1t
was impossible to keep the strings in tune
continuously, but this, by careful tuning
at each number, was largely overcome.
Miss Macdonald has made a very delight
full impression here and will be well re-
ceved if Brattleboro shall have that privi-
lege again.
To speak in detail of the concert would
be largely repetition of the report of the
first rendering of this beautiful work. Never
has any religious musical work so i'm
pressed our citizens and revealed the mus
ical possibilities in our town.
The work of the chorus was well done,
but as a whole, was not quite as effective
perhaps as at the former renderidg by rea-
son of the absence, we are told, of ID to 20
voices which were specially effective in
the heavy choruses. But in the smaller
auditorium this diminution was scarcely
noticeable.
The semi-choruses were rendered with
excellent effect-remarkable indeed, when
one considers that in every one changes in
the personnel were necessary up TO the
very beginning of the concert, and during
its progress in fact, by reason of the alb
sences above mentioned. 1t only empha-
sizes the virility and versatility of Brat
tleboro chorus. Our former commenda-
ton of the soloists will suffice as an index
of their work at this concert. To Miss
Minor was assigned the solo, "Come We
blessed" and very beautifully did she
render it. Miss Allen sang the part pre-
viously taken by Mrs. Hamilton, in the
duet with Miss Robinson, and the perfect
blending OF their voices and their fine rem
dering was very pleasing. Mr.. Howard
was in better voice and condition than for
merly and added to the favorable impress
sion at his former appearance. The rem
dering of their solo numbers by Mrs. Hub
bard and Mr.. Miller left nothing to be de-
sired. One must travel far, indeed, to
hear them eXcelled.
The semi-chorus, 1.-THE fining pot it
seemed to us was better than before, while
the List the cherubc host" was hardly
up to the former standard. There was a
disposition to hurry, to run away with the
conductor, so to speak, which had not
been noticeable in any previous work of
this young and ambitious society. This
did not perhaps generally impress itself on
the audience, but certainly is not to be
specially commended, and was due, doubt
less, to the changes above referred to. Mr.
Brasor. it seemed to us, sang better even
than at the previous concert and the or
gan and harp accompaniment was very
tasteful and inspiring.
Again the careful training of this So
ciety has been exempifed and Brattleboro
says "thank you to Mr. Hawley and all
who have contributed to make of this
opening series so great success. May we
have this opportunity often.