The Portland daily press., 1896-02-19
RosslNI CLUB
Note Their Twenty Fifth Anniversary Yes.
terday

terday.
The twenty-ffth anniversary of the
Rossini club occurred yesterday, and If
was made the occasion for tea given te
the members by Miss Alice Wood at hel
residence on Free street. The parlors
were beautifully decorated with flowers.
The table was in yellow. Mrs Ewdara
NJ. Rand the president of the club and
Mrs. Frank E. Allen the vice president,
received with Miss Wood. There was a
large attendance of the active and student
members. Several letters Of congraGula-
ton were read and this beautiful and ap-
propriate poem, written for the occasion
by Mrs. Stanley 7. Pullen:
Verse for the Clubs birthday? Why,
since you will it,
Here it is ready-like ROsina's billet;
For if this club has taught us ANYTHING.
Tis to make no excuse when asked to
sing.
With pleas of hoarsness OF of bashfulness,
But do one's best-be the same more OF
less.
So without prelude (history assures
Rossini argued against overtures
Let cordial welcome be at once the word
From those who make the programmes OF
today
To earlier members, heard to sing and
play
A quarter ago. may be.
For that time passes. we must all agree
And yet those days look not SO far apart.
From the Clubs Silver Wedding with its
Art
Which now we celebrate.
1t seems to me
We want more cups-for who come here
to tea?
An airy group Of women, surely mem
bers
Of the Rossini Club-for one remembers
Queen Semiramide, by him attired.
In purple and gold OF song, august, ad
mired.
Near her brave and joyous dame ap
pears,
The Italian Isabella, from Algiers;
With Cederentola, no longer sad;
nd bright RoSina, all COO uette and glad
The Lady Of the Lake has crossed the
billow:
Desdemona comes singing of the willow
The Alpine forest now Matilda quits;
Upon Ninetta's wrist the magpie sits
For whose misdeed the maid was Judged
thief.
TheSe women, OF the masters herO.ncs
chief,
Lead others who appear more vague be-
fore US,
But not the less unite in the clear chorus
OF the bel canto pure italian song,
The pearly stream of sound that ran
along
With artless perfect art; exquisite notes
Lavish, unwearied, from enchanted
threats
NJ, 4 - Al l.
The splendid triumphS, musics' miracles,
This was Rosini's gift; to comprehend
The human voice and prove it's loyal
friend.
In all his scores he babe the voices ring
Sovereign above the wood-Wind, brass
and string,
Not merely commenting the orchestral
theses,
AS is the modern style-Well, if it pleases
But I'm not here the merits to contrast
OF music of the future and the past,
But rather to bid welcome warm to you
With whom the old time friendship we
renew,
And wish that all the Club together may
Be present at it's Gloden Wedding day!
The Rossini club can look back upon
its work of the past quarter of a century,
with great pride. 1t has borne upon its
rolls the names of almost all the best
female voices Of the city, and the most
skilled Observation-Disclosures. For years Mrs.
H. N. jose and Mrs. W. III. BENNETT were
its presidents, and Mrs. Rand is now fill.
ing that honoled position. 1t is only re.
GENTLY that two of it's members, Miss
Florence Knight and Katharine Kicker,
gained great distinction by their singing
at the Worlds Fair at Chicago. re
enumerate list Of all who have belonged
to the club would make an extended list
Let us hope that the society will flourish
in the future as the past. and honor tc
the CITY and the state.