Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-08
THE FESTIVAL OVER;
LAST TWO CONCERTS Exyoyrp u
CULTURED AUDIENCES.
Tho Wednesday CIub Achieves =
Great Triumph and the vssssvn1u
Orchestra, and soIoists win Nsvs
Laurcls.


The May music festival which w.
brought to a close last night. proxc4
a great artistic success. and seems noe
only TO have advanced the cauao -
musical art in this city. but 10 hAve
reused the spirit OF oratorio music. Ino
friends OF the Wednesday Club have -
come, II possible. more earnestly A.
voted to the welfare OF the society. The
effect of the concerts will be that the
wavering. Indifferent members will b.
come more reliable In their support Of ~
many will be drawn into the current -
the best class of music who forSnsroy
drew back and had little faith In musical
culture. But above all. the society WIN
gather confidence In its own resources
and strength.
Financially. the festival was hardly Z
success; but in the face Of the achieves
fine artistic triumph. the small de1cit WIZ
be gladly met by the guarantors- The
great problem has been solved that Z
Richmond musical society. II In real
earnest, is able and has the means to
arrange great musical festivals.
There were two concerts yesterday. IL
the afternoon an admirable programme
was given. In which appeared the Boston
Festival Orchestra, Miss Jennie MAG
snencer who was heard In the opening
concert. and Miss Minnie Little. .
pianist of distinction, whose piaylns
manifested a broad intellectual grasp
warm feeling, poetic sentiment, ana aps
solute facility of execution, Win extro
ordinary power and not less unusus3
| refinement. and solid sincerity ane
! cearness OF expression altogether "nos~
some and inspiring.
The feature of last evenings concers
| was Mendelssohns "St. Paul" Some
| German critic made the remark tnat
| when YOU got tired OF the "EliJan' you
always had "St. Paul. TO fall back vpon.
The latter work has not the dramAtle
fervor nor yet the themauc richness ot
| the Elijah" but 1t is very grato1uL
work to listen to. and was given by tho
Festival Chorus with superb hnisn anu
| effect.
Miss Rose Stewart, Mrs. Katherine
Bloodgood. Mr.. J. Ii. Mckinley. and Nrs
Heinrich Meyn were the sololsts. Much
| interest was manifested In the appearance
| OF Miss Stewart and Mrs Bloodgood. wno
were heard for the first time IN hicn'
mond
| Mrs. Bloodgood made a grand success
| of the contralto music. Her voice WAS
| much admired for Its great purity auo
richness Miss Stewart has nneiy-cui-
tivated voice. which was heard 70 srces
| advantage. Her enunciation was ois-
tinct. and the intelligence displayed IN
/ her Interpretation OF the music gave
abundant evidence Of true musical IN
| stinct.
The festival orchestra did excellent
work. and was Enthusiastically encoree
| after the Tschaikowski overture, WIN
which the concert opened.
Mr.. Meyn gave, by request Vdentine'a I
| song from Faust" and Mr.. MCKINNEY
sang as an encore the prIge-song from tne
Meistersinger. "All Through the Night
which was shown to be one or the pese
hits OF the entire festival.
Miss Stewart gave the aria from n
Barbiero." and Mrs. Bloodeood the ara
from Samson and Delilah. The We'd
nesday Club, by special request, sang
..'rne Sands o. Dee" and "Oh. MY Low
Is Like a Red, Red Rose" which, II VIII
be remembered were among the sue'
cesses of the festival Of 1886.
The soloists and the conductors were
| greeted with showers of flowers from the
| members of the chorus, an Innovation
which was happily planned.
The concert last night was the most
| delightful Of the series. and the audience
was large and enthusiastic.