Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-02
All About Mr. Chapman, The Great vocsl
Director.

A good deal of interest having been
aroused up to this date concerning the
proposed great Maine Musical festival II
may not be unreasonable to say a Few
VIM r. Chapman. who. with the general
manager Mr.. Homer N. Chase of Au-
burn is the head and front of this gigan-
tic scheme. So great is the interest a.
current number of the New YORK Musl-
cal Courier has notice of the coming
Maine festival in one column nm ana IN tne
Festival" the first named Sketch being
accompanied by a life-like picture of VIM;
r. Chapman. The eyes of the great world
us hope then. that. by next october $
close the expression of those eyes; will
be one of amazed admiration. And we
are able to make it that. Last Tuesday
night at a rehearsal personally conducted
by Mr. Chapman. there were present IN
Auburn hall four hundred singers, Mr.
Stinchfleld the choir organist ana direc-
tor of Lewiston, had trained that chorus
in a few lessons SO well that they sang
the difficult opening number OF the great
Hallelujah chorus the Lohengfen choruS,
and two lighter numbers remarkably We'll
even before Mr.. Chapman took the baton.
Finally, after he had given them cnar-
acteristic talking to. such as no other
leader would ever dream of delivering.
they started in under his direction. Al
first they were timid. He was a reveal
ton to them. ~
TO me, VINO nuU, LlIlloS WltuOut IuHlhSt
seen him direct, his great New YORK
choruses it was less novel, yet Infinitely
interesting because l had never beheld
him waving his baton over the heads Oh
any save very great professional artlstS.
This was a good test of his lnlmitanie
knack, or let us say wonderous power,
to electrify amateurs who had ccrGhiiiy
never looked upon such y leader. IN ten
minutes he had flung off his great fur
lined coat jumped into q feminine cloak
snatched from the shoulders of a singer
on the front bench. and he was stamping
and shouting like a man on the grand
stand at an exciting horse race: AM, Anu
they caught the sparks as they tieW mere
and there from this human skyrocKet,
and in 80 minutes time it was q changed
body of singers. They began to see and
feel what vigor. what shading, what
prompt attack and REIMBURSEMENT means
to professional director whose inde-
scribable influence and matchless en- n,
thusiasm even the great Anton Seioi
recognizes. applauds, and inarvels az.
new and earnest faces about me, I went
back to one or two of this mans very
great nights in New York. On one q
these. / had beheld him in the act OF
being carried off the stage at the close
of concert, by his is Apollo men
This most notable society," upon lne
shoulders of four of those splendid lei
lows Their enthusiasm watching the
leaders by the time one of their great
concerts is over; you. can perhaps I'M
agine what a scene often ensues at the
close Of such toa an ef te bprant ana
memorable night when l had seen him
leading at the great PATTI festival three
years ago in Madison Square Garden,
when he waved his stick over 1O00 sing
crs' heads besides PATHS own.
It's Just here-anyone who comes TO
first meeting whether to scon or sing
that one is perfectly sure to come 70
every ensuing meeting, for you don
want TO put Yourself beyond reach of the
mans fervor and inspiration It must IN
deed be labor of love for this busy man
to come on here from his engrossing work
of directing nine great societies IN anu
about New York, just to rouse and, for
ever, let us hope, keep alive an enthusi-
asm and love for music in our Maine
people. He will get out of the scheme
nothing more tangible than the glory
which our honest endeavors and CO.
operation will yield him this year; nor
does he expect or desire more: 1t is not
easy for u.s. perhaps, to appreciate such
sacrifice on the part of this unusual man,
hut I firmly believe. as Madame Nordica
told me in Portland last night, that
Maine singers will this yes.' be made to
realize that VIM. Rogers Chapman is the
guide who has come to lead us out OF the
Wilderness of apathy. ignorance and dis
couragement into a region. OF energy.
Knowledge hope and keen enjoyment OF
music in it's highest and purest form. Mr..
Chapman will be at the EpiscOpalian
lecture room on the evening Of January
q Saturday Do not let him come out of
his husy way to find disappointment in
Gardiner, Hallowell and Augusta. when
in Portland Prof. KotZschmar met him
with both hands extended and placed the
whole Handel and Hayden society and
his gifted self. so TO speak, at his dis
posal. KATE VANNAH.