The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-05
FINE START OF CHORUS
CONDUCTOR VAN DER STRICKEN
MAKES 4 HIT WITH HIS SINGERS.
Between 200 and > Attend the Re-
hearsaI-A1I Previous Inaugural
Nights ExceIled in

night. The first rehearsal of the chorus
was held at High School Hall, and even
before the work began 1t looked, if attend
ance is any criterion. as if the festival OF
1897 were an assured success. Between 200
and go singers were present to sing for
their city's glory. and by far the larger
part of these were members of last years
chorus. This of itself was encouraging, for
the weather was storming and it had been
doubtful whether many would turn out.
But when Professor Van der Stricken took
his place on the platform. waved his baton
ana drew from the chorus the first notes
Of song the success of the May festival
of 1891 became, indeed, a certainty. With
every move he made and every order he
issued the confidence increased and enthu-
siasm grew. The directors were very happy
at the outlook. President Major Taylor
could scarcely contain himself. He walked
about with a smile like a morning in June
on his countenance, cOngratulating every
body and confiding To each that Van der
Stucken is a find" other directors were
scarcely less jubilant and visions of next
springs carnival of song could already be
seen in their eyes. The chorus, too, was
captivated and the members crowded
around their conductor at the close of the
evening to congratulate him.. Everybody
had something good to say about him. One
charming young woman voiced her senti-
ments thus: Il think he's just too lovely
for anything, and he's got such "A darling
dimple in his chin" A young fellow with
a deep bass voice confided to a friend that
Mr.. Van der Stucken was a peach
These are little things and not, perhaps,
worth much from Il musical point of view,
but they seem to show the consensus.
Mr.. van der Stucken's work fully JUST
fled all the good things said of him. There
was no h%esitancy in his manner, no indie
cision in his tones, but everything he did
bespoke the master. AS he himself eX-
pressed il during the evening when an en-
terprising tenor got the start of the baton.
Il conduct here
RIGHT DOWN TO WORK.
He was introduced by Mr.. Andrew j.
Smith as the conductor of the chorus of
1897" and was greeted with a round of APP
plause. He answered in about three words.
to the effect that he was glad TO meet those
before him, and already felt as if he had
been born in Indiana, and then made all
hands get TO work. He kept them at work,
too, for over two hours, without a minutes
rest.
just what is the new conductors chief
source of strength would be hard TO say.
but safe it is to lay a large part of it at
the door of his magnetism. Every member
or the chorus seemed To feel him and to he
stimulated TO utmost enueiNOr. he en-
deaVor often fell short of the conductor =
demands. but he had his own way of tell
ing the singers about il. When the basses
were weak, the tenorS singing off the KEY
or the sopranos reluctant to let go of a
tone he would get right down among them
and make them do his will. His baton was
"A loadstone TO draw from the Threats before
him the tone he wanted. As a rule. his
manner was suave am pleasant. but some
times "a sharp reprimand was issued. For
instance, he had been down among the
basses. scoring them sharply for their rag
ged tones and indistinct utterance. Just
when everyone thought him most angry a
most expansive smile spread itself over the
broad territory of his German countenance.
and he went back to the platform. saying.
Il THINK shall go back to the platform,
where | came from. 1t sounds better from
a distance" He exhorted the ladies not to
be bashful. but to open their mouths and
lift up their voices. while to a dilatory tenor
he addressed the question. Want to go out
and take a walk before you take that
note?'
A CANTATA TAKEN FIRST.
The time last night was spent entirely on
The Skylark and the Swan a beautiful
~cantata, the music to which was written
by Arthur Goring Thomas. The words are a
combination of selections from Shelley.
Keats and Mrs. Hemane. making "A whole
of exquisite beauty in both melody and
sentiment. More than half of the work was
sung. more or less attention being given
10 the various parts as the necessities of
the chorus and difficulties of the score de
manded.
So far as the work of the chorus is CON
cerned, II is. of course, too early to Judge.
Certain parts We're ragged. as Il matter of
course, and there was a lack of decision
and rhythm which was to be expected al
a hrst rehearsal. The bass is the weakest
part OF the chorus, as IT nearly always is
during the first rehearsals. There seems tn
be something inherent i'm a bass voice. or
q group of men who sing bass. which rem
ders IT and them incapable of Elasticity.
/ Ina nnEG "aEa faNTaEf in ~ ah a. I-e go
loud enough and well enough to deceive
one who could not see them. The female
voices were by far in the majority. as they
always are. with the sopranos outnumber-
ing their lower-toned sisters on the opposite
side of the house.
AS a general thing. the work last nigh,
was too mechanical and too piecemeal To
give one an idea of the chorus sound. but
at intervals the conductor gave the order
to get together and a volume of melody
burst forth which served as a foretaste OF
what the next festival Is TO be. The voices
seemed TO be we'll blended and the parts adj
mirably balanced. except that the bass re-
manned a little weak. No one has any fear.
however. bCt that this difficulty will vanish
in thin air before the magician's wand.
After the rehearsal Professor Van der
Stucken expressed himself as we'll pleased
with the chorus he has been given to con-
duct ana with the work accomplished at
the first meeting. W have got as much
done as / intended to have done" said he,
and that Is saying much. | anticipate nc
trouble whatever in getting these ladies
ana gentlemen 10 sing. Ihey must. OF
course. get used TO me and l to them before
we can do much. but as soon as they learn
to know my movements we shall get along
| Splendidly.'
Professor Ernestinoff. who is to have
charge of the chorus I'm Mr.. Van der Stuck
EMS absence. was delighted with the result
You can say for me-" he said. tina
am well pleased with the work so far and
am agreeably surprised at the sympathy
which has sprung up so quickly between
the chorus and their conductor. There is
| no obstacle whatever 10 success
Andrew j. Smith. one OF the directors and
d singer in the front row Of tenors. was as
enthusiastic as any one and spoke glowing
~ of the high prospects. Said he: There
are fully $50 singers here tonight. and of
these fully $50 were members of last years
chorus. 1t is Il larger number than has
ever turned out To the first rehearsal of an
Indiana music festival. and this. too. i'm the
face of terrible weather. IL augurs well for
future success. We shall have a chorus of
fully four hundred voices. There will be
nearly one hundred more of last years
chorus join our ranks and there are nearly
one hundred voices yet To be tried. which
will easily make up the number.
Professor Van der Stucken is himself
a wonder. / never saw sympathy spring uu
so spontaneously between master and
pupils. and | think We have no cause what
ever for fear. He has a way of making
people, do what he want them TO do. and
will get all that is possible out of the
chorus"
Mr.. Smith announced that on next Thurs.
day the voices that vet remain to be tried
will be examined by Professor ErneStinor
The trial will be held from 1 o'clock until
6 o'clock at Professor Ernestinoff house
and at go o'clock in Wulschner's music
store. The next rehearsal will be held Mon
day night at High School Hall, with Prof.
Ernestinoff as conductor. Mr.. Van del
Stucken will not be here until the week fol-