Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-22
AMERICAN COMPOSERS.
Their Works Successfully Sung by
the Choral society.

inc CnOral society.
/ A program Of music by American COM
posers was the contribution last evening
of tho Choral Society to the celebration Of
the national patriotic holiday in honor Of
the anniversary of the birth of Washing
ton. If 1t would be possible to base
opinion OF the popular estimate of such an
observance on the interest and even en-
thusiasm displayed by the large audience
at the First Congregational Church last
evening, then the society can be assured
the innovation was an unqualified success.
All those who desired to hear the concer.
were unable to find seats in the spacious
auditorium, and a number stood during the
entire evening. The gathering was not ONLY
large. which. however, is the usual ex-
perience on occasions when the Choral So
c1ety gives concert, but it was demon
stIatfve in its expressions of approval and
to such an extent that not only were all
the soloists encOred. but the chorus was
obliged to repeat one of the selections. To
what point the manifestations Of applause
would have gone If all the soloists engaged
by the society had been present it is i'm
possible to predict. AS it was, the tenor,
w. Theodore Van YORK of New York, and
the contralto, Mrs. Anna Taylor Jones OF
New York, were unable owing to sickness,
to take the parts assigned to them on the
program, although Mrs. Jones came on to
the city and sang the solo part in the Star
SpanSfed Banner, and did it in such
pleasing style as to increase the regret of
the audience that she was not heard In
the other selections. Mrs. Nina dAlvigny
of New York sang several contralto selec-
tons In place Of those that Mrs. Jones was
to sing, and received a warm reception.
The tenor solo in Chadwicks Lovely Ros-
abelle' was sung by Mr.. H. NJ. Lord, an
active member of the society, and Mr..
Otto Leubkert of this city also won ap-
pause and an encore by his singing.
The liquid notes of Mrs. Emma Juch, as
well as her excellent Interpretation of the
nharc Ill,
She responded to lorg-continued applause
after her first two appearances, and at the
close of her last selection fairly ran off the
platform to escape a further recall.
The program was arranged as far as
possible to Illustrate" in the language of
the printed announcement "chronologically
the growth of musical composition in
America and as the Interpretation of
these selections was the work of the So
ciety, the occasion had a two-fold interest
the opportunity of again demonstrating
what capable body of singers Washing
ton has in the Choral Society and the call
ing of public attention to the productions
of American writers. The range of the
compositions rendered extended from the
Easter anthem, written by w. H. Billings
in the time OF the revolution to those of
musical writer's still living. The list of the
authors whose productions were sung by
the society last evening is. follows: W.
H. Billings, 1746-1SO0; Lowell Mason, 1892
1872; James c. d. Parker, 1898; Dudley
w. Chadwick. 1854; Ethelbert Nevin, 1862
and Horatio w. Parker. 1865.
Specimens of the composition of Lowell
Mason given we're the familiar tunes by
which the following hymns are usually
sung: God in the Gospel of His Son.
From Greenland's Icy Mountains Miss
Juch singing the first verse as a solo as
originally written, and My Lord. How
Lovely is the Place" Into the Silent
Land was sung by tie women of the
chorus with fine effect, the delicate phras-
ing being especially noticeable. we'll as
the unison of the voices.
The lullaby, "Wynken, Rynken and
Nod sung by the society, with Miss
Juch soloist, and was given with such
sympathetic insight and Miss Juchs inter-
probation was so graceful and bright that
the audience would not he satisfied until
the conductor, Mr.. Josef kaspar, consented
to repetition.
AS a fitting finale to this program THE
Star Spangled Banner ard America
were sung, the audience rising and joining
In Il e singing of the latter. AS an appro-
pirate setting to this observance of pa
triotic holiday, the church was decorated
with American flags ard tiny national
emblem was worn by all the singers.