The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-02

the most agreeable people who per
formed at the festival was Miss Aus
der One, who is about as unaffected
and devoid of coquetry as nice, sweet
tempered, pretty hammered boy.
Another source of qualification to the
chorus are the good seats and the fine
view of the soloists and house which
they command. Mechanics Hall seen
from the stage, is far more impressive
than when seen from the floor, espe-
cially when the seats are filed with
We'll -dressed people, as was the case
at the last festival From the audi
forum the stage forms big butter
hy-did you ever notice Whose body
is the goidenspiped organ, and whose
wings are formed from the spreading
corners of the chorus as they sweep
from the centre out. The ensemble of
gay colors which greets the eye of one
looking down upon the rows of seats
is generally likened to a summer flower
garden. 1t is more like a colossal
piece of crazy--very crazy-patchwork
The smile is less poetic, but more
faithful. In some respects, the chorus
occupy the best seats in the house. Ii
you don't believe it, just sample them
at the next festival.
But the attachment of the chorus to
the festival rests on a stronger sub
structure than interests or amusements
like these. The chorus takes a great
interest in the artistic and financial
success of the festival, feeling that in
a large degree success rests with it,
and it's members are just as much
pleased, when things go well, as it is
possible for the members of the board
of government to be. The esprit de
corps of the chorus is increased by the
presence in it's ranks of a few of the
! board. To say that ting chorus feels
keenly its successes and failures at the
festival of '9S and that it has inGds-
trfously sought for the causes of both,
| is to tell what now every one knows.
A little inquiry among individual
members discloses the fact that the
judgment of some of the critics with
| regard to the mistakes that have
been made, were anticipated by the
chorus. While not questioning Mr.
| Chadwick's ability as a composer, and
while admiring his Lilly Nymph," they
agree that his beat is very peculiar
and that it often leads them astray.
He does not give us down beat or
cues like other conductors, and he
cannot sing, and so cannot aid US in
learning the music, as Zerrahn or Jor-
dan do, say they. If you go on to ask
what the difficulty was Wednesday
night, when Friday night, in an equal
ly difficult work, they sang so finely, the
reply is likely to be something like
this:
I'VE sang well Friday night, because
we had studied the work under Mr..
Zerrahn and Mr. Parker last year, and
knew 1t well. We studied the Lily
Nymph' under Mr.. Chadwick, and
knew that pretty we'll. In rehearsals
we sat in numbered seats in Wash
burn Hall, and Mr. Chadwick did not
want the whole body of sopranos to
sing the passage when the trouble oc-
CURED, but only twelve sopranos, say
ing, Those in the front row sing the
first soprano The chorus were not
seated in the same way in Mechanics
Hall, and when Mr.. Chadwick said,
Those In the front row sing the first
soprano those in that row had not
sung it; and when he gave signal for
all the sopranos to rise, we all rose, but
as we had not sung the part at rehear-
sal, we did not open our mouths. One
or two of the twelve did, but as they
were not seated together, they soon
stopped singing. So you see that the
trouble came from a lack Of care on
some ones part outside of the sopra
nos in the chorus"
You can't imagine how much it
stimulates and encourages US, if the
audience shows appreciation of our eff
forts" said one Of the chorus voicing
in this respect the sentiments of many.
I'VE like appreciation just as well as
the soloists, and when the latter turn
around and nod or smile to us after the
singing of a grand chorus, or during
the singing, it pieases US very much,
indeed, for we know that in many
cases they have been members of cho-
rlses before becoming soloists, and so
know by actual experience the value
of our work.
1--WE enjoy looking into the faces of
the audience from our higher position,
and can readily pick out real lovers Of
chorus work and music generally from
the larger number who only come be-
cause others do ana who spend much
time in conversation, and find great
satisfaction in the wearing of fine
clothes.
I 20, yes, we enjoy appearing in new
dresses ourselves, and usually get
new gown for each festival Why, If
we enjoy, music, do we choose to sing
rather than to listen? We prefer to
be a part Of the great chorus rather
than to be listeners, because 1t thrills
us more and we enjoy the exhilaration
that comes from singing with great
body of singers, when well-trained and
well led
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