Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-21
THE ALLEN CLUB CONCERT.
Good Singing, Good Violin Playing and
Vivacious Pianist.

The Allen Club gave it's first concert
of the season in horticultural Hail.
Thursday night If the merits of the
performance had been the measure of
the house, the audience would have
at least filed the hall, instead of leav-
ing a quarter vacant. Ten rehearsals
under the direction of Mr.. Everett f.
Truette have produced most excellent
results. 1t is rare pleasure to hear
so fresh tone, and to lind that it is
not lacking in spirit. The chorus of
fifty has been well drilled.
Berthold Tours New Years song
made favorable opening ard gave a
foretaste Of better things to come. One
Of these was Caldcotts familiar Where
are you going, my pretty maid?" which
was sung with very gratifying effects
of light and shade and some suggestion
of piquaney. Distin's "Baeehanalian," :"
rather lacked the abandon of drink
ing song. But then there were ladies'
present, and there were other points to
commend Leslie's How sweet the
moonlight sleeps" and Sullivan's 81
hear the soft note We're pieces of quite
different stamp, that afforded oppor-
tunities for soft harmonies, sustained
tones and dynamic gradations that were
well improved. One of the best things
done was Sir julius Benedicts Hunt
ing song" in which the several parts
showed up finely. 1t was sung with a
light and joyous spirit that was admir-
able and brought the concert to a close
with snap. There was ginger in it,
The mems chorus is an exception to
the rule that accords superiority to the
women in an amateur chorus 1t ac-
quilted itself with great credit, both in
Storchs me1odious "Reveries'' and in
Thayer's dainty "Courtship." The
young women sang Tiescher's "Snow-
bells, Maybells" and Ethelbert Nevin's
melliduous music, "The night has a
thousand eyes" (obligato by Miss MeaD
quite prettily, though the alto is hardly
strong enough support for the other
parts, and there was sometimes an eff
feet of dispersion. The alto contains
some good voices, but more are needed.
The tenor can generally be depended
on to show itself whenever it is wanted.
though the chorus that has too many
tenors seems yet to be born. The bass
is solid, smooth stable background
and the sopranos are both agile and
strong
Miss Olive Mead is young and win
some vlolinist, who certainly has very
efficient technique. Her boWing is
strong and firm and her tone seemed
quite full and round in horticultural
Hall, where all good music sounds so
we'll. Franz Knel1el has cause to be
proud of his pupil. Her playing Is NOT
marked by maturity or depth of feel
ing. but it is characterized by good
taste, and that goes a great way. She
demonstrated her command over the in
strument In Auer's Hungarian rhap-
Sody, and won an imperative encore.
which brought forth the buzzing of
Schubert's Bee" At her second ap-
pearance she played Vieuxtemps' ada
gio and ZarZychis mazurka, two stock
show pieces that were well played. Her
encore this time was ST. Lubin's ar
rangement of the Lucia" sextet for
violin alone. Here were marvels to be
accomplished with the bow, double
stopping and the fingers of the left
hand. The facility of the left-hand
play is one of Miss Mead's most striking
accomplishments.
Miss Jessie Mabelle Downer, a viva
cious young woman, shouldered the bur
den of Miss Mead's accompaninents,
and also played theme and variations
by Paderewski. She has j. delicate
touch and plays with dash and effect.
and she does not scruple to sacrifice ac-
curacy to that quality at her own con-
venience. She, too, won an encore, and
added much to the beauty of the occa-
sion.
Thus it may be seen that the first
concert of the Allen Club was distinct
success. The applause was spontaneous
and hearty, and there should be a full
house at the next concert, when Dudley
Bucks dramatic legend, Don Munio,"
will be sung. with Mrs Kileski-B Brad
bury of Boston, Miss Luella FIagg Of
Worcester, George L. Moore of New
York and Arthur Beresford of Boston
as the solo quartet