The times., 1899-05-07
MUSIGIrNOTES.


The past week has been very productive
in musical sense, inasmuch as there
have been a number of concerts of note
and two amateur presentations of comic
opera. Several well known local vocalists
have been heard to advantage in different
selections, and Aumber Of instrumental
pieces have also besHF endered. And the
end is not yet in stghks There are a num-
ber of concerts ya st5sbe held, and some
Of these will co1tRia- especially notable
features. The recftals given every spring
at the conclusion of the scholastic year by
the various vocal teachers are almost due,
and some good things may be expected.
There are also several amateur opera pre-
sentations in preparation, and these will
call forth the best local talent that can be
obtained. Aside from all of these comes
the greatest of all the musical events, the
grand Jubilee chorus. 1t is the intention
of the management of this event to make
it the very finest that has ever been or
ganized in this city, and II work counts
for anything the plans will be successfully
carried out. Herndon Morsell, E. B. Hay,
and Percy S. Foster have been engaged in
the work of organizing the choir and its
accessories ever since the plan was first
proposed to have music form a prominent
feature of the great event. Mr.. Morse.l is
a former opera singer and the possessor
OF fine voice. He knows what is needed
in the organization of chorus, and in the
selection of the music for it to sing. His
Efforts in behalf of the Jubilee choir ever
since he took hold of the matter have been
untiring. In these he has been ably sec
onded and greatly assisted by Co.onel Hay
and Mr.. Foster The latter also has had
experience in the organization of great
choruses, and understands how to obtain
the best effect from the smallest number
of voices.
Even though the event has become an
cient history and the critics have again
settled down to the even tenor of their
ways, the result of Miss Geraldine Far
rar's recital at the Lafayette Square Opera
House is still a matter of discussion in
musical circles. The audience that greeted
the young singer was not what was ex-
pected. In the first place it was thought
that society would turn out in full regalia
to pay homage to the new star in the mu-
steal armament, and this is just what So
ciety failed to do. The people who at
tended the recital were all music lovers,
and they went there for the purpose OF
hearing good music well rendered. In this
they were not in the least disappointed.
Great things had been said of Miss Far
rar's voice and greater things were ex
pected of her. She exceeded all expecta-
tions and was even better than the most
sanguine anticipated. Yet Miss Farrar's
voice is not perfect by any means and she
will have to do a great deal of hard
studying to make 1t SO. She recognizes
this probably better than anyone else and
intends to devote much of her time
to perfecting her voice. She has one
or two qualities hat are contained in
almost every great singer, and she has a
number of others that the latter are with
out. Her notes are clear and distinct, her
enunciation is plain, and she is easily un-
derstood. 1t was claimed that in her pro-
gramme only two Of the great masters of
music were represented, This is very true,
but it must be remembered that the at
tendants at the recital did not go to hear
classical music, but to hear and judge Miss
Farrars voice, and she selected her pro-
gramme in order that talis might best be
shown. Almost eyery- class of compost
ton was represented on the programme.
from the simple ballad TO the heavy dra-
matte songs of Bfzet. 'and the exercise
given her voice embraced almost every
known school of music. The French school
was given special prominence, inasmuch
as most of the grand opera heard today is
of that school, and In order to allow the
critics to compare her voice with that of
other concert SINGERS Miss Farrar was very
liberal in her choice of this class of selec-
tions. That everybody present was salts
fed with the performance and astonished
at the ability of the star of the evening
was attested by the frequency of their ap-
plause and also by the,faet that after the
performance Miss Farrar was forced to
hold an impromptu reception in order TO
satisfy some of the musicians in the au-
dience that they were not dreaming, and
that they had really heard a human voice
give vent to the tones that had SO de-
lighted them.