Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-02-23
The Chapman-Harris Con
cert

"A SOuu uodl VI dllAloGy HAS Uecu lolC
by the projectors of the Harris Chap.
man concert, which was announced to
be held in the NJ E. church in this city
last night. as to ;be reception it would
receive from the music-loving public
of the cit. coming so soon after the
concert given by the morning choir
of the Presbyterian church, it was
feared the interest would not be such
as would command representative
audience. but every fear was dis
PEELED when the hour came for the
concert to begin. One Of the finest
audiences ever assembled to listen to
q program made up of the highest type
of classical music, both vocal and in
strument4!. filed the spacious church,
it beng found necessary to open the
lecture room i'll order to accommodate
the people
The Artists were Miss Lola Chapman,
III vocal namuers, Mr.. Frank Harris,
in instrumental numbers, and Miss
Louise Esther Bartlett, as reader, and
never have they appeared before a
Missouri Valley audience to better ad
vantage than they did last night.
Miss Chapman's singing was superb.
Her numbers we're of the most difficult
character, requiring perfect control of
voice, exquisite sympathy with the
compositions sung, and complete
mastery over any mental perturbation
that might arise from anxiety as to
how her critical audience was receiv-
ing her execution of the best compost
tions of the greatest masters. That
she triumphed gloriouslv was easily
apparent to all. She was as self com
posed as if she was singing in the pri-
vacy of her own drawing room, while
her clear tones, emphatic enunciatiop
and deliberate movement, gave evi.
dence that she was, what few singers
are, mistress of the masters" Nothing
could exceed the sweetness of voice
and the tenderness of expression as
she sang in "a Life Lesson" by Nevin,
Don't cry, little girl, don't cry"
| OF Mr.. Harris work at the piano
we need scarcely say more than that
he has never played with greater Free
dom and more artistic skill before an
audience than he did last night. He
too, was in full touch of sympathy
with the great composers whose finest
compositions he interpreted to his ap
preciative audience.
| Mosz Kowskl, List, and Rubensteln
have seldom had pupils who more
faithfully and artistically represented
them than did Mr.. Harris in his rem
dering of their compositions last night,
The music stirred his own soul, and, as
natural consequence, it stirred the
hearts of others. His touch is severe
but tempered with true artistic sym
pathy-that quality so eagerly sought
after, but so rarely attained by musi-
clans. The instrument is his servant
from the first moment, and his mastery
over its possibilities increases until the
last note is struck His playing affords
an admirable study for pianofort
students. Again let it be said, as it
has often been said before, "Mo. Valley
has great reason to be proud of the
musical abilities of Mr.. Frank Harris
And what shall wesay of petite Miss
Bartlett in her masterful rendering of
that most difficult composition "The
Organ Maker" 1t is one composition
less brave, and certainly less cultured,
would never have attempted. This
was the first appearance of Miss Bart
lett before Mo, Valley audience and
we venture the prophecy that, because
of the skill manifested by her last night
she will be called upon frequently to
serve the public in like exercises.
Exquisitely attired for the occasion
she was the very embodiment of grace
and refinement. Culture in the best
lanhools aided by high ambition, has
mada bar che fortunate possessor of q
clear, rich, beautiful vice. capable Of
expressing all the passions of the - '1
The composition selected by her last
night was admirably chosen, and into
its rendering she threw not only her
artistic accomplishments, but that
which is greater than all mere acquire.
ments, her soul-herself.
4 1t is needless to say that the com
pletion of every number was received
with hearty applause. The perfo1m ers
gracefully acknowledged the hearty
encores, but steadily refused to respond
in the customary way. and for which
good Judgment they are to be congrat-
ulated. In the eager desire of audiences
to enjoy as much as they can possibly
get out of those whom they delight to
hear on such occasions There is dan.
ger of doing them very great injustice.
1t requires greater courage to respect
fully refuse to respond to hearty en-.
cores than it does to crafty the wishes
of the audience. Giving them one
hope, these brilliant artists will again
soon favor our city with another enter
tainment
We understand that Miss Sadie
Fleming, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. R
n FLAMING of this CITY communicates