The times., 1899-03-26
MUSICAL NOTES.


the most important topic of discussion dur
ing Lent is the quality of the music that
will be rendered at the various houses of
worship in the city on Easter Sunday. Last
year the country was in the midst Of the
turmoil directly preceding the war with
Spain and the people had more thought for
the musket than for music, and the heavy
peal of the pipe organ was forgotten in
listening to the more shrill and piercing
notes of the bugle sounding the charge" :"
The Easter parade halted here and there
in their march along the principal thor
oughfares 10 discuss the latest news from
Havana and advance conjectures as to how
long 1t would be before war was really
declared Thus the music masters at the
various churches did not attempt anything
grand, as they knew their efforts would be
of little effect. The people were not inter-
ested in sacred anthems. Handel, Gounod
and the long list of composers of classical
music paled before THE Star Spangled
Banner" America, THE Red, White,
and Blue" Dixie" and Yankee Doodle" +"
This year. however, everything is to be
changed. The war Is over and the nation,
sweet harmony OF sound that flows from
the choir loft poured into their tired ears
Great preparations are being made in the
various churches throughout the city for
the Easter musical festival, and it is prom
ised that the services this year will sur
pass anything ever heard here before.
The choirmasters in the Catholic and
Episcopal churches have been hard at work
for the last month in training the singers
shaf- diraa in, fha
that is to be sung, and it is expected that
their efforts will be abundantly rewarded.
The churches of other denominations have
also made great preparations for the COM
| ing Of the Easter season, and some of
these are quite elaborate. They do not go
into the detail that is required by the ritual
of the Catholic and Episcopal churches,
although the music lis often exceptionally
good.
In many of the Catholic churches the
| regular choir will be assisted by an orches-
| ira in the rendition of the compositions
| they have been rehearsing, while the choir
itself will be greatly, increased for the oc-
casion Many sooists from out of town
| have been engaged for the more important
numbers and almost daily rehearsals are
being held. ...
| Another feature of the Easter week this
|
| to the lovers of grand opera, will be the
presence of the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany in the city. Washington will thus
have two seasons of grand opera, with all
of the vocalists that have triumphsd dur
| ing the winter in the principal roles.
Washington has been particularly poverty
stricken in regard to grand opera of the
higher order for the last two or three
| years. Several lesser companies have ap-
peared in the city for short seasons, and
have met with more or less success, but
| the enterprise of the local managers does
not seem to extend to the aggregation
which has been so long prominent in New
| York.
In some respects the musical season here
has been notable. Rosenthal and SaueI
have given some very successful piano re-
citals. Madame Marchesi and PIunkett
Green have contributed their mites as vo-
calists and the musical societies of the
city have been very fortunate in obtaining
talent for their recitals. One of these, the
Chamber Society has astonished the pub
lie in the artistic excellence of the per-
formances given. This was a new ven
,ure In the musical field under the direc-
tion of a local manager, and has proved
one of the most pleasing features of the
season. The artists that contributed to ths