The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-05-10
G0UNoD SOCIETY CONCERT
FINE PRODUCTION
LAST NIGHT.

Two New Competitions Given-superb
Choral Work-BYilIiant Evcnts Mark
tho Last Day of Tho May FestivaI-Tho
Morning aud Aftornoon Concerts-
Large Crowds Present.
Not in the ten years Of May festivals
| have the closing concerts attained so
high a standard of excellence as those
presented yesterday, and especially ths
offering of last evening. A triple pro-
gramme with an excellent orchestra
was indeed a fitting close for, in many
respects, the finest May festival New
Haven has yet had. The soloists of
last evening, with the exception Of the
soprano have been heard here before.
and all were most welcome. Two new
works were given and were from the
pen Of S. Coleridge Taylor, negro
composer of England. who until about
year ago was unheard Of but from
now on is bound to receive recognition.
The text is from Longfellow's "Hia-
watha Wedding FEAST and the Death
Of Minnehaha." Certainly the music
teens with originality and these two
new works embrace rare musical beauty
and an uncommon breadth of STYLE
One hearing is hardly sufficient for the
critic to give thorough analysis, but
one is impressed with the magnificence
of the orchestral, melodic and contra
puntal construction of the works in
question. Many times the music seems
to depart widely from the text. The
work also seems to separate itself from
the old form of schooled writing, which
new mode Of construction is not easily
understood, even by the cultured ear.
That the Gounod society made the most
of its initial opportunity was very evil
dent last evening. The orchestra could
well have made use of more rehearsals,
which would only have done justice to
Conductor Agramonte, for his chorus
did almost faultless work, which is say
ing great deal for so difficult work.
The soloists were Miss Shannah Cum
ming, soprano; Theodore Van York;
tenor, and Ericsson F. Bushnell. bass.
Miss Cummings voice, while not
large, was adequate. She possesses rare
temperament at times. Especially was
this evidenced in her solo, With Both
Hands His Face He Covered
Mr.. Van YORK has been heard here
several times before, but never to SO
good effect as in his long aria, which
was the only solo work in the wedding
feast. He showed some maturity since
his last hearing, and can be counted as
among the most satisfactory tenors we
have had here.
Mr.. Bushnell seemed in poor voice the
forepart OF the evening and hardly had
freedom enough for his opening dranat-
ic sentences, but In the creation solos
h6 was his old self again. Indeed, when n
has one heard Rolling in Foaming
Billows" SO exquisitely given? If there
is one thing Mr.. Bushnell does better
than others it is this much beloved and
never dying work Of Haydn.
Upon the large chorus much praise
may be bestowed, also upon their palms.
taking conductor. The attack was gem
orally good, and the phrasing always
we'll defined Superb was the motet "In
the Wigwam.' Often between the verses
were bits of orchestration which seemed
inspired, the Recommendations many
times being of unique and original COLI
brings. This only enhanced the choral
-utClS WHICH IOlOW6us
There were places where the orctest-
raj work was somewhat ragged, which
resulted in a little uncertainty on the
part of the chorus but altogether no
more satisfactory work has been given
oy this local body Of singers.
The first event yesterday was the con-
,ert at o'clock at the Hyperion, in
which the following took part: Miss
Edith Aab of Hartford, contralto; Miss
.. Louise Allen of Hartford sopranos;
Mss Helen M. Kies Of Norwich, sopra-
10; Miss Agnes Littlejohn of South Nor
Walk violinist; Arthur Allen of Hart
ord, pianist; Alfred Y. Cornell Of New
York city, tenor; Albert H. Taylor, jr.,
# Bridgeport, violoncellst. The violin
'layng of Miss Littlejohn was particu-
arly fine. Miss Llttlejohn plays with
perfect style and command, and made
hit. The other selections were very r
.ood.
The programme at II o'clock was glv-
n by the Asylum Hill church quartetts
f Hartford and was delightfully."- rem
cred. The quartette was composed of
he following: Mrs. Martha L. Rouston,
oprano; Mrs. Virginia p. Warwick,
ontralto; Hubert l.. Maercklein, tenor:
Fl. Kenyon, baritone; s.
'larke Lord, director and accompanist
ssisted by Miss Marion Wells Williams,
ioinist.
Miss Williams opened the concert
nth an andante from Violin Concerto
y Mendelssohn, which was finely rem
cred, and was followed by Mrs. Mar
lick, contralto, with Arthur Foote'S
ell known song 20 Swallow, Swallow,
lying South" The tenor of the quar-
stte gave Lohr's when Thou Art With
[e," with feeling, and was followed by
[rs Rouston, soprano, with two songs,
Spring Song" by Mackenzie, and IAN
pen Secret" by Woodman. Mr.. Ken
on sang Nanny Deever" in excellent
anner, and the programme closed with
selection by the quartette.
Yesterday afternoon at o'cIock Miss
NINA Juch, the famous grand opera
niger, gave song recital that was one
the most attractive numbers on the
lree days programme. Miss Juch
as accompanied by Isadore Luckstone,
le piano virtuoso, and was assisted by
rs Susan Lord Brandegee OF Farm
gton, violincellst.