Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-03-03

to the world" TO learn to sing, pray.
preach, quote scripture, or 10 come
10 the kernel Of IL all. To arouse 10 at
tention, zeal and application TO The
higher things that make up existence.
When his home Is constantly surround
ed with every incentive ~ action. 1
can only liken our condition 10 that Of
man put TO sleep with ths sound
OF active machinery TO waken only at
the silence OF It's stopping. How can we
stay this monster "lndinerence?"
Monday night / attended q rehearsal
OF the Apollo Club" Chlcagos great
choir or choral organization. Here was
my great opportunity for applying
weights, measures and comparisons, be-
tween ourselves and this The leading
chorus OF the Middle West. They have
been In existence for over twenty years,
having now about the same number Of
members as ourselves. Chicago takes
even greater pride In them than In the
orchestra. Their concerts as | am told,
always being encouraged by the Audi
forum being crowded by mostly sub
scribers who take season tickets, at a
good figure. Three hundred and sixty
five singers attended this night, and
quite q number OF visitors sat In back
gallery. / was favored by the freedom
Of the hall and many kind attentions
from the conductor, president secre-
tary, etc. besides meeting some old
friends (Welsh) with whom / became
acquainted last year at the Milwaukee
Eisteddfod. The Apollo is made up of
magnificent singers who work enthu-
slastically and intelligently, The body
OF tone is fine-far better than the New
York society. Their conductor. Mr.. Har-
rison Wild, is genial, active, business
like gentleman. The music they work
on Is of first-class character, yet they
fall short OF their reasonable pJssibili-
ties in many things Much of their work
was in very imperfect state, although
II was to be given at concert the COM
Ing week. II was passed over with but
few corrections. They do not approach
soft (pianlsslmo) effects, many voices
standing out quite prominently In such
passages. and wrong notes are by no
means infrequent, In bass and tenor.
especially where many read" much too
well for their own good and that
Of the society. Being very
book bound" quite generally, strict
discipline. II they could endure II,
would bring very different effects from
their labor AS a whole they are
capable Of much more than We. but In
many respects are not our equals, or
were not this night. Their ~ finest
numbers We're, Il Wrestle /and Pray
and Praise We the Lola" Both
among our own repertoire" / much
enjoyed the meeting, IS Il was refresh
Ing TO meet such a body Of earnest.
capable. genial workers In a musical
capacity. Tuesday night we attended
Damrosch Wagnerian lecture. with the
fine singers "Gadski' soprano. Bis
pham" baritone, and "Hamlin" tenor.
singing portions Of the operas he was
lecturing upon. The singing was mag
nlhcent and so was Mr.. Damroschs ac-
compartment at the piano, Though this
music sadly needs the orchestral. Some
features N the lecture We're excellent
Some-hls speaking during the music
fearfully annoying to me, because OF a
certain ministerial twang that he as
sumes. Wednesday. after a most pleas
ant time with my old friends Mr.. and
Mrs. Griffin, the latter you will all re-
member with pleasure, we bade fare
well TO our Chicago home and the ever
kind hospitable Taylors, and speeded
away 90 Scranton Pennsylvania. where
we spent twenty-four hours most pleas.
antly with Prof Haydn Evans. our
competitor at the Worlds Fair. and
Salt Lake Eslteddfod Judge The great
Eisteddfod contest in Chicago seems 10
have killed outright the chorus singing
Of this vicinity. SO much bitterness
was aroused between the two local
cholrs. So we heard no choir here. But
greatly enjoyed our visit, and renewed
our high opinions Of friend Evans, as
musician and friend. Friday night ar
rived In the city Of New York. rushed
at once 10 the opera at the Metropoli-
tan, hearing Sembrich, Companarl and
others IN the opera Barber OF Seville"
as an example OF "horid flexible sing
ing. Sembrich Is unexcelled II eQualed.
today. The whole opera was very en-
ioyabe, but the great treat came Sat
urday night, the glorious opera Aida"
was given as / have seldom or never
seen a great wOra given. Eames. Olit-
ska and Campanari were each simply
superb. and the georgeousness OF stage
setting indescrlbably grand and erec.
tive. The picture the acting, the sing
ing OF the act on the banks OF the Nile
haunts one like a dream. The thrilling
return Of the victorious army made a
stage picture NJ to correspond with the
grand music Of the great singers. the
big chorus Of perhaps 200. and the
orchestra Of 80 people II hear any
thing better In Europe III be surprised
| enough 10 mention the fact our dear
old friend Easton enjoyed II with ms
He Is looking fine and doing we'll We
have met several Salt I.akers here
among them our H. G.. whitney and his
wife. There are a number more soon
hope 10 meet. ! read with interest Of
all that you DO al home and urge you
70 continue well doing Your Brother
EVAN STEPHENS