The Washington times., 1902-12-15
SAENGERBUND CONCERT
4 NOTABLE SUCCESS
Enthusiastically Approved
by a Large Audience.

The Washington Saengerbund, for
more than fifty years a foremost local
musical organization, gave It's hrst pub
! lie concert OF the season at the National
Theater last night, appearing before an
audience which filed the building to the
doors and retiring amid a demonstra-
tion Of the most pronounced approval
! Three capable soloists-Miss Louise 3.
/ Voigt. a dramatic soprano from New
York, who had sung once before for the
Saengerbund; Johannes Mlersch. a vio-
| we'll recommended as a brother OF Paul
| Miersch; John Humbird Duffey. a bari
tone, who was reared and trained in
| Washington. who has Just gone TO New
/ York for further study. and whose sing
| ing Of last night was distinctly one OF
the features OF the concert-and an or
ehestra Of forty pieces supported the
/ Bund RnG contributed 20 the general sat
isfaction which the entertainment must
have givea all the musicians In the au-
| dience. The concert was from all points
OF view notably successful. and the favor
with which II was received augurs well
for succeeding appearances or the Bund
Henry Xander. under whose capable
direction the concert was given. pro-
vided an exceptionally attractive pro-
gram. The orchestral numbers included
Herold's Tampa" overture. van Wester-
bouts "Ronde d'Amour." and Won
Weber's "L'Invitation la Valse." all
very familiar selections, together with
several Accomplishments. Miss Voigt
deepened the good impression which she
had already made on Washington, but
sang little pallidly and impersonalIy
nevertheless. Her selections we're the
aria from Tannhauser. "Dich. Theure
Halle" and Ave songs. OF which two
were encOres. Mr. Miersch played the
"Fantasis Caprice" OF Vieuxtemps.
Wieniawski's "Legende," and a Concert
| Polonalse" OF his own composition, and
responded TO a very hearty encore with
Bach's exquisite and sentimental "Air
for the String" His playing offered
even better contrast with that Of
Kubelik and Kocian than that Of OXIDE
Musin, and ranked him as a musician
above all three. Mr.. Duffey appeared
only with the Saengerbund, singing the
baritone numbers in Bruch's chorus.
Fair Ellen" but the impression made
on the audience was so manifest that
he was called back to the stage again
and again. and finally the Bund reap
peared TO sing a second time the duet
and finale, in which Mr.. Duffey's voice
appeared to pronounced advantage. The
concert was very largely a personal tri-
umph for Mr. DufTey.
The saengerbund offerings included a
chorus, "Heimweh." composed by Mr.
XaEder, to words OF particular beauty
from the pen Of President Frank
Claudy; an old folk-song, "Abschied;"
the chorus Fair Ellen" already men
toned. and Strauss An Der Schooner
Blauen Donau." which the waltz king
originally designed as a chorus. but
which was a Fat failure when given its
initial performance. In all :hese num-
bNA1 -AAN -uNAAhNA DAuu AL4uAAAEu ll5elL
with the utmost credit. Mr.. Xander's
composition proved to be xceptionaIly
harmonious. The "Abschied was ad
mirably sung. In Fair Ellen" the SOLO
lists we're. OF course, the center OF in
terest. but the chorus more than held
its own. Finally, The Blue Danube"
was sung with all the heartiness and
confidence which was naturally to be
expected. Had there been no other num-
bers on the program the fine work OF
this chorus must have made the con-
cert pronounced success.
Mr.. Xander's orchestra consisted of
about forty members OF the Washing
ton symphony and played with skill and
understanding. Whatever shortcomings
were noted. such as occasional lack of
unity and uniformity Of tone. we're near
ly all to be accredited to the temporary
organization OF these players, and would
| be largely obyiated by more frequent
] practice II should be said however.
that the horns In this orchestra, as in
the Washington symphony, are decidedly
/ inferior 70 the remainder OF the band
/ Viewed as a whole, however, the
/ Saengerbund's FIRST concert OF the sea-
son was a marked success. The audi
ence was distinctly a music-loving as
semblage. and included many persons Of
! fashion, notably the Spanish minister
and his suite. The soloists proved them
/ selves artists Of high rank. The or
chestra played acceptably. And the
Saengerbund itself fully sustained its
] 80 eHa % II - -
/ ever organized in Washington. On the
/ basis Of this concert local music lovers
will extend their heaTtiest cOngratula-
/ tions to Mr.. Xander and his men