Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-05-20
HAS NOT BEEN ExCHiED.
No Better Rendition of the 0ratorios Civ.
Ell in this City Last Week has Ever
Been Heard on This Coast.

No Better Rendition OF the OraforIos uIs.
Ell in this City Last Week has Ever
Been Heard on This Coast.
"Ah!" This note of apprecia-
ton and glad surprise escaped the
lips of the eager, expectant hun
dreds who filed the auditorium
and lined the gallery of the col
lege arnlory last Wednesday
night, when a great food of light,
responding to the touch of the
electrician, beat full upon the
orchestra and chorus at the mo-
ment when the conductors baton
was raised to signal the opeEing
chorus of ...endelssohn' "Hymn
of Praise" !"
In the semi-darkness which
prevailed while the members of
the large audience were being
conducted to their seats, the
chorus and orchestra seated tier
upon tier was simply mass of
humanity. But when the electric
current leaped through the hun
dreds of little globes arranged
above the singers and musicians.
it revealed a scene long to be re-
membered. The strong light in
contrast to the darkness of the
pit brought out in strong relief
the pretty gowns of the ladies,
the contrasting black evening
suits of the gentlemen, and the
beautiful display of potted plants
and ferns arranged as a setting.
Just as the orchestra completed
the opening preclude to the
''Hymn of Praise" the large
chorus rose. With splendid at
tack the first note of "All men,
all things was sounded full and
certain. The success of the ora
torios was no longer a question.
Gathering courage with each sue
ceeding effort the concluding
chorus, eye nations, offer to the
Lord" rolled lin mighty volume
from throat and instrument. The
"Hy1nn of Praise had been rem
dered in manner'never excelled
on this coast.
The "Stabat Mater" by Ros-
sini, which followed, was des.in-
ed to strike with greatest favor on
the public ear. The operatic
character of the music, the liber-
al number of solos and duets,
and the soulful choruses all con-
spire to delight musicians aud
charm the multitude.
HANDEI,'S MESsIAH.>
By reason of the artistic success
of Wednesday nights perform
ance, and the many familiar airs
and choruses in "Messiah, =" the
audience Thursday evening was
the largest during the Festival.
The excursion trains, that had
been running daily during the
Festival season, brought greater
lists of passengers, and many IN
this city who could attend
but one evening, waited for
ssMessiah. Regular attendants
had formed their preferences for
the soloists, aud had learned to
know from whom they could ex-
pect the best performances in the
orchestra. The simpler nature
of the chorus work gave the sing
ers greater assurance, so that, as
a whole, the "Messiah'' was
probably the most finished per
formance of the two oratorio ev-
enings.
! The "Hallelujah" was the best
rendered chorus Of the Festival.
Every 1nsmber of the chorus
threw his soul into the effort, the
repeated hallelujahs pealed and
echoed through the open rafters of
the big garmory, while the thunder
ing of the kettle drums was al
most deafening. During its rem
dition the audience remained
standing and their hearts re-
sponded to the glad shouts that
went up from orchestra and
chorus.
Where all of the work of the
soloists was so good, and much
of it exceptionally so, any crltl-
cis,n would seem captious, were
it not for the fact that the efforts
of these performers deserve spe-
cial mention. Mrs. Reed won
the greatest number of admirers
and her solos met with greatest
favor. Her rendition of 'He
Was Despised" was hawless, and
the audience would not be de-
MED an encore. No other NUM-
Der was so completely suited to
the singers voice and ternpera-
ment. Lack of personal magnet
ism, and absence of the operate
quality iA her voice, marred and
rendered less effective many of
the beautiful solos which fell to