The age-herald., 1902-04-07
MUSIC FESTIVAL
 BEGINS TONIGHT Advance Sale of Seats |ndi-
 Cates an Immense Crowd REHEARSAL 1T NOON TODAY 
Miss Electa Clifford Arrived Yesterday Evening and is Delighted to Sing in Birminsham-The
 Thomas Orchestra.

The Fourth Annual Music Festival will take place at the Anditorium tonight and tomorrow night The advance sale of seats Is fully as large as 1t was on the day before last years, festival and even if there should be rain the opening con cert will draw an audience that will All the house. ...s fs ..t ,--t There will be a rush for seats this morning, The box, sheet is at Parkers g drug store.
 MT Guckenberger conducted full re- hearsal of the chorus at the Auditorium I yesterday afternoon, In spite Of inclem- ent weather there was large turnout The members of the chorus were never so enthusiastic as they are over this fes- tival. They love the music and they know it thoroughly
 The Directors Speech.
 MT. Guokenberger. just before the re- hearsal, made a warm-hearted speech to the chorus. He said that in all his ex- perience he had never led a, band Of singers capable of doing such good work l as the Birmingham chorus, and never band of men and women that had stood ] by him more loyalty.
 l If tt had not been for this chorus" | said the director, Birmingham could never have had a festival You have not only done your part in musical performs ance, but you have done generous work in selling tickets. thus helping to make the festival financial success. I praise you one and all for what you have done for the advancement of music art and thank you sincerely for the hearty sup port you have always given me-
 The Thomas orchestra will arrive in a special train this morning at o'clock and there will be full rehearsal of chorus and orchestra at the Auditorium at noon today.
 Miss Clifford. Miss Electa Clifford, the prima donna | of the festival arrived in Birmingham yesterday evening. She is at the Hillman. MT. and Mrs. Guckenberger called on her after supper. She told them that she was looking forward to the concert to- night with more than usual pleasure be- cause she liked the solos that had been assigned to her and because she had heard that the people of Birmingham were very musical and appreciative. Miss Clifford is a beautiful young woman and she ranks at the very top of the list as concert singer.
 MT. Oscar Ehrgott, and MT. George Hamlin will arrive before noon today.
 Miss Edna Iockei, the pianist will ap- pear tonight. Knabe shipped her the fin l i,, h fon fnr In this concert The freight from Baltimore to Birmingham and back will cost the Knabe company fully $100. Miss Gockel says she is delighted with this piano.
 The festival will begin promptly at S:15 p. m.
 Theodore Thomas.
 As Theodore Thomas is to play great part in the festival Dr. William Mason s tribute to him will be read with interest.
 Thomas fame as conductor" says Dr. Mason. has entirely overshadowed his earlier reputa ton as violinist. He had large tone, the tone of a player of the highest rank. He lacked the per- feet finish of a great violinist but he played in large. quiet, reposeful man ner This seemed to pass from his vio- lin playing to his conducting. in which there is the same sense of largeness and dignity. accompanied, however, with the artistic finish which he lacked as a vio- linist
 He is a very great conductor the greatest we have ever had here, not only in the Beethoven symphonies and other classical music but In Liszt, Wagner and the extreme moderns Why should he not conduct Wagner as well as anybody else or better? Everything is large about Wagner, and everything is large about Thomas. His rates of tempo are in ac- cord with those of the most celebrated conductors whom I heard fifty years ago. In modern times the tendency has been toward an increased rate of speed and this detracts in large measure from the impressiveness of the works. espe- cially those of Mozart, Beethoven, Vor Weber and others"