Evening star., 1902-03-19
ADJUSTMENTS.

| ton Choral Society last night sang its way
| to a position at the head of all the choruses
which have been heard In Washington dur
| ing the past twenty years. 1t found its op-
portunity In verdis well-known and won
derfully harmonic requiem written in
| 1874 as a memorial to his friend. Alessan-
dro Manzoni, and the work in all It's en-
semble numbers was given as complete and
| rich an Interpretation as 1t has probably
| ever obtained in this country. AS assist
ants to the society the management pro-
| vided a quartet headed by Nine. Lillian
Blauvelt, which acquitted itself creditably
and contributed moderately to the high
standard of the recital.
The Manzoni requiem Is the most popular
of all the non-operatic compositions of Gui-
seppe Verdi 1t antedates by more tnan
twenty years those operas which reflect the
composers absorption of latter-day Ger
man musical tendencies and retains a corre
spondingly unusual character of Italian
color and romantic ecclesiasticism. Like
the Beethoven Mass in c and MoZarts
Twelfth Mass, 1t is the composers most
earnest and inspired offering to religion.
Harmonically Verdi never surpassed It.
The work is therefore susceptible of a
deeply religious Interpretation even by an
incompetent church choir, whlie 1t opens
before as capable chorus as that Of the
Choral Society wonderful succession OF
inspiring melodies and uplifting harmonies.
AS it appeared last night at the First
Congregational Church the Choral Society
consisted of about 100 vocalists, accompa-
MED by Mr.. Hermann Hans Wetz!er at the
organ and Dr. Anton Gloetzner at the
piano, under the direction of Mr.. Josef
kaspar. The complete society includes
fifty three sopranos, fifty altos, thirty-one
tenors and forty basses. These voices have
been trained by Mr. kaspar to a rare de-
gree of unity. Last night they blended as
smoothly and were modulated as evenly as
any smaller chorus which has been heard
here in years All the dynamics of the
\ l~1s,, 1k1S <1,A
color of such selections as the Dies Irae"-
which at once carries the mind back to the
days of the Hebrew judges and reaches
the heart with harmonic richness hardly
surpassed by any similar German compost
tion-was delightfully."- presented. In the
"Sanctus' with it's vigorous fugue move
ment for double chorus, the Interpretation
arose to majesty and onsweep which visi-
bly, thrilled the audience. Gauged by this
performance Washington can be unquali-
fiedly proud Of Director Kaspar and his
Choral Society.
AS obligingly set forth in the program
Nine. Blauvelt sang the soprano part of
this work at the Verdi memorial services
in Rome. Various appearances in New
York and other American cities have long
since confirmed Americans in the opinion
that she Is the most acceptable Interpreter
of that part. In the mass. Last night this
reputation was fully sustained at first, but
a little marred toward the end Of the work
by nervousness and noticeable cold. Her
sweet and womanly personality, however,
and her manifest reverence, made con-
quest Of the audience before the mass was
half finished. At the close of the work she
held veritable reception at the front OF
the platform, and made her way to her
dressing room amid spontaneous applause.
Mrs Morris Black. the contralto, proved to
be one of the most notable factors in the
success of the concert. Her method and
voice are not unlike those Of Nine. Scalchi.
and in the trio LUX aeterna" she achieved
veritable triumph. Both Mr.. George
Ia mi lin ha nd
denominated on the program a bass, but in
reality barytone, suffered in comparison
with their associates Of the quartet.
The audience. which was as large as the
exclusively of music lovers, who manifested
their keen enjoyment of the society's offer
ing by the most enthusiastic applause.
THE KNEIsEL QUARTET-For the
fifth time this season the Kneisel Quartet
appeared before a Washington audience
yesterday afternoon and offered program
remarkably for the high standard of it's
execution as for the merit of the compost
tiOns included. This concert was the last
of the series 1t was also the most largely
attended National Rifles Hall being filled
to the doors before the first number. The
increasing support extended this organiza-
tion during the year augurs that Washing
tonians have in the end sure and confident
musical judgment which has been often de-
MED them. Yesterdays program consisted
of only two works-Dvoraks notable quar-
tet in F major for strings only and the
Beethoven septet in E fiat major for four
strings. bassoon, clarinet and French horn.
Both numbers are of exceptional interest
to musicians and sufficiently melodic for
the comprehension of any audience which
might assemble to hear Kneisel concert
The Dvorak work presented the quartet in
it's usual field and confirmed the judgment
Of earlier concerts that it is without a peer
in the performance of chamber music 1t
was applauded vigorously at the close Of
oh Of its fOur m0vpmanfc-al1apro
troppo, lentO. moto vivace and finale wi
vace). But it was the Beethoven work
which excited the most pleasurable antici-
patton and the most demonstratiye ap-
proval. Mr.. Kneisel as first violin, Mr..
Louis Svevenski as viola and Mr.. Alvin
Schroeder as cello were assisted in per-
forming 1t by Mr. A. Hackebarth, French
horn; Mr.. A. Debuchy, bassoon; Mr. N. Lee
baily, clarinet. and Mr. K Keller, double
bass, all Of the Boston Symphony Orches-
ira. This combination of instruments
proved to be wonderfully harmonious 1t
developed much Of that intimate knowledge
of orchestration which contributed so
greatly to Beethovens fame while he lived,
and, in this particular instance, 1t enabled
the quartet to present one of the great
composers most beautiful works. 1t Is
doubtful, however, whether the departure
will prove entirely beneficial to the quar-
tet, a 8 hardly any one whOsheard the con-
cert Of yesterday afternoon will now be
content without a similar offering each
succeeding year.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
Those who remember the Lafayette stock
company presentation of "Sans Gene last
year recall one of the prettiest and best
acted plays Of the season. This year the
company has equaled the standard Of last
season and the present weeks playing
should prove thoroughly enjoyable to the
patrons Of the theater. The first perform
ance Of the week by the Bellows company
was given last night, having been post
poned one day on account Of the extension
of the French opera company's stay In the
city. From scenic standpoint the pro-
duction of Madame Sans Gene" is unques-
tionably one of the best bits of work the
stock company can present, while from an
artistic view the players are most of them.
seen to excellent advantage. "Sans Gene
is an old story to Washington playgoers,
but it is ever interesting, and to compare
the work Of the various principals of the
present company with that Of those who
have gone before Is a delight to an au-
dience, no matter how odious Mr.. Shakes
peare may have put comparisons down.
Much interest centered last night In the
appearance Of Lillian Lawrence In the title
role. Sans Gene" is distinctly a woman's
play, and Miss Lawrence's friends have
been anxious to her in the part. 1t is
safe to say that all their lofty expectations
xuera moro than reaqizad Cha hopdled tho