The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-18
PItt.burg orchestra at EngIish,..

Pfttsburg Orchestra at EngIish's.
The Pittsburg Orchestra paid its second
visit to Indianapolis last evening. playing
before an audience of medium size at Eng
lish's. Precisely. when the orchestra leaves
Pittsburg for a tour it becomes Victor
Herbert's orchestra. Mr.. Herbert, of
course. has a settled plan of campaign-an
orchestra OF the size symphonic must take
a long perspective-and. judging from the
programmes Mr.. Herbert arranges for out
of-Pittsburg audiences. he has decided that
his best policy is to establish his orches-
ira somewhere between the position of
John Philip SOusa's band and the posi-
tions of the Boston and Chicago orchestras.
Thus, last evenings list included no i'm
posing works. but was made up of light
compositions, pleasing both the Judicious
and the careless and seriously impressing
no one.
Mr.. Herbert was quick to grant encores,
and his Obliging spirit made the programme
long. There were three fine things: Cham
inade's The Flatterer," Godard's berceuse,
played by Henri Merck. 'cellist. and the
orchestra, and "Puss In Boots and the
White Cat" from some ballet music by
Tschaikowsky called The Sleeping Beauty
in the Wood" The beroeuse, beautifully
pensive, was played sympathetically and
with smooth tone by Mr.. Merck. and Mr..
Herbert led the orchestra in delightful ac-
LEI4dAhOW6hl was III IdIt
good humOr when he wrote the tale OF the
cats. 1t is as delicately graphic as a poem
OF like tone by Paul Verlaine. The orches-
ira phrased IL so cleverly that the audience
caught it's drollery at the start and
laughed. In these best things Of the pro-
gramme Mr.. Herbert displayed fine mu-
steamship and admirable huInor.
B~erlioz's Roman Carnival was the first
ngmber, and 1t was followed by some
Carmen" Miss Anna Russert sang the
aria and pleased the audience so that she
returned to give a song from Mr. Herbert's
Mr.. Herbert's suite. Woodland Fancies."
were played. TIL last number on the pro-
gramme was an arrangement of parts of
The Fortune Teller" always do as Peo-
pie Say You Should the "Galloping, Gal
loping" march, the serenade and the
czardas. The Fortune Teller is the best
light opera that has been produced in this
country and the orchestra played the fan
tssie In a style 20 call up memories of the
pest lisnt opera company ever organized in
cowles. Frank 4 RGshwo MtSl'sn Mar E1sdfs
sylvia Richard Golden, Joseph Cawthorn
and Joseph Herbert and the great chorus
be long before their like is assembled
again. IL would seem well worth while
for Mr.. Herbert TO take the ozardas and
orchestra. As IL was played II seemed the
most distinctive thing Mr.. Herbert has
AS an encore 10 1.-The Fortune Teller"
the orchestra played Mr.. Herbert's ar
Management Of American airs named the
American Fastasie," the best section OF
which Is the banjo effect in "Dixie." In
all. the orchestra showed increasing ac-
curacy and dexterity, though there was
little on which to base a guess as TO when
II viii do more important work in cities
that would like TO see Mr.. Herbert and
the Pittsburg Orchestra in a high place.
"The Volunteer Organistv at the Park.
THE Volunteer Organist.' a song popular
three or four years ago, told OF an embar-
RAISING occurrence in a church. The or
ganist was missing and the service was
threatened with the loss OF it's impressive
ness. At the critical moment a blear-eyed.
ragged tramp staggered I'D the aisle and
volunteered TO play" William b. Gray.
an obscure dramatist. wrote a play around
this scene, and II is now being acted at
the fark Theater. II is perhaps the first
not nearly as good a play nor is il nearly
as well acted as The Gypsy Cross" at the
Hark me nrst half of the week. but 9Th
Volunteer Organist's" audiences are larger
and more enthusiastic. It Is easily under
stood and crammed full Of religious senti-
ment.
Benjamin Horning impersonstes Howard
Sturgls, a Methodist minister In a little
New England town; John Ferris plays the
manly fashion. Felix Hsney and several
other comedians make a great deal of
noise as village types'-types OF no village
on earth. Ihese iunny persons also stand
for the community's hypocrisy. one OF
them a trustee in the church. sells Ifouo-
secretly In the back room Of his grocery.
He ~denounces the minister for approving
a licensed. well-conducted tavern and for
making love TO the tavern keepers daugh-
ter. The girl. according 10 the gossips Is
not so good as she should be. but the min
lister sticks 70 her and ultimately her name
is cleared.
The tramp organist Is a brother of the
minister His playing the organ is shown
IN a disSolvtns scene Master Willie Mel
son. late OF Trinity Church" sings ''Tbe
Holy city" The trick Is like that OF The
Girl with the Auburn Hair" Master NVi-
lies voice is very windy. He wears cas-
sock and Gotta. though II is a Methodist
church. and the minister wears the Epis-
copal priests costume. The Volunteer
Organist" Is Of the same grade OF intel
lec,uality as The Sign of the Cross The
Christian and QUO Vadis," except that
II is designed more roughly and 10 please
simpier-minded folk