Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-08
MUSICAL FESTIVAL DRAWS
Large Audience Attracted by First Perform
anoe of "Havatha's Wedding Fest"
FURNISHES TREAT FOR MUSIC LOVERS
Chicago symphony Orchestra and
SoIoists Prove Most Pleasant
Portion of Evenings
Program.
Such vas Hiawatha's wedding,
Thus the wedding banquet ended,
And the wedding guests departed,
Leaving HiaWatha happy

And the wedding guests departed,
Leaving Hiawatha happy
With the night and Minnehaha.
String and wood and brass diminishing to
an end the postlude Of the "Hiawatha''
music concluded the first concert Of the
Ak-Sar-Ben May festival so successfully
inaugurated in the Coliseum last evening.
The large audience of Omaha's music loving
citizens broke into applause which well
expressed their appreciation Of the musical
treat which had been prepared for them;
cries Of Kelly! Kelly" came from all
parts Of the hall, and when shortly Mr..
Kelly came upon the stage bowling his
acknowledgements to musicians and audi
ence he was greeted by a volume Of acclaim
which brought the color to his cheeks.
Those present realized that the idea OF
these concerts was largely Mr.. Kelly's and
its development through long continued
effort and drilling due to him.
When Conductor Adolph Rosenbecker gave
the initial wave OF his baton for ID Ballo''
overture, which began the program. fully
1000 people were in their seats. The
music Of Sullivan rose and fastened and
paused, broke into crescendo or diminished
to a sound with the easy precision Of tone
and technique possible from professional
musicians of high class, intelligently led.
WI Hp5tnbtNhtl uOt U aim az 6pNG-
tacle with Creatore and as a leader does
not fill the eye; he lifts the notes from
the score with his baton and pokes them
out to base or alto or the brass wing OF
the strings with methodical and business
like directness and never a graceful II
somewhat immaterial flourish. TIL last
number Of the first part was also an or
chestra piece, Irish Rhapsody, No. l." and
was most gratifying to the lovers Of instru-
mental music.
The s~oloists of the evening we're artists
on their respective Instruments, each re-
ceiving hearty applause-Mr. Hamlin per-
haps the most insistent, not improbably
because many listeners prefer the voice to
violin or piano. Mr.. Van Oordt displayed
technique most satisfying and a breadth
and correctness OF tone in kind. He alone
responded to an encore. Mr.. Seeboeck
played two difficult concerto movements OF
his own composition, and Mr.. Hamlin sang
the beautiful Prize Song from "Die Meis-
tersinger," and later gave the "Hiawatha'
solo. His is an even and flexible tenor
which he uses artistically. He was best
pleasing, perhaps, in his first number.
The most interesting part of the pro-
gram, because OF local talent, was the can
tata. "Hiawatha's Wedding Feast" which
occupied the second part Of the evening,
being sung by the Festival choir Of $50
voices, all Of this city, which has been
drilled by Mr.. Kelly. The chorus did as
we'll as anyone had expected, and that is
saying perhaps enough, as those who have
had the pleasure Of hearing, rehearsals
looked for much. There was none OF the
backing and filling or tenuous uncertain
ties common to amateur choruses; but pre-
etsion, volume and taste. Mr.. Taylor has
striven SO c-onscientiously to make the
music ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS tone with
Indian verse-that he has departed from
the usual and therefore perhaps a little
from popularity. The orchestral accom-
paniment is graphic, especially in the first
movement, where BASES, b%asoons. French
horns q kettle drums make delightfully."-
apparent the fancy of Mr.. Taylor.
May festival choir. Thomas ]. Kelly, con-
ductor; Chicago Symphony orchestra,
Adolph Rosenbecker, conductor.
Soloists-Mr. George Hamlin. tenor; Mr..
W. G. Il. Seeboeck, pianist; Mr.. Jan van
~ PART 1.
Overture-Di Ballo.."..,.....'na..sul sullivan
Violin concerto. ,................ VieuXtemps
Mr.. Van Oordt.
Prize Song from Die Meistersinger'
Mr.. Hamiin,
Concerto 1.-TWO movements) .......... Seeboeck
Mr.. Seeboeck.
Irish rhapsody No. 1.........C. v. Stanford
PART IL.
Cantata-Hiawatha's Wedding FEAST.
Coleridge Iaylor
Mr. George Hamiin, tenor; May festival
choir; Chicago Symphony orchestra.