Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-03

Beside 1t, even the choice of the people,
as to who shall be the mayor OF Omaha
for the next year. or two. or three. pales
into insignihcanoe, with the musical peo-
pie at least.
Two questions are generally asked.
who are you going to vote for?' and
Have you secured your season ticket for
the May festlval?"
The May festival. under the musical d.
rectorship of Thomas j. Kelly, and under
the sagacious and always successful bust
ness direction and personal management
Of the Knights Of Ak-sar-Ben, opens on
Thursday night OF this week.
The board Of governors is for Omaha, OF
Omaha, and in Omaha. They are working
for the success of the city from every
standpoint, and that they have lent their
powerful assistance to this undertaking
is a sincere proof that they believe In
the fact that to make a city a suitable
place to dwell In, invest in, and swear by,
there must not be forgotten those influences
which 60 to build up the refining and en-
nobling and educative spirit Of the citizens.
They have had the street fairs with their
jollity and careless gaiety, But that, OF
itself, does not build up any permanent
! good. The May festival scheme does. Ten
years from now this years festival Will
be quoted and dwelt upon in memory with
gratitude.
Ak-Sar-Ben is not one-sided! Ak-sar-
Ben wants a greater Omaha in every way!
Ak-Sar-Ben sees the necessity for pro-
viding the best Of music and artl Ak-sar-
Ben has many faithful subjects who love
the refining and elevating things Of life.
1t is now time for those who have been
wishing and hoping and longing for these
things to step up and buy the remaining
season tickets ere q Is too late.
Now, as an interested person, l may
be permitted, perhaps, to state that the
Nordica-De Reszke concert is not the May
festival. 1t is a part of it.
1t has been whispered that the concert
given by the New York orchestra and
these two artists is the show" as it we're.
Now, as a matter OF fact, that part of the
festival was an afterthought.
The real active part of the festival and
that which has been developing the musi-
cal tendencies of the city is the May Fes-
tival choir, which has been in constant
rehearsal for eight months preparing COM
plete works which will be given at the
festival.
When $50 singers are willing to go
through all this is it fair to them to pass
over, even in thought, that part of the
May festival which will be theirs? No.
when we consider the evenings of Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday ESPECIALLY the
first and last Of these) and the Sunday
afternoon, the local forces being assisted
by four of the leading soloists of this
country, in their respective lines, and the
fine Chicago symphony orchestra, under
Mr.. Rosenbecker's personal direction, it Is
not too much to say that this series alone,
without Nordica or De Reszke would be
worth the price of the season ticket.
Herein is a chance to "Stand up, for
Omaha"
Will YOU stand up?'
Before going further with this article, l
must make mention of two people who have
done much to help the enterprise unsteady.
One is Mrs. Andrews, who, as accom-
PIANIST, for the very trying rehearsals, has
been faithful, loyal, devoted and en-
thusiastic. Many times, when she was not
physically equal to her task, having worked
hard all day at studio work, she has taken
her place at the piano, and In the most
helpful, artistic, musicianly manner, played
the accomplishments, difficult and ambiguous,
with the skill OF the artist and the good
hdbhlO vi an du6Sls uuutE luN uiItCllOnb OF
a very e~xacting conductor. To her ex-
tend my most hearty thanks. Mrs. An
drews will play for the Festival Choir on
Friday night.
The other person referred to is the genial
and popular secretary of the May Festival
Choir, Mr.. Alfred Marschner, who has been
an indispensable aid. His efficient work
in originating and perfecting the system of
membership record. his attention to those
thousand and one details which go to make
up a performance or a rehearsal, has been
a constant source Of pleasure to choir and
conductor, and much of the smoothness
with which things were run is due to him.
Another valuable assistant has been Mr..
Sigmund Lansberg, the we'll known pianist
who has stolen hours away from his very
busy life to sing with the tenors on each
rehearsal night and to assist the conductor
by assuming the baton and taking charge
Of parts of many rehearsals at q moments
notice with grace and force.
Now, as to the works. The programs
which follow will show fully the kind Of
offering the patrons will receive. They are
culled from the best fields of music -litera-
ture:
"Hiawatha's Wedding Feast" which will
be sung opening night. is a c~antata. for
tuOIu6, OICntSlid anu nv bOlOI anu the
words are taken from the famous poem OF
Longfellow. The author OF the music, Mr.
|. s. Coleridge- Taylor, is a negro. from sierr;
l Leone, and a giant amongst modern music
composers. He has set London ahame
with his works. His music for Hiawatha
is distinctly Indian and very wonderful.
The Swan and Skylark." which will be
given on Saturday night. May 3, comes from
the pen OF pens of Shelley, Keats and Mrs.
! Hemans. The music is by that rare
genius, Arthur Goring Thomas, and the
: orchestration is by no less a master than
3 the eminent Englishman, c. VillieTs Stan
ford, who is really, / am told, by birth and
at heart, an Irishman.
This cantata is written for chorus, or
ehestra and four s~oloists.
1t is built on the old legend Of the swan
singing Its song just before death. and the
T contrast between the Swan" music and
that Of the "Skylark is intensely interest
ing. The basso takes the part OF a Grecian
3 poet and a philosopher, the contralto the
part OF a narrator, as 1t were, the tenor
the part OF the swan" and the soprano
/ the part OF the "skylark." Life and
death, or rather death and life. winter and
spring, minor and major, these are themes
! Of the work. which has entranced thousand
{ upon thousands Of music lovers. and which
will be given to the Omaha public on satur'