The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-05-15
The Morristown Choral Society's
Musical Entertainment a
Delight to Audience.
CHORUS WORK WAS EXCELLENT
Society was out in Force and Mani
tested its Approval of the Excellent
Work of Solofsts and Chorus After
Each Number. Miss Dorothy Harvey
was Encored Time and Again.

Quite the most brilliant audience
which has filled the Lyceum for many
years was that which gathered Tues
day evening for the concert of the
Morristown Choral Society," 1t was
entirely private entertainment, to
members only, but every seat in the
house was filled and there were several
applications for associate membership
tickets which had to be refused owing
to the lack of seating capacity of the
hall. The house was prettily deco
rated for the occasion, palms and ferns
being banked on the stairs and land
ings, while number of plants deco
rated the stage.
The chorus comprised over eighty
people, and it was a very well balanced
body of singers, there being no part
which stood out more prominently
than another. The chorus presented
very pleasing appearance, too. All
the young women were dressed in
white and the men, of course, in black.
Many of the women wore bouquets of
violetS, while roses were seen in pro-
fusion.
1t is many years since choral So
ciety concert was given in this town
and people were somewhat skeptical
as to the outcome. They wondered if
it would be good; if it would be worth
listening to: if it would be a musical
treat or social event; and it is safe
to say that most people had precon-
ceived notion that the concert could
be very good because others had said
that it was impossible to organize a
good chorus in this city. What was
the surprise, therefore, when the audi
ence found itself listening to trained
body of singers whose dynamic effects
were produced with the precision
found only in professional choruses.
Yet that is exactly what the chorus
did. Mr.. j. Sebastian Matthews, the
director, has succeeded in one season
in training a choir so that it can pro-
duce ambitious works with chorus
effect and with all the variations in
tempo, rhythm and volume which one
would expect from a seasoned chorus OF
singers. For that reason the applause
which greeted the different numbers
was genuine and spontaneous and was
given with an enthusiasm which had
its effect on the singers, for, though
they did well on the first number, an
improvement was noticeable with each
succeeding number rendered. And
this is quite rare in chorus work, too,
as the voices are more likely to weaken
than to improve during concert.
The number which had the best
reception was the cantata, "The For
saken Mermen," by Arthur Someryell,
an English work for solo and chorus of
four parts Mr.. Frank Eaton sang
the solo parts. The cantata required
thirty minutes for production. 1t was
long but it did not drag. There was
not one moment during the time when
it was not thoroughly enjoyable. The
attacks were splendid, there never
being a suspicion of hesitancy, while
the crescendo and diminuendo pass
ages were effected with the ease and
grace that only comes from long and
hard training. 1t was memorable
performance and that it astonished as
we'll as thoroughly delighted the audi
ence was shown by the hearty APP
plause at the end of each number.
Not the least interesting part of this
cantata was the piano work of Mr..
George Alexander A. West, f. r. G. O.
He played the orchestral passages with
such effect that interest in the work
never Jagged.
Mrs. Dorothy Harvey was the princi-
pal soloist of the evening. She is
lyric soprano, whose voice has that
sympathetic quality so essential to
the proper Interpretation of the master
songs. She was in good voice and at
once captivated the audience with
''Mon Cour s'ouvre a ta voiX" from
Saint Saens "Samson and Dalilah."
After the intermission she sang three
short songs, "The Blue Bell" by Mac
Dowell, "At Parting" by Rogers,
''The Danza," I" by Chadwick. For an
encore she sang George Henschell's
Scotch setting of the "Shoogy Shoo.n
Besides these she sang duet with Mr..
Eaton, "The Passage-bird's Farewell, ;"
by Hildach, which was so enthusiastic
cally received that the last half of it
was repeated. Mr.. Eaton sang three
short numbers and was generously
applauded, his solo work always being
of an exceptionally high order.
Perhaps the most daring thing at
tempted by the chorus was the last
number, six part madrigal, "Charm
Me Asleep" by Henry Leslie. This is
divided for first and second soprano,
contralto, tenor, first and second bass.
1t was as nicely done as any of the
four part songs, which shows better
than anything else the excellence Of
the active body of the choral society.
After the concert the members of
the chorus were so very enthusiastic
over their work and could hardly re-
press many expressions OF delight.
They had astonished their friends,
done credit to themselves, and honored
the town. They can hardly wait until
next fall for rehearsals to start again.
This concert wound up the season for
the society and no more work will be
done until, next November, when it is
CONTINUED ON FIFTH PAeE.l