The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-08
lI(ds1c

Lent is being kept in various ways
here in st. Paul. Where, previous
to Ash Wednesday the attendance at
the weekday masses in the Catholic
churches was comparatively small,
there Is now to be seen at these serv-
ices a large number of Worshipers.
Throughout Lent every Catholic
church holds two evening Lenten serv-
ices week. In the Episcopal churches
the afternoon Lenten services CORE
Spond to the evening services of the
Catholic churches. AS rule music is
not a special feature of either the
Catholic or Episcopal Lenten service.
Aside from it's requiems, the Catholic
church reserves it's best music for the
voicing Of it's praise-and Lent, of
course, is the season for SorroWing
rather than for rejoicing. The Epis-
copal churches of st. Paul occasionally
present some appropriate cantata Sum
day night during Lent, but at the af-
ternoon services music is incidental
rather than a feature. The Thursday
afternoon Lenten services at st. Johns,
however, are an exception to this ard
perhaps that is one reason why those
services have proven so popular. Dur
ing the half hour preceding the service
which Mr.. Sedgwick, the rector, con-
ducts, Mr.. F.airclough, the organist,
plays a programme of organ music in
keeping with the nature of the serv-
ices. The congregation is not made
up Of those who belong to the Episco-
pal faith. Many who are Indifferent
to the spiritual note attend because
they appreciate the aesthetic note. The
organ programme begins at 1870 o'clock
in the afternoon. Last Thursday the
organist played among other things
the Saint Saens Elevation" end
Bach's "Fugue," in E fiat est. AIMEE.
In the dim quiet the organ spoke these
beautiful harmonieS with unusual eff
fectiveness. One could fancy no bet
ter preparation for the service that
followed Good music is a religion in
itself and these afternoon services at
St Johns are appreciated by those
who are content to worship in that way
alone, as well as by the orthodox.
Joseph Parry, the Welsh composer,
Is dead. Only short time ago-Dec.
15-his Welsh opera, The Maid of
Cefn Vdfa," was produced 1t is
founded on the story of Ann Thomas,
heiress, and Will Hopkins, of LANG
ynnwyd, tiler and plasterer by trade
and minstrel by choice. William, in
the pursuit Of his calling, used to take
his meals In AIMS kitchen, when she
would send the maids to do outside
work. To this period the pathetic
song, 'Bugeilio r Gwenith Gwyn'-the
very title brings tears-belongs Ann
madly loved the plasterer, but she
was imprisoned by stern relatives and
compelled to marry groveling lawyer
with the unromantic name of Anthony
Maddocks. She lost her reason and
fell sick. VIII was sent for and some
say she heard his voice at the bedroom
door and died before he crossed the
Threshold, others that when she saw
him she Sprang into his arms and
there gave up the ghost. Will surviv-
ed her fourteen years and then was
buried beneath a practical yew close
to his sweetheart. In Parry's opera
true to the tiler and plasterer.
Parry, who was born in 1S41, was in
this country in the fifties and a son
was born to him in Pennsylvania.
Wilhelm Middelschulte, the organist,
who is to give a recital Tuesday even
ing, March II, at the Peoples church
of exceptional attachments. He came
to this country from Berlin in 1891
and his thorough musicianship at once
won for him a place in the musical life
of the West. Middelschulte, 1t will
be remembered, gave three organ re-
cltalS at the worlds fair in 1908. The
following season he was engaged by
Theodore Thomas to play the solo part
of Claimants concerto for organ and
orchestra at one of the concerts of the
Chicago orchestra at the Auditorium
After that he was given the position
of regular organist of the orchestra, a
position he now holds. He has also
been the organist of the Cincinnati May
festival since 1900, and of the Apollo
1I,,I1 TIT ct,
this he is organist and musical di-
rector of St James church, Chicago.
Miss Huldah Butsch, of Owatonna, a
young contralto who has been studying
with Mrs. Norman Nash McFarran this
winter, will return home tomorrow. She
sang last week at an informal studio
musicale a group of numbers that dis
played the beautiful quality of her
voice and it's excellent range. Because
of it's purity Of tone and a certain
spirituelle quality not observable in the
average contralto voice, Miss Butscls
voice seems to be particularly we'll
adapted to church, and oratorio music
She is just beginning her musical stu
dies and her voice is but partially de-
veloped, but already it shows unusual
promise.
Esnrico CaruSo, the Italian tenor, who
made a sensational success at Covent
Garden last summer, will be heard at
the Metropolitan opera house next