The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-20
CLOSE OF MAY FESTIVAL
CLOSING CONCERT BRILLIANT
ARTISTIC SUCCESS.
Playing of Chicago Symphony Orches-
ira Especially NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
bly, a Financial Failure.

The May music festival, promoted by
John H. Stem, one of the most ardent mu-
steal enthusiasts of Indianapolis, came to
an end last night with a concert that was
creditaole and enjoyable. The audience that
assembled was no larger than the one OF
the opening night. and this must mean that
the festival has not been a financial sue
cess. 1t is a pity but it is nevertheless true
that indianapolis has never given the en-
enlargement TO big musical events that
might naturally be expected of a city of
this size. The May festivals of other years,
when the best orchestra in the country fur
nished the instrumental music and the best
concert soloists obtainable were engaged, no
matter what the cost, were not successful
enough financially TO warrant their con-
tinuance, and Mr.. Stems series of spring
concerts, given on modest scale, have
shown almost conclusively that Victor Her
bert, the composer and conductor of the
Pittsburg orchestra, was right when he re-
marked recently in an interview with a
representative of this paper that Indian
apolis was not ripe as yet for important
musical events
Mr.. Stem undoubtedly worked hard for
the success of this festival and he succeed
ed in presenting three concerts that were
more than merely worthy of patronage at
the prices asked, If not up to the standard
OF the May festival concerts of the past.
Mr.. Rosenbecker'S Chicago Symphony Or
chestra has alone been worth the price of
admission, as the playing of this efficient
band OF instrumentalists has been excellent
at all three of the concerts. Not only was
the orchestral work meritorious last night,
however, but the singing of the chorus and
soloists was admira BILE. A printers error,
such will sometimes creep into news
papers columns despite the watchfulness
of editors and proofreaders, appeared In
the Journals report of the opening concert
The reviewer wrote that there was no indif-
ference and no somnolence in the playing
of Mr.. Rosenbecker's forces" but the typo
graphical mistake gave an entirely differ
ent meaning to the statement 1t was no.
ticeable again last evening that the band
of instrumentalists from Chicago does its
work carefully and conscientiously under
the skillful guidance of the conductor. There
were four orchestral r numSe sr iv o.
Windsor" a movement from London Day
by Day." by Mackenzie, and Stanford's
Irish rhapsody, These selections were pre-,
sented in well-nigh faultless style and
aroused demonstrations of hearty approval
from the audience
INDIANAPOLIS SINGERS.
The double quartet of Indianapolis sing
ers, made up of Mrs. Leo B. Riggs. Miss
Litta Grimm, Mrs. Gertrude Hassler Flu
gate, Miss Catherine Gibson, Frank n.
Taylor, Homer II. Van VIE, w. II. Laut
and j. William Bussey, brought forth
warm applause with an exceptionally good
rendition of Mendelssohn's He Shall Give
His Angels from the oratorio of Elijah"
The voices of the men and women blended
sweetly and the number was one OF the
best things of the evening.
L q
to far better advantage as a virtuoso than
at the afternoon concert. His playing last
night of the first two movements from his
own concerto was surprise TO those VINO
had heard him at his matinee recital and
who imagined that he was incapable of
giving forceful performances on his instru-
work of considerable beauty, with bril-
lance, and was compelled 10 give an en-
core-a fantastic little "bit" of his own
composing.
The first half of the programme came to
conclusion with an excellent rendition of
Haydn's famous Austrian hymn by the
orchestra, chorus and soioists: While lis
tening to the stirring strains of this superb
composition ii must have been evident to
every one present why this day there is
generally no festival in all Germany at
which this song is not sung or played in
expression of the genuine German popu-
lar or patriotic feeling. Had Haydn writ
ten nothing but this song 1t is likely that
all of the centuries of the German peoples
life would still hold his name in the pro-
foundest respect. The construction of the
melody is a masterpiece of the first order.
Never, perhaps, has more solid develop
ment been accomplished in music with
such simple material. 1t reveals in the
simplest and most popular, but at the
same time in the most graphic manner,
the characteristic mental nature of the
German people.
The second half of the concert was given
up to the rendition of Rossini's 'Stabat
Mater" by the orchestra, chorus and solo
lists. This beautiful religious composition,
regarded by some as Rossini's finest sacred
in festivals throughout the country and is
at this moment better known than any of
Rossinis operas except. perhaps. William
Tell and THE Barber of Seville" Some
critics have complained that the music of
Rossini's "Statbat Mater" is not sufficient
ly devotional and that it is theatrical and
operate in character. Its lovely melodies
are unlike the psalms sung in churches
that they lack reverence. The poem to
which the music has been set Is itself
melodious and graceful and the music Is
never out of harmony with the words and
er dull. but always agreeable to the ear
far eclipsing in interest many heavier re-
ligiouS musical works.
The Interpretation of this beautiful ora
torio was the vocal success of the festival
All four of the soloists were in good voice
and great Improvement over the OPEN
Ing concert was prominent in the work of
the chorus. The music of RosSini seemed
better suited to the tenor of George Hamlin
and the baritone of Arthur Beresford than
did the Creation" music of Haydn and the
two male soloists were far more satisfac-
tory than upon the opening night while
Mrs. Genevieve Wilson's clear soprano and
Mrs. Sue Harrington Furbeck's full. rich con-
tralto were even more than usually pleas
ing. The ensemble work was praiseworthy