The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-09
Greatest Musicians in America
to Be Here.
ALL is IN READINESS.
Programme for the Entire Fes.
tival Outlined.
g The Creation the Opening
Number Monday Night.
An Unprecedented Sale of Tick
cts for Events.

Not many years ago John Philip
Sousa planned to tour the west with his
band Topeka and other Kansas towns.
were included in the itinerary. The
bandmaster arranged his programmes
with light but excellent grade of mu-
sic for the first visit Then he came
west again and the programmes were
heavier. Sousa explained it. I am go
ing to educate the people to the ap-
probation Of better music than they
have heard" Sousa was the advance
guard. Perhaps the country was ripe
for the missionary work. but at any
rate Sousa's educational tours have
borne fruit.
Ten or twelve years ago would To-
peka music lovers have dared to bring
the two greatest symphony orchestras
to Topeka for successive concerts and
at the same time to have engaged the
two highest priced and foremost solo
lists in the country, to say nothing of a
Quartette of renowned concert singers
and four of the most famous instru-
mentalists in the country2
1t is a far cry from Sousa's brass band
and stirring marches to the Duss and
Thomas orchestras. "Tannhauser" and
Tschaikowski's symphony Patne-
tiaue," and similar selections which
make up the orchestral numbers of the
/ festival programmes. The tutoring of
the people, that is what is so common
4 ly called the masses, has been steady.
4 The band. was the first means but then
some of the famous orchestras, such as
strauss from Vienna. singers like the
beloved Henschels followed the blazed
path made by the bandmaster
Kansas has slowly but surely proved
that her people love music and espe-
ciaIly good music. The Topeka Choral
society has found that the efforts of the
organization to bring the best talent to
the auditorium have been appreciated.
Expensive musical ventures are haz-
ardous everywhere, but the Choral So
ciety does not seem to have undertaken
a greater project than is justifiable. 1t
has taken up the task of educating the
masses where the brass bands left off
and with the May festival comes the
post graduate course.
The organizations and musicians who
will take part in the festival pro-
rammes viii be the Topeka Choral so
ciety, with a chorus of 200 voices sing
! ing The Creation under the leadership
of George B. Penny; the Theodore
Thomas Chicago orchestra, with Fred
erick A. Stock as conductor; Jenny Os-
born Hanna, soprano; Glenn Hall.
4 tenor; Frank Croton, basso, Mabelle
Crawford cOntralt0; the Metropolitan
opera house orchestra J. s Dus-, con-
ductor: Madam Lillian Nordica, prima-
donna soprano; Edouard de Reszke,
basso. and E. ROmayne Simmons,
pianist
The following is the programme for
the concert Monday night.
The Creation OratOria by Joseph
Haydn. the Topeka Choral Society, Geo.
B. Penny conductor: the Theodore
4 Thomas Orchestra, Frederick A. Stock
/ conductor: soloists, Jenny Osborn, So
prano Glenn Hall, tenor, Frank CroX-
4 ton. basso.
The oratorio of THE Creation was
composed by Papa Haydn in his old
age. vet it is as fresh in its melodle
invention as any of the earlier works
of the master. It possesses all the quail
tiles of Haydn's work, simplicity, clear
ness of style. grace and finish Never
has the human voice been treated in a
more mastery manner, or supported by
a more flowing and brilliant orchestra
ton than in this work. The dramatic
interest is limited. There is no decla-
nation. and the singers are confined te
( description. but this is so sDlendldly
done that the oratorio will always retain
its hold on the public
The tone picture of Chaos with
which the work opens, stands out as
one of the noblest bits of instrumental
I fion that Haydn wrote The air With
Verdure Clad" is exquisite in melody
and orchestration. and likewise th'
great air "On Mighty Pens" The Choir
uses reach a high point of beauty IN
regard to themes. development and voice
treatment. and THE Heavens are Tell
ing" still remains one of the noblest OF
oratoriO choruses.
The programme for Tuesday after
noon viii be as follows
symphony concert. The Theodore
Thomas Orchestra. Frederick A. STOCK
conductor. SoloisJ, Mabelle Crawford
contralto
March, 'sTannhauser" .....--..- Wagner
Born MAY %. 1873. at Leipsic. Died
Feb 13. 1888. at Venice
The brilliant march with which this
programme opens is from the scene II
s"Tannhauser'' where in the people ant
the minstrels assemble within the hal
of the Wartburg castle-the former L
witness and the latter to participate il
the tournament of song. the prize belns
the hand of the fair Ehzabe
Overture "Oberon'' ..--.-..--.-- Webe
Born Dec. Is. 1855. at Eutin. Olden-
burg Died June 3, 1926. at
London.
sOberon." or The Elf-King's Oath
Weber's last opera. and almost his yer,
last composition-was completed i
London on April 9. 1895.
Softly sounding through the sur
rounding silence we hear the lont
drawn notes of Oberon's horn. the pot
ent spell BY which all the magical en-
/ chantments in the opera are cOnjure'
up. Elfin forms fit gracefully through
/ the foliage The fairy dance ends in