Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-17
PRESENTS 'H|AWATHA'
Coleridge-T Taylor Society Be-
fore Large Audience.
AT CONVENTION HALL
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FIRST AP-
PEARANCE IN AMERICA.
Given Cordial Greeting by More Than
Three Thousand Persons-Chorus
of Two Hundred.

ever assembled In Wasnlnglo sie0'eo
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, the eminent En-
glish composer. last night, upon the occa-
sion of the fourth public performance of
'Hiawatha' by the COleridge-Taylor Cho-
raj Society of this city. Convention Hall
was crowded, approximately three thou
sand persons being seated, and many stand
ing As the chorus is composed exclusive
ly of colored vocalists, led by a composer
and conductor of their own race, the. col
ored people were in the majority In the au-
dience, but there were present also many
prominent members of Washington social
and official life, and nearly all the eminent
local musicians who listened with evident
enjoyment and satisfaction to the choral
work In this production Mr.. Taylor made
his first public appearance In America anu
the reception rendered him was as cordial
and enthusiastic as ever greeted COM
poser of whatsoever creed or color.
The Hiawatha triology is essentially Ior
choral work. Mr.. Taylor has set to mu-
sic three of the most dramatic scenes from
Longfellows Incompatible poem: ne mas
maintained the life, the rhthym and the
fascinating action recorded In HiaWatha,
and he has arranged the voices with rare
and pleasing skill. The chorus OF Two nun
bred RESPONDED almost instinctively to every
move of the conductors baton and the
harmony would have been unbroken put 1or
the occasional bad work of the orchestra.
upon because the musicians were all mem
bers of the Marine Band orchestra, trained
under Lieutenant Santelmann Nhethel
1t was lack of practice or d1fhcult orches-
tration those present were unable to say,
but it was the unanimous opinion that the
Interpretation given the score was not up
to the usual standard of the organization.
The Soloists.
OF the three soloists, the best known per-
haps is Mr. Harry T. Burleigh, barytone. OF
New York Mr.. Burleigh has deep, re-
sonant voice and was thoroughly acquaint-
ed with his part, having sung the same role
here last year when Hiawatha was produc-
ed under the leadership of Mr.. John I. Lay
ton the regular conductor of the Choral
Society Mr.. Burleigh carried his lines We'll
his voice filling the great nan, ana was
rewarded with several encores. Nine. Es-
tella Pinckney CIough of Worcester Mass,
sang well, but devoted too much ehort 10
dramatic eect Without the tremoio her
solos would have been much better. as her
voice is clear and her range good. Inc
tenor Mr.. T. Arthur Freeman of st. Louis,
was a triffe nervous, judging from the I'M
certainty with which he essayed his solos.
His voice also showed neglect in training,
but his work was conscientious. and in that
regard was commendable. 1t was explained
that the soloists are the best of the colored
race and considerable credit belongs to the
management for having secured them
program lulS
The entertainment will be continued this
| evening the chorus producing Three Choir
! al Ballads just written by Mr.. Coleridge-
| Taylor and dedicated to the Washington or
ganization which bears his name Tomor-
row evening Hiawatha will be presented at
Baltimore in Lyric Hall Mr.. Taylor will
conduct both performances Next week he
will leave for a short tour of the country
and will sail for his home in London De-
cember 13.
A number of distinguished people occupied
boxes and seats. Among the former were
Mrs. and Miss Shaw, wife and daughter of
the Secretary of the Treasury, with a party
of house guests, and Mr.. John H. Edwards,
the Postmaster General and his young
daughter, Miss Ida Wynne; Commissioner
and Mrs. Henry l.. West Mr.. and Mrs.
Thomas Nelson Page and Miss Isabelle
Hagner. Others in the audience were Com
missioner and Mrs II. B. F. Mcfarland,
Theodore Hansen, first secretary OF the
Russian embassy; Secretary Loeb and Mrs.
Loeb, Secretary Barnes and Mrs. Barnes
and DR.. and Mrs. Swan Burnett.
From Other Cities.
The performance attracted wide attention
outside of Washington. Among the many
who came from other cities to attend the
musical festival were Mr.. William A. Fish
| er. manager of the Oliver Ditson Company
of Boston; Father Burke from New York
land, Ohio, and large party of friends;
Mrs. Kathyrine Skeene-Mitchell of Cleve-
land the soprano soloist of the society at
its previous concerts; Mrs. z. Azalia Hack
ley Bishop Turner and wife and Miss Scud-
der of Philadelphia; Mr.. Theodore Drury,
manager of the Drury Opera Company of
New York; Mr.. and Mrs. w. p. Burrell and
many others from Richmond Va, including
twenty members of the Richmond Musical
and Dramatic Association, In charge of Mr..
II. A. Taylor; large delegation from Alex
1ria hnal cd hyyA NJ NJ a
number also came from Cincinnati, st.
Louis Pittsburg and other cities.
Patrons of the Society.
The following are patrons of the Choral
Society most of whom were present: Mr..
Eugene E. Stevens, president of the Musical
Art Society; Mr.. William Bruce King, pres
ident of the Choral Society; Mr.. Reginald
De Koven, conductor of the Symphony Or
chestra; Mr.. Herbert Wadsworth president
of the Symphony Orchestral; Mr.. Henry
Xander, conductor of the Saengerbund;
Mr.. s. F. Compton, conductor of the Bloom
ingdale Choral Society; Lieut.. VIM. H. San
telmann, leader of the United States Marine
Georgetown Orchestra; Miss Maria Won
Unschuld, president of the University of
Music and Dramatic Art; Mrs; Alys +.
Mrs Hobart BpooRs Pro W. cSeSeT
ing, Mrs. S. f. Compton, Mrs. Coralie +.
Cook. Mrs. Helen A: Cook, Mr.. Edward H.
Droop, Maj. Z. A. Fleetwood, Mr.. Percy 5.
Foster, Mrs. John r. Francis, Miss Bessie
J. Kibbey. DIR. E. 8. Kimball, Miss Mary
Kimball, Mrs William Bruce King, Mr..
Ernest Lent Mr.. Frederick J. Loudin, Mr..
l.. E. Cannon, Miss A. L. Goodhue. DR. and
Mrs John Gordon, Mr.. Bernard r. Green,
Mr. A. v. Crimes Mrs. Teunis Hamlin Dr.
Franklin T. Howe Mrs. John Dewhurst
Patten, Prof. Fl. M Paul, Mr.. d. G. Pfeiffer,
Mr.. Charles Louis Pollard, DR.. F. ]. shadd.
Mr.. Sidney Lloyd Wrightson, Mr. Judson
w. Lyons, Mr.. Stasius Mead
List Of Committees
The following committees served:
Managers-John F. Cook, president; Miss
Lola Johnson. vice president Andrew +.
Hilyer, treasurer; Thomas A. johnson,
financial secretary; Prof. John T. Layton.
musical director: DIR. ]. E. Rattley IL
brarian: Arthur s. Gray. secretary, 1902 9th
street northwest; DR.. F. ]. Cardozo, John