The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-14
rHE important musical event of the


week will be the oratorio, eli
jah," which will be sung at the
Peoples church Friday evening by the
st. Paul Choral club, directed by George
H. Normington. A great oratorio is
like one of Shakespeares tragedies, IA
miliarity with it engenders more thor
ough appreciation, deeper reverence
for the genius that gave it to the world.
Essentially dramatic in character, this
oratorio Of Mendelssohn gives soloists
chorus and orchestra opportunity to
demonstrate their fullest capabilities
There is every reason to expect a spir-
tied presentation Of it Friday evening.
The rehearsal last Monday night re-
vealed the splendid efficiency of the
chorus and satisfied all who are In
terested in the production Of the sue
cess of the great choruses. Director
Normington's reading of the oratorios
is characterized by breadth and rever-
ence, and there is no doubt that his
baton will draw response in sympathy
with this reading Friday night when he
lifts 1T to conduct singers and musicians
through the dramatic story of the
prophet. The soloists, Mrs. Ruby Cut
ter Savage, soprano; Mrs. Alma John
stone POrteous, alto; Alfred D. Shaw,
tenor, and Gwilym Miles, baritone, will
take part in the final rehearsal, which
will be held at noon Friday in the Peo-
pies church. Associate members of the
Choral club have their seats for this
oratorio. The public sale opens tomor-
row.
AS was anticipated the club unani-
mously adopted the recommendations
of the executive board presented at the
rehearsal last Monday night. Eight
business men will be invited to serve
on the board of directors and the ex-
ecutive board will consist hereafter of
the officers and a representative from
the body of associate members. Three
absences from the rehearsaIs for one
concert will prevent a member from
singing in that concert. The club has
incorporated and will go through the
form Of electing officers next Monday
night. President Scholle was present at
the rehearsal last Monday night and re-
celVed a most enthusiastic reception.
He addressed the club, telling the mem
bers about the work that the choral
organizations are doing in New York,
from which city he has recently re-
turned, and making a number of valu-
able suggestions in regard to the future
work of the st. Paul Choral club.
The congregation that filed st.
Johns church at the special service
last Sunday night heard an admirable
presentation Of a part of Haydn's ora
torio, 1.-THE Creation" The vested
choir, which is made up entirely of
men and boys, and which numbers
slxty-tive voices, sang the music with
hne understanding and sympathy. One
OF the attractive features of the pre-
he
the churchly character maintained
throughout. The passionless voices of
the choir, an admirably disciplined one.
by the way, suggested in their singing
nothing secular. With a simplicity al
most severe, the music was presented
and always it was In closest harmony
with the church and with the service.
The chorus of men and boys is a COM
pact and well balanced one, and the
ensemble singing Sunday night was
spirited and expressive.
Young Howard Myers, who sang the
soprano solos, has a voice of unusual
sweetness and refinement, and he read
the text with an intelligence beyond
his years. There was character as we'll
as melody in his music particularly in
the solo, with Verdure Clad" which
he sang with excellent effect Other
SOLOS were sung by Mr.. Phillips, bari
tone. and H. H. Conner, tenor. AL
though handicapped by a cold, Mr..
Phillips recitatives and arias were most
1mpressively sung. His INTERPRETATION
OF the wildly descriptive text was spir-
tied yet always reverent. The music
was rather low for Mr.. Corners voice
an excellent lyric tenor, possessed Of
Vlgor as well as of sweetness, but it
adapted itself to the music with sur
prisingly good effect, that was heighten-
ed by his refined enunciation. Mr..
oh he oh
list, played the beautiful descriptive
music which tells quite as effectively
as the text the wonderful story of the
creation. The organist made the In
strument speak with a splendid in
slstence Sunday night. The great
scenes from Genesis" the awful void
chaos, the Spirit of God on the face of
the water and then the sublime pas
toral were presented in a series of i'm
presslve tone pictures rich in color,
but refined by a tremendous dignity
that kept before the congregation con-
stantly the sublimity Of the theme.
unfortunately a break In the attach
ment TO the motor put the organ out of
condition before the completion of the
oratorio. This break occurred during
the offertory, when about two-thirds
OF the oratoriO had been sing Re
cause Of this 1.-THE Creation will be
repeated this evening. at 1880 o'clock
Mr.. Shave, who sang at the musicale
given at the residence of Mr.. and Mrs.
McNair, on Laurel avenue. Tuesday
night, for the benefit of the Taber-
nacle society. invariably shows adj
mirable taste in the selection of the
songs which make up his programmes.
They are always in harmony with the
circumstance of the entertainment.
AT this par1or musicale Mr.. Shawe's
programme was made up largely of
light gay ballads, with just enough
OF sentiment In them to make his au-
diaYnn rnP g..