The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-25
AN EXCELLENT CONCERT
Pipe Organ Season Is Inaugurated by
Professors Penny and TzIingenbeFg.


Topeka is wont to boast of being
the musical center Of the middle west.
There are certainly some grounds for
this boast because the musical talent
here is second to none in the country
and the fine Auditorium with its ex-
cephonal pipe organ offers unrivalled
facilities for its display.
But one attending the first organ
concert of the season at the Audi
torium last night would have to
stretch his Imagination to believe that
the people Of Topeka are musicaIly
inclined at all. Just two hundred and
sixty-three Of them paid admission to
the concert. Surely this was most
lamentable showing and one that
might well discourage those who are
devOting their time and talents to an
endeavor to furnish the people of To-
peka with as good music as can be
heard anywhere.
An organ programme of unusual
excellence had been arranged for the
occasion by Prof. George Barlow
Penny and he had Prof. ALT Klingen-
should have been two thousand per-
sons present to hear the concert in
stead of a few over two hundred.
Those who were there enjoyed a musi-
cal treat which will live long in their
memories
And without doubt the finest num-
Der on the programme was the inter-
probation by Prof Klingenberg Of
LISTS Concerto in Z fat" Prof
Penny played an orch estral accom-
painment on the organ. This con-
certO is one of the many remarkab le
compositions of List and is a show
piece of all the famous pianistS. Mr.
Klingenberg's Interpretation of 1t was
simply without a flaw. His express
sion of the many themes in it were
delicate to degree, and his execution
of the numerous difficult passages dis
played technique that was really
marvellous. The sustained double
trill in the second movement of the
piece, which has brought grief to
more than one pianist of ability, was
accomplished by Mr.. Klingenberg in a
really brilliant fashion.
Mr. Klingenberg was given such an
amount of earnest applause by his few
hearers that he responded with an
Etude by Neupert for an encore.
Prof. Penny's renditions on the
organ were as varied as they were ex-
cellent and they were of such a char
acter as to show off the possibilities of
the organ as they have never been
when Clarence Eddy presided at the
console. He opened the programme
with the "Fantasie Triomphale,"
which was written by the famous
French composer Dubois for the dedi-
cation of the great organ at the Chi
cago auditorium, and played on that
occasion by Mr.. Eddy. There was not
a single pipe in the organ but that was
given its vent in this piece and Mr..
Penny played it in a mastery manner.
One effect produced was that of a.
choir singing the theme of the COM
position, and one had to open his eyes
wide to make sure that there was not
a full choir on the stage singing to the
organ accompaniment, so realistic was
the impression produced.
Wachs' "Pastorale" was another
was delightful. It told in dulcet tones
of woodland scenes of long ago. Weird
airs from shepherds pipes pealed
forth and one could almost see the
dancing nymphs that frolicked to the
tunes of Pan.
Other numbers played by Mr.. Penny
were ''In the Morning" from peer
Gynt' suite, Grieg; Rustic March. -
F'unagalh; Introduction to act III
''Loh engrin," Wagner; ''To the Even
ing Star" from "Tannhauser, Wag-
ner; Moonlight" Edward Elgar;
"OrientaI Dance Arthur Bird; and
Penny was applauded enthusiastically
after each number.
Between the parts on the pro-
gramme he announced that another
organ concert would be given by him
three or four weeks hence at which
Mrs. Parkhurst is to be the sOlist and
he said that he hoped within two
weeks to start a series of afternoon
organ recitals for the young people to
which a purely nominal admission
will be charged. Tt is proposed to hold
these concerts on Thursday afternoons
at intervals throughout the winter