Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-05-20
.FES TIVAL BEGINS
OPENING PROGRAM OF MAY MUsI.
CAL BY oTTUMWA CHORAL
SOCIETY ENJOYED.

Work Of the Large Chorus and the
Excellent soIoists Marks Epoch in
ottumWa's Musical Annas-Gustav
HoImquist Was Especially Good.
From Fridays Daily
Execution that bordered on the per.
fect1on marked the opening of the
May Musical Festival by the Ott-,mwa
CHORAL society last evening in the
Grand Opera House. Headed first of
all by bass soloist whose ability
has never been excelled in this city,
and who was closely seconded by an
excellent soprano, the concert last
night marked an epoch in the must
cal annals Of Ottumwa and bespoke
things of an unusually high character
for this afternoons program and that
of this evening.
The large audience last night was
representative of the music-loving. the
theatre-gotng and amusement-seeking
public. and when the occasion mer-
tied, it was mixed enough. the fastidi-
GUS with the easily pleased to be very
considerato with anplause. From the
opening chorus. Lift up Your Heads. "
| from Handel's Messiah. to the closing
number. sHalleluiah. the audience was
as intensely interested as the per-
formers. AS a fitting climax to the
first NIGHTS performance, and conform
ably with the custom of the earlier
days. the entire audience stood
throughout the rendition of Halle
lujah."
Afternoon Program.
The Chicago Symphony orchestra,
under the direction Of Adolph Rosen-
becker, and Edward c. Towne, tenor
soloist Arthur Beresford, bass soloist,
Hugo Ok. violin soloist and Jean P.
Dnfield, will be the attraction this
afternoon. the performance beginning
program is expected to be- the best
ever rendered by the orchestra and
soloists this season.
The Grand Finale.
Tonight with the rendition Of
Haydn's oratcrio THE Creation by
the Choral sociot,,, Symphony or
chestra and soloists, preceded by a
short program by the orchestra, Mrs.
Genevieve Clark Wilson, soprano So
loist and Mrs. Theodore Worcester.
rianist. the Nav Musical Festival will
have concluded. Tonight the best
efforts Of the performers will be
shown. and that it will be a -epeti-
ton of last nights success or even
greater. can be confidently expected.
1 lie soloists -.yho will contribute to
the progrsm tonight are Mrs Gene
We've Clark Wilson and Mrs. Ada
Sheffield sopranos, Edward c. Town,
tenor. Arthur Beresford. basso. Hugo
Ok, violinist. Mrs Theodore Worces-
ter. pianist In The Creation" the So
prano, tenor and bass solo work will
be rendered by Mrs Wilson, Mr..
Towne End. l.-r. Beresford.
sLift Up Your Heads"
The curtain was raised last night on
right that alone added more beauty
to the program rendered The Ottum-
wa Choral society. over 100 s.. ong,
was arranged in tiers on the mas
sive stage. On either side of the mass
of feminine voices. were arranged the
bassos and the tenors. The ,ontrast
between the ensemble of white dresses
and the dark cloth of the mems gar
ments added a touch Of beauty to the
scene. Upon the appearance Of Con-
ductor James Swirles, hearty vel
come was accorded him by the sea Of
admirers of his Sterling ability in the
audience. Lift up Your Heads" was
the first chorus number. Handlers
comp osition was given in mastery
manner by the chorus,
A Treat Extraordinary.
Gustav Holmquist, basso. followed
Immediately after with Gounod's "She
Alone Charmeth My Sadness" In Mr.
Holmquist the audience last night was
trea.ed to an exhibition of vocal ability
city. Artistic singers have come and
gone, but the unanimous opinion of
Mr.. Holmquist's work was that it ex-
celled greatly the work of any basso
who has previously sung in this
city. Clear in ennuncfation, and with
range of unusual largeness, Mr..
Holmquist rendered the difficult parts
of his solo with apparent ease A no.
ticeaole feature of his work was the
excellent control he possessed of his
abilities. In the fortlssemo passages
he showed remarkable ability. His
was the feature of the solo work of the
program.
Mrs. Theodore Worcester. pianist,
followed. giving Chopin's difficult bal
lade in Minor. Mrs. Worcester has
all the qualities of an artistic woman,
and her utter lack of affectation was
an agreeable surprise to the audience
"Bels Of Aberdovy."
The rendition of Davies Bells of
Aberdovy" by the feminine voices of
the chorus was immensely enjoyed, as
the repeated applause that followed It
testified. This number won the admir-
alton of the audience early in it's rendi-
ton. Miss Sadie Robertson carried the
solo parts in this number very credita-
bly,.
Mrs. Sheffield In Voice.
The work of Mrs. Ada Sheffield,