Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-07
Chairman Committee on Music.


successful ever held in Washington, and
the vast audience appeared charmed by the
music, as well as. by, the scene of beauty
upon which many of them gazed for the
first time.
Choral concerts in Washington are mat
tiers of more than ordinary moment. On all
large occasions there have been local sing
ers brought together for the entertainment
of the vast body of WaShingtonians as well
as for the throngs of visitors to the ma
tional capital. The concert of last night
was the best of its kind ever given here,
and Mr.. Percy s. Foster. chairman of the
music committee of the Inauguration man
agement has every right to feef justly
proud this morning of the success of his
part of the program.
For one to feel, as Mr.. Foster must have
done, that he had the approval of a vast
audience should have been pleasing to any
one but to have been officially thanked for
the success of his great undertaking by
Mr.. H. B. F. mcfarland, the head OF the
District government, and to nave been pre-
scented with loving tribute from the mem
bers of his chorus should have, and doubt
less did. fill his cup to overfiowing.
Long before the scheduled hour of the
concert vast numbers of people commenced
to wend their various ways in the direction
of the big pension building and some time
before Mr.. Foster raised his baton for the
singing of America" by the chorus every
nook and corner of the pension office court
was filled with living mass of humanity,
with thousands of others at each of the en-
frances trying to gain admission, but with
out success. In point of numbers the at
tendance and the unsuccessful eHofts 10
gain admittance We're larger than ever be-
fore at any function given in Washington.
The Program.
"America" was followed by John Knowles
Paine's "Hymn of the West which was
known as the official hymn of the ST. Louis
exposition, and which was sung last night
for the first time at public function In
Washington. Following this was Won
Webers Jubilee overture by the United
States Marine Band and ITO Thee, 0 Coun-
try by the chorus. Following this came
Wagner's grand fantasia, Die Walkurie,"
by the band and the. chorus from Tam
hauser,'' Hail, Bright abode, by the vocal
lists. assisted by the band Tschaikowski' s
Caprice" Italian, played by the band, was
followed by Oliver Wendall Holmes Union
and Liberty" for which special music was
composed by Mr. Horatio w. Parker, direc-
tor of music at Yale University, and which
was conducted by Mr.. Parker
Mr.. Reginald de kovens contributions to
the program were given with excellent eff
feet and were well received:
One of the features of the concert was
an ode lone Flag, One Country" by Prof.
Francesca Fanculli, former leader OF the
Marine Band The ode proved an intricate
and beautiful work, dedicated to President
Roosevelt.
The words are by Thos B. Chrystal. There
were several fine solo parts and magnificent
choral effects where the composer had given
his musical genius full scope, and which
made the work a real treat to musicians
and to the less thoroughly trained ear of
the public. The ode has already been
taken by number of the most noted
oratorio organizations of the country and
will be given by them during the coming
season after it's successful performance at
the pension office last night.
AS is usually the case, the volunteers
were featured at the concert and much was
written in advance of what they were eX-
pected to do but the success of the affair
was in no wise entirely due to their efforts.
Without the able assistance of the ''regu-
lars" the enlisted men of the United States
Marine Band, and their leader, Lieu
tenant Santemann tire concert could not
have been the decided success it proved to
be. Every number played by the band re-
ceived well-merited approval, and probably
the most enthusiastically received was the
famous march by IohRPhilip Sousa Stars
and Stripes Forever" This number evoked
great outbursts of applause, which did not
cease until the baikl had responded with an
encore. "
1t can be truly said of the vast aggrega-
ton of singers that never before has Mr..
Foster brought together such a well-bal-
anced chorus The. blending of voices was
sllperb though tffgAvd4dme was not great
enough to satisfactorily fill the vast audi
torium From the rear of the hall the
enunciation was nat a. all clear and APP
peared more as a Almnning than as song
of words. The bandatoo. was well arranged.
the brass and reeds we'll balanced, but even
at that the wisdom of Director Foster in
deciding against the use of strings was
proven, for oft and again some of the finer
tones of the reeds wersE entirely lost in the
vast throng.
When it is taken into consideration, how
ever, the fact that of the twelve or fifteen
thousand people inside of the building but
500 of them were banked at one end singing
and that a large majority of the balance
of them were amusing themselves by con-
versation. it is taken ais a remarkable thing
that the vocalists were able to make them
selves heard as well as they were.
Selection a Happy One.
The selection of the musical numbers was
a happy one from purely musical stand
point. The program ran the gamut from
Wagner to Sousa, which Is of wide enough
range to please the most varying tastes.
1t must be admitted. however. that the airs
of Sousa appeared the most pleasing and
received the greatest applause from the ma
jority of the audience.
This was explained in several ways by