The San Francisco call., 1905-08-19
Quest of Gorgon''
Not of Greatest
Interest.
Vogt Shows That He
Is an Able Con
ductor.
Stewart S Suite Is
Destined to Be
Popular.

Among the redwoods of Eddy street,
the Tivon grove, the second of the public
5inks Of the Bohemian Club was given
yesterday afternoon. AS last year, the
event attracted a large and representa-
tive audience. who heard the varied pro
gramne with many signs Of pleasure.
The chief event Of the afternoon was
he presentation Of The Quest OF the
Gorgon. the years music drama, the
poem By J. Newton Tharp, the music by
TheodOr Vogt IL cannot be said that the
composition is Of exceptional interest
Possibly among the redwoods Of Guerne-
vile, warrant for all sorts of enchant-
ment. il may have persuaded. In plain
Eddy street il does not 1t is not worthy
OF the subject, not worthy Of the COM
poser, whose humorous and effective set
ting OF the Christmas low Jinks music is
among the best evolved in the club. But,
as a whole, in The Quest Of the Gorgon'
Mr. Vogt's themes are commonplace, his
harmony monotonous, and only In the lit
tie prelude does the work approach orig
inality or distinction.
After this movement, in places effective
and charming, the best number is the
dramatic scene for Dionysus, q declama-
tory effort. something on the order OF
Wsguer's Evening STAR and which was
admirably sung by L. A Larsen. There
are many choral numbers, in which the
handsome chorus gathered under Mr..
Nogt's baton did excellent service. Thom-
as Rickard was the other soloist, and
was effective as far as his opportunities
went in his song, the ''Orizon to Sybil.
To DR.. Wilson Shiels, who acquitted him
self well Of the task, fell the reading of
the poem.
But Mr.. Vogt has fallen short Of his
opportunities here and done neither
himself nor his subject, picturesque and
suggestive, justice. He fulfilled MS ou-
ties as conductor excellently, and the
very good orchestra proved well equal
10 the demands of his baton.
II was good TO hear again the Pre-
Jude" OF The Hamadryads" with which
the programme opened, and which was
the feature Of last years Jinks. Mr.
8fcCoy's vital and temperamental work
gains largely by rehearing, and lost
nothing in the spirited conducting or
the composer. He followed tt with an
other Mccoy composition, a suave and
sprightly 'serenade" from the suite in
Bohemia" of the Spanish genre, in
which the composer excels.
"The Man in the Forest" from the
sinks music Of 1902, by Joe D. ReddinS,
was also revived and Its quaint and
characteristic Indian themes came very
pleasantly. Mr.. Redding, who conduct
ed, was received WIN TIE uSua4 IVA
ton.
A pleasant variation in the pro-
gramme was furnished by the four
songs written by Edward F. Schneider
and sung by Mrs. Schneider. The first
of the four, the "Abschied," is a gem.
Exquisitely lyrical, 1t is worthy to
stand with the lieder of Schumann and
was sung with keen sympathy by Mrs.
Schneider. The singer was not quite
equal to the dramatic demands of the
following song, "Horch Auf,'' a highly
picturesque and spirited lyric. Curl
ously commonplace in comparison were
the two other songs, both, however,
very well sung by Mrs. Schneider and
cIeverly accompanied by the composer.
The other novelty of the programme
was the new suite by DR.. H J. Stewart.
Scenes in California" from which two
movements were played nocturne,
Under the Redwoods," and Before the
Gringo Came" that includes (a) Span
fish dance, and Cb) "Tarantella-" The
last two will doubtless come into i'm
mediate orchestral favor, being emf
nently colorful and catchy. The taran-
telie can IN no wise escape popularity,
and the whole suite is smooth. flow
ing, finished and in the best Stewart
manner DR.. Stewart conducted.
BLANCHE PARTINGTON.