The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-23
SHE SANG We'll.
MacOnda Made an Excellent I'm
preston in Topeka.
People We're Delighted With
Her Fine Voice.
The programme:

The programme:
Aria from Perle du. Brezil. THE Bril-
Nine Maconda. 20 w
! (b) Soivejslied 80. ......................CSr eig
(c) Maids of Cadiz .DeIibes
Nine. Maconda.
| (a) Chorus Of Homage. -. Wilhelm Gericke
Topeka Musical Art society
| (a) DUAL Farfalletta ....-.............Ha Handel
/ (b) The Lass with the Delicate Hair
n, -----.----. $780, p Arne
Mime. Maconda. - '''7
| Q. for the Wings of a Dove. .Nendelssohn
Soprano Solo by Maconda-Chorus by the
Musical Art Society.
| Aria Polonaise from "Mignon'' Thomas
Nine. Maconda.
Although colOratura singing is her
speciality and she excels in the music
of the older Italian school, in thrills
and roulades and vocal gymnastics of
all sorts, Madame Maconda proved, at
her concert at the Auditorium last
night, the fourth of the Pipe Organ
associations series of entertainments,
! her ability to sing numbers which call
for deeper sentiment and more sub
| tilty in Interpretation. Her Grieg'S
Solvesjlied and her GOunod's MignOn
were given with an exquisite tender
ness of sentiment. a sympathetic and
appealing quality of tone that made
them especially noteworthy numbers on
q programme of uncommon merit and
charm. Madame MacOnda was heard
for the first time in Topeka last night
and she quite won an audience. which
in spite of the storm which began just
before 8 o'clock and undoubtedly kept
many people away from the concert,
numbered about a thousand Her
voice has more than ordinary quality,
range and power and her singing is
pure, musical, elastic, spirited and ex-
pressive. Through all the intricacies
of the ford embellishments of her
CITY
ibIe voice rang true and she took and
I sustained the e fiat in alt in the Bell
song from Delibe's ''Lakme" given in
encore to her second group of songs,
with the utmost ease ard surety. Her
highest notes have a rare, careSsing
quality which makes one lose sight of
their difficulty; indeed her method is
so perfect that one completely for
gets to note it. and this, Joined with the
unaffected simplicity of her manner,
saves her performance from the effect
of artiiciaEty which too often spoils.
artistically. even the most brilliant
and perfect coloratura singing.
A delightful feature of the concert
was the work of the Musical Art So
ciety which was heard for the first
time in public last night and which
assisted Madame Maconda ably. Com
posed of some of the best voices
in Topeka this chorus, numerically
small, including only five. voices for
each part, does the very best chorus
work heard in Topeka in many moons
and holds out large promises for local
musical interests Probably there is
no one influence which can be so i'm
portant and beneficial a musical factor
in any community as a chorus made
up of good voices and dominated by
intelligent musicianly feeling. Mr..
George Barlow Penny directs the
Musical Art society and it's members
include Mrs. George Parkhurst, Mrs.
Frank Thomas, Mrs. John Kleinhans,
Miss May Reddick and Miss Alice
Thacher, Mrs. Frank Foster, Miss
Nina Thomas, Mrs. L. s. Ferry, Mrs.
Harry Pribble and Miss Ada Taylor,
contraltos. Mr.. H. L. Shirer. Mr..
Harry Pribble. Mr.. Ross Tracey, Mr.
Elmer Hill. Mr.. Jay Smith, tenors
Mr. w NJ. Shaver, Mr. James Moore
Mr.. Ernest Conant, Mr.. David Bowie
and Mr.. Elmer Fox. bassos. Their
numbers last night, were Gericke's
Chorus of Homage, Barnby's Silent
Night and Mendelssohn's o For the
solo of which Madame Maconda ex-
hibited something of that digniffed
quality of tone, the reserve and in
tensity which makes her Oratorio
work notable. In all three the chorus
sang with admirable balance and pre-
cision, perfect enunciation and de-
lightful warmth and color of tone
The chorus has been working assidu-
ouslv this winter and ToDeIa musical
circles may be congratulated upon the
acquisition of an organization devoted
TO the best ana n1GneSt IN art and of
sufficient artistic and technical equip
ment to attain the best results.
Mrs Robert Diller Carver, who is
one of the ablest of our local pianists
and accompanies. was at the piano
throughout, playing the accompanf-
ments for Madame Maconda and the
Musical Art society of which she is
the regular accompanist. Her per-
Torrance played no insignificant part
in the artistic success of one OF the
most enjoys BILE musical events OF the
season in Topeka. Mrs. Garver's evil
dent reluctance to share. as Madame
Maconda insisted she should, the hon
Ors of the applause, was very pretty
and charming, but the prima donna
was right: the enthusiasm of the audi
ence was partly tribute to her SYM
pathetic and musicianly support of the
singers art, for the perceptive and re-
ceptive qualities which enable her to
respond to every change in the mood
of the singer and every shade and
nuance of the composers meaning,
and for her very sweet and winsome
personalitys a heritage, like her mu-
steal talents, from her gifted and
charming mother, Mrs. George Park
hurst. Miss Mary Harrison played the
second part IN the four hand accom-
paniment with Mrs. Carver of the
Mendelssohn chorus number.
Personality plays an important part
in the artists success or failure. That
was largely evinced last night.
Madame Maconda is SINGER of ex-
ceptional attainment but she is a
beautiful and fascinating woman into