The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-06


With an unusually large audience of
enthusiastic music lovers TO approve, the
OTpheus club gave its first concert this
season at the Theatre last evening. pre-
senting Nine. Lydia Sterling, contralto
ana Glenn Hall, tenor, as the solosts
Arthur Shepherd accompanying.
Inc programme was opened by the club
IN SulIIVans 1.-The Long Day Closes" a
rather sombre number, sung well but
offerIng little opportunity for effects in
chCral melody such as are usually most
popular for Introductory work. 1t showed
a Wei balanced organization, under good
control, with voices for the most part
OF smooth quality and excellent volume.
Inc hypercr1t1cal might have detected a
little rdggedneSS in the work of one or
two tenors, and tendency to overdO the
heaVy passages; but, taken altogether,
this and the succeeding numbers sus-
tanned fully the high reputation the club
has established for thorough, scholarly
work.
The second number. by Nine. Sterling.
was Schubert's 'Aufenthalt" Nine Ster-
hng's voice is sweet, strong and of good
compass and pleasing, but one may be
Unable last touch of charm which makes
a voice great and a personality ire
Slstible in stage presence Her singing
won encores and she was evidently in
favor with the audience. Her other num-
bers, the 'MignOn' aria, with ''Ye Banks
and Braes' for an encore, proved popu-
Mr.. Hall made his entree with the Sc
IecuOn, -, Vision Enhancing, from
Gorlng-ThOmas 'Esmeralda." His APP
pedrance was greeted with every evidence
OF pleasure Mr.. Hall has appeared with
the club before, and the audience recalled
the impression he made at that time. Al
were at his command Few concert sing
ers possess tone Of such clearneSS,
sweetness and purity, and none could
nave more perfect control. Whether in
the dramatic Vision with which he
began. or in the lighter Scotch and Irish
ballads, or in the noble aria from Men
gH- Into 60
fitted perfectly the description of sing
ing with the spirit and the understand
ing Mr.. Hall not only sings with rare
intelligence, but he is blessed with
strong personality, the power of holding
an audience. His versatility is little
short of extraordinary, as witness the
made. Hills o skye, two little irish
songs, and the Elijah" aria. The Hills
o Skye particularly, lexemplified the
way a Scotch ballad should be sung,
even to the touch Of ''keenin'," so diff
cult to any but Celt, and yet as in
separable from a conception OF their mu-
sic as the heather is from the moor
To make the transition successfully
from light, humorous ballads to OratOriO
il perhaps the supreme test of the ar
fist, and Mr.. Hall old 1t With the first
few bars of the Elijah" he had pro-
duced in his audience a reverent atJi-
tUde, which heard the superb solo al
most bTeathlessly, and refused to leave
although it was the final number, until
he gave an encore.
Space precludes an adequate review OF
all the Orpheus club numbers. 1t gave
when Love Is Done" with exquisite
effect, and the Valentine" was a dainty
gem. MY Lady Chloe" fell short of
Just the swing and rhythm Of a negro
melody ought to have, but the 'BedOuin
Song was given magnificently, with all
the dramatic force and regard fox its
Poetic passion one could ask.
Mr.. Shepherds accompaniments were,
as always decisive factor in the sue
cess of the numbers. Very few artists
approach him in that sympathy and Su-
hcTdination without effacement which
give a genuine accompaniment standing
as an achievement
Altogether, the evening was great trt-
umph for the club
Following the concert the club opened
its new rooms in the GOdbe-Pitts build
ing with an informal reception for Glenn
Hall and Madame Lydia Sterling. A
number of musicians and several friends
Of the club were invited, and the club
delighted its guests with a selection a
buffet supper was served.
ueo-Io 1.,bo v5ora not at the OrDheurn