The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-17
WEDNESDAY CLUB
HEARS CRITICISM.
Friendly Discussion OF the Music
Festival by the Mem
AIM TO SECURE VERY BEST
Captain Guigon, Or. Peters and
Others Give Opinions on
Merit Of the Concerts.
AIM TO SECURE VERY BEST

The annual meeting Of tho Wednes-
day Club on Tuesday night was not
without great interest to lovers,
for a great deal Of friendly criticism
and pertinent comment was developed
by Captain A. b. GuiEon's remarks and
the reply thereto by DR.. Peters. Cap
tain Guigon, who is we'll known in
Richmond prefaced his remarks by
saying that he was profoundly sensi-
BILE OF the sacrifice and value to the
cause of music which was rendered by
the chorus Of the Wednesday Club, and
| he felt that he expressed the senti-
uents Of the whole community when
he praised and thanked the board OF
| governors for their successful and
earnest work but" said Captain
/ Guigon, "when all is said and done, we
must admit, and I think 1t is beyond
! doubt, that the orchestration this year
/ was exceedingly bad, and in the part
Iof Samson and Dellah the blare of the
trumpets and the eating Of the drums
brutally drowned the sololst and the
chorus. Nor in the matter Of orches-
tration alone are our this years con-
4 certs free from criticism. In the past
we have had such slngers as Emma
Juch, Schumnnn- Heink. Blauvelt, Cad
ski, Campannri, Del Peuntc, Mckenzie
4 Gordon, Gwillym Miles. Van Hoose and
IDippel, whilo this years concerts fur
nished, in my opinion, no single great
artist Burgstaller himself, I think,
belongs to a class Of other days. and
the voices of the soloists as whole
We're, in my opinion. inadequate"
Captain Guigon paid very high
compliment to the beautiful work done
by the chorus. and, following sugges-
lions made by N1essrs. A. B. Williams
and +. S. Bryan, said that he hoped
lit would be the effort Of the Wednes-
: day Club to secure tho best artists at
no matter what cost.
Reply by DIR. Peters.
AS soon as Captain Guigon took his
( seat DR.. r. II. Peters rose ana sale
> very pleasantly that my friend does
t not seem to appreciate the fact thai
: Samson and Delilah' has a lot Of bruta
: music in 1t because 1t is meant t
n perpetrate brutal things. admit tina
the orchestra was loud and noisy IL
S the part to which Captain Guigon re
s fers, but 1t was written that way. wa
g meant TO be performed that way. an,
II the effect produced on the ears of tn
: hearers was due to the necessity O
e placing the orchestra out in the theatr
n and between the chorus and the au
dience, and was not the result Of an
lack Of skill or musical Temperament
on the part Of the orchestra itself"
Continuing, DR.. Peters said that II
;, had conducted a great number Of con
certs, and had trained number q
~ ohoruses; that In his opinion the BIOS
20 ton Festival Orchestra was the hes
a. that could be secured for purposes c
90 this sort: that it was not only capable
e. but willing, to corporate with locs
&c choruses, and that, SO far from NJ
'e' knowing Samson and Delilah, the Bos
ne ton Orchestra had performed it 81
times before coming to Richmond, an
X was absolutely perfect in It's renditlo
i Artists In Demand.
In For the club. Mr.. j. Stewart Brya
Of said that 1t was very desirable to ha,
as the highest class artists. and that q
d earnest effort had been made to sccu1
'et such this year, but that the deman,
for worldwide artists were so great,
the result of the two opera houses
New York, and the early opening
g the season at Covent Garden, that
~ had been found absolutely imposs!b
to secure artists whose servicea T.
- presence was in the most demand
The result of the discussion b.oug
q. ~ out the fact that the present meth
~. of placing the orchestra in front
~ the chorus does not produce the be
= musical effects, and tho wish was &c
,od orally expressed that 1t might be PC
.,i slble to use tho Auditorium next ye
az and thereby give more space for t
l. "a chorus and extra soloists, and to ma
ia 1t possible to place the music Of t
rr,- Wednesday Club within the reach
IA many more than can be accommodate
IN tho Academy of Music.
II Is understood that n number
The Wednesday Club members will Il
DIR. In the sacred concert to be given
lar- veterans on June I'd, which Will be h
aied IN the Horse Show Building and pro
iay, ises to be tho best work of the S
~, ever given In this city,
ere. Walter lnEc NIuy Recover.
pos Walter Inge. who shot himself
r rtIo the breast few days ago, WAS
j al Il A.