Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-05


lofty couplet is not more moon
O gruous than the vision Of May,
with her lap full Of buds, and her breath,
which should blow warm and fragrant, sud-
denly wooing a snow storm from it's lair
by her caprices We earth bodies are get
ting tired of tossing about on this sea of
uneven weather and being the playthings
of the inconstant elements.
McCutcheon. whose cartoons are a source
of constant delight had such a good one a
day or two ago. The wind and the snow
were running riot. In a strong chair. bound
hand and foot, and gag in his mouthd
was the weather man, helpless, but inter-
nally frantic In the background was His
Satanic Majesty. grinning, pushing but
tons, turning on tornadoes and destruction;
in other words the devil was running the
weather. Has anybody seen Mr.. Welch
lately2 Think of the army that would
gladly rush to his rescue. All the wistful
owners of fruit trees those who adore the
lilacs that in their dooryards bloom; even
the man who plants potatoes, and l. who
Just love sunshine. Ho! marooned weather
man! Shout for US! Like the king of
France and his forty thousand men land
for the sake Of poetry kind printer man,
put this not in fguresD We'll slash your
bonds. and then march home again"
Next Wednesday and Thursday Will be
gala DAYS for the May Music Festival as
ISOLATION Full rehearsals Of chorus and
orchestra have been held for some time
past The soloists from Chicago will arrive
on Tuesday
The Wednesday evening program will be
devoted TO orchestral work, a group of
songs by Mrs. Read. soprano, and the rem
dtion OF Fair Ellen" ballade for chorus
and orchestra, with soprano and baritone
solos.
At 215 on Thursday will occur the artists
concert, in which Mr.. John B. Miller tenor;
Miss Rosalie Wirthlin, contralto; Mr. Carlo
Fischer. 'cellist, and Mrs. A NJ. Borglum
accompanist, will take part. The program
is an unusually attractive one and promises
solid enjoyment. Mr.. Fischer will begin
the afternoon with Max Bruch's Jewish
prayer, THE Kol Nldrei." The following
description is OF interest in connection with
this beautiful composition:
The principal solo number to be played at
the May festival concert at Boyds theater
an arrangement by the German composer
OF one of the oldest known melodies in the
world, so old that its composer is unknown
and its very origin In doubt.
The "Kol Nidrei" TALL vows) is a prayer
reCited In the Jewish synagogues on the
Day Of Atonement, Before sunset on that
Qdyt Mueu the CONSERVATION mas kdlneTeQ
In the synagogue, the ark is opened and
two rabbits, or two leading men OF the COM
munity, take from It two Torah scrolls.
They then take their places and recite in
concert Thereupon the canter chants the
Aramaic prayer beginning with the words
''kol Nidrei," with its marvelously plant
i've and touching melody, and gradually in
creasing in volume from pianissimo to for
tissimO. The date OF the composition of
the prayer and OF its author are alike un-
known, but IL was In existence In the genatc
period Even more famous than the for
mula itself is the melody additionally at
tached to its rendition. The melody dates
from the early medieval period before the
eleventh century. Some authorities claim
that it originated with the Jews In Spain
during the time Of the inquisition. Many OF
the prosecuted Jews formed themselves into
a secret society for the purpose OF worship
ing accordi1g to the rites OF their old re-
Moranos. The intense sadness, the heart
thrObs and slghs, with which the chant be-
gins after the first Introductory notes may
its origin during the days OF trial, tribula-
ton and martyrdom OF the unhappy, per
secuted S5ps s6o eo sn6 ~
! counts as ore OF his masterpieces. From a
musical standpoint perhaps no more beau
| tful composition for the cello was ever
written. The very opening OF ''Kol Nidrei"
| Is what the masters OF the Catholic plain
songs term 'pneuma, or soul breath.
| the cello TO reproduce the soul breath"
/ for the quality OF its tone may be made to
sound the depths OF sadness and the heights
| OF eternal hope.
Thursday evening at O'Clock sharp
Mendelssohns wonderful oratorio "Elijah"
win be begun with full orchestra, chorus
and soloists It Is much 70 be hoped that
the audience viii be prompt in attendance
| II mars so dreadfully the enjoyment OF a
work to have constant noise and hustle
going on al its beginning Boyd's theater
is very easy Of access. II seems not toe
hard task 10 arrive there in good season
May II comes Mr., simm's concert, the
hrst entertainment 10 be given in the new
An Saints church. This church Is said
70 be most wonderful in its acoustic
properties. one enthusiast remarked thai