The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-08
OPENING CONCERT
NOTABLE SUCCESS
Work Of "Wednesday Club
Last Night Best in
Many Years.
ARTISTS AND CHORUS
ARE HIGHLY PRAISED
Children Will Sing This After
noon and Symphony Concert
Will BE Given To-Morrow
Afternoon - New Ar
rangcmcnt Of Stage
Is Improvement.
w 71TH perhaps tho most en-
ioyed oratorIo program OF

4
AN It's history. the "Wednesday
Club opened Its fifteenth
annual festival last evening.
promising much to music-Iovers this
year.
Entering the Academy, the audience
was struck with the fact that the
stage had been rearranged most skill
fully. Heretofore the chorus was
seated in eight tiers In order that all,
might be placed. This year, though
the chorus is larger than usual. the
stage had been so well planned by Mr..
Arthur Scrivenor that all were seated
IN five tiers. In order to accomplish
this the stage was extended beyond
the first two proscenium boxes. Not
only did this method add to the COM
fort OF the chorus. but by enveloping
the orchestra as 1t were. the musical
effects were greatly enhanced.
Scene on Stage.
The stage was covered with green,
and number OF palms added greatly
to the effect. Special scenery had been
prepared. and the whole effect was
one of great beauty and charm. An
other feature for which the club was
indebted TO Mr. Scrivcnor was the
beautiful programs. For the first time
In It's history the organization has had
an adequate description OF the music
1t was to sing, with many OF the lead
Ing musical themes given in the actual
notes. In addition TO the portraits OF
the soloists, the pictures OF many of
the composers with their biogra phical
sketches are In This program. which
has thereby made IT worthy of preser-
Sation apart from its immediate use.
The audience as whole was thor
oughly in accord with the club from
the opening number. and fine quality.
not only OF the soloists. but of the
chorus. insnres for this years festival
an unsurpassed brilliancy and success.
Wonderful Work.
The high expectations that had been
entertained OF Franck's Bea,itudes
were more than justified by the per-
forniance. The beautiful themes and
their mastery handling were reve-
lation to TIE people OF Richmond This
great work. should be much Easr:,
widely known than It is, and the
Wednesday Club is Justly proud OF the
fact that 1t should have achieved such
success with one OF the earliest
renditions OF this oratorio in America
Fortunately for Richmond the We'd
nesday! Club has gone on from year
10 year increasing in its musical ca
paeity. and 1t is really OF imme surable
value to this community Those who
have for fifteen years had at least one
annual opportunity to hear the music
OF the masters magnificently rendered
must feel the great service which the
: Wednesday Club has rendered. And
apart from any altruism, Just from a
pure love OF ar, itself, the work 81
the club stands high among the ana.
teur choral societies.
Capable Artists.
Mr. George Hamlin, DR.. Franklin
Lawson and Mr.. Claude Cunningham
all made their first appearance before
Richmond audience. Judging from
the ability these gentlemen showed last
pleasure in store for those attending
the Following concerts,
or. Lawson had a minor part in the
Reatitudes. II would, however be
difficult properly to express the enthu-
siasn1 created by Mr.. Hamlin and Mr.,
cunningham In their roles. Mr. Hamlin
has singularly pure and sweet tenor
voice. which he used with perfect art
and with no suggestion OF physical re-
ftraint and Limitation, while Mr.. Gun
: ningham. who sang .The Voice OF
Christ" in the "Beatitudes," gave as
perfect an Interpretation OF what the
composer had in mind as was humanly
possible. The sympathy and dignity OF
his work went straight to the hearts
Of his hearers. Mr.. Cunningham has
been singing for several years past
chiefly In oratorio, Throughout tn cities
OF this country. and his reputation Is
deaervedly growing day BY day.
Though his art Is perfect, or rather
because It Is perfect, IL is- absolutely
fNnobtrhsive. and he sings with appa-
rent simplicity and perfect sincerity
The, quality of his voice is most un-
usual, partaking. In the upper register
OF the sweetness OF a rich, manly tenor
Perhaps the chief beauty OF his part
in this notable work was the poise ant
dignity and earnest reverence with
which he sang. To have heard him II
this part is a. privilege, and he will
always be welcomed in this community
Old Friend. Here Again.
Madam Bouton and Mrs. Grace Bon
ner Williams, who have appeared tr
Richmond before, We're Welcomed as 3olt
friends, and sang with all that verYe
and skill that have made them so popu
lar hero on their previous visits.
Mr. Frederic Martin. who is also ar
old friend of Richmond musical au
diences, came up to the high STANDARD
which he had already established here
in his thorough, conscientious and ar
tistic rendering of the powerful bu
difhcult and thankless part of Satar
given to HMM this work,
The e"Beatitude is probably the mos
ambitious and most difficult ohora
work ever undertaken in Richmond
with the possible exception OF Dvo
rak's "stabat Mater" produced SOM
years ago. 1t is generally called al
oratorio for lack of a better name
though 1t differs fundamentally frol1
the classic form, and is in fact
6 deeply religious musical drama OF TIL
modern French school The compose
has developed his scheme by the us
OF vivid and frequently recurring con
trast. The weird and often startlin,
II tumult at the terrestrial chorus |
closely followed by the calm dignit