Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-27

away as soon as possible from the cathe-
drals and the cathedral influence He sug-
gests the erection of a temporary wooden
building for a festival or two. Now Omaha
could have the temporary wooden building,
and could have a temporary organ and
Omaha has three and a half times the pop
ulation OF Worcester and wealth beyond
question. 1t has, as a city, a commanding
position, which is growing stronger every
month, among the states, the counties and
the towns which touch its borders. And as
l sat at the rehearsal last Monday and
heard chorus, orchestra and soloists put
ting the finishing touches on new works
specially composed for the festival, the
principal thought that filled and thrilled
me was this-namely, that in five years
time Omaha could have a festival with
results just as far-reaching and just as up
lifting in proportion as that of Worcester,
or Hereford, or Gloucester. We could with
certainty hope to hear new works written
for our festival by American composers as
we'll as the great works of other schools;
we might without doubt expect to see Sir
Edward Elgar conduct his own compost
lions, as he has already done in the United
States. 1t would take five years to get a
solid, substantial festival, but each year
for the next five could show a great deal
OF progress in the careful, thorough study
of the best things ancient and modern, the
gradual development and cautious enlarge
ment of a high standard choir of a couple
OF hundred voices, and the general arous-
ing OF interest by large concerts and visit
ing orchestras. A few recitals by singers
and players have their place, of course, bu
Fafter all they do not build much in a per,
manent way-if we get a broader outlook
on the musical field we will grow. Omaha
might arrange with other places like Lin
coin, Des MOines, Minneapolis or such cities
named at random, or have a festival OF her
own choir, as is the case at Sheffield.
Birmingham. Leeds and other places where,
also, the meetings are not held in a cathe-
oral. Leeds had festivals as far back as
1851 Birmingham's festival Is stin older
than Leeds and the profits Cfor the local
hospitaD amount to about so, 900 at each
festival. The Sheffield choir is said to be
the greatest choir In England. Its singing
Is very famous and DIR. Coward, it's con-
ductor, is said to be a wonderful chorus
master.
Choir, SOlOistH and Work.
Tbs choir at this festival has been doins
excellent work. There are 25S singers. al.
Tded thus: Sopranos (women). sixty-six:
trebles (boys), twenty-two; contraltos, for.
ty-elght; male altos (men. not boys), thir.
teen; tenors, fifty-four; BASES, fifty-fiye
The orchestra consists Of eighty-six mem
bers and they play superbly; most Of them
are London players. The ~soloists are tht
best ~oratorio singers o~btainable. 1t was q
great pleasure to meet again my old friend
Charles w. Clark Formerly of Chicago, but
now OF LOndon) and who sang elijah
and also the Priest and the Angel OF the
Agony in hat great work Sir Edward
Cigars musical enforcement Of the IA,
nous poem by Cardinal Newman entitled
THE Dream OF Gerontius." Sir Edward
did not conduct this because, certain words
being Objectionable TO the clergy about the
Virgin Mary, this page was "cut'' in per
formance. However, the church did MOI
frown on the 'Stabat Mater" and a critiC
said in course OF his remarks in his Lon
don paper: II remember a festival
preacher, Rev. Canon Knox Little. nov
subdean OF Worcester cathedral, twice usin6
the words, ''our blessed lady in the course
OF his sermon, and l expected from this
imprudently perhaps. that Cardinal New,
mans text as We have 1t in ''Gerontius'
would be sung without the expurgations
which have obtained elsewhere" Now, Sir
Edward is a very devOut Roman Catholic
and his conscience. OF course. would MOI
permit him 10 accept the substitution OF
words more Protestant" in their nature
However, he conducted the rehearsal and
performance Of his Oratorio The King