Evening journal., 1909-01-27
MUSICAL TREAT
AT CENTURY CLUB
Wilmington Choral Society
Presents Scene Songs from
the Poem of Hiawatha
PROGRAM WELL SUSTAINED

Fifty-nine mixed voices and all from
this musicaily advancing city singing /
under the name OF the wilmington |
Choral Society. afforded at least three
hundred music lovers rare treat last
night at the New-Century Club. tho oc-
casion being the irst concert OF the So
clety's second season IN song. The
themes offered were song scenes from
tho Song OF Hiawatha, that celebrated
poem which has made the name Of
Longfellow a word to conJure with here
and abroad. The society presented two
scenes from this poem which have been
set 20 music by Samuel Colcrids clay
lor, who. be It Is said to his credit is
an Angld-African. born An London IN
1915, the son OF o full-hlooded African
from Sierra Leone and an English
woman. Coleridge-Tayiors name
should be linked with that Of our own
New England bard as the musical
frame with which ho has surrounded
this Indian idyllc sets or the picture
poem as though musician and poet
worked psychlcally together. the inter-
probation given the poem parts mu-
sleally portray the historical narratives
as graciousiy and touchingly as the
poem does itself.
The author musician truly caught the
beautiful rhythm OF the inmhic penta-
meter measure Of tho poem with the re-
suit that one would havs needed no
eritomlzed book OF the pa-ts sung 70
ascertain the song picture TO be con-
veyed. tho identification would have per-
forced conclusion that Il was that
sublime Indian idy.ie OF Americas much
beloved poet. The FIRST part rendered
was Hiawatha's Wedding Feast. sus-
tained principally by tho chorus. and n
l1iawatha himself could have heard the
musical spiritsm provoked by Director
T. Leslie Carpenter from his ffty-nine,
he would have smoked two peace pipes
Of tobacco, mixed with herbs and leaves
OF fragrance" and do It with Joy and
gladness. Tho solo part was sustained
by w. Howard Carver. tenor. an old
favorite. The song Of the gentle Chihia-
bos is of no simple measure. ana N
Mr.. Carver had been a little less anN-
ious 20 impress the audience with his
role which led TO some degree TO an
inartistic balance. spelling, inhnitcsi.
many though. the simple beauty OF
Chibiabos exquisite conway Awake
beiovedi" he would have degreed him.
self much more. The applause he gained
was well earned. however. The chorus
brought out extraordinarily wen th'
many Joyous passages. passages and
movements that worked their charm
enticingly. The Feast" Is an excerpt
OF rare beauty beautiful melody. pur,
melody and the unison and precision Of
the chorus work was sincerely praise
worthy.
The second part was "The Death Of
Afinnehaha," Hiawatha's Dacotah bride
IT'S a picture dIametriealiy opposite &c
that given IN the FIRST part which told
Of feasting and happiness, the seeont
garishinsly portrayins cold. famine an'
death. the two bar-sinsters or human
existence. And how well It was done
! Bravol This one word simple in itself
but mighty IN expression is all sufficient
II minutely tells the story just as ef
fectively as a long nattering euloBy
which might run into hyperbole. Tn
soil parts were IN the hands OF Mrs
Victor r. Pyle and Frank F. Palmer
; soprano and basso. Their work merite'
sincere praise Mr.. Palmer's rendering
Of Hiawatha's final absolutional lament
"Farewelli" Minnehahai...... To the
land Of the Hereafter" sympatheticalll
, closed with the chorus a requiem tina
caused the audience 20 sit and iinge
and llnger.
% As secondary offerings n they reall.
can be termed such, Miss Elizabeth Bon
ner. sang "The Quest" Herman Cos
sen sang LEND Me Your Aid" fror
the opera Of Queen Of Shebe," ant
, Mrs Pyle sang a Strauss serenade Mis-
Bonner made a pronounced hit Her
Is 4 contraito voice Of depth and sweet
, ness and power. The timbre Of her
voice Is charming and she sings wit
refinement and polish She received
iattering reception. Mr.. Gossen mad
the objectionable mistake Of singing a
an encore a song IN German for an even
ing given over 70 genuine English work
or at least translated ones. Mrs. Pyle
I reputation as . singer Is so firmly es
, tablished that comment is superious.
+ Mr. Carpenter ought TO be proud O
/, the society. and tho society should b
! proud Of its directors lie was fully IN
master OF the situation, and his bea
, / is so decided that there can be no douh
as to his wishes In the matter OF tom
and accentudtion.
There IS one thing that Mr. Carpente
might do well 10 consider previous TO th
soclety's next concert May II, and tina
r Is the Importance attached totthe correc
% pronounciation OF the Indian prope
b names with which the poem abound'
, Several years ago n controversy wage
p among some college professors as to th
e correct pronunciation Of the nam
J. Hiawatha, with no definite understanding
e To close the argument Longfellow'
grand daughter was called IN the disput
: and she settled II by saying that she coul
well recall her grandfather calling hi
hero as though Il we're pronounced He
awatha. and not Hy-awatha. Then th
chorus in pronouncing the name OF th
gentle Chibiabos. pronounced II Key
biabos, when the Greek Kai-hiabos Is tn
correcter.
But why nfty-nine7 rs there luck I
odd numbers2 mozart thought so. bu
this maestro lived and vvoFked In a gross