The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-08
MESSIAH WEEK.
LindSbOrg in the Midst OF Its
Annual Song Season.
Celebration Will Close the Last
of This Week.
CLIMAX EASTER DAY.
Youth and Old Age Blend Their
Voices in Chorus.
Patronage Greater Than Ever
in History of Event.

Lindsborg, Kan, April 8.-Lindsborg' 5
| twenty-seventh annual musical festival
| is in full swing, and the Kansas town,
celebrated for its singing of the
Messiah more than anything else, Is
enjoying itself to the fullest extent, as
it always does in this the greatest week
in its calendar year. The programme
for the eight days, beginning last Sun
day, includes twenty concerts and lee
lures. Palm Sunday was no more than
introduction. Friday night the Mes
siah" will be sung for the people of
Lindsborg and the Swedish colony.
climax of the festival. On that day
Lindsborg expects to entertain more
than 5000 visitors. Special trains viii
run from the north by way of Salina
and from the south by way of McPher-
son. Sunday afternoon at o'clock the
Bethany band will play brief pro-
gramme, after which Mendelssohn's
oratorio, Elijah will be sung by the
Bethany chorus and soloists. At $50
O'Clock Thure Jaderborg, basso can
tante, and Oscar Lofgren, pianist, both
instructors in the Bethany college of
music. will give a recital in the college
chapel. Eight o'clock will find the
chorus of $50 voices the orchestra and
the soloists in readiness for the sew
enty-fifth performance of the Mes
siah."
A Grand Chorus in Black and White.
The chorus and orchestra, with the
great organ in the background, present
| an interesting picture. All of the wo-
men dress in white, and the men in
black. Tier upon tier the singers rise,
| to the left and to the right of the organ
| as well as before. Youth stands by old
age; gray hairs by the fiaxen locks of
! children. At the signal from the con-
ductor, Samuel Thorstenberg, the
chorus rises as one person. And when
you hear those $50 voices your pulse
| leaps with surprise and pleasure. Fresh
| voices, they are and strong too: voices
builded by life in the open air and at
tuned by spirit of freedom and joyous
| thankfulness. Were Lindsborg's chorus
less great it could not have lived to
glory in its twenty-seventh annual
| festival
Soloists Are Attractive Feature.
Lindsborg is particularly we'll pleased
| with the solOistS this year. Mrs Mary
Holmes-Thompson, the soprano comes
| from Chicago. Mrs. Bertha Swensson
Vestling, the contralto, is the daughter
| of the founder of Bethany college. and
! her return from New Haven, Conn, to
! sing for the festival was real home
coming. Her voice is rich in quality,
| and nicely used. Harry Barnhart. the
tenor, is one of the younger soloists of
New York city. He has a big voice
| and has aroused much enthusiasm
among the people of Lindsborg. Albert
Borroff of Chicago was the bass soloist
| last Sunday. by special arrangement
| The baSSo next Sunday will be Thure
Jaderborg.
To Hear Bethany Chapel Choir.
The Bethany chapel choir of % voices
Earl Rosenberg. conductor, is another
organization of which Lindsborg is
proud. Tomorrow night this choir will
sing fn11nXxine
gramme:
Fantaisie in F minor, string orchestra
ana organ .....--..-- Mozart
Miss Strom.
| ca Chorale from Christmas
Oratorlo ...................... Bach
OBJ Chorale from 'Kirchenkantate,"
| Du Hirte Israel. Bach
Chapel Choir
PRO Peccatis." from 'Stabat Mater
.--...-. ROSS1nl
Ave Maria ................B ach-Gounod
Miss Cullison and Chapel Choir.
With verdure Clad from Creation
.'''...'.;.:.. .-:,........-...H Haydn
Miss Anderson.
(ao 20; Saving Victim from
"ParS1faP Wagner
(b) Blessed Jesus" from "stabat
Mater DVorak
Chapel Choir.
Cantata. THE Seven Last Words of
Christ Mercadante
Chapel Choir and Soloists.
Governor Buchtel to Lecture,
Friday afternoon Ex-Governor Henry
A. Buchtel of Colorado. chancellor OF
Denver university, will lecture on
abraham Lincoln" Saturday after
ILL.,, will talk and Saturday evening
Hamilton Holt, editor of the New York
Independent, will lecture on 1.-The Fed
Grafton of the World"