The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-14
MUSIC FESTIVAL IS JUST TWO WEEKS OFF Programmes More Varied Than
 In Past Years FIVE PERFORMANCES GIVEN The Seat Sale Has Been Good and the Hippodrome Is Expected to Be
 Crowded for the Open.
 ing Programme.
FIVE PERFORMANCES GIVEN

The music festival opens just two weeks from tonight. It will be held in the Hippodrome and will be the most at- tractive musical event ever given here g In the first place. the programmes will pe more varied than those presented at iesayals of former years, for the choral
 iuihoers Will be short and consequently more orchestral numbers will be heard mere will be five performances-> Wednesday night, Thursday afternoon. thursday night, Friday afternoon and friday night Walter Damrosch will di- rect all the music and his New York symphony orchestra will be a splendid feature of the festival.
 Among the instrumental numbers will bs Rossinis overture to "Semeramide !"
 dszts symphonic poem, Les Preludes.Y beethoven's fifth symphony; the slow movement from Dvorak's American sym phony; beautiful selections from Wagner's music dramas, including the Ride of the Valkyries," and the 'sTannhauser', overture; the overture to .sMienon ., by Ambroise Thomas, the oyerture to
 Merry Wives of Windsor" by Nicolai. and the Spanish rhapsody by Chabrier
 The choral numbers will include several numbers by the Treble Clef club, This sx- celient organization is noted for the 6na finish of its chorus, and it is to sing among other things, the Blessed Damo- zei' a new and beautiful work by the pfeheh composer, DeBussey. The Treble clef Will be heard on the first night of | the festival
 
 oh the second night the Euterpean cluh fresh and charming chorus made up oe pupils of the High school, will sing ..Haii Bright Abode" by Wagner, and the "Blue Danube Waltz" by Strauss. oh the last night the festival chorus composed of the pick of Birmingham sing CTS, will sing Rossinis "Stabat Mater . MT. Damrosch brings with him A solo quartet of famous vocal artists-Mrs. Co., rine Rider-Kelsey, soprano; Miss Nevada Van der Veer. contralto Reed Miller. ten or; and Gustaf Holmquist basso. These artists will sing the solo parts in the 'Stabat Mater and Mrs Rider Kelsey will be the solist in the Blessed Damo- gel"
 or the distinguished soprano, the New York Mail had this to say last season in criticism of the Messiah oratorio: Mrs. Rider-Kelsey arrives at greater heights with every oratorio appearance and she holds today not only uniuue po- sition in this country, in this field. but she has few rivals in the musical world It is seldom that the same voice is heard to good advantage in both the Rejoice Greatly and 'Redeemer' arias, the latter being one of the best dramatic songs in oratorio. It would be difficult to say in which Mrs. Rider Kelsey displayed the greater art, and not the least of her att tributes is a wonderful breath control which permits her to phrase in a manner of utmost value to the musical context of these exquisite numbers both of which are very exacting'
 The seat sale for the festival is very brisk and it is believed that the Hinno- drome will be crowded to overfiowinr the opening night. The boxoffice is at the Cable piano store.