The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-23

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square crown was encircled by a
band of velvet in a darker shade of
grey. the ends of which were Joined
at the left under a fiat bow and fancy
buckle. which held a touffe of coque
feathers-the latter Of pure white.
Very appropriate would this be for
wear with a tailored suit.
The Research club will meet with
Mrs. T. G. Whiteker on Friday even
ing, October 20, at her home, BIG East
Eighth avenue. A Curious Evening
is promised.
A Harvest Home convert will be
given at the First Baptist church Fri
day evening, October 30. The Harvest
cantata by Garrett, with a chorus of
twenty-five voices, assisted by Mrs. E.
G. Hughes and Mr.. Glenwood Jones,
will be given.
The Minerva club will meet with
Mrs. B. w. Putnam, 1882 College ave-
nue., Monday.
The Parkhurst house, Ninth and Ty-
Ter. SO admirably adapted for and so
often the scene of notable entertain
ments, welcomed a smart company yes
terday afternoon for the musicale given
by Mrs. George w. Parkhurst and Mrs.
Robert Diller Carver to introduce Miss
Ethelyn Harrison, pianist. who fur
nlShed the program, assisted by Mrs.
Parkhurst, soprano, and her nephew
Mr.. Dana Parkhurst, baritone. The
program was of unusual artistic merit.
Miss Harrison played an interesting
group of preludes, Mendelssohn's opus
35, number /, and Chopin's numbers 1,
Is and 20 of opus %. a Sinding Caprice.
Chopin's opus 81 Scherzo, and compost
tons by two of her teachers, BurmeisI-
er's Persian Leid and Madame Car
reno's Teresita Waltz and did it all sur
passingly. Her performance left no
question of her muSicianShip. In addi-
ton to unusual digital dexterity, the
well-developed technique of years of in
dustrial application under the best
masters, she has the intellectual quail
fications of a thorough musician, and
the personality which makes for sue
cess in concert work. In spite of a
masterful touch and a strength and
freedom of execution almost masculine
her playing has certain delicate,
elusive quality, especially in her inter-
pretations of Chopin which is essen
TALLY feminine. Miss Harrison is as
attractive personally as she is gifted
artistically and is decided acquisi-
ton to Topeka's musical and society
circles. The circumstances that brought
her here for the winter are regarded as
a happy chance. For a few years she
has been teaching piano in the Ottawa
university, Ottawa being her home
town, and she had intended to go to
the Pacific coast, where she had con-
cert offer, this fall but came to Topeka
here and open studio. Miss Harrison
began her musical education with Mrs.
Ella Backus Behr in Kansas City
and afterwards studied with Edward
Mcdowell and Richard Burmeister in
New York, finishing in Europe with
Madame Carreno.
Rivaling in interest Miss Harrison's
performance was the song-cycle of
Amy Woodforde- Finden, On Jheluln
River, given by Mrs. Parkhurst and Mr.
Dana Parkhurst, and heard for the
first time in Topeka on this occasion.
The cycle is a beautiful thing, poetical
in conception and of exquisite
rhythmical and lyrical quality and was
perfect medium for the vocalists,
whose voices are particularly harmon
ious. Mr.. Parkhurst is a young singer,
a pupil of Herman Springer, who has
not sung much in public here although
he is better known in Kansas City
where he has held church positions.
His voice was surprise to many who
heard him yesterday. It has a beauti-
full quality, and he sings with feeling
and intelligence. He had two solo
numbers in the song cycle and sang,
with Mrs. Parkhurst, the duo numbers
in the cycle and an additional duo,
GOlZ0 ) OdlIn dS the Might. MIS-. PARK
hurst sang delightfully."-, of course, and
the cycle gave her an especially good
opportunity. for it is the sort of thing
she does perfectly. Not soon to be for
gotten was her first solo in On Jhelum
River. the gay wedding song with its
under current of pathos, which the
singer suggested so exquisitely. Mrs.
ParkhurSt grows more beautiful every
day and one can not meet her without
the feeling that she has learned some
mysterious secret of living denied the
majority. Yesterday she was looking
lovelier even than usual in a gown of
yellow tissue over satin with gorgeous
silver embroidery trimming. Her
| daughter, Mrs. Carver, who played the
accompaniments, was in white tissue
over pink with an embroidered applique
border in rose bud design. Miss Har-
rison was in yellow mousseline decol-
| lete gown. The program was given in
| the attractive music room on the third
| floor, and number of members of the
| Ladies' Music club and some young
| girls assisted the hostesses.
| The occasion brought out number