The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-05
From an Artistic Standpoint 1t Was
All That Could Be Desired.

Ill <AILSliC oAtAAupOllb II Ne-o
All That Could Be Desired.
Difficulties and disasters, unavoid-
able with new undertaking, at
tended the first May Musical festival
in Topeka, and yet the event would
have closed in a blaze of glory had the
audience so willed. Three of the So
loists, Miss Esther May Plumb, con-
tralto. Miss Louise Orsmby, soprano
and Mr.. Arthur Middleton were suf-
fering with colds. Mr.. Middleton had
so severe case of tonsilitis that he
was unable to appear and Miss Plumb
and Miss Orsmby sang only with the
greatest effort. The train on which
the Minneapolis Symphony orchestra
arrived was late and the Tuesday at
ternoon concert was delayed more
than an hour on this account. The
Washburn chorus waited at the au-
ditorium from 10 o'clock in the morn
ing until 5 in the afternoon to re-
hearse with the orchestra, 1t was
after when Mr.. ALI Klingenberg, the
piano soloist on the Tuesday evening
program, learned that the orchestra
instruments and the piano were not
tuned to the same pitch and the piano
would have to be retuned or his num-
Der omitted. The chorus had only one
rehearsal with the orchestra and Mr..
Klingenberg had none at all.
And yet, be it repeated. the May
Musical festival was a brilliant sue
cess-except for the audience, and
the condemnation is for that part of
the audience that should have been
there and wasn't as we'll as for those
who rudely got up and left during the
last number, The Rose Maiden, given
by the Washburn chorus assisted by
the festival soloists, Mr.. George Bar
low Penny conducting. A worse ex-
hibition of bad breeding could not
have been imagined. 1t was deeply
to. -
the audience to have the visiting ar
lists get so bad an impression of To-
peka as this incident must have given
them. Before the Rose Maiden was
half over people in the balcony began
filing out and before the final chorus,
at least half the audience had depart
ed. There was a great clatter and
confusion, of course, and it was evil
dent that the visiting artists did not
know what to make of it. The muSi-
clans in the orchestra looked at one
another in some alarm as If to ask If
the building were on fire, and it is
really surprising that the vocalists did
not refuse to sing in the midst of such
disorder. 1t is greatly to be regretted
that the festival, which had been SO
signal a success from an artistic stand
point. eliminating in the splendid
program of Tuesday night, was spoiled
by this unfortunate discourtesy. Some
times it does seem as if we might pay
less attention to morals in this town
and more to simple courtesy 1t might
be that if we took care of the man.
| ners, the morals would take care Of
themselves.
| The one consolation that remains to
ease the smart of humiliation at the
behaviour of some of our concert-goers
is the fact that we may still point with
pride to Mr.. ALI Kingenberg, the one
local soloist on the festival program,
ll- "a hn orn Of oil ho~ no -
ians. Mr.. Klingenberg's performance
with the orchestra of the List E
fiat concerto was the most brilliant fea-
ture of the festival and his admirers
in Topeka have never had reason to be
SO proud of him.
| The List concerto is a test of musi-
cianship under any circumstances and
as has been said. Mr.. Klingenberg had
no opportunity to rehearse with the
orchestra, because 1t was discovered af-
ter o'clock that the piano must be re-
tuned and there was a chase for a
tuner and no end of trouble to get the
! job done in time for the concert. Take
this into consideration. and imagine the
nervous strain under which he must
have been struggling, and then remem-
Der the pianist's masterful perform
ance! 1t was little short of marvel
GUS, and If anything could redeem To
peka in the eyes of our visitors last
! night Mr. Klingenberg's virtuosity
/
! Does Topeka realiZe-have We ever
realized-what a remarkable man this
ALI Klingenberg is and how absolutely
miraculous it is for a small, provincial
western town to have retained the ser
vices of such an artist for six years
In addition to the responsibilities of an
important department of Washburn col
lege, where he is dean of the school OF
fine arts, Mr.. Klingenberg has pupils ir
piano who occupy his entire day. Ye'
| with all these and all DIN,
| ties he is able to keep up his concer;
| playing to such a standard that or
brief notice, he can play the List T
fiat concerto with one Of the notable
without a rehearsal and without tn,
score, and with such a display of vir
Ituosity, such evidences of technical and
ltemperamental gifts of the highest or
der, as to win the immediate artistic
recognition, and the most enthusiast,
praise from so finished a musician a.
Mr.. Emil Oberhoffer, the conductor O
the Minneapolis orchestra. Mr.. ODER
hotter and the members of his orchestrs
were astounded and delighted at Mr.
lKlingenberg's wonderful performance.
And praise for Mr.. Oberhoffer 1.
praise indeed. For here Is one of the
greatest artists in America and tht
Minneapolis symphony orchestra 1.
second to none Of the great musica
| organizations which have given con.
certs in Topeka. The programme.
Tuesday were of the greatest merit
and interest. They were marked BY
earnest purpose. by reverent ad.
herence to the letter and the spirit OF
the text and by high degree Of
technical proficiency. And one mar
must be responsible in great degree
for the remarkable work of the
orchestra-Mr. Oberhoffer To the
rapt observer he seems to hold hi.
men in the hollow of his hand A.
an interpreter he proved himself ar
authority. The Schubert B minor
(the Unfinished) Symphony, the
Weber overture. the Hungarian Marcel
of Berlioz, the two numbers of tbs
Peer Gynt suite, the Liszt Hungarian
Rhapsody (number ID, the Tam
hauser overture. and the List con
certo, were models of tradition ant