The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-05

stitution do for a town 1t Is safe
to say that nobody who heard its
symphony orchestra will ever forget
the NAME of Minneapolis or think of
the city except with gratitude and
respect.
Mr.. Middleton Not Able to Appear.
The matinee audience was much
disappointed at the failure of Mr..
Arthur Middleton, the basso of whom
SO much was expected, to appear.
telegraphed for when it was found
that Mr.. Middleton was too i'll to sing,
obligingly consented to take his place
and gave Mr.. Middleton's number,
ternoon and supplied the bass solo
parts for the Rose Maiden at the
evening concert. Mr.. Wallace is an
excellent singer and his interpreta-
ton of the Pagliacci Prologue was
brilliant and effective performance.
Mr.. Wallace is we'll known Kansas
City concert singer and teacher. He
studied with Leoncavallo, the COM
poser of I Pagliacci, and his interpre-
ton of the favorite solo number may
be considered authoritative. The Don
Juan duet, which Mr.. Middleton and
Miss Louise Orsmby were advertised
to sing Tuesday afternoon, was cut
owing to Mr.. Middleton's illness and
in place of it the orchestra played the
Mendelssohn Spring Song. In spite of
nor COIu NlSS oTSiIlDy sang ltit al
from Carpenters Louise and was
heartily received. Miss Ormsby has
an excellent voice and sings with
great feeling and intelligence. Mr..
Carlo Fischer, the 'cellist who was one
Of the afternoon soloiStS achieved
distinct success with the audience. His
performance revealed marvellous tech
meal requirement and high interpre-
tative abilities. Mr. Garnet Hedge,
who sang the Arioso from Pagliacci,
familiar to everybody who owns
grand opera photograph records, as
the evening concert, has a good voice
and keeps to the best ideals of his art.
The audience was particularly pleased
with him.
Although Mr.. George Barlow Penny
| now calls Kansas City his home, he is
still regarded as a Kansas institution
| by those who hold in grateful remem-
brance his many years of devoted SER
vice to the arts in this state, and when
| he appeared to conduct the perform
ance of Governs Rose Maiden. for
| which he had drilled a Washburn
chorus of seventy, he was greeted with
cordial applause. Mr.. Penny is one
of the notable figures in the artistic
| life of the middle west and no man
Kansas. To his mission he has
brought not only wide knowledge
and fine appreciation of the arts and
remarkable versatility. but also the
| greatest generosity ana the most WON
| derful artistic unselfiShness.
| Artists, it must be admitted, are as
a rule, selfish, jealous lot, but there is
not a spark of meanness in Mr.. Penny S
mental composition. He puts other ar
| lists forward, always, he is the most
kindly and the most enthusiastic of
critics, and it is only necessary to as
sure him of sincerity of purpose to win
| his interest and support for any artistic
project, regardless of his own personal
advantage.
| Therefore it is deeply to be regretted
that the disturbance caused by the
| restless members Of the audience who
| left during the last number Tuesday
Penny's chorus in its notable perform
ance of The Rose Maiden. 1t was a
| splendid chorus, perfectly balanced,
| thoroughly trained and with the visit
| Ing vocal1sts in the solo parts, Miss
| Orsmby Miss Plumb. Mr.. Hedge and
Mr.. Wallace, and supported by the
great Minneapolis orchestra, gave a
| memorable rendition of the beautiful
| Cowen cantata. Mr.. Penny directed
the soloists, chorus and orchestra and
his reading Of the score was compre-
| hensive and impressive The chorus
work was particularly worthy and
some exquisite effects were obtained.
| 1t is pity that so many of the au-
/ dience so far miStook their real tastes
and inclinations as to imagine they
cared LOT music TO the extent OF Duy-
ing ticket and going to the concert.
No one who cared for music or had
the best interest of Topeka at heart,
would have interrupted a meritorious
number in which seventy local must
| clans and professionals of note We're
h engaged, except for the most urgent
reasons.
/ After the performance, with char
acteristic unselfishness and sweetness,
Mr.. Penny said: ST was very, very
sorry on account of the visiting artists,
orchestra and the soloists, but for my
own part I am glad It was our num-
Der which was disturbed instead OF
one of the orchestra numbers or, in
particular, Mr.. Klingenberg's concerto
The cantata requires only an hour and
a quarter, and it was only few min
utes after IL when We brought it to a
conclusion, cutting some of the solos
and particularly good chorus fol
women's voices, on account of the
restlessless of the audience. 1t does
seem as If the people might have re-
manned quietly in their seats until the
program was finished out of respect
! to our distinguished visitors, if for nc
, | other reason. Once year. is surely
not often to give a full evening to mu.
SIC"
Not Money Maker
The musical festival was not a mon.
, ey-maker. It barely paid expense.
t and there will be nothing much ovel
for the pipe organ fund. But 1t /.
planned to repeat some of the festi
| val features at a noD1lar r1rica concar