Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-21
Music

Closing May Music Festival Concerts.
Again did the Minneapolis symphony
Orchestra, and Mr.. Emil Oberhoffer, Its
inspiring conductor. bring upon itself the
hearty applause OF a full house. when
yesterday afternoon. the fourth concert
OF the festival was given.
The program opened with the overture,
der Improvisator," by d'Albert, which
was heartily received and enjoyed. Then
came that well-known and ever-gratifying
music OF the Rustic symphony of Gold
mark. In this number the orchestra was
30 appealing, and the conductor so full
OF exaltation, that together, they brought
the audience to the highest pitch Of en-
thusiasm. So much, so that an encore was
given, in which some of the most remark
able pizzicato chord-work was presented
1t almost seems impossible that such a
body OF strings should give the picked
string chord with such perfect simultan-
sousness
In the Characteristic Dances from the
famous ''Nutcracker Suite of Tschaikow-
sky, that master of orchestral effect and
possibility. the effect of the music on the
audience was simply bewitching. In the
first place 1t was interesting indeed to
hear Chinese" dance, written by a
Bavarian, born in Munich. with an orches-
ira from Minneapolis, u. S. A., (Which is
closely related to that fair land OF
6weden).
In this suite. some fine flute playing was
incidentally noticeable, and the dance of
the TOY Pipers," brought into use a
new instrument called the Celestial"
which Tschaikowsky was the first to EN-
ploy In the orchestra, Qf the writer is
not mistakenly. At any rate 1t was very
effective, being a kind OF a medium be-
tween piano, a xylophone and a dull
elmer, partaking somewhat of the nature
of each and yet not resembling any with
disunctness. It has a sound as distinctive
as Vox humane or Vox Coelestis on the
organ, and as heavenly as its name i'm
plies.
This instrument was used again in the
'Stories from the Vienna Woods" OF
Strass. mot Richard, of "Salome" and
"Elektra' fame).
The orchestra made big showing in the
Hungarian Rhapsody OF Liszt, a great
favourite with Omaha people. and 1t was
greeted with enthusiasm; this gave an in
teresting ear-glimpse, as It were, of fine
solo work on the part OF a clarinettist and
also some finished harp-playing.
The soloists were Miss Marietta Bagby
MIR. Arthur Middleton and Mr.. Carlo
Fischer Miss Bagby has good material
In the natural resources of her voice, and
she showed an earnestness and sincerity
In her work. which would tell much bet
ter II she got out of that dark" sombrC
quality, which so many American con
traltos and mezEo-sopranos seem to con
slider the acme Of good tone production
Miss Bagby, when she does this. will les
sen the prospect OF acquiring a perman
ent vibrato, which she is now In dangel
OF doing. There is so much good materia
there, and such apparent earnest sincerity
that this criticism is Offered In the kind
est spirit, and for the singers own good
Mr.. Middleton again made a profound
impression by his artistic singing, his nobI
voice, and his intelligent and musIcianl,
use, Of it. He sang "She Alone Charmetl
My Sadness" instead OF the number pro
grained giving that number In turn as al
encore. But nothing short OF a double
encore would satisfy the audience, an,
Mr.. Middleton gave 1t.
The playing of Mr. Carlo Fischer at
traeted, as usual, the earnest attention O
the audience and he was given prolonge,
and spontaneous applause even after hi
encore. He was In fine form and playe
most artistieally.
In the evening the concert opened wit
the Lyric Suite OF Edward Grieg An
what a splendid idea II was, and how
got one into the frame Of mind 10 liste
10 Mr.. simms and his singers tell tn
stories OF the Northland- That Greig musi
Is simply irresistible, alluring. dominauR'