Connecticut western news., 1910-06-09
ANNUAL
 FESTIVAL.
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Fifty- five of the Canaan chorus sang in the rendition of the Mass, and for the HiawaGha music their places were taken by the same number from the Salisbury choir, members from all the choruses, thus, for the first time, singing in the regular concerts.
 The orchestra was made up much the same as in previous years, except that the familiar figure of MT. Sigismund Beinstern was missing. There was larger proportion of members of the Philharmonic orchestra, who have been trained under the great Mahler. It was a grand orchestra and did splendid work throughout.
 Work of the Soloists | Concerning the artists, Mime. Alma Chuck of the Metropolitan opera com pany was the soprano. Hers was new voice to most of her hearers and she won all hearts by it's clearness and her charm ing personality. Litchtield county audi ences have learned not to be too suscep- tible, but when they do take singers in- to their hearts they always welcome their return. Mime. Gluck's work throughout was fine.
 Herbert Witherspoon made his first appearance before Litchfield county audience in the Messiah" concert at Winsted in 1903. He is an 'old favorite' who yet has the fire of youth. He has rich bass voice and knows how to use it. Thoroughly master of his score, artistic and dramatic in interpretation, his sing Ing was convincing at every point.
 A Grand Tenor
 George Hamlin, one of the great tenors of the country, sang for the first time with the choral union at the concert at Winsted in 1904, when the mass was first sung by the union. He is always welcome to the Litchfield hills. From the opening solo strain of the tuneful "Kyrie eleison" through all the difficult quartet, trio. duet and solo work he maintained hls high reputation and his high standards, both in the quality of his tone-full and strong and i'll his artistic workmanship. His singing of the melodious "Ingemisco, tanquam reus" was of high order.
 Mrs. BaiIey's Good Work
 When the mass was given before, Mime. Homer was the mezzo-soprano and it seemed as though it could not succeed without her. All awaited with interest the singing of Miss Margaret Reyes, but an attack of tonsilitis pre- vented her presence. Mrs. Gertrude May Stein Bailey was secured for this difficult part. Hers is one of the few voices fitted for the mezzo- soprano of the mass. She sang it ill Hartford several years ago with MT. Paine's chorus. Her reputation as one of the leading oratorio singers in the country was well sustained in the Norfolk rend- ering. The work abounds in parts for the meZzo-soprano, as tradition says that Verdi was ill love with a mezzo- soprano singer when he wrote the mass. S. and purity of tone and proved herself true artist.
 Mime. Nero Scores Triumph Mime. YoIande Meros name was new to a large part of the audience, but it will be long ere it is forgotten. Her playing of the great concerto by Tschaikovsky was remarkable for sus- tained power, broad tone and beauty of expression. It takes a great pianist to prevent piano becoming insignificant and trivial in an orchestra of this size, but she gave it full dignity and beauty. Her encore was the last part of Liszts Hungarian Rhapsody"
 Hiawatha MasterIy Given
 The music of Hiawatha admirably fitted the text. Weird and picturesque j; oftimes extremely recititfve, yet depict ing with masterlY skill the force of the composition. Barbaric at times, 'tis true, but illustrative in it's primitive trend of simple people, living close to natures great throbbing heart.
 Orchestrally, its descriptive elements are fundamentally human, with hfe's comedy and tragedy artistically blended, exquisite in interludes, subdued, yet admirable in tonal effects, on the whole, it presented with the chorus, we'll balanced unity.
 The chorus work would have been hard to surpass. Sympathy, feeling, expression and limpidity of tone. with perfect sustentation through even the longer passages, marked it's completeness and added charm upon charm to its exquisite rendition.
 The work of Fritz Kreisler, the violin virtuoso, proved his mastery of that wonderful instrument of tonal interpre- tation. Under his wizard touch there eminated strains of delightful harmony, dignifed, majestic at times, and, withal, heart searching and far-reachinp in its