The Detroit times., 1911-04-18
A TINNY PIANO DOESN'T
HELP THE SHEFFIELD CHOIR

The Sheffield choir OF Sheffield. Eng,
succeeded In filling the Light Guard
armory, Saturday evening, with the
largest audience that has gathered
within It's barren spaces during the
current musical season. The crowd
was made up largely or loyal sons and
daughters and grandsons and grand
daughters OF England, Scotland and
Canada. who applauded vigorously the
body of singers which has been her
aided as one OF the institutions" OF
the old country.
AS long as the North American con.
tinent has the Mendelssohn choir, OF
Toronto, there Is nothing TO fear from
the invasion OF the Sheffield body. The
splendid Toronto organization has not
been In Detroit. mores the pity, but
many Detroiters have journeyed spe-
cially to the Canadian city to hear the
choir and felt well-repaid for the GO
ing. The Mendelssohn choir Is a much
superior body Of singers to the Shelf
field and quite as well-tralned. The
program offered by DR.. Henry Coward
and his singers, Saturday evening,
made no demands that could not be
met by any ordinary church choir, with
the possible exception OF two numbers
|-Elgar's Song OF Mine" and Knyvett.
|Stewart's Bells OF st. Michael's Tow
/ err" the latter the best choral effort
4 OF the evening
The choir numbers about 200 sing
|ers, men and women. II has evenly
balanced sections in the voices, but
with peculiarly shrill and unpleasant
|quality in the sopranos. The gods OF
Beauty and Beamlng Intelligence were
|singularly stingy In their fayors to the
members. Likewise. in this mad whirl
|of a worlds tour. apparently. no time
has been allowed, in the itinerary, for
Ia visit OF the ladies' gowns TO the laun-
dry. Their garb was composed OF
collection of shirt waists
band skirts supposed TO be white, but
Booking very much the worse for travel
land as though they had not been
f'tubbed" since leaving 'ome.
While the choir sang the scores cor.
|rectly enough and followed DR.. Cow
BIRDS baton faithfully their work was
|ifeless. II was sea OF expressionless
Faces. The words, love, hate. Joy.
badness and whatnot, meant all the
same thing, evidently.
Robert Charlesworth, the basso. re-
leemed the soloists from mediocrity.
lie has a good voice and sang his
numbers with considerable tempera-
nent and musical feeling. His appear
hnce was the most enjoyable moments
bf the concert. Henry Turnpenny. the
Tenor, attempted a Lohengrim aria
which proved too much for him and
he final notes were anywhere but on
he pitch. Miss Gertrude Lonsdale
bang her contralto numbers correctly
md distinctly but with the same lack
BIZ expression that marked the others
Hiss Jennie Taggart, the soprano,
credited on the program to the Covent
iabden opera, seemed TO please the
audience with Comm Thro the Rye"
rhe soloists were handicapped by a
Eery bad piano, tinny and out Of tune.
md by an accompanist who ratified
long at his own gait, with the singer
rotting along in single harness.
There remains but one more import
int, large. musical attraction for the
rmory--the visit OF Miss Mary Gar
en-, Thursday evening, April q, an
vent that should be as artistic a.
uriosity-draw wing, in view OF Miss
farden's reputation.
MAE lIAuvTIInD