The Washington herald., 1911-05-11

The Rubinsteln Club. of Washington,
Mrs. A. NJ. Blair conductor, closed its
season last evening with a brilliant con-
cert in the ballroom Of the Arlington
The audience Of associate members and
guests filled the auditorium.
The soloists were Miss Rosalie wirth-
ling. contralto, OF New York, and Dorothy
tombstone Baseler. harpist. Of Philadel.
phia. The club, which Is we'll known
among the music lovers Of the city as one
Of the best organizations In the country
composed of 100 women soloists of the
city, gave its best concert. Their tone
and shading were exceedingly beautiful
and the volume and quality would be
difficult to improve.
Their enunciation was uniformly good,
and the finish of their phrases shows the
great care taken by the conductor in re-
hearsal. and her skill as a leader.
Has Glorious ContraIto.
Miss Wirthling has a glorious contralto
voice. of much depth and richness, great
volume and range. Her first group of
songs. consisting Of Die Mainacht," by
Brahms: "Auf Flugeln des Gesanges, "
Mendelssohn, and "Sehnsucht," by Won
audience. 1t was in the second group,
consisting of Autumn" by Halle. and
who Knows and MY Love He Comes
on the Skee." by Clough-Leiter, that she
made her greatest hit. 1t was especially
with the Clough-Leiter songs. more par
ocularly the latter one, that Miss wirth-
nngs voice showed it's greatest beauty
She sang these two songs gloriously.
They are very beautiful songs, written
by former Washingtonian. for years
organist in the Church Of the Epiphany
and well known here as Hal Clough-
Letter. Miss .Wirthling sang extra songs
after each group in response to the en-
thusiasm Of her audience. which was a
critical and an appreciative one. After
the first group she sang Rogers "A
Love Match" and after the last one
she gave charming rendition of Governs
"A Birthday"
1t was quite unusual to have a harp
soloist, as this is an instrument seldom
selected for solo work, perhaps because
the players are limited in numbers and in
Skill Miss Baseler is one of the most
accomplished artists in her class She
has superb instrument and handles 1t
with great skill. She plays brilliantly
and tenderly. and always has her harp
In perfect tune. She played the accom-
paniments in two of the clubs numbers.
ITO Music" and I'm May" but in
neither was 1t effective. as the chorus
Is much too large in volume of tone for
one string instrument to be properly
heard
Harp Solos Beautiful.
The harp solos. however, were most
beautiful She played the Venetian bal
lade of Saint Saens: Ancient Menuette"
of Hasselmans. and Am Apring Brun-
men," Of labels. and the audience not
being satisfied. she played for encore
Gounod's "Au Printemps," which was
one of the gems of the evening. and in
response to more demand, she played the
tender little Scotch ballad. Bonnie Sweet
Bessie, the Maid Of Dundee" which was
most pleasing.
1t would be difficult to saw which one
of the clubs numbers were the most sue
cessful The lights and shades of the
first one. Rubinstein's Song Of the
Birds" were done with fine finish and as
one voice. "Schubert's ITO Music" a
work of much sincerity and beauty, was
sung by the chorus with too much vol
ume to be entirely beautiful, for 1t lays
much in the medium voice. just about
chorus was too heavy to show the beauty,
Of the solo and the soloists voice. The
work Of the harp was also lost in this
number.
The most difficult number for the
chorus to do well was the Strauss waltz
Wine Woman, and Song" arranged for
voices. which required much
hard work to be done with the delicacy
and sure attacks which were pronounced.
The tone quality of the sopranos and
altos is especially to be commended. The
most artistic work was probably done in
The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" by
which was given with the most
delightful pianissimos and richness OF
tone, the quality never lost in the softest
tones.
The programme closed with Horatio
Parker's I'm May" rich in harmonies and
color.
Miss Wirthling will give a song recital
this afternoon in the Arlington, before
the active. associate, and honorary men,
bers of the club.