The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-02
LAURELS FALL ON
GLUCK AND AMATO2
Perfect Work by Orchestra and
Chorus Brings Storm Of En-
thusiasm and Applause From
Crowd That Fills Vast
Structure-Two Con
certs To-Day.
ny W. DOUGLAS GORDON.

After the brilliant success of last
years May Festival most OF us felt
that the Wednesday Club had reached
the highest point OF it's development, II
but when last nights concert was con-
cluded-all too soon-we knew that
the achievements of last year and OF
the sixteen years that had gone be-
fore had been only steps toward the
goal which has been reached in this
the eighteenth annual music festival Of 4
this great organization. ~
We heard last season the chorus.
Wonderfully trained by Tall Esen Nor
gan, sing Gounod's "Galla" and the
"1niiammatu s" from Rossinrs "Stabat i
Mater" uplifted by the soaring beauty
of Nine. Jomellis glorious voice; We
heard it In the majesty of Mendels-
sohn's greatest oratorio. inspired BY
the impressive dignity and power OF
Frank Croxton's Elijah" and we be-
iieved that the club had attained It's
height.
Enger to Reach Higher.
But the governors OF the club wer. +
not content With untlring energy ana
zeal and almost unbounded ambition. \
they began to plan md work for this
music festival. They persuaded Arthur
| Scrivenor. who. though not profess
sional. is the most scholarly and COM.
petent musician in the community ~
undertake the laborlous work of train
| Ing tho chorus: they induced Miss Jean
TrigG. OF Petersburg, a singer tea che s
and musician OF high order of ability.
10 form and train a chorus In her own;
music loving city to sing with the
Richmond chorus; they appointed Il
music committee. consisting OF AR
| Scrivenor, Captain A. B. GuiEon. one
OF Richmond's nblcst ano most CON-
scienttous music critics, and Al IT,
spicer' for several years secretary or
the CLUB. and they gave this commit
tee practically free hand in the seIec-i
ton of the artists and in the making
UP of the programs &
After weeks Of work this comnit-a
tee made It's report and the govern K
ors accepted and adopted IT. and set
20 work TO put It's recommendation a
Into effect. j
In part. last nights concert showed
the result Of the weeks and months (
OF hard. patient and faithful work ON
the part OF these men and OF the men
and women who form the chorus and
an amazing. almost stupendous, re-
suit 1t was. AK
A Wonderful Audience. i.. ii3i
Before house practically sold ont 1.
stretching from the stage in unbrokep
rows almost to the last line of seats
with not vacant seat in the balcony.
tho chorus. not large. but perfect in
tone. an orchestra OF musicians from
tho Metropolitan Opera, directed by III
one OF Its most eminent conductors. n
one OF the most charming lyric So Ii
pranos of the Metropolitan stage ana 5.
one of the worlds great baritones &
gave out all that was In them OF s
music. of melody and OF harmony. 2
Beginning with the wonderful over Y
ture from 'Tannhnuser' and ending
with strauss most perfect waltz, tho
program was n thing OF sheer; delight.
The great auditorium rang and sang
ana thrilled with tho inspired works..
OF Wagner,Eof:a Parker, OF Elgar, of
Verdi, Of Mozart, of Leoncavalio.L OF
Arditl and Of Strauss: All music-mu-stl
sic OF the highest. the purest, the most
sublime II is impossible to speak
moderately of the orchestra under the
magnetic baton OF MIR, Pasternack #
orchestra's Work Perfect.
with satisfying abundance OF
strings of an exquisite tone and a irsts,5
violin whose work was not short Of
mastery an abundance of brass. ard %
a perfect quality of wood wind, this
Organization played with a completes
ness. a musical oneness that Is usually
heard only from an organ. and with
infinitely more depth, power ana
volume. Tho Ride OF the Valkyrtssn55i
from Die Walkure,'i was in 5itselt q.
whole evening OF pleasure. and IL is
doubtful II we have ever heard an or u.
chestra respond to q conductor as did
this one in Strauss's waltz Time and \
again Mr. Pasternack radically
changed the tempo and yet each In H,
strument followed ms one man with 5
him Mr.. Pasternack's accompaniment
We're also liberal education-beyond !
suggestion of criticism. n ,,e
The chorus. as has been said, Is not IS
large, but its quality is better than IN RI
years and Mr.. Scrivenor and Miss
Trigg have trained 1t so as to produce y
a tone, not a Yell Its attack Is almost *
perfect. and most noticeable Of all ii II
the fact that 1t does not scoop I'D to q
Its notes. but strikes them fairly in
the centre of pitch. Again, Its soft s.
work 10 particularly good, The '.Hora Il
Novssima." with its majestic strains.
and diflicult fugue movements was Sex. II:
cendingiy we'll done. but the "Spanis.,
Screnade." OF Edgar, syncopatcd In d
time and sitbdued and moderate In ~
spirit-the hardest kind OF choral
lwork--was most admirable. Mr.. scriy4i Az