The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-23
FIRST CONCERT OF
 MUSIC FESTIVAL 4
 BRILLIANT EVENT
Eager and Discriminating Audience Greets Herbert
 Orchestra and Soloists
MRS. ALDRICH MAKES
 HIT OF THE EVENING
Rendition of Tschaikowsky Concerto Eyokes Tremendous Applause. Madame Schumann-H Heink Is
 Given Notable Ovation


 Brilliant music and brilliant audience made the opening concert of Birming- hams music festival the most notable event of It's kind in the history of this state.
 Victor Herbert and his superb orchestra and the soloists-Madame Schumann- Heink, Evan Williams and Mrs. Truman Aldrich, Jr.-were all in their best form, and as for the men and women who thronged the Orpheum theatre they were easily representative of the flower of southern society. It was an eager audi ence, but discriminating withal. There was not a vacant seat in the house, and although the programme was longer than the usual concert programme, everyone seemed to regret that the performance had come to an end. Last nights pro- gramme in full was as follows: Overture, "Leonore," No. S..... Beethoven Aria "Vitelia,", from Titus" ..... Mozart
 Mime. Schumann-Heink. Symphonic poem: "Le Rouet D'Omphale"
 .......................... .Saint-Saens Aria from "The Swan and the Sky
 lark' .Goring- Thomas
 MT. Williams.
 Piano Concerto in B flat minor, Op 23
 .................. .......... Tschaikowsky Allegro Non Troppo Molto Maestoso-
 Allegro Con Spirito. Andantino Sem
 plce. Allegro Con FuQco.
 Mrs Truman Aldrich, Jr. Prelude, Die Meistersinger'' Wagner Aria, "Adriano" from "Rienzi" Wagner
 Mime Schumann-Heink Meditation from "Thais" (violin solo,
 MT. Landau) ..................M .Massenet Lend Me Your Aid (from Queen of
 Sheba'D ...............,...,.-..... ..Gounod
 Mir. Williams.
 Rackoczy March Cfrom "Damnation of
 Faust) .......................... Berlioz Madame Schumann-Heink sang for her first encore Schubert's celebrated and singularly dramatic "Erllsing." Thus it is seen that the first three compositions heard last night were of the classic school, but there was so much melody and such beauty of rendition that the programme from beginning to end was listened to with rapt attention.
 The Beethoven Overture is one of the It is not played as often as Wagner's "Tannhauser'' overture, but it is a great favorite everywhere and finds its way on programmes oftener, perhaps, than any other classic overture. It is full of deli cate, tender and plaintive passages, and 1t was performed last night with rare feel ing and finish.
 Madame Schumann-Heink is not a stranger in Birmingham. When she sang In recital here few years ago 1t was generally agreed that she was the best of them all. The festival audience was prepared, therefore, for a great treat, and it was not disappointed. This great artist received a notable ovation.
 Evan Williams, who sang in one of Bir- minghams former festivals, was received with genuine enthusiasm. He has a most excellent voice and sang as only a tenor of his temperament and perfect vocaliza- ton could sing. But it remained for Mrs. Aldrich, Birminghams piano vlr- tuoso, to create a mighty furore and re- ceive more flowers than she and MT. Her bert together could well carry off the stage.
 When Mrs. Aldrich played Weber's "Concertstueck with the Damrosch or chestra in Birmingham year ago she distinguished herself. It was her first appearance with a symphony orchestra but she made great hit with the audi ence and with MT. Damrosch. But the Weber piece. although luminous and re- quiring much verve on the part of the performer, was small and easy compared with this stupendous Tschaikowsky con- certo. This ladys playing has broad ened wonderfully in the twelve months. Among musicians absolute sureness has long been one of her characteristics. but last night she played with more bril- liance, more emotion and more construc- tive ina gination than ever. From those first entrance chords until the finale she was the perfect virtuoso. Her tone was by turns large and sonorous, liquid like the brook, and velvety. Her passage work was marked by grace and fuency. The cadenza was charmlngly done. In the second movement, which is pastoral and plaintive, the pianist fairly surpass- ed herself In shading and clarity of expression. The last movement is in the dance form, and is oriental and almost barbaric in it's color. It is gorgeously bacchanalian. and made-a a sweeping cll- max.
 When the concerto was ended there was tumultuous applause. Mrs. Aldrich was called out many times The Cham Der of Commerce and one or two other organizations, to say nothing of indi- vidual friends, sent her flowers, and Mir. Herbert read letter to the audience written by Richard w. Massey, presi- dent of the Chamber of Commerce, in which he set forth in gracious and felici- tous language the appreciation of this community of what Mrs. Aldrch Is do- ing for musical art, and In recognition of her vrtuosity. It was the first time that the Chamber of Commerce had de- parted from its established rule of keeping within commercial lines, but as Mrs. Aldrich is fast winning national reputa ton the chamber thought it was as little as 1t could do to send her a token in the way of flowers
 The programmes for the remaining concerts are as follows:
 Matinee This Afternoon
 PART ONE.
 Overture "Carneval" ........ Dvorak Srene and pra ver (fror,' "Tar Erei-