The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-30
Wednesday Club Artists
). Receive Absolute
80 Ovation.
FIRST CONCERT
SIGNAL SUCCESS
Gluck, Homer, Jorn and White.
hill Warmly Applaud e d.
Chorus in Splendid Voice and
Pastefnack nducte
Metropolitan Orchestra
Brilliantly.
ny w. pouGLAs GonnoN.

w. NV
When the mighty strains OF Tschai-
kowsky's "Sclavic March" rang out a
triumphant iinale to last seasons Music
Festival OF the "Wednesday Club. it
seemed that the very pinnacle of the
clubs artistic success must have been
reached. but with only one concert OF
this. It's nineteenth annual festival,
brought to brilliant close, 1t yet
stands established that last years sue
cess was but forerunner Of greater
things.
With larger chorus than ever be-
tore in the history Of the club. four of
the foremost singers of opera in Amer
ioa, an orchestra OF NIFTY from the
forces OF the Metropolitan Opera. under
the mastery direction OF josef Faster
mack, and with a program compos ID Of
arias. songs. duets. trios and cnoruses
SO varied as To appeal to every pos-
sible taste. the first concert of the Sc
rles was given last night before the
largest audience that mas ever well
comed the Wednesday Cluo. Its chorus
ana Its artists. And before an audience
that enjoyed. drank in. almost reveled
In, every note that was sung or played.
from thu trumpet call that ushered in
the overture to Wugner's "Rienzi.
with which the program opened. to the
hnnl chord of the laughing, light cho-
rus from Won Fiotow's Martha" which
closed. all too carly. the first concert.
Crowds Well Handled.
Taking advantage OF the lesson
earned from the confusion attendant
'pon the Tetraz2ini concert, the police
handled the dense and hurrying traf-
JIG 10 the utmost satisfaction; the
Iall bore as near IA resemblance to a
concert hall as decorations could COM
-el IL to. and wise manayemcnt
1!osed the doors to the auditorium at
he moment that SIR. pasternack
mounted his LITTLE platform, so that
All the physical aids to Il sympathetic
atmosphere that were possible were
cent to those who came TO listen and
;here remained to make it perfect
only music. And that was forth
coming, joyous. tragic, ringing. sing
ing, ioud and soft, heavy and light
dramatic and simple. pathetic and
powerful. solemn and charming--in
plentiful, bounteous. overiiow;ng
abundance 1t was poured out to the
most radiant. satisfied and grateful
aJiience that even the Wednesday
Club had delighted during the faith
full years of its efforts. To President
Coriey and to the men of the board
OF governors who have labored with
him are due thanks most profound
from the community for that which
they have achieved.
One In Thousand.
OF Mr.. Pasternack and his orchestra
II can be said. as Yet. only that they
are the same musicians as those who
aided In making last seasons festival
so satisfying, for, except for the
opening overture. there was no
orchestral number from which to
judge their ability. and we can lie
guided only by our memory OF their
exquisite work of last year and by
their very beautiful accomplishments
OF these, 1t is difficult 10 sneak
moderately. Speaking positively, Mr..
Pasternack is one accompanist in a
thousand as is established BY inc fact
that he is the favorite conductor of the
Sunday concerts of the Metropolitan
people; speaking relatively, remember
ing Victor Herbert ana his brutal or
chestral bullying of ms Singers, Mr..
Pasternack is sublime.
The chorus. as has been said, is
laTser than at any time since the Or
Sanization of the club. ,tni ..oui. i:
Wci,zui. for years the accomuanist
OF the club. ana now its director, has
succeeded in making them produce a
tone oi much beduty--ncVer Il VEIL Dut
always tone And this is greatly to
Mr.. Wcitzei's credit. for most OF The
members Of his chorus are new nom
hers Of the club. and, while this fact
probably accounts To some cXten. for
youthful freshness and buoyancv If
quality. il must OF necessity have add
ed greatly TO the difficulty of his work
in training them. The sopranos, in
particular, sang eXceedinSly Well ."hev
produced a great volume, SUIT again, il;
Was volume of tone. not of noise,
and they sang the notes as they we're
written, without ''swoop" or a glide
portamento. if YOU like. which is, all
very well for a soloist, but was never
intended for choirs.
Wonderful Chorus
In the first number for the chorus
there seemed To be Il little uncertainty
of attack. especially with the M, II,
but that was doubtless due 10 tn. fact
tina; 1t was INC first number and that
they we're accustomed 10 MIR. Weit2cl's
conducting and not to Mr. Faster
nack's; or II may nave been because
the men were nearly on level with
the orchestra. instead OF above them.
as were many OF the women. ana IN
singing through it, as IT were. failed
TO get their voices over. as did the
sopranos. The criticism is hyrcr-
critical anyhow, so it Win he dropped.
The fact remains that the chorus
sang as it has. rarely. if ever. sung
during the nineteen Years of the club $
existence, and :ha, Mr., WcitZel mer-
its hearty and utstintcd praise
This first number spoken of was the
Prize Song" and Finale from Wag-
ner's Die Meistersinger." with Karl
Jorn singing Walther and Clarence
Whitehill singing Hans Sachs. Meth
or OF these artists had sung in Rich
mord before. and both OF them re-
coived the warm applause 10 which. rs
strangers. or visitors. they were en-
titled. But, before even this number
was concluded, they had become ia