The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-18
ADJUSTMENTS.
-Academy-Dark.
Academy-Dark.
Bijou-"The Gambler and the Po-
Iice.''
COlOnial-yaudeytlIe.
Empire-Miniature Musical Comedy.
Lubin-N audeville.
.'The Messiah SplendidIy Sung.

Moving toward the fulfllment of the
purpose for which il was organized
some twenty years ago. the Wednes-
day Club presented last night at the
City Auditorium HandeTs The Mes
siah." that great oratorio in which the
voice of the composer is as the voice
of a great multitude. and as the voice
of many waters, and as the voice of
many thunderings. saying "Alleluia,
for the Lord God OmRipotent reign
eth
For the first time in more than ten
years, the Wednesday Club gave
public performance at a time other
than at its formal May Festival. and.
therefore, also for the first time in
more than ten years moved forward
toward the goal which was set before
ii by it's founders: the singing of the
great works of the masters upon such
occasions as the chorus-the Richmond
chorus-might be prepared to sing
them. II was not intended that the
chorus. which is the Wednesday Club
in its truest sense. should form a mere
background for the exploitation of I'M
ported sOloists once d year. it was
never contemplated that the OrganiZa-
ton OF local singers should be confined
to the chanting of more or less trifiins
part songs or to the hurried per
Torrance of excerpts from opera
choruses. while the visiting artists sat
in silent boredom or hurried off the
stage
The wednesday Club was formed as
an oratorio society. and IT was expect
ed that as such il would take the lead
in making familiar TO the people the
mighty works Of Mendelssohn. Haydn.
Handel. Bach and the other great men
who aided in creating a new heaven
FOR those who hear" by writing choral
music
Hence the Wednesday Club was but
moving bravely and admirably along
its appointed path last night when il
broke away from the chains which
custom has bound about IL for years
and sang The Messiah" at a midwin-
ter concert. BraveIy. because the
whole work was given By local mu-
sicians and singers. and admirably be-
cause 4 was. In many respects. one or
the finest concerts that the club has
ever given--certainly during my day
And. before going further. let IL he
understood that the Richmond Phil
harmonic Orchestra is 10 be included
with the Wednesday Club. equally with
il indeed in considering tho perform
auce last night This purely amaterf
organization is conducted by W. Hen
" Bake. who j. also this season d.
rector 81 the wednesday Club. anc
the two bodies seemed last night 50
completely unified. 50 thoroughly IN
sympathy. that ore - tempted TO treat
the two as one organization. as Mr..
Baker succeeded ~ making them aD-
pea
Every musician BOZ the orchestra
every singer IN rhe chorus. and every
soio.st WHO took part in las; nights
concert is o. resident of I.ichuond 90
of u.s. !u.raiiate vicinity. and. with thr
exception - % rev leaders % "choirS
lr TIE orchestra and ~ one or two 90
TIE soln.sts. every one is an amateur.
frl in some four weeks ~ rehearsal.
Al HaTsr suc,~ coded in drilling these
men and women to a point - prof
cheney faat has rarely been surpassed
iu tnc history 20 the GLIB. some
fsgEeI spots were TO be detected. %
course 81 occasional hesitsncv % al
tack. chiefly among the fenors. sew
rral tImfe among the hasses. was OBJ
served. and there was q noticeable
Weakness ln tho alto lire. But on
fre other hand. the chorus SANG with
moro fcrvor. more volume. and with
more evenly balanced t0ne-excepi Tor
fhe weakness Of the alto--than J can
recall having heard from the CLUB
This Impression - balance was large
iy due no doubt 90 the fact that for
the rraf time In YEAS flars Uaa a.