The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-06-07
SYMPHONY CONCERT
DELIGHTS LARGE
AUDIENCE
Program Yesterday After
noon One of Best Ever
Heard in City.
NNU FESTIVAL
E SUCCESS
Last Night Given Over to
Rendition of Oratorio
"St. Paul"
(By Louis U. Rowland.)

CBy Louis u. Rowland.D
With yesterday afternoons program
the orchestra gave it's final offerings
OF the festival, and in comparison the
earlier programs were simply &
tive of the spiritual powers of the or
chestra. There were moments of con-
centrated emotions in the symphony
and in the Tristan music which were
superiatlve in their grasp OF the soul
ana by their intensity. verged on the
painful. '" '"e
II may be but a fanciful thought.
put the orchestra seems to have gain.
ed IN the refinement Of tone. subtletv
IN shadlng and in general virtuosity.
me wood winds especially attracted
attention by their remarkable brilli-
ancy of execution which was repeated.
" demonstrated throughout the vari-
Gus programs. The brasses and drums
also deserve special mention, and al
though Mr.. Williams was given no spe-
ciai opportunity. his reputation as a
master of the harp has long been es-
tablisiled. In comparison with the
other instruments, the violins suffered
IN points of virility and unanimity;
may pe accounted LOT DIV
the m o f players which was
scarcely adequate for balance in the
climaxes
The strongest feature of MIR. Ober-
hoffer's conducting is his wonderful
sense of rhythms which seems so un.
erring as to he fairly uncanny. The
impetus which he gives to his players
even in slow movements carries the
Interpretation inevitably to the very
end and is a very strong element in
the atmosphere With which he sur
rounds each comparison.
In every city MIR. Oberhofer has
been acclaimed for his reading of the
Ischaiko"sky symphony. and al
though we heard but two movements,
they. were so superbly played that one
would have been satisfied with moth
ing else for A program. The Mac
DoWell suite is Drumming with poetic
ideas and has a charity which is not
always to he found in his music. It
is with pride that we can point to an
American composer on a program of
such sterling worth, and we hope to
hear more of MacDowelrs orchestral
works.
The two encore played were Sons
Fa Fenetre" by Lachmaume, and
"Gondolier" by Saar. The Finale to
Rheingold" gave a fitting close to the
llneSt concert OF the festival.
SoIotsts Again Pleased.
The soloists for the afternoon We're
Lucille Stevenson, who sang the LIE
bestod" from Tristan with superb eff
feet. and Cordelia Hulburd pianist.
Miss Hulhurd played LISTS "Hungar-
ian Fantasy" This fantasy. like other
Hungarian pieces by List. is based on
the idea Of the national czardas, a
dance which c%ontrass a lassu or slow
step With the fricka or rapid dance.
The composition is a free development
to two motives which are passed back
and forth from piano to orchestra, and
at the last works up to a brilliant cli-
max. Miss Hulburd has ample tech
mic for the elaborate f%igurations which
are woven around the themes and ac-
quilted herself with great credit, as
was demonstrated by the enthusiastic
applause which her playing evolved.
The final program of each years
festival is always given by the o~ratorio
society which features some famous
choral work. The one chosen this wear
although not SO mature or noble a
work as his "Elijah." is vet included
in the repertoire of all choral socie-
ties n because Of many beautiful
numbers is highly deserving of pre-
sentation. It's tex is somewhat diff
fuse and the use of the German choral
indicates a learning or Bach, who all
ways gave the congregation an oppor
tunity to sing In his church cantatas.
The orehestration is conventional. but
always effective, n eve if the COM
poser rises to no great heights, he
never fails in the qualities of tuneful.
ness and polish.
The soloists were uniformly good.
MIR. Connell's voice is better suited to
the aria. 90 God Have Mercy" than to
the more fiery Consume Them All;"
his duet with the tenor, For so Hath
the Lord" was of the best things
OF the evening. Lucille Stevenson was
consistently reliable in the many reel.
tatives and sang the air, Jerusalem,
Thou That killest the Prophets" in a
way long to be remembered. Miss
Wheat's one opportunity in But the
Lord is Mindful" gave to her audience
a profound sense of the religious i'm
port Of the work, and the same ele-
ment might be ascribed to Mr..
Schenke's beautiful singing in he most
aria of the entire work, BE
Thou Faithful Unto Death.'
Norton Deserves Praise,
The st. Paul" probably contains
more choruses than any other work
of the kind. an it has been no small
task to prepare them for the festival.
The burden Of this undertaking has
been upon the shoulders of William
Wellington Norton. whose capability
is responsible for carrying the society
through a critical year with signal sue
cess. His directing showed complete
command Of his orchestral and vocal
forces. and the chorus has never been
heard to such an advantage, the mum
bers all being performed with rhyth.
mic value and assurance. The audi
ence was noticeably stingy with it's ap-
plause. and IN might expect better
support when local forces are in the
limelight. for eve an abstract body
like a chorus Is susceptible to the en-
thusiasm Of a generous clapping Of
hands.
The general opinion is that of the
best festival Of the six given thus far.
The soloists certainly averaged better
in any previous year. and he tri-
umphal eastern tour Of the orchestra
naturally leads one to feel that It has
improved. The plan of selling ASSOC
ciate memberships has proven exceed
ingly satisfactory. and taken altogeth-
err. the outlook for the future is very
bright.