The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-07-13


concert unless it has a membership Of
at least twenty-five.
The Solo Singers.
The grea chorus will have several
solo singers along, but these will not
be the high priced type, but will be
selected from the different organiza-
tions by competent Judges and they
will act as ~soloists for the great
chorus. All OF the plans were well
worked put and it is believed that
there will be no hitch. Tt is believed
that the trip will be one of the most
pleasant and hat there will be more
than 300 singers make the trip.
Some of the Organizations.
Some of the organizations that will
be represented in the Norway trip and
will take part in these separate con-
certs are as follows: The Pacific
Coast Norwegian singers, The st. Paul
singers, the Minneapolis singers, the
county (Iowa) singers, the Red river
Scandinavian singers, the Brooklyn
singers and others.
The temporary committee having
the trip in charge made a most elab-
crate report and the sangerfest asso-
citation adjourned at / o'clock this aft
ernoon to meet again shortly after 2.
Concert Last Night.
Very nearly 5000 people from all
parts of the northwest assembled in
the great auditorium at the rear of the
Masonic temple last night to hear he
splendid programme presented for the
first concert Of the eleventh biennial
SangerfeSt of the Norwegian Singers
association of America. The latter
was represented by a body of nearly
1000 voices made up from singing
societies at points in the northwest
and middle west, the Norwegian Sing
ers' league of Chicago being one Of
them. For two years, since the time
Of the s~angerfest at Sioux Falls, s. D..
in 1910, the singers of the different
societies have been submitted to a
long series of exacting rehearsals, with
the result that the ton quality and
~gradations between the softest plan
issimo and the strongest fortissimos
are well nigh faultless. Last night
these qualities with precision, intelli-
gence in phrasing, and vigorous
strength without coarseness were
points Of excellence demonstrated by
the fine body of singers during the
several grand choruses given under
the skillfulIy manipulated baton in
the hands of Emil Biorn, a postmaster
in the art of directing. Always there
was perfect confidence in the vast
audience when Mr.. Biorn was facing
the singers.
In the programme last night the
singers were assisted by two soloists,
Mildrid /. Romsdahl, soprano; and
Gustaf Holmquist, the accomplished
and versatile exponent of the basso
cantanta style of singing. Mr.. Holm
quist, always a favorlte here, no mat
ter whether 1t is in mere song recital
alone, or as a soloist in presentations
Of the great ~oratorios, or In a sang
erfest, like last night, is always at
perfect ease in the work he under
takes. His first appearance last night
was in a prologue, by L~eoncayallo, but
it was in his singing of the solo part
in the last number on the programme,
Grieg's Landkjending, that MI. Holm
quist displayed his wonderful interpre-
tive powers, manly, virile and dramat-
ic at every point. He also appeared in
a group of light compositions which
included Knud Harvard, a ballade by
Neils Gade. He was given an ovation
by the audience and the singers and he
responded with that smile and gra-
cious bearing which are only Mr..
Holmquist's.
Miss Romsdahl showed that she
has progressed wonderfully since her
last appearance in this city a year or
| two ago. Her rich and vibrant voice
was easily heard to the most remote
corners of the vast auditorium. In
her rendition of her first number on
the programme, Hear Ye Israel, from
Mendelssohn's Elijah, where she had
the most to do, she displayed a wealth
of one and a range of voice that has
not been heard in Fargo for a long
time. Later in the programme she ap-
peared in a group Of dainty compost
tons, one Of which was in English,