The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-04-26
CREATION. WAS
COMPLETE SUCCESS
GREAT oRAToRIo PRESENTED IN
EXCELLENT MANNER BY FAR
Go.MooRHEAD PHILHARMONIC
CLUB UNDER ABLE DIRECTION
OF PROFESSOR STEPHENS.

The Fargo-Moorhead Philharmonic
club won the hearts of all in the large
audience which gathered in the audi
toTium of the First Methodist church
last night to hear Haydn's great ora
torio, The Creation. With two eXcep-
tons, the solo soprano and the solo
tenor, h production was given by
local talent.
The Creation was splendidly given,
the sOloists, the chorus and orchestra
contributing alike to the success of
the evening. At all times the chorus
and orchestra never failed to live up
to the expectations of A. J. Stephens,
who conducted the Haydn score in
almost faultIess style. 1t is to him
that the major part of the evenings
success is due. The ~soloiStS did re-
markedly well. Miss Clara Williams,
soprano, Of Minneapolis, sang superb
ly and at times was impressive. J.
Austin Williams, also from Minneapo-
lis, fulfilled the tenor demands ade-
quately, and his artistic work was
thoroughly appreciated by the audi
ence. Fargo's own baritone, Bertrand
Alan Orr, proved fully equal to the
occasion and his difficult r~ecitatives
were performed in excellent style.
The orchestra was made up of an en-
semble of the best local material at
the disposal of Director Stephens and
he prepared the players as we'll as the
chorus. The instrumentalists con-
sisted of professionals and the pick Of
he amateurs in the city. 1t cannot
be denied that the instruments were
great factors in supporting the voices
and even though there were some
rough edges at times it must be called
to mind that 1t was not a paid body
and it was impossible for the conduc-
tor to command all that he would
have liked to have commanded in the
way of rehearsals-however. last
night, Mr.. Stephens inspired his dis
cfples to give their best and it was
evident that many of the leading play
ers were familiar with the score and
intentions of the The
splendid work of the orchestra was
demonstrated in the introduction, the
first chorus, And the Spirit of God:
and especially so in the solo and cho-
rus, The Marvellous Work. in which
Miss Williams acquitted herself SO
beautifully and maintained the high
c so perfectly and ef~fectually.
In the aria, With Verdure Clad, Miss
Williams won her laurels for the even
ing. she has not a robust voice. but
one OF remarkable. sweetness and il
was so we'll exercised last night that
1t was no wonder the applause was
so VigorouS-there was no mistake in
the quality of the expressions of an
pToVal. There was a repetition of
her splendid reception, following her
artistic renditions Of the recitative,
AND God said, Let the waters bring
forth, and the air, On mighty pens.
her voice in all of her numbers rang
clear and bell-like over the orchestra
In Fargo here she confirmed the repn-
tatton she has earned in so many
places That she is one Of the very best
opponents Of the Creation music in
northwest. During the evening Miss
Williams was the recipient of a mon
ster bouquet of roses.
Mr.. Williams, the tenor. and Mr.
OfT. the baritone, as hass been said in
quirements with displays of execution
al ability. They proved themselves
perfectly at home in oratorio. some
times Mr.. Williams was thought not
perfectly In the best of voice, but one
uhquestioned authority placed con-
siderable blame Il the acoustic prop
critics of the building, something which
with a little attention NAV be over
come. In his rendition of In Native
Worth he won hearty and very gem
u1ne applause, which is the second
or the only two airs he is called upon
10 sing. 1t was generally conceded
that Mr.. Williams is a satisfying
tenor, probably more so in other music
than that of The Creation of which
there is SO much of the r~ecitative.
Mr.. err added many more friends to
his already large list of admirers in
Fargo by the work he did. He was
a. surprise n he clinched a success.
He, too, according to the demands of
the score, had an immense amount of
recltatiye work to do and all of it
was done well. He won his spurs
in the magnificent rendition of And
Goo Created Great Whales, and the
following difficult recitative, And the
Angels Struck Their Immortal Earps.
There was no mistake about the quail
ity of his reception. His renditions
provided musical enjoyment.
At the great organ was Hubert X.
Beard, whose accompaniment proved
important factors to the production of
The Creation and he was a valuable
aid to the orchestra.
The production was an achievement
of which everybody in Fargo may well
be pround Of and 1t was no wonder
last night that so many tarried behind
for the express purpose of ~congratu-
lating a. ]. Stephens, Fargo's master
full conductor.