Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-10-09
AT KENT'S HILL.
A Musical Treat Given 10
Seminary Audience.
Marks Opening Of Season--Is
We'll Appreciated BY Listeners.
Professor Karl C. II. DreehseI New
Director Of Music.

Eent's Hill. Me oct. S-CSpeciaD.-
Seldom, if ever, has the Kent's Hill au-
dience been favored with a musical treat
equal to that furnished Tuesday evening.
by the faculty of the Kent's Hill Con-
servatory of music. This concert really
marked the opening of splendid musi-
cal season at the Seminary. and intro
duced the new members Of the music
department to the public. The audi
torium in Kicker ha,l was filled to its
seating capacity, and the excellence of
the concert was we'll attested by the keen
attention that was given by the audi
ence to each number on tie program,
and the repeated encorea that We're de-
manded. The concert was under the per-
sonal supervision of Professor Karl G..
II. Drechsel, the new director of the
Conservatory, who was successful
concert-singer in Germany for the space
of six years. singing in many of the
most important cities in concert and
oratorio. He has the Very great honor
of having served as "Kammersaenger'
To His Royal Highness Prince Ludwig
most strongly endorsed as singer and
teacher by Frau Cosima Won Wagner,
widow of Richard Wagner the great
composer.
The first number oon the program in
troduced Professor and Mrs. Drechsel in
the famous oratoriO,, Elijah" by Felix
Mendelssohn. This composition was
rendered with such perfect understand
ing, sympathy, and beauty of expression
as to hold the large audience in n tensity
OF attention seldom seen.
In the oratorio. "Eliiah," as In all
Dreehsel sang, he displayed a strong
manly, beautiful voice of brilliant tam
per. With perfect ease he trumpeted
out the dramatic tones, and at the same
great sympathetic softness His inter
probation grasped the whole soul of the
situation. He showed great warmth
and depths of feeling. In all that he
sang he approached his work With the
finest artistic understanding. His inter-
probation betrayed the deep study he has
given to his art. so that the personality
of the man dominates his beautiful
voice, and enables him to adapt h.s tones
and expression to the varying moods OF
the compositions. 1t is little wonder that
Professor Drechsei has won such great
success as n singer both in this country
and in Europe.
Almost never does one find such rare
combination of musical talent as that
sel-husband and wife-both of whom are
musicians of the highest order Mrs.
Drechsei. who is associated with her
husband in his work at kent's Hill as
sang eXauisitelv this evening. is
a graduate of the College of Music of
Cincinnati She was for a time professor
Of music in Georgetown University, and
later in the Lucy Cobb Institute, Athens,
Georgia. She has been student of Sig
norma Tekla Niena, Italy, and of Frau
the Royal Opera at Munich, and of many
other European masters. Mrs. nrech-
sells duet work with Professor Dreehse
in rendering the oratorio. "Eliiah." and
the song. I'm My Garden deserves the
highest praise. Her clear, beautiful
yoice is expressive of the highest artistic
feeling.
The sonata by Beethoven. which Mrs
with such unusual skill, was n compo-
sition consisting of four movements
The first. the Adajio, was fun of heavy
highly expressive chords. followed by
more difficult passages of runs, which
were executed with wonderful skill The
second movement, the Allegro, was one
If restlessneSs, in the midst OF which
was II be heard a delightful melody. car
iied in the right hand and immediately
answered by the left Heavy, passion
ate chords ended this movement The
was. as played by Mrs. Drechsel soft,
beautiful, melodious, and restful The
final movement of the composition is in
minor and here the Presto-brought to
mind the resttessness and turbulence of
the first part. but in the midst of it
there was frequently to be heard a some
what cheerful quietins movement that
gave hope, courage, and joy. The com
position finally ended in the aeitated
tone in which it began. The nterpreta-
ton that Mrs. Drechsel made of this
remarkable sonata was such as only an
artist of the first rank could possibly
give.
Professor Don Morrison, teacher of
violin at the Seminary showed himself
with remarkable touch. Professor
Morrison is former student of Emile
Sauret of the Royal academy and of
Herwegh Won Ende of the Won Ende
Throughout his playing Professor Nor
rison showed an understanding OF music
and sympathy OF EXPRESSION that is
rare to find in any artist. He is not on
~ skilled violinist but composer also
of rare ability. In fact all his selections
TINS, tnis evening s5. Ever Were Of his own compo-
beautiful melody; his Little Dutch
Soldier was descriptive composition
containing a quaint hit of humor; the
carnival was DESCRIPTIVE of pro-
delightful classic gem
Professor Morrison was accompanied
by Miss Margaret Wing. of Waterville,
who is a player with a beautiful touch,
clear and foiid Miss Wing is recent
graduate of the New England Conserva- !
tory of Music, a pupil of Henry Good
rich. who was for II 5ears with the fa-
nous. MaeDowell. Miss Wing was hon
ored by being selected last June to com
pose the music for Glass day at the New
England Conservatory.
The accompaniments for the duet work /.
by Professor and Mrs. Drechsel in rem
dering the oratorio. Elijah" and the
song, In My Garden, We're played by |
Mrs. Ella -. Morse. who has been a |
tan nhar Of in, fhn
many years. Mrs. Morse has a masters
degree from the syracuse University
Her accompaniments We're rendered with
the usual skill of this well-known
tea cher and rnusician