Connecticut western news., 1914-08-06
MUSIC-LOVERS DELIGHTED
Distinguished Artists Heard in Norfolk
 Concert.

DIStinguiShed Artists H card m Norfolk Concert.
 Twenty years ago it was the privilege of the writer to attend the first of the annual concerts given by Miss Eldridge in behalf of the Norfolk Home Mission. ary Society. It was memorable musical event. Each successive year has added to the popularity of the enter tainments. Each concert has been better than that of the preceding year, until one began to wonder how the artistic standard could be maintained and improved upon. Miss Eldridge, with great resourcefulness, has risen to the occasion, each time, and her audiences have never been disappointed, until the concert of last. week seemed equal to perfection and the impression of the whole was enrapturingly beautiful.
 The unique feature of the evening was the rendering, from the belfry of the church, of nine familiar selections, by Albanos's quartette of trumpeters from the Metropolitan Opera House, of New York. Among these selections were Luther's Hymn and Mendels- sohn's Evening Song" AS the strains of music foated over the festal scene, enhanced by the ropes of scintil- lating light which extended in all directions, one could contemplate with pleasure the emancipation from puritanical rigidity when even the music of the human voice was, in some instances, debarred from the old New England meeting house, and so elevat- ing and ennobling an occasion entirely unknown. It seemed as if Nature and Art had formed an alliance to produce the best possible result. Within the auditorium, the decorator had devised an arrangement whereby the eye was as much pleased as the ear was to be delighted later. Asparagus ferns were festooned from pillar to pillar and gracefully caught at intervals by knots of gladioli. | Charles Heinroth at the organ is always delight and his rendering of the overture from "Der Freischutz, '' the epoch-making work of Won Weber, career, and the succession of contrasting motives in Jarnefelt's "Praeludium, '' showed woll his versatility. MT. Heinroth. also conducted in a most satisfactory manner.
 | To one who had not heard Miss Edmunds for five years, the marked improvement in her intonation was almost incredible. She possesses a voice of luscious quality and evenness I of, tone. It is the old story of knowing how to use one's talent being as import ant as having the talent to use. Great masters, gifted by God, have created works sufficient for the soul $ adoration. Handel said of the Messiah, 1T did see God when I wrote it. " Evan Williams rendering of "Behold and See," from the Messiah, made his hearers feel that they had been drink ing deeply of the divine essence which flows through all art. MT. Williams very kindly responded to the repeated applause by singing most acceptably, Schubert's "Serenade.
 Most of the audience heard for the first time Mime. Gerville-Reache, the distinguished contralto, and all listened breathlessly because of her soulful and convincing manner of singing. Her delivery is replete with true musical instincts and warmth of expression. She was heard in beautiful interpre. | tation of "Mon Occur S'ouvre a Te 1 Voix," from Samson and Dalila, he1 rendering being of the most adaptable kind, broad and impassioned, o1 sympathetically melancholy as the | nature of the composition demanded. She was also heard in duet with MT. | Williams.
 Miss Vera Barstow is young violinist of extraordinary ability She has left hand of rare suppleness and agility and draws a warm, appeal ing tone. Her interpretation both il solo and accompaniment, proclaims hel an excellent musician. Mrs. Annie Louise David and Miss Barstow played the Meditation" from Thais, delight fully.
 It was an evening of triumph fo, Bruno Huhn, both as acomposer and al accompanist. His choice of Donald Chalmers to sing his. ''Invictus" was certainly not misplaced. MT. Chal mers' rendition was stirring anG effective.
 The other artists who contributed tc the success of the evening were Miss Marie Stoddart, soprano; Miss M Gwyn Jones, contralto; MT. Graham Reed, baritone, and Thomas H Thomas, tenor, all of whom were heard in the chorus work
 As the entertainment closed one could but echo Wordsworth's s sentiment:
 'The music in my heart bore
 Long after it was heard no more"
 J. B. R.