Connecticut western news., 1914-12-24
CANAAN CHORAL SOCIETY
Report Submitted by President Gillette
 at Annual Meeting.


 Society, at the annual meeting of the Litchfeld County Choral Union, at Delmonico's. was as follows:
 have the honor to present the re- port for the 10th year of the Canaan Choral society. It is an honor to be continued in the presidency of such an organization for the 10 years of its his tory and l appreciate not only the good will and confidence of the Canaan chorus, but also the privilege of being associated in such capacity in the affairs of such splendid organization as the Litchfield County Choral union. The Canaan chorus began rehearsals on the second Tuesday of January in 1905. The first season we gave concert in our little town hail, singing Codes "Erl Kings Daughter" and two shorter numbers. There was also miscellaneous concert by the soloists and orchestra of eight pieces from New York.
 The next season we gave the "Mes- siah" and the following season the "Elijah. This year there was an af- ternoon concert of orchestra and solo, ists besides the evening concert, giv- ing us something of a May festival. These local concerts were greatly en- joyed and by this time we had won our place in the union and the Canaan people have since had the greater privilege of enjoying the great concerts in the Music shed. During this period the chorus has enjoyed Mir. Paine's training in "The Redemption, the Golden Legend" "The. Hymn of Praise, "the "RequiemMass, "" Faust, !" "Samson and Delilah, "Arminius, |" Messiah, Elijah" and the new works of our honorary members-a splendid repertoire with which to have degree of familiarity. These 10 years of work have had marked effect upon the chorus and the music loving people of Canaan. Our appreciation of these privileges knows no bound and our thanks to Mir. and Mrs. Stoeckel means of expression. The annual meet ing and social took the form of re- cognition (not exactly a celebration) If this 10th anniversary. We invited MT. and Mrs. Stoeckel and MT. and Mrs. Paine to be present and their presence added greatly to the pleasure and the | significance of the occasion.
 During the 10 years there has not been the slightest sign of tagging in terest, and today the chorus is as large and loyal as ever; and we expect new members this coming season who will more than make good the few losses which are inevitable. Last season our total enrollment was 105, three more than the previous. Our final enroll ment was just 100 (six more than the year before.) Our average attendance was S9.5, which is our highest record. On the basis of 100 this is S9.5 per cent. Tie aggregate attendance was 17o1. The one hundred members missed on an average two and three tenths rehearsals. A smaller number than usual, II, were perfect. Not a large number, 2S, missed only one. We have never given additional invita- tions to those who have been perfect in attendance, but we expect to do so next year. Eight of our members came from Ashley Falls and Sheffield: eight from Clayton, Canaan Valley and East Canaan and three from South Canaan. We have lost most faithful and loyal member in the death of Mrs. Henry O. Clark, of Sheffield. She had been a member for five seasons and since join ing the chorus had missed only two rehearsals. She was very active in in- teresting other singers in the town of Sheffield and had been a great help to us in many ways. @
 The members of the Canaan chorus were most enthusiastic about the work of last season. It was joy to them to review the Messiah" and the stirring, martial music of Arminius' caught the fancy of all and we were glad to be chosen to sing in that concert. There was striking parallelism between the chronology of "Arminius' and the Messiah. If we take the usual his 1 tory of each we find that Arminius de- parted the Romans the year following that in which the boy Jesus was taken to the temple at the age of twelve. Arminius was 27 at that time and Christ was 80 when he began his public ministry and 33 when he was crucified, while Arminius was 37 when he was assassinated, just 10 years before the crucifixion. Because of this striking parallelism and more especially because of the subsequent events of the year, it was an interesting circumstance that we should have caused that stirring apostrophe to the Germanic military hero to be followed by the singing of that most beautiful interpretation of the Prince of Peace. But lest l be tempted further along that line of thought will stop with the assertion that surely neither Arminius or the Messiah could ever have had more heroic interpretation than was given them at Norfolk last June.-Edwin Carlton Gillette.
 Rev. Goddards Report.
 Rev. John Calvin Goddard, president