New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-20
A Choir of 1000 Girls and
Boys-Nearly Twice as
Many Listeners.
POPULAR CLIMAX OF
THE TRENTON MEETING
Plans for Future Festivals Are
Already Under Dis
cussiOn.
BY II. r. KREHBIEI..

drcn's day at the festival In the I'd Regi-
mont Armory to-day and mothers day
all over the town. Four thousand little
ones from the upper grades OF the public
schools. ranging In age from eleven TO
fourteen years, sat upon a gigantic plat
form. which filled one end Of the armory,
reaching from the stage up to the roof.
and sang till the hearts OF nearly twice as
many listeners were wellnigh full TO
bursting. They had an orchestra to help
tfem make harmony, and their own SUI
pervisor of music. Miss Catherine Zsgen.
/ to beat time for them. More than that. a
/ famous singer from the Metropolitan
/ Opera House, after che had stirred up the
enthusiasm of the grown-ups with big
operate arias. remembered them and sang
two familiar songs for their special delec-
/ tation. The singer was Nine. Homer. and
/ the songs which she sang. with her back
/ half turned to the audience so that the
/ little choristers might tho better see her
I face and hear her voice. were Annie
Laurie" and Comm Through the Rye"
Nine Homer sang other songs after
ward and won her way with them into
the hearts of all her listeners. great and
small: but her pretty recognition Of the
claims of the host of little folks, who had
perforce to sit behind her. was more
heart warming than her art songs and
operate airs.
So far as numbers are concerned, the
/ top notch of Juvenile participation In the
music festivals OF this spring was reached
in to-day's affair. The nearest approach
to ii will be made at Evanston. ILL.,. next
week. when 100 children will sing at the
meeting of the Chicago North Shore Fes-
tival Association. At the recent Cincin-
natl meeting there were only $50 in the
/ children's choir; at Syracuse. COO; at Ann
Arbor. 400; at Spartanburg. s. c., 2o0, and
probably about the same number at Sa-
vannah. Ga. or course, largo numbers
are not in themselves of large artistic
/ significance. The public school children
| OF Cincinnati have sung In conjunction
with the trained and seasoned festival
choir in Pierne's difficult cantata. THE
Children's Crusade" and have performed
another cantata in which only their voices
were heard. More than that. fortnight
ago ninety-nine little girls performed the
almost incredible feat Of carrying
voice in Bach's B minor mass. AT Ann
| Arbor last week the Juvenile choir
| sang Benoits cantata. Into the
/ World" TO which the Cincinnati festival
| had directed attention. This is very diff
ferent from singing music like most or
| that on to-day's scheme. and many times
/ better than singing such stuff as the ar
rangement OF the "Miserere" from I'll
Trovatore." which, though wildly applaud
ed, ought to have made the 1udcious
grieve instead The music Of the lugu-
brious choir, the gasping Leonora and
doleful Manrico going to his death was
; all put into the mouths of the little choris-
tiers and reele1 off like a CHEEKY waltz.
/ though the words were heavy with sor-
rowful portent. There was some more
Verdi music later. an excerpt from "Rigo-
letto," and 1t must be set down as cause
for wonderment that the good taste which
prompted so effective, lovely and uplift-
ing a piece as the angelic trio from
I "Elijah"-"Lift thine eyes"-should have
tolerated the operate arrangements. The
I "Miserere," ut least. seems to have been
/ viewed with much seriousness. In one
school at least. / am told. the children
were asked to take II as the subject for
"composition." They were informed that
il was music which the great Caruso sang
/ This seemed a good point for one or the
budding essayists. who triumphantly re-
corded the fact that the "Niserere" had
been sung by Robinson Crusoe 80
A companion piece TO Lift Thine Eyes
was But the Lord Is Mindful of His
Own" from Mendelssohns est. Paul. but
this suffered shipwreck at the beginning
had 10 be started over again, and was at
no time effective. Other songs were
merry June" by Vincent; "Slumber Song
of the River" from Godard's "Jocelyn.'
and Mother Love-" by LOOMS. Very re-
markabe was the precision OF the little
singers and the distinctness OF their
enunciation; but this was more surprising
TO the multitude than to the experienced
few who know that children can be
taught almost anything in which they
take an interest.
The festival came to an end in the even
ing with a performance Of THE Mes
siah." under the direction Of Mr.. otto
Polemann. who has now seen the fulfil
mcnt OF dream which began to haunt
him decade ago. lie has rot only won
the sympathy and cooperation of his col
leagues. but has also enlisted the en-
thusiastic interest of philosophical men
who see in the festivals movement
which promises 10 work nightly for
civic glory as we'll as culture. They are
already talking Of a local orchestra, winch
shall not only purvey the instrumental
music at future festivals. but give popu-
lar concerts IN the winter months. and
even carry the evangel OF good music %
,,bor communities This is an extremely
lofty ambition, but one which VIII cost
much money in the realization. and ought
n be Wondered long and carefully before
action is taken. To find employment Tor
tho musicians who would have to be in
duced 10 make their homes In Trenton
would be a difficult matter. There would
be- little demand for their services as
teachers of their instruments ana there
would he no employment for them In the
theatres. Orchestras are expensive lux
uries the country over.
The solos In the performance OF INC
,roesiab" were sung by Alma Gluck'
co.,,,o praslat. Evans Williams and Her
bert Witherspoon.
Duke of Connaught May BE
Next Lord Lieutenant of Ireland