The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-20
oFEST|VAL
 IS GREAT SUCCESS One of Most Enjoyable Bir- mingham Has Ever Had LARGE ATTENDANCE
Damrosch and His New York Sym phony Orchestra in Perfect Form While Soloists and Chorus
 Do Excellent Work

Birmingham has had many music festl- vals. many of them embracing a period of several days but yesterdays one-day affair at the Jefferson-afternoon and evening concerts, with the Damrosch or chestra as feature and with a brilliant quartet of vocal celebrities as another feature and splendid drilled chorus of 40 voices under the direction of Rienzi Thomas as still another feature-will long be remembered q particularly artistic and enjoyable tone attraction. In some respect it was the most enjoyable of all. Walter Damroseh and his famous New York symphony orchestra were in per- feet form and these vocal artists-Graee Kerns, soprano Merle Tillotson Acock, contralto; John Campbell, tenor, and Milo Piece, baritone-constituted an especially pleasing group. Miss Kerns has beauti- ful voice and her artistry was equal to the roles in the cantata-Sullivan' s 'Goden Legend. Mrs. Alcock is a great artist. and she achieved a distinct triumph. Signor Piece received an ovation at the matinee and Mrs. Alcocx was equally sue cessful in arousing the audience to high pitch of enthusiasm These were the two programmes.
 Afternoon
 PART I.
 Symphony No. } (3eethoven).
 Allegro con brio.
 Allegro (Scherzo).
 Allegro. Presto.
 Rosary Aria from La Gioconda' CPon. ohiellD. Mrs. Merle Tillotson Alcock.
 sylvia suite Delibes); (a), Les Chas- seresses: fbl. Nalse Lente; (cl Pizzicati.
 PART IT.
 Overture tor Rienzi"
 Good Friday Spell from "Parsfal" (vio- lin solol MT Alexander Saslavsky
 Song to the Evening Star, Signor Milo Piece.
 Sounds of the Forest from "Siegfried. '' Ride of the NaSkyries from "WallIure" ]" Evening:
 The Golden Legend (Sullivan): (a), An dante Cantabiie from Symphony No. , Crschaikowsky); fb) Valse (Tscha- kowsly).
 Air from '.Le Nozze de Figaro" CMoz- art). Miss Grace Kerns
 Electra's Lament from Les Errynnies" (Massenep
 Violncello solo, MT. Jacques Renard
 British Folk Songs and Dances (Grain- ger).
 tNew-First Time) (a), Molly on the Shore (b), Irish Tune: Co, Shepherd s Hey.
 The orchestra was remarked for it's eX- cellent string section, it's excellent wood wind section, its excellent brass section
 
 Saslavsky, the coneertmeister, who ap- peared as sooist in the afternoon, played the Good Friday Spell' from "Parsifaf with clean cut technc purity of tone and moving appeal.
 The chorus did splendid work and re- flected high credit upon Birmingham anu the director, MT. Thomas. "The Colder Legend" was a happy selection indeed In the opinion of many it was the mos beautiful choral composition ever suns here. The orehestration is so modern ano so rich in color to greatly enhance the general effect of the voice ensemble The English horn is used conspicuously in the accompaniment and in combina- tion with the mellow horns the effect is at once quaint and religious.
 No chorus was ever distinguished for better tone quality. The womens voices were as fresh and sweet as a sprine morning and the men acquitted them selves admirably well. The intonation oi the entire chorus was well nigh perfect Every part of the cantata was enjoyed by the music loving audience Especially beautiful was the chorals and thos, Gregorian tones
 The theatre was crowded from bottom to top at both concerts, and the festival was a very decided financial success.