Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-15

Announcement is made by the presi-
dent and board of directors of the Ru-
binstein Club that Herndon Morsell of
this city has been engaged as musical
director of the club for the ensuing
year. Mr.. Morsell was chosen after
mature consideration of several avail
able directors. both from among Wash
ington and out-of-town musicians. The
choice seems happy one. as Mr.. Nor
sell comes to his new work well equip
ped by his natural gifts, his training
and his wide experience. and the men,
bers are anticipating banner year for
the organization. Also, 1T is gratlfy-
ing recognition of home talent by
representative musical club of the city.
The new director has long been iden-
titled with musical matters of Wash
ington. Being possessed of a tenor
voice of beautiful quality and good
range, he took up the study of music
when little more than d lad under
Prof. Joseph H. Daniels and j. Reming
ton Fairlamb, at that time recognized
as leading instructors of the city. He
sang here the leading tenor roles in
Faust I'll Trovatore.' Bohemian
Girl and other operas, afterWard go
ing to Milan to study with Lampert.
and later to Florence to continue his
musical work under Luigi Nannucinni.
He was heard in concert both in Rome
and Florence. then spent season in
England. During his London season he
was associated with composers of world
wide renown. On his return to America
he made tour of the New England
states in concert. opening in Boston at
the Boston Music Hall with Annie
Louise Carey and Myron w. Whitney,
Howard Dow being at the piano and j.
d. Leavitt at the organ. Then followed
in, xr-hi aH l,o fha
Boston Ideal Opera Company. then one
season with John McCaull and in
THE Red Hussar.' with Marie Tempest
prima donna. Returning to his home
in Washington, he gave concerts with
Henry Xander. Herman Rakeman and
Paul Miersch, and for eight years fol-
lowing was tenor Solist and musical di-
rector at st. Andrews Episcopal Church.
He sang also for a time at the Church
of the Ascension. Trinity Episcopal
Church and at All Souls Unitarian
Church. resigning the last position to
again visit European musical centers.
When he again returned to this country
he organized the Morsell Club, choral
organization of fifty singers. He was
also the first director of the Damrosch
Society and the conductor of the Musi-
cal Art Society at the Mcdowell bene-
At concert at the Columbia Theater. He
is a member of the Gridron quartet
and has met with much success
composer.
Mr. Morsell succeeds Mrs. Apolline
NJ. Blair, who is relieved of the duties
of the dictatorship of the club for this
season at her own urgent request.
Mrs. Blair was one of the organizers
of the club, its only musical director
up to the present time, and for the
past four years she has been also its
president. Under her administration
the club has grown from an organiza-
ton of twenty-odd members to its
present active membership of more
M.
bership of prominent instrumentalists
from local musical circles and an as
sociate membership of generous pro-
portions. To her personal influence
and to her genius as a director the
club owes its present high state of eff
ficiency. which places it easily in the
front rank of similar organizations
throughout the country. Her work as
director of the three clubs-the Rubin
stein, the Monday Morning Music Club
and the Young Women's Christian AS
ISOLATION Choral CTub-and one season.
a fourth. the Emmanuel Baptist Chorus.
has given distinct impetus to choral
music in the city. but 1t has also
proved very strenuous and exhausting.
even to one of her abundant vitality;
hence it Is that years rest at her
English home seems to her just now
the great desideratum.
Miss Helma Chessman. soprano. has
after an absence of two years: When
Miss Cheesman returned to this coun-
try several years ago after period of
study in Berlin with Franz Prochowski.
she accepted a position to teach in the
west, and for the past two years has
been in charge Of the vocal department
Of two schools. the College of, st.
Scholastic and the Sacred Heart In
stitute. both in Duluth. Mimi. In addi-
ton to her class work and private
pupils she organized and directed
glee club and was also frequently
previous to her departure she sang on
three occasions at the Bishops Club.
when she gave Schuberts who Is
Sylvia?" and THE Lass with the
benefit concert at Central High School.
giving an aria from THE Marriage of
Figaro" and again at a concert for st.
Clements Church. when she made an
ton of two German songs. "Wohin?"
and "Serenade." by Schubert. At the
close Of the school year she took an
extended tour through the west. From
Francisco by sea. spending some time
at the exposition, and after brief stops
in Los Angeles journeyed homeward by
way of the Grand Canyon. Colorado
Springs. Denver. Kansas City. st.
Louis and Cincinnati.
Roger ]. whiteford. baritone, was the
onertory soloist last Sunday at the
ScNtrdi presbyterian CnUrcn, Wnen ne
was heard in my Task" by Ashford.
]. s. Thiemeyer is substituting for Mrs.
Harry G. Wilbur, the regular organist,
who is spending the month of August
at Asbury Park, N. J.
Edmund Rheem. son of Mrs Clarence
b. Rheem. president of the Rubinstein
Club, who has already attained some
success as a musical composer, is re-
ceiving the congratulations of his
friends on the acceptance of his first
short story by the publishers of we'll
known magazine. Mr.. Rheem left Fri
day for holiday at Hot Springs, Va.
The organ OF the West Street Presby-
terrain Church. which has been under
going repairs since the choir disbanded
for the vacation, is now in order, and
was used again last Sunday. Mrs. w.
G. Wilmarth. soprano of the solo quar-
tet OF the church, was the offertory
soloist, her selection being My Re-
deemer and My Lord" by Dudley Buck.
She will sing La Farge's Before the
Cross" at the morning service today.
Mrs. Haycock. soprano soloist of the