Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-06-01
A Large and Appreciative Audience
Attends Unusual Musical Pro-
gram at Armory Opera
House.
EVERYBODY IS cAprIvATED
The Most Important Musical Event
in the Annals Of Webster
City.

The biggest event musically
which ever occurred in Webster City,
was the Minneapolis Symphony or
chestra concert at the armory opera
house Friday afternoon. The peo-
pie of this city have heard some Of
the greatest instrumentalists and vo-
calists in the musical world
Schuman- -Heinke, Alice Nielsen, the
Kniesels, the Barrere Ensemble, etc.
In the famous Cook courses Of past
seasons, but never before have they
had the rare opportunity Of hearing
SO many artists at one time as was
afforded by yesterdays concert.
A big audience greeted the per-
formers. Music lovers of Webster
City and the surrounding towns were
glad to avail themselves Of the op-
portunity Of hearing probably the
finest orchestra in the United States,
which opportunity was provided
through the persistent personal eff
forts of w. H. Cook and ]. A. Boeye,
the latter being secretary of the COM
mercial league.
From the first clear birdlike notes
of the clarinet in the Overture to
J. r. -. q - . a.
Mignon to the last vocal note Of the
quartet Of artists who accompanied
the orchestra, the audience sat spell
bound listening to the perfect rendi-
tion of masterpieces. Bursts Of ap-
plause followed each number on the
short program-and this was one in
stance when brevity was not well
coined by an audience. Contrary to
the custom of the best orchestras,
several encores were responded to,
which was matter of comment, de-
noting the recognition on the part
of the performers of the genuine
appreciation with which their inter-
pretations were received.
Only about fifty of the eighty
members of the orchestra were pres
ent in this city Friday, but were
all the stage could accommodate. The
perfect unison and harmony of each
part of the Incompatible whole
should not be matter of wonder,
when the fact is pondered that each
member of the orchestra is finish
ed artist, the combined beauty and
strength brought to wonderful
completion by such director as
Emil Oberhoffer. To many who par
ticularly enjoy orchestral music, the
conductor Of an orchestra is the
piece de resistance. Without such a
conductor as Oberhoffer this orches-
ira would not enjoy its present rep
utation and vice versa.
The rendition of the Overture to
Mignon was to many the best num-
ber on the program, although the
Largo movement from "The New
World Symphony" following the first
number was a thing of exquisite
beauty, the incompatible pianissimo
notes by the string and wood wind
instruments being beyond descrip-
tion. Indeed, more like the breath
ing of soft wind, or the soughing
of wind through grasses at times
family heard, then dying away
swelling and rising until the theme
which is said to have been Dvorak's
inspiration is brought clearly to the
mind of the listener.
To those who are lovers of Grieg's
compositions, the Peer Gynt Suite
was dream Of delight. The twit-
tering of birds at dawn in "Morn-
ing was not more enjoyed than AMI
tra's Dance. delicate oriental pict-
ure, or "In the Hall of the Mountain
King" in which every instrument oi
the ensemble, but especially the VIC.
Inns, united in weird Interpretation
of the gnomes and spirits, the wall.
ing and shieking Of which were en-.
tirely discernible. Both the Nocturne
and the Scherzo movement, which
were excerpts from the music to "a
Midsummer Nights Dream" were
enthusiastically received by the aud