New Britain herald., 1916-06-10
SINGERS GATHERING ENDS AT COMPOUNCE
400 Visitors Brave Weather to At
 tend Closing Event
JUDGES ARE STILL GU T

Rehearsal and Concert Has Not Yet
 Been Awarded But Will Before Day
 Ends.
 The biennial musical festival and 1 convention held by the American Union of Swedish Singers, eastern di- vision, was brought to a successful
 end today with an outing and general i get-tO-g -gether party at Lake Conn., bounce. Despite the bad weather,
 which has, however, failed to dampen 1 the enthusiasm of the delegates or to prevent them from fully enjoying themselves during their stay here full ly 400 attended the outing. Dinner was served after which dancing was enjoyed, bowling and other games in
 dulged in and by the more daring,
 boating was accepted as a form of
 recreation.
 Visitors Are Leaving City.
 This morning some of the visitors
 from distant cities left on early trains
 for h home and all during the day others
 have been leaving, either by train or
 by automobile. A few of the visitors
 will remain for the Week-e end.
 It has been extremely unfortunate that the weather should have proved
 bad during the visitors entire stay here, but despite that handicap it is the unanimous opinion of the guests that this convention has been the most enjoyable that they have ever attend ed. The various Swedish clubs and social organizations as we'll as the convention headquarters have been open during their stay and local Swedes have stopped at nothing which would make their guests stay a pleas ant and memorable one.
 Award Prize This Afternoon.
 This morning, shortly after Il o'clock Fritz F'ridel of New Haven, J. Pearson of Boston and John He'll berg of New York, comprising the judgment committee, met and began a careful examination of the attend ance records of the various singing so- cieties at concerts and rehearsals It was tedious job and after complet- ing their work the judges planned to leave at once for Lake Compounce where they would announce the socie- ty having the best average attendance and the prize trophy would be award ed, presumably by President John F. Peterson. At press time the judges had not completed their report for presentation to the convention.
 If such is possible, the concert last evening was even superior to that of the opening night There was some expressed that the Arpi Sextette of New Britain did not sing again and the absence of Miss Gladys Hedberg, soprano soloist, was also noted with regret by the audience. Miss Hedberg, a mosr charming young woman with an equally charming voice made a decidedly favorable impress sion in her initial appearance on night.
 Mime. Sunderlius, the Superb.
 But it is to Mme. Sundelius the su- perb, justly classed with Jennie Lind, the Swedish Nightingale as the Swedish Mocking Bird, that great pralse must be given. Mme. Sundelius, herself member of the MetrOpoli- Iah opera, is the' equal if not the peer ol any or the soprano sOlOists appear Ing III Acnerlcan opera today and if ever an artlst was appreciated and idolized by her audience it is she. | Madame Sundelius has a rich clear voice of wonderful range and won derful control and her singing is such ] that her audience is held spellbound, | by her remarkable ability. l Her very appearance on the concert l stage is signal for thunderous ap- plause and if ever a sOloist received an 1 ovation without precedent here it was Madame Sundelius last evening. Her I voice is one that her listeners never | tire of hearing and her several se- lections and generous encores served | only to arouse the desire of the hun dreds hearing her to have her con- tinue
 Madame Sundelius' first offering | last evening was ''Vallpigelat' and l 'Skogen Sofver," each of which was very good, but her two folk songs, Tanker Du Att Jag Forlorader Ar" and "Fjorton Ar Tror Jag Vist Att Jag Va," where even better inasmuch as they brought out the personality Which she is able to bring into her work. Her final program number,
 Se Saran Rose,' was excellent and her closing encore, the best of all. It was a farewell melody and as the singer turned her back to the audi ence and faced the 400 singers massed on the platform hush fell over the l house. AS the final strains of her voice died away the entire chorus arose as one, throwing their hats in the air and shouting the praises of the singer. Mme. Sundelius was en- cored for several minutes and had to bow her acknowled gements several times.
 Joel Mossberg, baritone, was also at his best in his selections He had to respond to several encores each time and his Largo Al Factotum"