The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1916-06-08
Music Festival Goes
Beyond All Records

enjoyed in the Normal School audi
torium Tuesday night, when the Chor-
al society, assisted by four artists
from out of the city, double quartet
of mixed voices, a trio of selected
womens voices and the North Dakota
Festival orchestra under the direction
of Dean Eugene woodlands, presented
Mendelssohn's oratorio, Elijah" as
the 1916 Musical Festival.
Altogether it was one of the most
delightful occasions of the perform
ances given by the department of
music during the past school year.
The small festival audiences of the
previous day increased to five or six
hundred as townspeople began to rea-
lize that though there was no expen-
sive out-of-the-state talent on the pro-
gram, Dean woodlands and the other
members of his department had con-
structed program probably second to
none of it's kind heard here before.
The audience placed the large chorus
in fine fettle to begin with and their
efforts sounded more like the strains
of large organ, so we'll prepared were
the members, so precise in attack, and
well informed on the fine points of the
piece as whole.
Special mention should be made of
the tenors and bases, who small in
number, made their work effective,
nevertheless, and produced we'll
rounded organization. The choruses
well featured the work of the entire
evening.
Then there were the solo artists.
Miss Florence Hedstrum sang the So
prano parts very we'll, and yet she is
just recovering from an operation on
her throat. Valley City people take
pride in the work of this young artist,
and hope to hear her again before very
long. Predictions made for her when
she left to advance her study have
come true. This was given ample evi-
dence in her appearances her this
week.
Nine. Edna Swanson Yer Haar, con-
tralto, was delight, pure and simple,
performances of Tuesday. Nothing
less than Is selections released her
from the afternoon program, and she
was recalled time and again in the eve
ming. AS in the instance of the pre-
ceding artist, she has a pleasing per-
sonality that adds much to artistic
ability. AS was said Tuesday after
noon, mothers weep when Nine. Yer
Haar sings lullabies.
j. Glenn Lee, as tenor soloist though
having less opportunity in the oratorio
than some of the other soloists, gave
entire satisfaction and showed much
io;o nj oh hi1Sku Thn b-
said of Frederick Southwick, on whom
as baritone soloist much of the work
of the evening fell.
A double quartet consisting of Mrs.
Knute Froysaa, Miss Elizabeth Clark,
Mrs. NJ. C. James, Mrs. w. T. Craswell
and Messrs. McMullen, Hunt, Steven
son and Meyer, sang For He Shall
Give His Angels Charge Over Thee"
with much effect and showed again
the possibilities of the local talent at
disposal here.
The trio, consisting of Misses Rae,
Aldahl, and Bubletz, sang Life Thine
Eyes" They were recalled to sing it
again. These three young ladies rep
= resent the department of public school
music at the Normal school, and dur
ing their attendance have become
prominently known locally, both about
the school and in the community. All
three young ladies are to be compli-
mented not only on their work as
trio this year, but on the fact that they
go out next year as music supervisors
in the larger cities. They have ex-
empli6ed the possibilities of the work
of this department.
Then there was the orchestra that
added much to the program. Several
additional members Joined for this
program. Nearly all of them had per-
formed on similar program several
times when Elijah" was given. This
organization left little to be desired,
and showed that the cooperation of
one little community with another on
occasions Of this kind can be made
successful. .. ..s....
Not one of the audience of Tuesday
evening but speaks enthusiastically of
the week. Though some of them have
been lightly supported, they have been
of the highest class. There has been
less novelty and curiosity attached to
these programs, and more music than
ever before. That is the aim of the
department
..l~ - Ia