Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-20
PHILHARMONIC CONCERT
IS FINE ACHIEVEMENT
Performance of Richmond Orchestra
in Seventh Year, Sets New
Standard.
MISS BRAsLAu AT HER BEST
Quincy Cole Delights House With
Piano Numbers, Arousing Deeper
Emotion Than Admiral iun-Nluch
Lies Before Society.
Is, DOUGLAS GORDON.

After six years Of persistent effort.
the Richmond philharmonic Society be-
san its seventh season last night at
the City Auditorium with :, concert
which set high mark of achievement
Indeed. the performance of the so.
ciety's orchestra taken Il whole.
was 50 long It step toward the purely
professional ideal iha, The officers Of
the organization must realize that be-
fore many seasons pass its concerts
will not be judged 10y the kindly stand
ards applied to amhtcurs and their
work.
They have every righ, 10 demand
this consideration. however. for Of the
forty and odd men and women. boys
ana girls, who composed the orchestra
last night. a fairly intimate know
ledge of Richmond'S business music
was able To identify only three strictly
professional PLAYERS On the other
hand. great deal ~ their perform
;,ncc last night stood on its own merit.
$" 10 speak, and asked 40 favors. Ger
tainl% no other amateur band of this
INSTRUMENTATION in Richmond has ever
done 80 artistic or 50 worimanlikc IA
thing as the rhi!harmoni" Orchestra
did last night, when i; played the "Ge-
rcchtcr Colt" number from Wagncr's
"Rien1i." To Miss E.a%lau's :Snginc.
For. be 1t understood. this is no mere
accompaniment. even Of the character
1t was called on to supply for Miss
Braslau's 80 Milo FERNANDEZ from DO
nizettis la Favnrita." When Wagner
wrote-evcn ''Hienzi" orchestra
WIS more important voice. more
potent means of expression. than the
singer. And the playing Of this mum
her. diiiicui, cNactinG and elaborate
as IL is. was not only Il fine thing for
the members the orchestra TO re-
member and "a .udicatiou, if any we're
needed. OF MIR. takers patience. skill
and certainty as a director. hut was in
some respects Utmost remarkable mn.
steal feat performed IN Richmond in
many years.
Altogether. The orchestra played seven
times. including its participation in
the numbers OF Miss Hraslau and MIR.
Cole. and several of its other pieces
were admirably done. particularly Mas
sencts Scenes Picturesque and two
of the three dances from Henry WILL"
but the "Ei"n"i" music gave opportu-
nifty for the playing that made last
nights concert the most notable in
the Sociciy'S history. This IS said adj
riscdlS. despite the appearance Of two
assisting" artists. who added materially
TO the very real value OF the concert.
sophie l!raslau. contrtlto OF the
Metropolitan Opera. who had sung here
three times before. did not need Rich
mond's personal pride in her TO make
the big pit rise al her. nor did she
need such consideration as was SUI.
Sested by the announcement that She
had been in,ffsposcd from Il long trip
and exposure to the inclcmcnt weather.
she never sang so well: never appeared
50 much the artist. When She first
sang before Richmond audience
three. or four, years aGo-shc was Il
young woman with voice Of ravc
quality and volume. for that matter.
Last night, still = young woman. she
sang again. and with the same be:,uti-
full quality and 'undiniinishcd volume.
but with increased purity. more Of the
SmoothncSS that sounds in perfectly
blended registers. with the flowing tone
of the bel cauto'' singer. and with
The breadth and warmth that diStin-
Suish the artist whose art includes
sympathy. Already Miss BRA slau has
gone far: there IL every reason why
she should attain the heights.
quincy cole. a Riclimond man whose
study and uudouhted ability have left
him unspoiled 10y affcctation. again
proved the exception To the prophc;