Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-05-16
The Minneapolis Symphony orohes-
ira Makes Its Second Appear
ance at the Armory
Opera House.
A DELIGHTED AUDIENCE
Armory Opera House was Well Fill
ed With a Very Enthus. Z
iastic Audience.

A strong wind driving before it
gusts of rain seemed in no wise to
dampen the enthusiasm of the large
audience which greeted the pro-
gram given by the Minneapolis SYM
phony orchestra last night in the
armory opera house. This was the
second appearance Of this ensemble
before a Webster City audience and
by reason of that, was all the more
eagerly awaited. ~.
The opera house was almost filed,
not only with Webster City people,
but with music lovers from sur
rounding towns--Fort Dodge, Eagle
Grove, Goldfeld, Williams, Story
City, Randall, Jewell and other
places contributing largely towards
the size of the audience. ~.
The soloists accompanying the or
chestra were from the finest of
American and European artists.
Leonora Allen, soprano soloist, com
pletely captivated her hearers with
the wonderful purity Of her tones.
Each soloist was encored, and Al
bert Lindquest, we'll remembered for
his work with the quartet accom-
panying the orchestra in this city
last year, received an ovation as he
appeared upon the platform.
Richard Czerwonky, sviolinist, is a
master with the bow and the encore
he received was responded to in an
unusual manner. He Joined the hui
man qualities of his violin music
with the rich full tones of the harp,
an unusual duet of surprising sweet
ness r.F8 g.. e" '
Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 is
1probably better understood by the
ordinary music lover than any of
Beethoven's symphonies and compos-
ed the first number on the program
From the first rhythmical movement
to the fourth, an allegro movement,
| it was, indeed, one grand symphony
of musical sound. #.Ll.
| The old English dance in the Sec
ond part of the fourth number by
the orchestra was perhaps better en-
joyed and understood by the entire
audience than any other compost
ton and the prolonged applause
brought repetition of the bright
and sparkling. yet dignified meas
lures. .
"Traume," the programs told the
audience, was composed by Wagner
for small orchestra as birthday
greeting to friend. The sweet
sympathetic qualities, "sweetly sad,"
as a poet would tell us,of the strains
produced by the orchestra last even
ing, brought the unshed tears to the
leye with it's exquisiteness of theme
and the rendering of it. 1t is with
such a medium as this superbly Sc
lected orchestra, which plays as one
musician, that the actual thought
of the composer is best portrayed.
The stately and beautiful Over
ture to Tannhauser was the closing
number on the program and it was
in this that Oberhoffer best revealed
himself as true musical director.
1t was as if he were the peerless or
ganist sitting at the keys of fault
less instrument, touching the keys
with both perfect understanding of
the theme, and Incompatible
technique. Oberhoffer himself sat
at the organ and the keys were the
instruments which made up the en-
semble of the orchestra during the
rendition of Tannhauser's great ov-
erture. The Tannhauser motif as
played by the score of violins, swept
like mighty wind of cadence
around the hymn-like central theme
of the production on to the climax,
uhu W thiS was Tic
finest of the evening.
Messrs. Boeye and Cook deserve
the thanks of the community for
their untiring efforts to secure this
organization for the town for a Sec
ond Performance. Financially, the
affair was not so much of success
as that of last year, although it net
ted them a small sum.
If it did nothing more, the second
appearance of the Minneapolis Or
chestra in this city laid bare the
great need of a suitable auditorium
for such occasions. The armory is
being too noisy for real
enjoyment of musical entertain
~, apfe-