The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-05-12
Director W. NJ. Coup Again
Produces TriumphaI Evening
Organ And Piano Work Fea.
tuFe Splendid Program

Calculated to please everybody, no
matter what degree of musical know
ledge or appreciation possessed, the
program of the second evening of the
May festival at the Presbyterian
church Wednesday night comprising
varied solo numbers by Miss Estelle
Harris of New York city and a pot
pourri of choruses quite swept the
audience away into realms of un-
bounded enthusiasm and truly bore
out it's title of miscellaneous.
From the opening concert overture,
extremely well rendered on the or
gan by Mrs. Wilbur T. Mills and
equally well received by the audience,
to the final majestic chorus, "Jerusa.
lem! o Turn Thee to the Lord" in
which Miss Harris assisted, there
was an eager expectancy manifest
through the audience over what
would come next, and the novel offer.
ings that were forthcoming more than
conformed to the fondest hopes felt
for them before rendition.
Miss Estelle Harris, soloist of the
evening, must indeed have been thor.
oughly gratified and pleased with the
reception that was accorded her en-
deavors. Vociferous bursts of ap-
plause insistently demanding encores,
greeted her at the conclusion of each
number and she was reluctantly per,
mitted to depart.
Her voice possessed mammoth vol
ume, while still retaining the pure
sweetness of tone which so delighted
when several songs, eternally popu-
lar but smacking of bygone days,
were rendered. An extreme charm of
personal presence, Joined with capti-
waiting expression and graceful bear
ing, did much toward arousing the
audience.
The program which Miss Harris
had arranged was indeed a test of
versatility and enabled her auditors
to view her voice and execution from
all standpoints. She sang two Italian
numbers, one in French and one in
German, while two of Cadman's fas-
cinating Indian love lyrics proved a
revelation as sung by Miss Harris. In
addition to these, her program en-
braced several of the sweet, gentle
songs, plain in composition but tax
on powers of Interpretation.
The first two selections were rem
dered by Miss Harris in the choir
loft and with organ accompaniment
Then, by prearrangement, she de
scended to the rostrum and in init
mate contact with her auditors entire
ly captivated all. 1t was Annie
Laurie" gently and expressively sung
that first fired the audience and SEN
waves of enthusiasm billowint
through it.
The training which the festiva
chorus of ninety voices has received
under that master instructor, William
M. Coup, was even more evident il
the program of Wednesday night thar
before. Calling as 1t did for dis
play of all manner of musical compre
hension and designed to extract al
the finer points of expressiveness,
conclusively demonstrated the accom-
plishments of Mr.. Coup along tn
line of blending together many III
balanced, unlike voices into one soliC
effective whole.
The course of training to which tn
chorus has been subjected since r,
hearsals first started last fall wa
self-evident in the musical disciplin
/ which the baton in the hands of d
rector Coup exerted over every men
= Der of the chorus. All of the delicai
shades of meaning and interpretatio
, were drawn forth from the musi
while a climax, sung with the vii
+ and vigor Mr.. Coup is capable of il
stilling, was a rousing, animatin