Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-07-20


The Wildwood Orchestra Is doing the
finest kind of work in the most satisfy
Ding manner. Anyone who loves music
and misses these opportunities Is
losing a chance to do himself a world
of good.
Those who braved the terrific storm
of Saturday evening, were treated to
one ofthe finest concerts it has yet been
my pleasure to hear at the auditorium.
It seemed singularly appropriate that
the proceedings should have started
with the Fingal's Cave overture of
Mendelssohn. The music with the
storm raging outside accompanying 1t
with titanic power was a marvellous en-
semble. We could imagine ourselves
safe in the cave, with the beating of the
elements endeavoring In their widest
fashion to break in. The audience,
small as it was, was most enthusiastic.
Beethoven's Andante from the I'd
symphony, and that soul stirring Fan
tasia from Carmen" came next and
then the treats of the evening began.
Mrs. Emily Stokes Hagar appeared as
the singer of the evening. Here is a
voice, pure soprano quality, perfectly
placed, every note absolutely crystal
in Its purity, reminding the writer very
much of Nine. Emma Eames, who
sang the same SOLO as one of her num-
beers id her nul6er6ns concert r0urs,
"Gli Angui d'Inferno" from Mozart's
Magic Flute. Scales, Staccati and
roulades followed each other with be-
wildering rapidity and at the close of
the aria, as though the plaudits of her
hearers were not enough to show Mrs.
Hagar the delight she had given, the
thunderous applause of the Heavens
broke loose in their widest demonstra-
ton of the evening. At the close of
this greeting, Mrs. Hagar responded
with a beautiful encore "a Cradle
Song" by Fritz Kreizler and strangely
enough, during her singing of this ex-
quisite motive, the thunder was silent,
though the lightning played wildly
all the time.
The Three Dances from Henry VIII
were given by the orchestra paving the
way for Paul Meyer, who played
Hubay's Hejri Kati, with perfect tech
nIque and an encore was v~ociferously
demanded and Mr.. Meyer with his
usual gracious name responded by
repeating the final movement of the
solo, doing it if anything better than
the first time.
Mrs. Hagar,s second appearance was
in a group of songs, the 7best of which
was the betrayed" of Chaminade and
again the Heavens brooke loose as she,
with a wild lament finished her song.
Tschaikowsky's Marche Slav, closed
the programme music of the evening
and the storm having greatly subsidized,
we were enabled 60 go home delighted
with what we had heard. 1t was an
evening long to be remembered. Too
much praise cannot be bestowed on
Mrs. Hagar and Mr.. Meyer for their
solos in the midst of what might have
beer considered most discouraging cir
cumstances.
Then Nature on Sunday evening as
though weary of her attack on the
auditorium Saturday night, was all
that one could have desired for Sun
days concert and q goodly audience
assembled in the evening to hear the
orchestra and Mr.. Piotr Villa who ap-
peared as the soloist.
Mr.. VILLAS numbers were the PRO
logue" from Pagliacci, that famous
number that only the best of baritones
can render with any degree of pleasure
to an audience. | have heard Amato,
Sammarco or the present day and
Campanari, the original Tonic In this
country, sing this number and I have
never heard the parlando movement
more beautifully spoken or sung. Mr..
Wizla's future is assured. He has a
most beautiful voice and sings authori-
tatively because he knows his music
and knows how to sing.
For an encore Mr. Villa gave an ex-
cerpt from the opera Of ."Zaza" by
Eeoncavallo and then q second encore
was the Spanish Serenade of Ronald.
Even then we were loath to let him re-