The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1917-02-24
CHICAGO ENJOYS
MUSICAL FEAST
Celebrates Composers Day With
Harmony and E|oqu0nca.
MELODIES EXTOL LED

nHUlAl WclUUlIO IAJUIhkU
J. Rosamond johnson, Composer and
Singer, Recalls Dvorak's Praise Of
Negro Music a. Only Original Amer.
lean souros-Banquet Closes Memo.
rabls Occasion.
Chicago.-This city is rapidly devel-
oping into a musical center. During
the past year 1t has welcomed many
noted colored musicians, among them
Mrs. Maud Cuney Hare Of Boston, but
It was reserved to Miss Eloise Davis
Carey, graduate Of Northwestern
university and short story writer Of
brilliancy and promise, to give Chicago
recently the musical sensation Of the
season. She conceived the idea Of cell
ebrating Composers day and honoring
composers of African descent.
The result was that the Sunday
Afternoon Club Of the Institutional
| Church, Of which Rev. A. ]. Carey,
d. D., Is pastor, gave recital, with J.
Rosamond Johnson, the composer bar
itone Of New York city, as the star,
which not only filed the auditorium,
! but also crowded the galleries.
The unique feature Of the recital was
| that several Of the compositions Of j.
GaosamOnd Johnson. Deep River and
| another composition of ii. II. Burleigh
and Listen to the Lambs" by Dett.
.colored composers, We're rendered dur
! Ing the evening, as well as the works
( Of some Of the worlds masters Of song.
Mr.. Johnson was supported by Beth
el choir, James A. Mundy choirmaster;
q. Marie Summers, reader. and Paul
inc James Lee, contralto. Walter e.
| Gossett was the accompanist.
An unexpected pleasure was afforded
the audience by the appearance OF
Clarence Lee, vf6linist. who played
with feeling and power. His handling
of the bow revealed not only perfect
mastery Of the instrument, but that
fire and passion which made Joseph
Douglass famous as viOlinist.
Miss Lee appeared in Indian costume
and sang Indian songs. Her singing
Of 1.-The White Dawn Is Stealing" by
Charles Cadman, was thrilling and ap-
pealing. And her intense, magnetic
personality, her full soprano and the
thrilling cOntraltO showed at their best
in her singing of "The Rose" by
Leurance. Professor Mundy's chorus
did Dett's "Listen to the Lambs" JUS
tice, and that is saying great deal.
But the audience was interested most
In the star Of the evening, J. Rosamond
Johnson, the composer and head Of
the musical settlement Of New York.
Mr.. Johnson's singing was not ex-
traordinary, but he made decided hit
as an entertainer and instructor never
theless. He has a dignified and i'm
pressive personality.
He prefaced his second appearance
by stating that the motif Of "Walk
Together, Children" was developed by
Anton Dvorak in the symphony to
the New World" which Is played
every year. He also stated that
Dvorak said that the Negro melodies
were the only original American mu-
sic and that the motif I'm "Go Down,
Noses" was as strong as the motif in
Siegfried. Then Mr.. Johnson illustrat-
ed several spirituals, such as "Swing
Low, Sweet Chariot" walk Together,
Children" and Nobody Knows the
Trouble l See," and sang "Lil Gal"
his own composition.
In his third appearance Mr.. Johnson
changed his program. After he had
to Fly" by Purcell, he displayed his
skill as pianist. He played "The
Banjo Song" his own composition,
; with technique and power. Then he
played and sang Under the O Bamboo
Tree" another Of his own productions,
and closed with the "Levee Scene" and
Roll Them Cotton Bales" which took
the house by storm. On the whole,
Mr.. Johnson is pleasing and gifted
entertainer. After the exercises the
invited guests repaired to the Neigh
bOrhOOd ParlOr, where the Composers
day banquet. embracing ten courses,
was served. Miss Annabcl Carey, Miss
Emma Simpson Davis. p. b. Prescott,
Jr., and DR.. II. w. B. Garncs formed
the banquet committee.
Mrs. A. J. Carey, an alumna Of At
lanta university. who made a reputa-
: tion as teacher I'm the southland, pre-
pared a set Of postprandial speeches,
which rivaled the brilliant concert and
the delicious food. Literature, art, mu-
sic and the drama were discussed not
only I'm their racial and Negro, but in
their broad and universal aspects.
Rev. A. J. Carey was toastmaster, and
he was a master Of the art Of saying
"multum In parvo" and Of aptly intro
ducing the speakers. The following
toasts were responded to: "The Heri-
tage Of Race Source Of Song and