Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-08-03
THE ORCHESTRA


The past week has been a very inter-
esting one, both from the standpoint OF
the musical success and the campaign
of publicity that was undertaken and
brought to a successful conclusion. "A
great many people IN the island did
not seem to be aware of the wonderful
music that is brought to our doors,
music that 10 Philadelphia they Will
travel long distances to hear. For COM
parison [ might state that Wassill
Leps, one of the best known conductors
in Philadelphia, the conductor OF the
operate Society, opened his 81 ason at
Willow Grove ON Sunday. His pro-
gramme contained many of the num-
bers that are given here by Mr.. Pfeiffer.
again the vocal soloist was Mr.. Earle
Waldo Marshall who sang for us last
Saturday night. The conditions at
Willow Grove are not so favorable as
here, as here the music Is brought TO
our very doors, while it Is a fifteen mile
ride to hear this same class of music at
AA0O ~ 1>
Willow Grove.
This campaign of publicity also
brought out the fact that many who
have not previously availed themselves
of the opportunity to hear the orchestra
have not done it simply because of
of ambition. This ambition has been
spp ed and the auklehees are now cua=
cid hbly larger than they have been
an 1 hope the balance of the season
will show that this campaign has done
q world of good. A large number Of
communication books were sold and al
together everyone In connection with
the orchestra is very much encouraged.
Again, the Wild wood Chorus is COM
ing into it's own. The crying need has
been the necessity for more male voices.
Those singers on the island, residents
and a great many summer visitors do
not seem to appreciate the good they
can do the chorus and incidentally
themselves by joining the chorus and
helping with their voices. L ave
spoken of this in times gone by. But
this need has apparently been over
come by enlisting in the chorus the
singing men of the Naval Reserves at
Cape May. Mr.. Pfeiffer is to visit Cape
May aud drill the men in their music
and when the annual concert Is given
it should be made a great patriotic
event.
But before that concert takes place,
why should notthe auditors atthe daily
concerts join with the orchestra In the
singing of America and the Star
Spangled Banner? 1t would be a fine
idea and 1 hope to see it adopted at
once and make the hall ring with the
sound of America and the National
Anthem. Has 1t ever occurred to you
that no matter how often these two
hymns are sung they do not grow old,
but rather grow in beauty each day.
Such songs never die. They become
part of our veryselves and our souls are
stirred within us each time we stand at
attention while they are played or sung.
Under general conditions my province
has not been to speak of the material
side of the orchestra, but l feel that it is
the time to write as / have done above.
Now for what has been accomp lished
in the artistic side during the past
week.
Tuesday evening brought out Mr.
Van der Elst as trombone soloist and
he gave great delight. This instru-
ment is difficult to handle and when
one can get a beautiful tone from 1t, he
is worthy of especial mention.
Victor Herbert's Badinage was es-
, pecially we'll done. This Is M Of the
daintiest pieces ever written for the
piano and as arranged for the orchestra
gave especial delight.
"Omphale's Spinning Wheel" by
Saint 6aens was beautifully done. The
sound of the spinning was especially
well brought out.
Wednesday night Mr.. Karl Heinrich
played "Adelaide," by Beethoven.
This is one of the great songs that Beet
hoveD wrote. He was not prolix in bis
writing for the voice, his only opera
being Fidelio and of his songs, Adel-
aide seems to best bear the rust of time;
1t is a magnificent tenor solo as origin