Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-18
CATHOLIC CHORAL CLUB
IRISH SONG FESTIVAL
Old Melodies of Erin and Novel
Numbers From "Orechetas" .
on Attractive Program

A program more Irish than John Nc
Cormack and more varied in its presen,a-
tlons Of the hopes and sorrows, joys and
pangs and humor and sentiment Of Dark
Rosaleen' was given last ulght at the Sec
ond annual concert Of the Catholic Choral
cub, under direction Of Nicola Montani
choirmastcr and organst OF the Catholic
Church Of St. John the Evangelist; And,
like Mccormack concert It packed the
Academy from pit TO dome. It is hoped by
those Interested to make these Irish song
festivals Of yearly occurrence as a Phila-
delphia counterpart OF the .'orccntas." or
Celtic hardic cycles which have been the
chief manifestation from the esthetic and
artistic standpoint Of the Irish renaissance
or arts and letters running parallel to the
economic and political progress in th6
Sim Fein.
Many Of the reverend clergy were pres-
ent as well as persons prominent in the
literary, artistic, musical and social circles
or the city, and all these gave unqualified
Endorsement to the purposes and hearty ap-
pause TO the merits of the undertaking.
Such composers as Percy Granger Victor
Herbert and Reginald de Kovcn have ex-
pressed approval Of the plan to have an
Irish kin to the Cymric "Eisteddfodau."
successfully transplanted to this country by
the Welsh
Exceeding variety. both Of executive me-
dium and program. marked the festival
Ihere we're solos mixed Choruscs. ensembles
ny the male voices and the female voices
alone there were the old traditional SONGS
or Erin and there were pieces novel THIS
side OF the water hut familiar TO frequenters
OF the Irish festivals home"
10 F1f holt .HI.
has been carefully drilled by Mr.. Montam.
who Is able TO obtain excellent effects of
i'haI llEht and shade, Of dynamic Eradatiou
ana or inJerprctativC values from his forces
Ihe quality was sweet and pure and the
quantity amply vouminous The mixed
chorus won great applause in Tom Noore's
words, The Meeting of the Waters" set
ting tune which folklorists say IS the
oldest Ergo melody extant variant Of
The oll Head Of Denis" "The Coolin"
was another Of the traditional melodies
going back maybe to Saints Patrick, Brid-
gid and Columbia, rendered by the entire
choruS. Then there was The Bonnv Wee
Mare a racing song OF the sporting sort
loved by Lever and Lover and celebrating
Donegal turf contest arranged for full
chorus by Mr.. Montani Spirited work
was done by the chorus I'm the rollicking
measures Of the ever favorite Kerry
Dance"
The womeus chorus contributed two Of
the Moore lyrics set to his Irish Melodies"
namely THE Harp That once Through
TaraS Halls" and THE Minstrel Roy aud
among others "Mavourneen Deellsh," q
lovely thing. The male chorus was heard
i'm number Of selections such rs widow
Machree' arranged by Victor Herbert from
poem by his grandfather, Samuel Lover
The solo list was extensive, Catherine
Sherwood Montani a soprano Of crystalline
80, nIa...s
touch of wstful sentiment to the County
Derry song. Would God / Were the Ten
der Apple Blossom" and also sang Samuel
Lovers "Oh, Did You Np'cr Hear Of the
Blarney?' Special applause greeted an
original work composed for this event, "Oh
Sweet Tipperary." by young Irish poet Of
Philadelphia Shan Mcintyre, with a melo-
dious score by Mr.. Montani. David Griffin
a suave-voiced baritone, was heard i'm the
celebrated "Ballynure Ballad" lover the
Hills to Mary" an irish song by Agnes
Clune Quinlan, and Marie" a lyric of
rare beauty by w. NJ. DAILY, and John
OMalley, a rising young Irish singer with
an agreeable tenor voice, gave The Ould
Plaid Shawl and other songs. Miss Quin-
Ian, a medalist of the Royal Academy
of Music, Dublin, gave the Philadelphia
premier of "DonnybroOk Fair" and "Top
o. the Mornin by John Prindle Scott and
a delightful, frolicsomo fairy song, "Lepra.
Chaun Dance" celebrating the wee people,
by Percy Granger, who has done much TO
recover waning Irish melodies The ac-
of the evening, who rendered
admirable service, were Mrs, Helen Dooner
Moore, Anna OBrien, katherine O'Donnell
Elizabeth Michel and Emma Steebe. The
program opened patriOtcally with Your
Flag and My Flag" Mr.. Montanis setting
Of Wilbur Nesbits poem and ended with
a heartfelt singing of THE Star Spangled
Banner w. r. NJ.