Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-08
HEAR "CREATION"
WELL PRESENTED
Musical Art Society Sings
Haydn's Wonderful
Oratorio

1t is we'll to-day when all the
world is engaged in it's titanic strug-
gle to look backward to elemental
things. to the great chaotic forces of
nature righting themselves and find
ing their level in definite form. Such
is the theme of Haydns wonderful
oratorio. The Creation" sunk last
night by the members of the Musical
Art Society in Grace Methodist Epis-
copal Church. 1t is the first chapter
of the Book Of Genesis set to music
with a libretto of poetic beauty. 1t
was of this composition that the
great master said he was never so
pious as when at work upon 1t and
he prayed daily for strength and in
spiration.
Most of the solo work in the reci-
tative selections was carried by Miss
Mary Buttorff, soprano. and William
s. Hoover, baritone. Miss Buttorff' s
voice is firm and colorful, her high
tones being as full, true and well
sustained as her lower register.
There is a fiexibility and appealing
quality about 1t which was especially
pleasing in such passages as "Cooing
calls the tender dove his mate" de-
scriptive of nesting in the Garden of
Eden. and Here fragrant herbs their
odors shed, here shoots the healing
plant" when God commanded the
earth to bring forth grass and yield
ing seed Mr.. Hoover's clear. dis
tinct enunciation is one of the strong
est points of his singing. He has a
baritone of good range and volume
and a sympathetic understanding OF
! the tonal art.
1t was the splendid chorus of fifty
voices which showed the time and
labor expended to make the rem
| dition a success. Under the able
leadership of their conductor, John
w. Phillips, musical director of the
| choir of Grace Methodist Episcopal
Church. this group of mixed voices
sang the choral parts with a smooth
ness and unison wich was delight
to ear. During the finale of part l.
THE Heavens are Telling" the bit OF
Creation" so appreciated by all real
music lovers, the audience was borne
upon a wave of eXaltation, thrilled
by the majesty of the reverent beauty
OF the selection. 1t was in the abrupt
| staccato ending of measures and
phrases that the chorus showed Their
familiarity with the difficult score.
Day by day the great story of the
worlds beginning was unfolded
couched in exquisite diction set tc
music of rare suggestion and beauty
and handled by singers and musician:
who gave of their best unsparingly.
Beautiful Solo Work
Interspersed throughout the ora
torio were arias sung in solo form
where both words and music were
unusually descriptive, from alright
ed fly hell's spirits black in throngs
to endless night" to Rolling in
| foami hillows unified roars the
boisterous sea-" The fine accompani.
ment of Updegrove's orchestra and
of William r. Stonesifer at the or
gan joined with teh voices in making
these bits of melodic beauty es-
pecially effective.
The other principals, both in solo
and trio singing, were Mrs. Vania
Forster, Miss Katharine Dubbs and
Miss Mildred Garman, sopranos;
John Fisher and William Bretz
tenors, and Ross Harman. baritone.
1t has been thirty years or more
since Haydn's Creation" has been
given by Harrisburg talent, but the
Musical Art Society has shown dur
ing the past winter as well as last
night that there is local field fol-
building up good choral work oi
which the city may be justly proud.
A silver collection for the beneti
of the Red Cross was taken durinl
the evening and in the neighborhoot
OF $25 secured.
Following the oratorio a supper
was served to the singers and theil
guests in the church parlors. where
Professor Phillips in a graceful little
address commended them for the
seasons work and bade them good-bS
for the summer months to resume
their study the first of October.