The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-05-29

audience almost breathless, SO taken
was it by her playing. Working the
score from soft and sweet tones to
the full vibrant tones OF the instru-
ment, the artistic carried the people
in the church away with her to a
land unknown to persons OF which
the music spoke.
Coming near the end of the Schyt-
te's score of the intermezzo andante,
Miss Pugh softened her audience with
her expressive playing until the tones
died away with the soft mellow tones
of the great organ which was handled
with wonderful ability by Mrs. Will
bur Thoburn Mills.
Again the rich tones of the piano
brought the audience to a realization
that the playing had stopped for an
interval when Miss Pugh swang into
the Finale Allegro of the concerto.
After a careful, expressive rendition
of the finale, Miss Pugh was greatly
applauded on all hands, but did not
respond to urgent appeals for an en-
core.
The festival chorus took up the
program where Miss Pugh had left it
for the moment, and carried it on
with a delightful rendition of "Song
of Destiny" by j. Brahms. No mat
ter how much of a critic of music a
person might be, no fault could be
found with the excellent singing.
Mrs. Mills accompanied the chorus
with the organ part Of the time. Dur
ing the intervals in which the organ
was silent, Miss Marie Harrington, a
local young lady of exceptional talent
on the piano, was the accompanist.
The different effects produced by the
organ and the piano separately made
the rendition all the more enjoyable
and afterwards it was loudly applaud
ed as the audience signified its full
approval of the work.
Miss Pugh, having returned to the
stage, to the hearty delight of the au-
dience, gave two renditions which
did not in the least detract from the
audiences first impression of Miss
Pugh's playing. The two selections,
"FeuerZauber Magic Fire) by Wag-
ner-Brassin and Etude en- form de
Nalse by Saint Saens, were given in
the same exquisite expression and.
wonderful technique that character
lied the artiste's first rendition
Miss Pueh, having been almost few
erishly applauded, returned and play
ed an encore, finishing her part of
the program.
Numbers five and six on the pro-
gram, "At the Cloister Gate" sung by
the women in the chorus, and the
grand finale, Hymn of Praise" sung
by the male chorus, were both excel
lent examples of Director Coup's abil-
ity, as well as that of the local vocal
lists.
The "Hymn of Praise" having been
highly recommended, was worthy of
closing the May festival of 1917, par
ticularly as it was rendered by the
men of the chorus. Round after round
Of applause met, with a note of dis
may, the close of the rendition and
the festival.
Taken all in all, the 1917 May festi-
val is, so far, the crowning climax
OF five years hard work by the mem
bers of the Festival association and
Director Coup was thanked profuse-
" fer his unrecompensed services by
| President Levering, With all mater
ial aid that it is possible to obtain
| orhtmeaU Mgr m,J ESQ 129456
from the people of Mt. Vernon, the
Festival association and the music
lovers of Mt. Vernon can only hope
that an equally fine program may be
given in 1918.
The program was as follows:
The Star Spangled Banner (Frapcis
Scott Key)-Chorus and Audience.
Concerto for Pianoforte in c Sharp
Minor, OPP. 2S (Schytte): l. Allegro;
.. Intermezzo-Andante con moto;
3. Finale-Allegro = Miss Helene
Pugh. Orchestral accompaniment ar
ranged for organ, Mrs. Mills.
Song of Destiny (J. Brahms)-Fes-
tival Chorus. Organ, Piano.
l. Feuerzauber, Magic Fire, (Wag-
ner-Brassin) 2. Etude, en- form de
Valse Saint Saens)-Miss Helene
Pugh.
At the Cloister Gate (E. Grieg)-
Womens Chorus. Organ.
Hymn of Praise tHermann Mohr)