The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-05-04
ORATOR|O WAS
REAL TRUMP \
HANDEL's MESSIAH" WAS GIVEN
BEAUTIFUL PResENTA-
TON LAST NIGHT.
SOLO|STS CHARM
KIRK Towns, 5asso, David ormesher,
Tenor and Ardmore Vocalists Thor.
ou9hly Adequate to the ESaetina
Numbers Of Religious Work.

The people of Ardmore established
reputation last night as lovers Of the
best, in music A thoroughly satisfat.
tory audience, in size and appreciation.
heard Handel's Messiah" presented
at Broadway NJ f. church under the
auspices Of the Ardmore Oratorio So.
ciety. The production was on a scale
that would make residents of a muct
larger city than this immensely proud
1t is difficult to write adequately Of
any presentation of the Messiah"
and exceedingly more so when it is
given in the thoroughly artistic man.
ner OF last nights production. There
Is not in the great Handel oratorio
single moment that does not hold
the audience to tense attention; every
recitative, each solo and all of the
choruses are far superior to the ont.
standing numbers Of other works. and
When they are rendered so thoroughly
well as they We're last night there is
an inadequacy in words, and superla.
tiyes for once are entirely justified.
Under the direction of Nine. Edla
Lund, of Tulsa, the ArdmOre Oratorio
Society, has set a new mark in music
IN southern Oklahoma. Music history
locally will date from last nights pres.
entation Of the Messiah" The chorus
OF tifty-twO voices sang with unity
and power that was surprising even to
those fully aware of the wealth of
Ardmore vocal talent. The soloistg.
resident OF this city, as well as the
two male voices imported for the oc.
casion, may well be proud of their sue.
cess OF last night. Not a single dis
appointment could be cited BY tho
most exacting critic.
Kirk Towns, basso, and David J.
Ormesher, tenor. both of Dallas. wer7
the out-of-town soloists and the society
was extremely fortunate in its choice
The wonderful power of Towns vigor
Gus basso and the exquisite sweetness
OF Ormesher's tenor are the necessi.
ties for the adequate presentation Of
the Messiah" But the society was
more than fortunate in having such
wealth of principals recruited from 10.
cal talent. The imported soloists.
while entitled to fullest acknowledge.
ment for their portion in making the
oratorio a success, did not. by any
means, gain all the credit. Miss Jo.
sephine Dean, Mrs. f. b. Reid, Mrs.
n. c. Wood, Mrs. f. f. Guillot. Mrs.
II. b. Harts, and Mrs. j. HomerA Adams
were. perhaps, never more fully an.
preciated than they were last night.
choruses Delightful.
Each of the choruses justifies wide
ana glowing comment, but every por.
tion OF the oratorio was thoroughly ex.
cellent The audience had its first in.
PRODUCTION to the chorus in the singing
of And the Glory of the Lord Shall
BE Revealed and the listeners show.
ed their deep appreciation at the beau.
~ OF It's production GLORY to GOO"
the Christmas Eve chorus, so popular
was as excellently given as its prede.
ceSsor Behold the Lamb of Cod"
which opens the second part. gave IN
mixing OF the beauty of the principal
ensemble numbers. while Surely He
Hath Borne Our Grieis" was sung with
a solemnity that touched a sympa.
thetic chord. Life Up Your Heads. O.
We Gates was the first of the power
tul numbers that has made It possible
for Messiah" to stand for nearly two
centuries as the greatest of religious
music. The "Hallelujah" chorus.
which brought the audience reverently
TO It's feet, was presented with vigc-
and volume. The final chorus. "Wor
thy Is the Lamb" brought the oratori1
to fitting conclusion. The society.
after the close Of the oratorio. sang
star Spangled Banner" in which the
audience, standing, Joined
The grave and beautiful overture or
prelude was played by Miss Lillian
Deckman, of Oklahoma City. whose
command of the organ made It DOS.
sible for that portion of the work to
measure up to the rare excellence o.
the entire production. Miss Deckman's !
of the organ and the finished I
piano accompaniment by Blanche Ed /
son Lambert were of great assistance
to the soloists and chorus.
The tenor recitatiye and aria. Com. !
Tort We, My People" and Every Valley /
Shall BE Exalted" gave the audience
It's first opportunity to hear Mr.. Or.
mesher In these numbers, as we'll as
each other Of his individual portions
ot the work, Mr.. Ormesher established