Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-08
WEDNESDAY CLUB OPENS
SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL
Great Chorus Renders Elijah" As.
sisted by Noted Solo
Stars.
DIRECTOR BAKER is PRAISED
Big Audience Rises at Close Ind
Joins With Chorus and SolOists In
America" aud the "Star-Span-
gled Banner"
ny DOUt:I,As GoRDON.

Even il the Wednesday Club, during
the twcnty-four years OF its existence
had not presented many brilliant
concert and had not supplied unfailinE
impetus TO the progress OF music I'm
this community, II might almost be
said that the inspiring work Of its
great chorus last night. at the opening
of tho May Music Festival, well justi-
fled the twenty-four years OF the clubs
effort. For. despite the presence Of
four noted soloists-one of them a tow
cring artist OF International fame--and
despite the assistance OF several other
most excellent singers and despite the
ComDlementing force Of a large section
OF the Metropolitan Operas orchestra,
the overwhelming and outstanding fea-
ture OF last nights performance was
the chorus. under w. Henry Baker.
director. OF the Club.
Mendelssohn's Elijah" the most dra-
matte OF all oratorios. the most nearly
an opera OF all. was the work chosen.
How often ii has been sung in Rich
mond no available record shows. Ger
tainly II was sung by the club seven
years ago. under Tall Esen Morgan.
with Frank CroSton singing Elijah.
Many OF its numbers frequently
heard in concert and In church. as well.
so that the work is perhaps more ia
miliar than even The Messiah" and its
splcndors and beauties are not strange
10 Moreover, the singing of the
chorus when Nerdts Requiem"
done had somewhat prepared patrons
OF the club for fine Interpretation Of
50 grateful work AS Elijah"
BAKER's CHORUS SINGS
0RATORIO SUPERRLY
Blu, ii is safe TO assert that no one.
who had no, heard rehearsals. expected
such singing was heard last night.
TO say that Elijah is great is trite.
OF course. but it's greatness lies in it's
inhnite gradations. IN it's amazing con-
49,
value. much of the greatness OF this
undyirE work is lost. And none Of IL
was lost last night. on the contrary.
Mr.. Baker's chorus, numbering perhaps
800 or more. SANG II so superbly that
it's tremendous passages w.'re mighty.
both in volume and in spirit while It's
quiet phrases were huahed to whisper
that made the composers meaning
doubly poignant.
SO FAR the mere technic OF the
chorus the mechanics Of ensemble
singing, is concerned. the work OF
last night approached close to virtu-
osi,y. With single. and quite for
Eivable exception. the attacks were
virtually nawlcss. whether by the
whole chorus or by separate parts:
tho frequent tricky releases were adj
nrably accomplished and in no case
was the unity OF the chorus better
displayed than in it's handling of lines
in which sibilants were frequent. His
ncTcieS on tnOuSaudS taIl, Tor eN-
ample. would be steadily sustained
hiss. IL il we're no, sung on the very
beat by all the voices. 1t was sung
that way last night, and all the sibi
lants fell together. Again. Mr.. Baker
had SO drilled his singers that he was
able both TO compel them to soften Il
tone suddenly. almost instantaneously.
and to diminish II gradually. Either
is difficult. the latter is feat. but IL
WAS done successfully time and again.
AGL rARTS ARE WELL FILLED
Bi VALUABLE SINGERS
Because ITS mechanical side WAS per-
fec,ed. the chorus-or Mr.. Baker. the
two are one now--could devote itself
10 the Interpretation OF Elijah with
out giving strained attention TO time
and notation. The result was one
great voice composed Of many voices.
which ranged in volume and even in
color from the sound OF "a mighty
wind TO "a still. small voice" and
both in the same numbcr-ihe Earth
quake Chorus, as IL is commonly call
cd. And even MIR. Baker, fine musician
though he is. could not have accom-
plishcd this without the voices. II
has been many years since many Of
the scmiprofessonal and professional
singers OF Richmond have taken part
in the clubs concerts were seated
In tho semicrcle last night. Among
them men and women who are
and church, for teaching and for coach
ing. And All OF them, including--to
60 no further into detaii--a former
conductor of tho club and a distinguish
ed musiciat. we're singing fer the
sole purpose OF helping the chorus ana
the club. Conseuuently all the parts
were we'll filled. and all were braced
BY valuable singers.
For this condition, il is a matter
OF simple justice TO express the must
....l
Mr.. Baker and other officers OF the
club. but In particular TO W. kirk
Mathews chairman OF the music com
mittee OF the club. whose own sound
muSicianship and untiring efforts have
contributed largely TO the later de-
rclopment of the club and Of It's choir.
OPENING CONCERT IS
CHORUS NIGHT
Properly enough, the opening con-
cert OF the Music Festival was what
might be called chorus night. And
incidentally. however much all Of lis
may, and do, delight in the artists who
come 10 US. 1t is the chorus that Is the.
very. foundation of the clubs success
and will always he. Nevertheless. the
chorus Was not all last night, though
it was the greater part. Elijah" gave
opportunity again TO Mrs. Frances
West Reinhardt. Of Richmond. who
sang the second soprano part in the
familiar terzetto. Lift Thine Eyes" in
good style that fitted admirably the
requirements of the bit. and also sang
the comparatively short part of Youth
with notable purity of voice and case,
as we'll as with what is even more i'm
portant--understandin and apprecia-
ton, Intelligence" the singers some
what condcscendingly are apt TO call IL.
In Il double quartet, II also presented
less conspicuously Mrs. Baker Mrs
IIudgins. Mr.. Tucker and Mr.. Bryant,
whose work in The Messiah" some
months ago was happily recalled by
his appearance.
And IT introduced two singers new to
Richmond: 1nez Barbour, soprano. and
TOO LATE TO CLASSIFY
WANTED. TO buy second hand dresser. any
fink -Mu2l le In IN md