Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-05-17
IN MUSIC'S REALMS;
HOSPITAL BENEFIT.
Annapolis Choral Society, Joseph
Pache, Conductor, Gives
Concert.
MISS COMBS SOLOIST.
Delights Audience With Her
Exquisite Voice. Society
Gives Good Musical
Treat.

Hats off to Mr. Joseph Pache, con-
ductor of the Annapolis Choral So
ciety'' is the general expression today
throughout the city, for to him is due
the splendid success OF the concert
given last night by the society in St.
Johns gymnasium.
That Mr.. Pache should have in
/ few months. created such a musical
| aggregation from amongst the women
and men who even thought they could
/ sing, is almost incredible. The An
napolis Choral Society sings well,
sings harmoniously. sings in perfect
I time and accord. and il is due 20 the
direction and instruction of the great
conductor, Mr.. Pache.
Each number sung by the Society
/ seemed better than the previous one.
/ Their initial number Born 90 us
Emanuel" at once pleased the audi
ence. and told of the ability of the
/ local Choral Glass. but the following
number "Cherubim's Prayer" was
even better. but the chorus from the
/ Messiah" For Unto Us was superla-
lively grand. and in this all the voices
were perfectly blended. and the attack
and release iaultless. The sopranos
never sang more sweetly, and the al
tos, tenors and basses each and all
had no small share in making this
chorus "One grand, sweet song" the
memory of which will linger for days
TO come.
But there was a greater musical
treat in store when the Choral Society
sang "Hallelujah," the closing number
of the program.
This was the grand climax of the
evenings concert, fitting perOration
of a classical musical program, the
like of which has never been given
previously by any choral society in
this city.
The solosits of the concert were
Miss Laura Louise Combs, soprano,
and Mr.. Charles Bright, barytone.
Mrs. John Swickhert, Jr., was piano
accompanist of the evening.
1t is difficult to describe Miss Combs
rich. sweet, tuneful lyric soprano. To
appreciate the rare excellence and
quality of her exquisite voice one
must hear her sing To this wonder
full gift is added her charming per-
sonality, that in a singer is much to
be desired. She is altogether pleas
ing and delightful. Her first number
an Aria from the Creation" accom-
panied on piano by Mr.. Pache, is fa
miliar to most music-loving people. 1t
was exquisitely sung, and Miss Combs
received an ovation.
Following this was with Verdure
Clad" another little gem, in which the
colorature of her beautiful voice was
brought out to advantage.
In the duet parts of the chorus from
the Elijah" Miss Combs voice was
given greater play, but its rare sweet
ness and human touch was displayed
in the dainty little French numbers
"Jeune Fillette" and louvre tes yeux
Bleus" which she sang with pleasing
effect as she did "The Dew is Spark
ling" and Spring"
! The rare sweetness of Miss Combs
voice. to which is added its culture
and painstaking development, makes
/ her the posessor of a voice the like
of which is seldom heard, even on the
operatic stage.
| Her presence alone, at the concert
should have drawn an audience that
would have filled st. Johns gymna-
sium. instead of the mere handful that
| assembled for the Emergency Hospi-
tai benefit, this grand musical treat,
The barytone soloist, Mr.. Bright,
sang with marked effect an Aria from
Moses" and was given much ap-
plause.
The concert was a splendid success
in itself, but Annapolis people who
did not patronize this home benefit
were conspicuous by their absence,
That these men and women OF
musical genius and thes ar
tist. and their conductor. who gave
their time and talents to aid local
institution, only to be greeted, for the
most part. by empty chairs, is to be
regretted