Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-05-31
BACH FESTIVAL
AGAIN TRIUMPHS
DR.. Wolfe Achieves Wonder
full Effects and the Choral
SingingIs Magnificent


Bach Festival 1T Bethlehem there
was a large attendance despite the
fact that war has drawn away the
young men and martial strains nave
somewhat cooled the enthusiasm for
music other than that of belligerent
tvpe. Seldom has the campus OF
Lehigh University looked more Ner-
dant at so early a spring date, ana
equally seldom has Nature been so
kind to the devotees of the Bethte-
hem festival. The weather was ideal.
AS usual the chora! played by the
trombone choir of the MoravIan
Church announced the opening oil
the event from its place in the tower
of the Packer Methodist Church'
Before the chancel rail within the
edifice were suspended the Ameri-
can. French and British flags and
The ar-Spangled Banner was
sung before the initial cantata. The
Bach choir, which has rightly been
termed the greatest in America,
literally made musical history be-
cause of the thrilling manner IN
which it voiced <he national anthem.
The two hundred and fifty voices
blended as perfectly as one huge in
strument, accompanied by the sonor-
Gus organ and the orchestra. The
rendition was the acme of musical
patriotism and the honors must pe
equally divided between the particl-
pants. both vocal and instrumental
and DR.. Wolfe, the conductor, whose
genius for leadership is as emphau-
cally evident as ever.
My Spirit Was in Heaviness,' was
the first number of the afternoon
program. This cantata begins IN
sombre measures and ends with tri-
umphant exaltations. The salient
feature of the exposition was the
perfection of the choral effects. AT
this time it is superfiuous to expS
tiate upon this phase of the Bach
festivals. 1t is its supreme and sub
lime achievement, and the factor
upon which the musical history of
these festivals will dwell in future
times. The superlative tonal effects
in diminuendo. crescendo or forttssi-
mo are marvels of tonal accomplish
ment And it is DR.. Wolfe who is
the creator of them. He has m IS
meric fingers and he literally draws
the harmonies from his singers with
occult gestures. If the Bach choir
has helped to make Bethlehem ia
nous. it must be also remembered
that it was and still is DIR. Wolfe who
has made the choir celebrated.
LET 'critiCS' wranPla and assert
that so many bars were eliminated
in this part of the score and so many
measures cut from that section.
What palpable farce such 'trifles
light as air" these quibblings arc.
Mayhap it is necessary to prune GER
tain compositions, for life is short
and art is long" Even critics"
manifest hunger. In fact, the ma
1ority of them are ever ready for
hearty meal. Therefore it is just as
necessary for q conductor to snip
out measures as it is for executives
in wartime to use shears on red tape,
es has been eXemplified by Charles
NJ. Schwab. the chief guarantor of
the Bach Choir, in his operations CT
the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
The soloists of the afternoon were
Mildred Faas and Nicholas Douty.
both well known in Philadelphia, and
Emma Roberts, alto, and Charles
Tittman, basso, both not so well
known in the Quaker City. The vocal
abilities of the two former require
no comment now. Miss Roberts sings
well, but not with much voice or
profound tones, while Mr.. Tittman
has many resonant notes in the
upper register and vocalizes with
power and a certain display of art
But it was the choir, first, last and
always, which elected the admiration
and appreciation.
The cantata was followed by the
Actus Tragicus in which a vocal mir
acle was performed by the choristers.
There was a diminuendo effect
which stilled away like the evapo-
ration of steam. Did an audience
applaud in a church there would
have been thunderous plaudits. In
stead there was whisperings of ad-
miration. Then came Now Shall the
Grace" sung with a swelling cres-
cendo which have must aroused the
envy of the angelic choir. 1t is not
blasphemous to state that the
Heavenly Host which carolled 'eHolv.
Holy, Holy on the first Christmas
night might not have excelled these
Bethlehem vocaiists. The entire
audience Joined in singing the clos
ing chorale.
The evening program was devoted
to the "Tombeau." an Ode to morn
ing and glorious "Magnifcat. :"
There were more ehorales in which
the audience Joined. Through the
ages have come down to moderns
those inspiring words: "Magnificat
anima mea Dominum." They have
been set to music in all STYLES of
ecclesiastical ritual. and in all CEN
turies of the Christian era. There
are many beautiful versions and the
Bach one keeps green the majesty
of the sentiment of the Virgin. The
soloists were the same as during the
afternoon. Musical celebrities from
all parts of the country were in at
tendance.