Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-23
REDEMPTION Is SUNG
FOR ORCHESTRA FUND
Choral Society and FortnightIy
Club Present Fine Per-
formance

An excellent rendition of Gounod's
Redemption" was given at the Acad.
emy of Music-last evening by the Phila
delphia Choral Society and the Fort
nightly Club, both Of which singing so
cieties are under the direction of Henry
Gordon Thunder. The affair was given
for the benefit of the Philadelphia
Orchestra endowment fund. The chorus
resulting from the from the combination
of the two organizations, numbered
about 300 voices. while the accompani
ment was played by the complete Phil
adelphia Orchestra. and the solo parts
were sung by Florence Hinkle so
prano; Jane Edel. soprano; Katherine
Meisle, alto; Nicholas Douty, tenor
Edwin Evans. baritone. and J. Hell
fenstcin Mason. bass. Stanley Musch e.
amp was at the organ and Mr.. Thunder
conducted the performance.
With this array of solo and orchestral
talent. and the chorus so made up and
conducted by their own leader, the per-
formance was naturally one of great eX
cellence. The chorus did its best work
in "Tnfold Ye Portals Everlasting.
which was so well received that Mr.
Thunder was obliged to repeat it, in the
chorus with soprano obligato. From
Thy Love as Father" and in the con
Guiding "IIymn Of the Apostles and
the fugue with which the work closes
The combined chorus has many fine
voices and the tone. quality is excellent
and well controlled, Mr.. Thunder
having brought both the organizations
TO high point of vocal and ensemble
efficiency.
OF the solo parts. Miss Hinkle's was
decidedly the most grateful. as there
is much more melody in the soprano
solos than in any of the others. and
she sang them beautifully, with extreme
clarity and perfection of intonatiOn.
Miss Mcisle did the alto part also with
beauty of tone and round. full voice.
Mr.. Douty's part was principally reel
tative, being the chief narrator. as
Che Redemption goes back to the old
Bach style of having the tenor give the
narrative of the story. without, how
ever. the exquisite ssdignity of Bach
Mr.. Douty has probably no equal in
America in this style of work, with his
perfect enunciation> and clarity OF
style, but it was unfortunate that the
part gave him little opportunity to dis
play his equally great abilities as a
melodic singer.
Mr.. Evans as the baritone had the
only really dramatic part of the solo
fsts. He. too, is especially gifted as a
melodic singer, but while the part as
signed to the baritone voice gave little
opportunity for work of the character,
he did excellent work in the scene de-
scribng the CrucihxiOn, the appeal of
the Christ on the cross and His part
ing words being sung, or perhaps de-
claimed, with much pathos and feeling.
Mr.. Mason displayed voice of ex-
ceptional quality, especially in the lower
register. and did the narrative work
which fell to his share with clearness
and dramatic force. where the latter
quality was demanded Miss Edel took
the second voice in the trios for
womens voices in very satisfactory
and sympathetic manner.
One especial effect should be noted
in the chorus "Unfold. Ye Portals
Everlasting. Two choirs of female
voices, with trumpets and trombones,
were stationed in two of the upper
proscenium boxes and alternated with
the main chorus with fine effect. The
concluding notes sustained by these
trumpets after the orchestra and the
full chorus had stopped were very good
and produced fine effect. Mr.. Thun-
der conducted with great knowledge of
the score and sympathy with 1t and
fully deserved the ovations he received
after several of the numbers.
h The composition itself is not es-
pecially inspired and many times it ap-
proaches the danger line'of secular COM
position Much Of the narrative is
written in monotone and does not com
pare favorably with the ,polyphonic
style of the narrative in many older
works. There is comparatively little
does prevail it is secular rather than
religious. However, Mr.. Thunder made
the work as religious as the composition
: will permit and the performance was
fine throughout.