Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-04
SISTINE CHOIR
SINGS PROGRAM
OF UNIQUE KIND
Male Soprano and COntraItO with
Tenor and BassO Present Re-
eital at Augustana.
BY Gotta BARTHOLOMEW.


a program unique in several par
ticulars and unusual in others was
that given last evening at Angus
tana auditorium by the quartet of
soloists from the Sistine chapel of
the vatican IT Rome. Unique IN
that the entire program was com
posed OF quartet numbers, without
the variation Of solo and instru-
mental selections, that the COM
positions were sung mostly unac-
companied, and all Of them in
Latin or Italian and from the hand
written manuscripts. Unusual in
the fact that the quartet is com
posed of the only male soprano
and male contralto that can be
rightly called so in the world, AL
lesandro Gabrielle and Luigi Gen
till, tenor, Ezio Cecchini. and the
basso. Augusta dos Santos, Alberto
Cametti acting as pianist and Or
>Santst. Unusual, too, in the fact
that the group has come directly
from the vatican for a series of
concerts which are limited in num-
Der and which cover less than
three months time in this coun-
try
The character of the music sung
by the organization, too, IS IN
usual and quite out of the regular
run of concert programs and diff
ferent from that which the aver
age audience is accustomed to
hearing, composed as it is largely
of sacred music, that of the vati-
can.
The quartet appeared under the
direction of Allouez council, No.
658, Knights Of Columbus, and IN
der the concert direction of Miss
Mary Lindsay Oliver of Moline, a
member of the national concert
managers association. The audi
torium was well filled and the au-
dience was most enthusiastic in its
reception of the entire program,
though one would have been led
TO believe that the character of the
compositions would appeal to few
but students of music who see in
any composition all the beautiful
phrasing and parts that compose
good music. The music, however,
was not severe.
The first part of the program
was made up entirely of sacred
numbers and was sung by the
quartet in their churchIy vestments
OF red satin and white lace. The
second part was composed largely
of secular numbers and members
of the quartet appearing in con-
ventional evening dress. and they
were punctilious about it, too, for
each was dressed just like the 9TH
er, from arrangement of gloves in
their vests, watch chain. tie, down
to the very rings on their fingers.
1t was somewhat of a surprise
and creates a peculiar sensation in
the listener when the first notes OF
the male soprano are heard, COM
ing as they do from so large. pow
erfuIly built man, for the tones
distinctly have the quality of the
female voice, and if one was to
close his eyes and depend entirely
upon the sound to determine the
sex and the singer. there could be
no other conclusion than that the
voice was that of a woman This
is true also of the contralto,
though the surprise is not so great,
for he has neither the height nor
the breadth nor build of the giant
Soprano. His voice, however. is
characterized by its feminine quail
ity and both the soprano and con-
traIto are possessed Of peculiarly
sweet voices.
Voices Well Balanced.
The tenor and basso likewise
have voices of unusually excellent
quality and the quartet. as such.
sings with peculiar harmony of
tone and care in the small details
that mean so much in the produc-
ton of good ensemble work Their
voices are all strong and full and
round and of good range. the so
prano taking some clear, resonant
tones well up the treble scale that
might we'll put many a real fe-
male soprano to shame.
The first number on the we'll
arranged program was "Alleluja,
BY Iommelli, from the mass of the
Holy Ghost written for the vati-
can and sung on the feast of Pen
kecost. This was followed by 20