The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-05-15
MUSIC FESTIVAL WEEK


and under the direction of Henry
Edward Malloy, HandePs 'sThe Mes
siah" was sung Sunday nights, May
4th and May 18th of the Music Fes-
tival Week of the Fort Hays Kansas
Normal School.
The Festival chorus was the out
standing feature of the Music Fes-
tival Week. It has a roster of over
700 persons, $50 of them in some
what regular attendance. The chorus
was well balanced. It's attacks and
releases were excellent. Its nuances
were well handled considering the
length Of time the chorus had prac-
ticed. Mr.. Malloy projected the fes-
tlval after armistice was signed and
first practice was February 3rd. For
five years the Fort Hays Normal had
been preparing for this festival and
the war had delayed its Inauguration.
The people of Western Kansas are
the sons and daughters of the pio-
neers who had overcome hardships of
living on the Great Plains. They
do with an earnest unknown in other
parts of the United States what they
set out to do. The spirit of coopera-
ton in the chorus was what ''put it
over" and the few slips were caused
by an over-anixety to do everything
Mr.. Malloy was expecting of them.
1t is not too much to say that the
tonal quality was good and the choral
technic was unusual Mr. Malloy
said: ST have conducted large chorus
es of more experienced singers with
poorer results and I attribute what
this chorus has done so well to the
willingness of every member to try to
the utmost"
Mime. Matzenauer heard the chorus
from the Governors Box in tthe Coli
scum. When asked what she thought
of the Chorus she inquired, Glow
long have they practiced?" When in
formed she replied: Marvellous, Mar
velous. You people are to be con-
graduated that this community can
have such a fine festival and such a
chorus" Toscha Seidel also heard
part of ''The Messiah" from the
Governors Box and said: 'Your
chorus is indeed wonderful"
The oratorio quartet which assist
ed the Festival chorus in singing ''The
Messiah" was composed of: Nine
Marie Sidenius Zendt of New York
City, soprano; Miss Christine Schultz
of New York City, contralto; Reed
Miller of New York City, tenor; and
Gustaf HoImquist of Chicago, basso.
These artists very effectively sang
the solo parts.
Nine. Margaret Matzenauer, the
phenomenal prima donna of the Met
ropolitan Opera House, opened the
Music Festival Week of the Normal
School with recital Sunday after
noon, May 4th. The power and
range of Mime. Matzenauer's voice in
spired as we'll as charmed the audi
ence. Every number of her progam
and every one of her encores was a
real treat to the people of Western
Kansas. To say any one was better
received than another is to say that
were her best. Perhaps Myerbeer's
"Ah, mon filsP' from LIE Prophete
and F. di Nogero's ''La Gitanina"
were accorded the greatest response
from the audience. The latter was
written for and dedicated to Nine.
Matzenauer. Nine. Matzenauer is in
deed q distinguished singer and well
worthy of her world wide fame.
The thing that impressed the people
Western Kansas about Nine. Mat
zenauer in addition to her wonderful
singing was the very humanness of the
great prima donna. President Lewis
said: ''She is first human being and
then a great singer" After the con-
cert she posed for snap shots back Oh
Sheridan Coliseum, was interviewed
by little Mary Catherine Bird, auto
graphed her photograph for a mum
Der of Hays people, said the Norma
School was to be congratulated upoT
attempting a Music Festival upor
such a large scale, attended ''The
Messiah" at ngiht and made herselt
thoroughly at home in our Western
Kansas City.
Toscha Seidel, the young Russian
violinist whose playing has created
such Juror in the east, came direc
to Hays from New York City for th'
closing day of the Music Festiva
Week. Much has been expected o.
Seidel; much had been written o.
Seidel in the newspapers and maya
zines of America the last thre,
months; much had been said by ou
local musicians of what he would b
able to do-everything expected
said or suggested was surpassed. HI
did play with a sweeping and might.
spirit. With absolutely no affecta
ton and with modesty not usual.
achieved by youth, Siedel filed Sher
idan Coliseum with the fervor of hi
own soul through the spell of tn
music from his violin. Seidel's frs
appearance on the platform was