Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1920-03-24
THE CP1ATION'
Scores HERE
The Decorah Choral in
Rendering Hayden's Ee,- .
Showed Wonderfully T..
ed Chorus.
PROF. sPERATI COMING
IN FOR MUCH PRAISE
The Soloists Were the Best Ever
Heard Here and the Big
Audience Was Highly
Pleased.


The Decorah Choral Union gave
its fourteenth concert March 16,
rendering Hayden's oratorio, "The
Creation" 1t was the crowning event
of the National Week of Song which
began the previous Sunday when the
Junior Choir of the First N. e. l..
church sang the cantata, "The Gen
re Shepherd" Professor Sperati has
zen training his chorus since last
AL and while the number of singers
sas less than usual, the parts were
more EVENLY balanced and sang with
sieater volume than in any other
Choral Union concert hitherto given
In Decorah. The idea of giving the
concert in the First N. f. L. church
instead of the opera house was
fortunate. 1t was a dignified setting
for Hayden's dignified and worship
ful portrayal of the greatest of Gods
miracles, The Creation.
1t was also of special interest,
though not previously planned thus,
that, as Prof. Sperati announced, 1T
was just thirty years ago that even
ing since THE Creation" was first
sung in Decorah. At that time the
tenor soloist was Mr.. j. l.. Hjort,
uncle of the bass OF last Tuesdays
concert.
Miss jeanette M. Donhowe, of
Story City, Iowa, a student at ST.
Olaf college, presented an admirable
rendition of the soprano part. Her
earnest and modest appearance won
for her at once place in the hearts
of all. She proved to be an artist of
careful and very thorough school
ing. Although young in years, she
sang with great firmness and ease
Her voice is clear and resonant; her
high soprano has the freshness of
youth as was so clearly shown in the
theme of the second day "The Mar
Velous Work." for soprano obligato
with chorus, a number Characterized
by great joyousness and spirit. Her
dictation is clear and her voice is
strong and flexible. She sang the
we'll known aria, with Verdure
Clad" in most delightful manner
The second part opens with an aria
for soprano, "On Mighty Pens" in
which the singing of birds is imita-
ted as closely as human music can
accomplish it. The lofty soaring of
the eagle, the merry morning well
come of the lark, the tender sympa-
thetic cooling of the dove, the plain
tive yet delightful notes OF the night
ingale were most admirably portray
ed by Miss Donhowe.
The tenor soloist was Mr.. Malcolm
w. Unseth, a senior at Luther Col
lege. His delightful lyric tenor voice
was we'll adapted to the tender music
in the recitative portraying the crea-
tion of the moon stepping in thru
silent night" 1t was delight to
listen both to his solos and his very
efficient work in the trios where his
voice blended so harmoniously with
those of the soprano and bass. 1t is
gratifying to know that students
from schools in our own locality take
such important and difficult parts
and render them so we'll. They de-
serve the greatest encouragement.
The bass soloist Rev. Owe J. III.
Preus, has been heard before in De-
corah. Rev. Preus showed that, al
though he is very busy man in the
ministry of his church, he can still
find time to cultivate that finest of
all arts which God has given man
kind, namely music, and especially
sacred music such as oratorios. His
work of Tuesday evening was a
finished product. Taking the part OF
gaphael depicting the gathering OF
the waters from the "foaming roll
ing billows of the boisterous seas"
and the rivers flowing in serpent
error" to the softly, limpid brook"
as il "glides through silent yales,"
Rev. Preus gave an Interpretation
that in richness of voice and full
sonorous depth might well be term
ed Delightful to the ravish'e sense"
Rev. PreSs' skill in interpretating
vivid descriptions of the creation was
undoubtedly best in the recitative in
the second part where to the ae-
compartment of wind instruments
was heard the, deep full roar OF the
'tawny lion changing quickly TO
the rapid strings telling of the "fex-
ible tiger" and the "nimble stag"
then entering upon a quiet pastoral