Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-23
NEGRO IS At HIS BEST
IN MUSIC OF HIS OWN
Second Lorillard Chorus At.
tracts Larger Audience Than
Its Predecessor.
By John George IInrrI,.

The second Lorillard Chorus co,,
cert at the City Auditorium lnst
night drew larger audience thar
us predecessor of last Tuesday even.
ing II also proved to those In al
tendance that the negro liz MT h,,
nest IN music OF his own. The no.
cuilar songs of the race &ere lnrre,v
aihphasizeu III last nights concert,
ana In this respect the evening w.
very interesting one.
The same chorus, brass hand ,,.
orchestra and small boys chorus wn"
on The stage. Tho program, again
OF thirteen numbers. proof thnt IN.
program makers arc not supera,i,i
cus' was made up Of q little pa,ri.
otic. little jazz and much nc.ro
spiritual music. OF these, the los,
named was the most enjoyed. the tnzz
paling into gentle tolerance whnn
compared with tho really fine effect
OF the spiritual songs. The negro
~ at his best when In his own field:
when he. In songs or otherwise. i'm
itntcs the white. ne Is at a dIsaI-
vantage. Even Carry Me Back 10
Old Virginia" In negro dialect, was
shown last night concluslvely TO DO
not Negroes tune, for Il was not
sung In the same style that Roll.
Jordan. Roll" and Living In Bcu-
lhh Land" were done. It was dragged
out In weary fashion. In violent con.
trnst to melodies OF his own.
You Rctter Git Ready Now" wae
given In stirring manner. and Ia on.
or the best modern choruscs I have
heard. II was sung spiritedly, a.,
refrain repeated several times. 1t
evidently made hit with both audi
ence and chorus. Misses Ryland ana
Tree OF Life" nlso was intcrpola,ed.
this. too. Il splendid number. Fred
Brooke understands this type OF
muaic and has furnished good cong
for the Loriliard Chorus A song. In
nntiphonal style. tho title OF which
DID not appear. was truly majestic
the way the chorus did It. and would
evoke enthusiasm I'm Carnegie Hall.
This chorus. in It's own inirnitabIc
songs. would be n scnsation In New
York or Boston. beyond doubt.
The small boys. sailors. IL you
please. sang the Star SpangIed
Banner" and Pull for the shore.
Sailor" assisted, in large part, by
their elders. the latter number re
solving Itself into kind OF boat
race. the boys craft noaing out tina,
Of tho adults by bare margin, the
boys finishing slightly In the lend
The bnnd struggled manfully in l:s
numbers, showing itself superior 10
Sorsa In one respect. that Of per
capita volume The orchestra played
jazz in abundance. the trap drummer
making an especial hit.
The chorus wac dcservedly the real
feature OF the evening. and again one
liz inclined 10 praise the officials OF
the Lorillard company for organizing
and continuing this body OF singers
The voices arc good In tne!r own
songs. tho women especially so: tho
soprano and alto parts. while open
TO academic criticism. are fresh and
vlrile. and they sing with 81 whole
heart and an undivided purpose. The
men nre inclined TO be moro reticent
and retiring, due. possibly To the
existence >Uf the nineteenth amend
ment. though some or them, we dare
say. never heard at IL.
The concert last night was given
FOR the benefit OF tho Sheltering
Arms Hospital. and II should pront
greatly thcrefrom. the auditorium
being filled to near capacity.