Connecticut western news., 1921-05-26
MUSIC FESTIVAL OF
 COUNTY CHORAL UNION
"Elijah" Will Be Sung By Chorus of APO
 -. Voices

The 46th, 47th, and 18th meetings and concerts of the Litchfield County Choral union will be held at the Mu- sic shed in Norfolk on the evenings of June 2, 8 and 9.
 The meeting on Tuesday evening, June 7, is a private dress rehearsal for chorus, orchestra and soloists and is open to members only, who have special cards of admission.
 On Wednesday evening, June 8, the oratorio of "Elijah" by Mendel- ssohn is to be sung by the chorus of APO voices, selected from the various sections of the union, which will have the assistance as soloists of Florence Hinkle, soprano, Merle Alcock, con- tralto, George Hamlin, tenor, and Clarence Whitehill, bass, who will sing the part of Elijah. It would be difficult to find anywhere in the world four singers who could fill so we'll the solo parts in Mendelssohn's masterpiece, and the same condi- tions apply to the orchestra of 75 virtuoso players from New York selected from the forces of the Phil harmonic society, Metropolitan opera house and the New York Sym phony orchestra.
 The conductor of the union, Ar thur Mees, will be in command of the oratorial forces and no better guarantee of success could be offered than the inspiring leadership of Mir. Mees. In these days of 'primadon- ma" conductors who pose for that section of the public which is gentle and ecstatic, but is not critical, and cares more for musical gymnastics than music, it is profitable and up- lifting to see and hear leader who knows every note, vocal and orches- tral, of his scores and whose sole ob- feet is to reverence and honor the composer and his work. Star con- ductors like star soloists are a bane to the art of music.
 Elijah was success from it's first rendition at the Birmingham (Eng- land) festival, where it was given under the direction of the composer. It has steadily grown in favor and is now rated by musicians and the pub lie with Handel's 'Messiah,," Haydn's "Creation," Verdi's Requiem Mass" and Berlioz's Faust" It is highly dramatic, and is justly called the greatest of biblical operas. Men delssohn's creation requires a mighty and expert choir and this will be furnished by the union which has ever been the real star in the best sense of the word, of this and all previous festivals. The massive choruses "Baal, We Cry to Thee" and "Thanks be to God" will be an especial tribute to the leader, and the perfect acoustics of the shed will leave no detail without satisfactory and sonorous results.
 At the meeting on Thursday even ing, June 9, will be given concert of orchestral music with vocal and instrumental solos. The program is a masterpiece of romantic music, and several conductors are prepar ing to reproduce these selections at concerts next winter. Weber's en- chanting overture, "Oberon", will open the concert and is certainly happy selection, and with its calls CT the horns and it's fairy strains is highly appropriate for the ledges, rocks and rills, thick with wild flow CTS which make the setting of the shed. ] Following the overture will be played the "Irish Symphony" by Charles Villiers Stanford, an hon. orary member of the union and one who has been much interested in it's progress. This symphony is one of
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