New Britain herald., 1922-05-09
CHORAL SOCIETY IN
 ARTISTIC TRIUMPH
Large Audience ApplaudS Chorus,
 Orchestra and SOl0iStS


 every seat of Fox's theater last eye- ming, the New Britain Choral society achieved an artistic triumph in it's May concert. The work of the large chorus of local people was noteworthy for its smoothness,. tone and delicacy of expression. Paul Althouse, in per feet voice, contributed more than his share to the successful presentation of the Longfcllow-S. Coleridge- Taylor "Hiawathas Wedding Feast" and "Narcissus," Massenet, in the latter of which Josephine Simpson Koch sang pleasingly the soprano solos, and the Boston Festival orchestra furnished the splendidly-trained musician back ground for an evening of rare musical entertainment. Edward F. Iaubin, conducting the chorus, and John w. Crowley the orchestra, proved them selves to be the dominating factors in the cooperation which made the pro- gram the expression of an harmon ious whole.
 The Chorus
 Longfellow's words ripple smoothly through the telling of the story of "Hiawathas Wedding Feast" and in the singing by the chorus of his beautiful lines, there was the same fidelity to rhythm which characterize the lipes. Gently the singers told of the gracious Hiawatha and the lovely Laughing Water, and the careful old Nokomis,' brilliantly they painted the dress of "deer-skin leggings. fringed with hedgehog quills and ermine, and in moccasins of buck-skin, thick with uills and beads embroidered. Sa. too, the chorus rose to the pitch of tri- umph, falling at last to the sweet lines with the night and Minnehaha."
 The work of the chorus disclosed evidence of fine voice material trained to a high degree of effectiveness through long effort under the capable direction of MT. Laubin.
 The Orchestra
 Especially to be commended was the playing of the orchestra of Grieg's "Erotik," and the "Minuet," Lully While the accompaniment work was satisfactory in every particular, these numbers, substituted for the Prelude" from "Lohengrin," allowed the musi- clans to display their composite in- dividuality. Each number was treat thoroughly appreciated by the audi ence.
 The Soloists
 Paul Althouse quite prepared his hearers for the enjoyment they would k; Ii. choice of selections later, by his pres entation of the tenor solos in the opening work. In that it was seen that he was in perfect voice and, by those who had not heard him before, that his voice was as nearly one of ab- solute tenor quality as it is possible to conceive. What it lacks in bursts of splendor is made up in delicacy of shading; there is a quite acceptab ble substitute for power in the ability to never make climax wanting in inn pressiveness. General tone adequacy and evenness, with not single mark ed fault of expression or placing achieves a result thoroughly satisfac- tory from a musical standpoint.
 MT. Althouse's singing of Take All of Me" Stickles, was spectacularly i'm passioned, never to the detriment of tone or enunciation. impeling in every note. His Pleading" Edward Elgar and "A Pages Road Song" Novello, continued the impression of the skill ed vocalist, turned momentarily to a display of the lighter side of voice well contained, but "The Great Awak- ening," Walter Kramer, made even the critical musician forget the fine quality of MT Althouse's voice and the evil dence of the skilled handling of it. in admiration for the enjoyment of the dramatic splendor of the songs well founded climax.
 MT Althouse has been in many con- certs. It is safe to say he never did better work than he gave to the New Britain audience yesterday.
 The few chances Mime. Koch had to give her hearers the pleasure of ap- plauding her singing made them wish that they might have further oppor- tunity to enjoy her sweet voice. That characteristic was noted especially in her brief appearance.