Connecticut western news., 1922-01-12
ANNUAL MEETING OF
 COUNTY CHORAL UNION
Officers Guests of MT. and Mrs. Carl Stoeckel at
 Norfolk

Mrs. Carl Stoeckel at Norfolk on Tuesday evening. About thirty were present, including Joseph L.. Parsons, George Hardenburgh and Rev. A. Karl Skinner from this place.
 At the business meeting which preceded the dinner, it was an- nounced that Richmond P. Paine, beloved by all members of the Choral Union, would again take up the work as conductor. Dr. Mees and Dr. Kasschau, resigned, sent in letters expressing their appreciation of the work done by the various choruses under their direction.
 The work to be studied during the coming season will be The Beatitudes, by Ceaser Franck and The Tale of Old Japan, by Coolridge Taylor. The first rehearsal by the Canaan chorus will be held on Tuesday evening, January 24th.
 Report of Canaan Chorus
 The time draws near to begin our choral work for another season. Already chorus members are enjoy ing speculation as the work to be studied and enquiring the date of the opening rehearsal. AS the mind runs forward in anticipation, it also ranges back in retrospect over noteworthy season in 1921.
 The Canaan Chorus started the season with a distinct handicap in the loss, through removal from town, of several valuable soprano voices. These voices proved a loss not only in volume and quality of tone pro- duction, but especially in the matter of leadership. A difficult work like the Elijah, makes some sort of train ing and musical experience almost necessity in the effort to become familiar with it in the limited period available. The chorus suffered par ticularly at this point, in the failure of these voices to return and was consequently slow in reaching a quality of consistent performance which made it look anything like suitable material for a June concert at Norfolk.
 It is to be feared that our faithful and competent conductors, who spared no art known to the modern music master to call out the desired result, spent not few restless nights at the expense of the Canaan Chorus. At first they tried tact, hoping to make progress without revealing their secret opinion, Then they took us quietly into their conti- dence and shared their fears with us, and at last they seemed to abandon altogether the idea of being longer confidential about it. Well, "Now 1t May Be Told', as one of our corres- pondents assures us. The strategy of the campaign often comes to light after the battle is over, and from rumors that have reached our ears, we understand that the General m Command admitted that the Canaan Chorus looked after it's own sector ecceptably, and thereby contributed to the noteworthy victory Of the combined forces in the Music Shed last June.
 I consider it one of the seasons accomplishments when I say that these same conductors, in their ln- .erpretation of the Elijah, made of 1t not only a masterful musical produc- tion, but so reproduced it's atmos- phere, and imparted it's spirit to those who sat under them, that it grew upon us in it's true character of great religious drama as well, and as we become familiar with those ma iestic choruses we felt in our souls, the confidence and the uplift of the ancient faith. Many a chorus mem Der was heard to voice genuine re- gret, at the end, that another month was not available for continued study of the work, for it's own sake alone. Congratulations to you, our leaders! In the language of music, you have proclaimed the message of the pull pit.
 The Canaan Chorus began the season of 1921 with membership of 90, some 13 less than in 1920 but the total average percentage of attend ance, 89.7 per cent bettered the 1920 record. The lowest percentage for the season for any rehearsal was 76, and the highest, 100 per cent recorded for the two final rehearsals at Norfolk. Tn the concert which concluded the seasons work, 52 members of our chorus participated.
 The chorus is fortunate indeed for the coming season, to be able to re- tain the corps of faithful and eff cient officers who have served it's interests now for several years past; it's President, it's Secretary, it's Reg istrar, and it's competent Accom- panist.
 In anticipation of the season of 1922, committee of the chorus, has been at work for some time seeking to interest all available membership material in the community, to enlist new voices, and to reenlist former members. We are determined that our community shall not grow in-
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