The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1924-09-11


Sextette will not relish being called
angels, but the title fits nevertheless.
These splendid singers gave con-
cert for the closing night of Chau-
tauqua. And as the platform mana
ger fittingly remarked at the close
of their performance, "their work is
far above the level of the average
Chautauqua attraction"
1t is tribute, not only to them
selves, but to the audience as well,
that their music was so enthusiastically
applauded. In this jazz-mad age, it
is gratifying to find that genuine
music still finds a generous res
ponce in the hearts of the people,
But few of the audience realized
the colorful career of these SPLEEN
did singers. That is why they were
entertaining angels unawares." Mr..
Nicholas Vasilieff the director of the
Sextette, was member of the orig
inal Russian Cathedral Choir in
New York City. This monster choir
of hundred voices was solely sup
ported by rich manufacturer, of
Chicago, who had vast holdings in
Russia. His appreciation of the mus
zeal talent of the Russians caused
him to establish and support this
choir as a mark of respect to Rus
STA.
But when the Russian Revolution
came on, all this mans property
In Russia was confiscated As a re-
suit he had to withdraw his support
from the choir, leaving them adrift.
And as the choir had been replen-
ished from time to time, there were
many of them unable even to speak
the English language. Many of them
suffered hardships, and their strug-
giles for time were rather heart
rending.
But their music was beginning to
be appreciated. And when John Bar
rymore staged that tragic Russian
play, Redemption" it was to the
Russian Cathedral singers that he
went for the haunting music that
formed the theme Of the play. 1t
was under Mr.. Vasilieff's guidance
that the Russian Gypsy Singers"
were organized and provided the
wierdly gripping music that was
woven like golden strand thru
Redemption" For seven months this
play remained on Broadway, with
eight performances weekly, and by
that time the fame of the Russian
Cathedral singers had been definitely
established.
Then from the horrors of Russia
many refugees began coming to
this country. Among them was ia
cob S. Loukine, former member of
the Royal Opera Company Of Petro-
grad. The horrors of his escape thru
Siberia, however, did not lessen the
SWttSbttSS VI tio NOttt- 1t WAS ne
who sang baritone in the Sextette
here. Mr.. Loukine, incidentally, was
a member of the commission formed
after the death of the Gar and the
royal family to ascertain the facts
of the assassination for the records
of the government. For, following
the assassination, there was an at
tempt to re-establish the monarchy.
And Mr.. Loukine testifies that the
supposition of the Gar and the roy
al family being still alive and in
Imprisonment is all idle talk He
said it was established that they
were taken from Petrograd to the
Ural Mountains where they were
killed The Gar had been shot, his
body burned and the remains cast
into mine shaft. His remains were
found, and on the skeleton fingers
were found rings that definitely
identified him. The Grand Duke,
the Czarina and the children were
also found where they had been
cast into the mines and killed.
A touching sidelight on Mr.. Lou
kine's career was given by Mr..
Vasilieff. He said that as student
in Petrograd he had stood for hours
in line before the Royal Opera, in
order to secure seat where he
heard Mr.. Loukine sing. But the
Revolution dealt cruelty with Mr..
Loukine, his property being confis-