The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-03-08
TIMES MONDAY PAGE OF NEWS OF THE MUSIC WO



T.l,n famoan ..Bacl1 Cholf Of
Bethlehem. p comes 70 wash
iurton again this spring They
van sing tlae s.et. Matthew Pas
sion 81 Bach on Tuesday, April 8.
III the washington Auditorium Blv-
sslag this great work here over a
month In advance 0K the yearly
festival held by the choir IN Ivy own
city.
ii IL through the efforts of sew
eral prominent musicians. patrons
and managers Of washington that
a return Of this important musical
organization has been arranged Tor,
DR.. ] Fred Wolfe, noted director
OF the Bach Choir, has accepted thu
offer Of the washington commit
tee. Much added Importance Is at
tached to their coming. as the
singers do not visit any other com.
naunitses and have not. except on
two or three rare Instances, gone
outside Of their American Festival
city Of Bethlehem.
Last season the rendering Of the
B Minor Mass at the Auditorium
Was unuuestionably the prime at
traction az the year. Further, be-
cause of the magnitude or the UNI
derkaking II IL doubtful whether the
National Capital has ever receiyed
d greater musical impetus than al
that time. IT Is proposed, therefore,
to continue the high standard with
en- equally eminent performance Of
the famous Passion, According To
st. Matthew.
The orchestral portions or the
score viii again be given by the.
PHILADELPHIA Orchestra. IN addition, Il
the organ at the Auditorium will be
available, which was not previously
the case The Morayian Trombone
Choir will likewise accompany the
singers to Washington
Audience CllorIlses no Sing
A special feature Ii now under
consideration whereby local chOirs
In attendance viii Join III the Of
fering Of the various cl1orales found
In the composition. 10 Id expected
that approximately 500 voices can
be added to the ensemble III this pro-
cedure rs carried ont. 1T III inter.
estfng to know that with this adj
dition to the visiting choir the per-
Torrance VIII assume the nature or
those given ii Bethlehem, where
the congregations join with the
singers in the producing Of the
chorales mentioned.
The st. Matthew Passion was
first heard close to two centuries
ago. In its original version It was
given on Good Friday. 1879, at st.
Thomas Church. Leipzig. a NUM-
Der OF notable reVivals have carried
Il down to the present day, and II
now stands as one Of Bach's most
sublime achievements. Probably
the most recent productions have
been those given at Bethlehem. and
Music.
Join Our Friends Of Music
Since a purpose Of the intended
concert is to demonstrate the must
cal interest III the National Capt.
tai. d widespread campaign is being
conducted toward that end. Many
OF the largest churches have indi-
Gated their position through their
pastors and no less activity has
been manifested by the educational
organizations Of the city.
I. Arthur Smith. who Is in charge
of the financial arrangements and
publicity material for the event, has
stated that protracted efforts will
be made toward the bringing in OF
outside patrons from neighboring
1t Is hoped that
special train service can be made
available for those visiting from
the larger adjacent cities.
Mr.. Smith announces the follow
ing partial list of guarantors who
have made possible the visit Of the
Bach Choir: Mrs. Adolph G. Miller
Mrs. Edwin B. Parker, the Rev. q
b. Phillips, Mrs Louis A. Frothing
ham, Mrs. Fred Keep, Mrs. Robert
Lansing, Mrs. Frank West, Mrs.
Sinclair Bowen. Senator David "A.
Reed, Mrs. Joseph Clark Grew
Mrs. Eugene Meyer, Mrs. Robert
Low Bacon. Mrs. Walter b. Howe,
Mrs Frank B. Moves, Mrs. Fred
erick C. DeIano, Mrs. Frank
Kellogg, Mrs. Herbert Hoover, Mrs
William Phelps Emo, Mrs. Dallett
Wilson, Mrs. Henry White, Mrs.
Walter Wilcox, Mrs. Rose Thomp-
son. Mrs. Haynes Ellis, Coleman
Jennings, Rozier II. Dulany. Major
William r. Coy1e. and the Chamber
Music Society. It is expected that
this list will be considerably