The Washington times., 1927-05-05
MUSIC NOTES
by JESSIE MaCBRIDE-l
RARE ART OF HOWARD "U"
CHORAL SOCIETY's HIAWATHAl


CHORAL SOCIETY'S HIAWATHA'
Choral singing-that is arresting,
that is vibrant and full of mean
ing, was heard in Washington last
evening.
Choral singing that conveys the
music's Tilt or depth and also the
true literary value of an exceptional
text, is something to bring joy to
ones heart. And that is what hap
pened when the Howard University
Choral Society, directed by Lulu
We're Childers, sang Coleridge- Tay-
lor's setting to Longfellow's poem
of "Hiawatf1a" last evening in
Rankin Chapel on the campus of
this university.
We love the poem of Hiawatha,
its stalwart. soul and its pathos.
There were moments of such
beauty, in the singing of these 30
voices of American colored uni
versity youth, that it brought tears
and real heart throb as they let
the music surge forth in compelling
rhythm. in ebb and flow of song.
One could ianalyze the tone-moods,
as fitting the word-values, from be.
ginning to end of the poetic story.
Reverently they apostrophized the
God OF these first Americans, the
Indian, or grew dark and tumultous
with sopranos soaring up and up
as they whipped the music into emo
ton.
Or how lovely the variety OF
rhythm in the soft prayer with its
exquisite close. There was a de.
crescendo, when the wedding
guests departed" that held ineffable
beauty in its eerie waves OF tone.
And so the story goes, each detail
told in music, until the dying Min.
nehaha brought choral effects of
surprising value.
The solo part of Hiawatha was
sung by young tenor, Alexander
Gatewood, who may have a John
Mccormack voice in the making, so
sympathetic and sweet it is, with
a personal quality of rare beauty
so that one waited to hear him
again and again. And two other
solo parts revealed very artistic
soprano, though she must not strain
her voice, in Avis Andrews, and a
young baritone, harrington Guy,
who has dignity and spirit in a
voice that has yet to "come
through"
Camille Lucie Nickerson, at the
piano, gave the big score with all
its characteristics keenly outlined,
alive in rhythm and highly musical.
But Miss Childers, who is director
of, the Howard University school of
music, has created choral group
bwhose attack, whose phrasing, and
diction, and tone.color are something
exceptional.
1t would be a great privilege il
| all washington could hear this
"Hiawatha" in the Washington Au-
ditorium. 1t is a literary as well
| as a musical experience. And there
is, in the voices of the colored PEG.
pie, a depth of pathos and an in.
stinctive rhythmic swing. that has
adorned this lovely music OF an
Afro Anglican negro as have never
heard 1t. We look for national
traits in music from other lands.
We should give 1t full value when
It exists at our door.
This "Hiawatha" was something
haunting and exquisite.
i
TWO PROGRAMS OF LETT
QUARTET AT LIBRARY
The Lett String Quartet, at the
Library of Congress this week, are
playing on Friday evening at $50
the Beethoven Quartet in G minor,
opus Is. No. 4; the Schubert Varia.
tons on Death and the Maiden"
from the Quartet in D minor: and
the Brahms Quartet in C minor,
opus 81, No. /. Schubert's variations,
Death and the Maiden" from the
lCantinuad an Para LII