Evening star., 1927-10-02

His cherished plan from the begin
ming was the formation of a profess
sional orchestra that would center
about the Conservatory. so he gath
cred the musicians Of Baltimore
around him. and for 25 years directed
each season from to 10 symphony
concerts to form and acCentuate the
classic appreciation of the inspire
tonal works of great masters. The
influence of such ideals is difficult to
measure and Is lasting. Memories of
certain musicians of the orchestra
come to me: Henry Allen, the vener-
able English concertmaster who had
played in his younger days under
Mendelssohn; Sydney Lanier. scholi ir
and poet from the South, the first
f1utist. whose tones from the flute
We're the poets tones, golden.
"Hamerik was gifted, sensitive
conductor, with feeling for the inner
spiritual significance of the phrase
and it's varying moods. Sometimes
he would accompany the soloist from
the piano, and these were epochal mo.
ments Of tonal beauty.
'Hamerik as composer was schol-
arly as we'll as facile. He was master
OF the easy flow of counterpoint and
of strict fugue writing. His orches-
tration was peculiarly clear and linn
pid. There is often. too, the beauty
Tilt" in his melodies, distinctiveiy
Scandinavian.
'One of Hamerik's profoundest
and deeply impressive works is the
Requiem Mass a work certainly as
fine as the one by Verdi; the solemn
Requiem and kyrie.' the stupendous
Tuba Myrum.' the plaintive and ap.
pealing 'Agnus Del the virile Sane
tus' in fuguefor How touching the
last recitative of the soloist as she
sings with sepulchral monotony Re
quiescat in pace and the respons-
i've answer of Amen as finale from
the chorus in rich, harmonic subdivis.
Jon in II parts. that merge into a
whisper of sound and an incense Of
effect. 1t was my privilege to be of
assistance to the master in bringing
out this work by training chorus of
500 voices, after 75 rehearsals. to a
successful climax. The work is diff
1cult-six- chorus throughout, and
contrapuntal in treatment with col
laboration of mezzo-soprano soloist
It's first presentation was given in
Baltimore as a memorial to George
Peabody, before an invited audience,
including the governor of the State,
the mayor of the city, Cardinal Glib.
bons and clergy, social element stu
dents. 1t was the occasion of en-
thusiastic homage and success for the
composer.
Among the other compositions of
Asger Hamerik which were from
time to time brought out at the sym.
phony concerts were seven SYM
phonies: Poetique, Tragique. Lyrique.
Majesteuse, Serieuse, Spirituella and
Chorale, the latter with mezzo-so.
prano solo and chorus. He also com.
posed five Morse suites for orchestra,
three operas. two choral works, the
Christian Trilogy" and the Jewish
Trilogy"; cello. Romance with or
chestra; 'Spirituelle for Strings sew.
eral cantatas, string quartet and
vocal pieces.
"Hamerik's nature was generous
kind and sympathetic. He was always
interested in talent. In manner he
was thoroughly French. Through his
charm of personality he often dis.
armed his enemies. His figure on the
streets of Baltimore, in frock coat and
high hat. was as well known as that
of Cardinal Gibbons with his red
biretta.
while in Baltimore Hamnrik was
knighted by the King of Denmark
for his contribution to musical art.
I'm the concert hall of the Pea.
body Conservatory. his workshop,
the bust of Asger Hamerik has re-
Gently been placed in bronze bas-
relief, a fitting tribute to a musical
genius who gave his best to an ex-
alted art