Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-29
nj U S C.
THE HAML1NE CHOIR CONCERT.

THE HAMLINE CHOIR CONCERT.
John Marville, bass soloist and di-
rector of the choir Of Hamline M. e.
Church, presented an unusual and am
bilious program admirably at the
church last night before a large au-
dience.
The feature of the evening was what
is said to be the first performance in
Washington of Saint-Saens dramatic
oratorio work, THE Deluge," based
upon the biblical subject of the great
food and the story of the warning to
Noah to build his Ark.
1t is interesting to recall that the
mother of Camille Saint-SaenS aroused
his interest in biblical subjects very
early in life. When he was only IL he
had sketched a tragedy on the subject
of Moses on the Mount. 1t was in a
time of extreme creative activity IN
which he wrote THE Deluge," writing
it in the same general period as his
great opera, which is also based upon
a biblical story, Samson ct Della"
THE Deluge" was performed last
night by a choir of so voices, includ-
ing soloists, an orchestra of IL pieces,
piano and organ. 1t proved an ex-
tremely effective work. AS 1t was CIV
en-, the wonder grew that nobody had
attempted it previously in washington.
Also it invited thoughts Of the great
effects obtainable If it were done in
dramatic fashion with impressionistic
costume effects and such lighting as the
Germans are adopts at providing. I'm
like most works of oratorio style, 1.-THE
Deluge" is exceptionally well knit for
orchestral balance with the vocal score;
If ANYTHING, the orchestra dominates
in the importance of the values OF its
music as compared with the vocal part.
It is not supplementary accompaniment
by anv means.
In fact, the voices are handled in
the fashion of instruments to blend
with the orchestra, There are no
long winded fiorid arias; the sololsts
have their moments in the sun, but
they are moments, not long draWn-out
half hours of recitative and air. The
listener receives the defite impression
that there is not one unnecessary note
of music in the entire score. The only
recitative of any length was sung by
the tenor, Mr. Rench, from whom one
might have wished for more color Ano
roundness in tone. Miss Flehr was ef-
fective in the declamatory solo passage
in the first part; Mr.. Marville's rich
basso was most colorful in the short
passages that he sang as solos: Ethe
Stickles, soprano, was adequate, but mo-
unusual. The choral sections each die
very well, indeed, and blended in somt
of the most difficult harmonic passages
in a manner that showed good drilling
Some of their attacks and CLOSING
phrases were less coIorful than they
might have been. apparently due u
lack of sufficiently deeply placed breath
Their work generally however, Is high
~ to be commended.
The first part of the concert was de
voted to choral numbers OF religious
stvle that are contained in Wagner
OPERAS, "Tannhauser," die Meister
singer" and "Lohengrin." All OF then
were done in good taste and with NIGEL,
balanced orchestral background. Leon
ard Davis pleasing baritone voic
showed to advantage in the quintet Il
the PRAYER" from "Lohengrin."
The pianist, Ruth Thomas. and tn
organist, Edith B. Athey, deserve specis
mention for excellent work and the or
chestra proved the great value Of sue
accompaniment, when intelligently ap
piled to an oratorio. Those in the or
chestra were William F. Santelmanr
violin soloist; Henry Weber, Kennel
Douse and Delbert M. Allen, violins
Lee Sanford, viola; Joseph BernolfC
violoncellist: Franz Schumm, bass
Clayton Lindsay, flute; Emil Rad;
/ clarinet: Winifred Kemp, cornet: Ed
ward Gummel, trombone, and Wilbu
Kiefer, tympanl q. ;.