The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-07-22
HACERSTOWN GROUP WINS
CHOIR FESTIVAL CONTEST
Fourth Annual Event Is Appreci-
ated By Almost 1000; Massed
Choir of 700 Give Broadcast
DIR. WILLIAMSON DIRECTS

Maryland's Mountain Choir Festi-
val, begun as part of movement to
restore to modern use the old chants
and almost forgotten church ritual of
the sixth century, was witnessed Sun
day afternoon and evening by nearly
1000 people who had assembled in the
Mountain Lake Park Amphitheatre.
The audience thrilled to the singing
of hundreds of voices in the massed
choir, which brought together ten
we'll trained choirs from four states in
contest and broadcast of TOO voices.
Highlight of Sunday afternoons
broadcast was the premiere of Henry
Holden Huss's Winged Messengers
Of Peace" with the composer at the
piano as accompanies.
The composition was dedicated to
the festival, which was .inaugurated
and directed by Rev. Felix G. Robin
son, lecturer in the Westminster Choir
School, Princeton, N. ]. Rev. Robin
son is son of DR.. and Mrs. John G.
Robinson, of Oakland.
A solemn professional at sunset,
followed by the choral eucharist, closed
the festival. Assisting Rev. Felix Rob-
inson in the choral eucharist in lead
ing and informing the service, was his
brother, Rev. Ralph C. Robinson, of
Spring Grove, Pa.
Two Hagerstown choirs carried off
top honors in the choral contest held
Sunday Afternoon. The A Canelfa
choir, directed by Raymond Holm
ger, won first prize of $500 and the
Cumberland Valley Choristers, direct
ed by Charles Moore Cassel, won Sec
ond prize of $50. Third prize of $25
went to the South Hills Choral, Pitts
burgh, Pa, directed by David Bissett.
This group won first place last year.
Each of the ten choirs participating
in the contest sang Bortniansky's
Cherubim Song, and another number
of their own selection.
The prizes were made possible, Di-
rector Robinson announced, by the
Celanese Corporation of America,
through C. D. Walton, works manager
of the plant of the concern at Cumber-
land.
The festival chorus was directed by
DR.. John Finley Williamson, conductor
of the Westminster choir, to whom the
festival was dedicated. DR.. Williamson
came to Mountain Lake Park from
point in California to be the guest
conductor of the massed choir, which
included besides the ten competing
choirs, the county groups from Som
erset county, Pa; Preston and Tucker
counties, w. Va, and Garrett county.
Competing choirs other than the win
ners were from Westminster, Cum
berland, Westernport, Keyser, Johns
town, Martinsburgh and Baltimore.
Among the soloists appearing at the
festival this year were four Baltimore
ans, Mary Muller Fink, harpist; Mill
cent Morris, soprano; John Eltarmann,
organist, and Howard Robinson, tenor.
The first session on Saturday evening
included an organ recital by Mr.. Elter-
mann and selections by Mr.. Robinson
and Miss Fink.
In addition to the above artists there
appeared on Sunday afternoon the
Baltimore and Ohio Women's Music
Club chorus, Baltimore, and the Am
erican Legionettes, of Keyser, West
Va. A band concert was given by the
Loeb Lynn Heights band under the
direction of H. S. Mickey, at the con-
clusion of the afternoon program. A
children's choir from communities in
the Potomac Valley, assisted in the
evening service. ..s.. .a
Continued threats of rain and an I'M
usually cool day prevented many from
attending, it was thought. ~ .4