Evening star., 1939-05-10
ChOirs Excel
In Festival
Concert
Church Crowded
For Presentation
Bv Music Clubs
By ALICE EVERSMAN.

inc sacred CnOlf FeStlVal given
last night at the Mount Vernon
Place M. E. Church under the
auspices of the D. c. Federation of
Music Clubs, proved to be the most
successful from many points of view
Of any of the previous gatherings
Of the church choirs. Scheduled as
an event of National Music Week,
the arrangements were made By
Deane Shure, chairman of the fes-
tival in the department of church
music. The free space in the
church auditorium not occupied bv
the choirs was completely filled,
with a large attendance In the
basement where an amplifier al
lowed full enjoyment of the pro-
gram.
The singing of the choirs was of
contrasting effects and a splendid
demonstration of the finish and
style of the work of the different
church groups. For richness of
tone, excellency Of vocal balance
and broadness of style, the A. Cap
pela Chorus from the Washington
Missionary College under the di-
rection of George Greer was the
best example. The largest group
to be heard, the singers have par
ticularly warm quality Of tone, full
and resonant in the lower voices
and mellow in the higher.
Their program consisted OF three
Russian numbers, Tschaikowsky's S
Let Us Worship Thy Spirit" "
Glinka's "Cherubim Song" and
Kopolyoff's "Allelujah," for which
the voices seemed especially we'll
fitted. In the matter of dynamics
and extreme pianissimo effects,
their performance was highly pol
ished. This was the first partici-
patton Of this group, if memory
serves correctly. in quasi-competi-
ton with other local choirs ana
their finished and colorful singing
Of this difficult music created a deep
impression.
From their place on the program
between the choir of the Petworth
NJ. E. Church, directed by Ardis
Cannon with Mildred Bishop &C
companying and the Anacostia M.
E. Church, George Ross, director,
and Marguerite Allen Ross accom-
panist, they served to offset the
pure, sweet quality of the latter
two groups. The Petworth choir
gave most effectively Noble Gains
In the Night Christ Came Walk
ing" and Martins "Ho, Everyone
That Thirsteth," while the well bal
anced and pure toned ensemble
of the Anacostia singers was partic-
ularly well suited to Christiansen's
Lost in the Night" Arkangelsky's
20 Gladstone Light" and MacFar-
lanes "Open Our Eyes"
After short intermission, the
well-known Adult Chorus of Calvary
Baptist Church. directed by Andrew
Clifford Wilkins with Mrs. Glen
Edgington accompanying, presented
lovely number by Deane Shure,
Dwell Ye in Love-" together with
Gains 20 Watchers of the Stars"
The next group scheduled was the
choir of the Church of Latter Day
Saints, of which D. Sterling Wheel
wright is conductor, but Mr.. Wheel
wright being i'll, his place was taken
by his wife, who led the group in
Christiansen's Praise to the Lord" "
Burleigh's Were You There" and
Scheuttky's Send Forth Thy Spirit" "
The excellently matched voices of
the choir, their well-studied effects
and the spirit of their singing
brought forth enthusiastic applause
The last choir to be heard was
that of St. Johns Church, Arthur
Howes director, and their devotional
presentation of Gottfried Wagner S
anthem for double chorus consisting
OF Blessing. Glory and Wisdom and
Thanks" "Hallelujah, Amen" 20 Be
joyful" and What Tongue Can Tell
Thy Greatness, Lord" was the high
light of the program. The only
choir to use boys voices, strength
ened by mems double quartet, the
effect was one Of great reverence,
while the splendid training Of the
group showed in the musical devel-
opment Of phrase and the purity of
style.
The program concluded with the
combined choruses singing Gounod's S
Send Out Thy Light" conducted by
Eva Whitford Lovette, president of
the local branch of the federation,
with Edith Gotwals at the organ.
The full-throated singing of this
lovely work was splendid climax to
an unusually interesting evening.
Preceding the concert Raymond
E. Rapp, organist of the First Bap-
tist Church, played his prelude" "
following which DR.. Frank Steel
man, pastor of the Petworth M. E.
Church, gave the invocation.