Evening star., 1941-04-30
Club
Scores in
Benefit
Large Audience
Hears B. & O.
Singers
By ALICE EVERSMAN

IN the DdllrOm OF tne MdynOWer
Hotel last evening a concert was
given for the benefit Of the British
American Ambulance Corps in
which the Baltimore & Ohio Glee
Club, directed by Ivan Servais. made
it's bow in the Capital. A list o.
distinguished patrons and large
audience greeted the visitors and the
soloist of the evening, Francia White,
well-known radio soprano, who do
mated her services for the cause.
The singing of the glee club, a
large organization, was marked by
finely attained nuanceS and full
resonant vocal tone There is a
richness of quality among the WELL
blended voices with an outstanding
tenor section. The singers are fieXl-
BILE in their shadings, which are pro-
nounced throughout with a special
understanding of pianissimo singing.
Mr.. Servais is an inspiring conductor
and is to be congratulated on the
many artistic effects in interpreta-
tion. While the full vocal volume
of the club is of a warmth and
power to tempt director to make
continual use of it, Mr.. Servais con-
serves it and has impressed upon
the members the effectiveness of
graduations of sorority. The result
is a more interesting singing than
is often heard.
The range of the glee clubs in
terpretive excellence could be aScer-
tained in two numbers of the first
group, THE Light of Dawning," an
arrangement by Gottfried H Feder-
lein of the "Andanta Cantabile"
from Tschaikowsky's Fifth SYM
phony," and Romberg's Stout
Hearted Men" The program was
we'll varied from Bach's stay Thou
With Me" and the "Hallelujah
Chorus" from Beethoven's Mount
of Olives" to such perennial favor
ties as Rogers The Star" Strauss
Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz" in
the vocal arrangement, Greetings
to Spring" and Campbell -Tipton's
Spirit Flower" with Richard Me-
ginnis singing the solo. The CEN
tenary song, Hail the Baltimore
and Ohio" and I've Been Working
on the Railroad" also were included
Charlotte Rodda Reed was the
accompanist.
Miss White, with Philip Jeffreys
at the piano, was welcomed with
prolonged applause when she ap-
peared for her first group composed
OF the aria, "Voyons, Manon," from
Massenet's "Manon." and the
WALTZ" from Gounod's Romeo and
Juliet" Her voice has a remarkably
sweet quality with brilliant, clear,
high tones. and she sings with taste.
With substantial volume, she also
has command of a light. sparkling
coloratura that gave special charm
to her singing of the Waltz" For
second group she gave Eakin's
"Ay, .Gitanos," Kingsfords arrange
ment of Comm Through the Rye"
DebuSsys Under the Starlight"
and Bizets "Tarentelle. AS the
final number of the program. she
sang Herbert's italian Street
Song" with the Glee Club supply
ing an obligato.
During the intermission. greet
ings to the Glee Club were ex-
pressed by Mrs. Walter r. Tucker
man, chairman of the Washington
Committee of the British American
Ambulance Corps: William V. C,
RuXton, the national chairman:
Senator Green of Rhode Island, and
former Senator King of Utah.
For the second of his students
recitals. Basil Toutorsky presented
Erna Mollari, pianist, last evening
at Pierce Hall A large attendance
and many lovely flowers presented
to the young musician made the
recital gala affair. Miss Mollari
has a fluent technique, which is
well grounded and an individual
quality of tone, especially in softer
passages.
Her program included Bach's
French Suite III" Griegs Sonata
in E Minor, Op. l." Chopin's Fan
TASTE Impromptu in c Sharp Minor"
"Valse in G Flat Major" and
"Valse in E Minor" Paderewski's
"Minuet in G Major" Rubenstein's
"Kamennoi Ostrov," Rachmanin-
offs "Polichinelle." Liadov's Music
Box" and LISTS Hungarian Rhap-
sody No. g."