Evening star., 1941-06-28
Madrigal
Singers Give
Concert
Organists Hear
Group in Folger
Library Theater
By ELENA de SAYN.

Yesterday afternoon the Folger
Shakespeare Library was host to
the members of the American Guild
of Organists. A departure from the
subject of the organ was made
when Folger Library opened its
Shakespearean T'heater for con-
cert by Washington's own Madrigal
Singers upon whom fell the single
distinction of appearing there.
1t is difficult to imagine a more
| appropriate setting for this type of
| music, the fashion for which origi-
mated in England around the time
of Shakespeare. Seated at a long
table ON which were mounted tall
burning candles and against tap
estries and woodwork of the stage,
six women, in Tudor costumes, and
four men presented pleasing
picture of informality. Directed by
Mrs. John Milton Sylvester, who
sat opposite them with her back to
the audience, the singers diclosed
an ability of professional standard
in nine songs and an encore, which
were heartily applauded.
The program consisted of a mix
| ture of madrigals and folk songs.
Some gave prominence to single
voice. The last four The Oak and
the Ash" arr. by Bairstow, What
Saith My Dainty Darling" by
Thomas Morley, John Wilbye's
Happy Streams" and Vaughn
| Williams The Turtle Dove" were
of a livelier nature and afforded
greater ease and abandon to the
singers Their we'll modulated voices
gave pleasure as an ensemble and
| especially when heard individually
with the accompaniment of the
| group.
Members of the Madrigal Singers
are Mary Brice, Nancy Poore, Bessie
Rasmussen. Gladys Roberts, Ruth
F. Vanderlip. Charles Hitler, Jack
Gregory, Walter Mitchell and
William o. Tufts, jr., each pursuing
the musical Profession but not
necessarily that of vocalist.
Organized in 1927 the group
underwent changes in the person.
mel, always striving for the same
artistic ideal, however.
The concert was preceded by
comments in verse written by
George Mead, jr., who unfortunately
was called out of town. Charming
Lefebvre, warden of the American
Guild of Organists, took his place
/ and read aloud Mr. Mead's poem.
| New Organ Dedicated.
! The dedication of new organ,
| built according to specifications by
Arthur Howes, organist and choir
master of st. Johns Church, took
| place yesterday morning at that
church, introducing Walter Blodgett,
organist from Cleveland, Ohio, in
recital. This feature formed also
a part of the biennial program of
/ the American Guild of Organists.
The new organ is possibly the
| nearest existing model to the classi-
cal Silberman organ in Leipzig, after
which it was fashioned. 1t has the
distinction of being built by a fa-
/ nous American concern, which,
/ however, acted merely as construc-
tor. The organ has an unusually
mellow tone. well graded in its va
ried registers, and possesses none
of the shrillness of some of the
| modern instruments.
/ Mr. Blodgett's program empha-
| sized the color of the different stops.
Besides Bach's Concerto in G Ma
jor. No L. he played three chorale
preludes, IF Thou Wilt But Suffer
| God to Guide Thee" Come God,
Creator, Holy Ghost" To God on
High Alone Be Glory" and Sin
fonia" to the cantata I'VE thank
Thee God" made familiar by or
chestras and more so by violinists.
since it forms the prelude to the
Sixth Sonata for Violin Alone in
Major" Mr.. Blodgett gave it an
, expert reading, light and fluent.
The old English classic group OF
the 18th century comprised several
charming numbers, Stanley's "A
Fancy" Battishill's "Minuet," Rus
sells "Duetto for the Red Stops
and three pieces by Arne, "A Mag
got" Flute Solo" and "Gigue," from
organ Concerto in B Flat
The second part of the recital
was Devoted to several German
French and to'one American num-
Der by Carl Mckinley entitled Fan
tasie on Amsterdam" The artist
4 played Schumanns Sketch in C
Major" and Canon in E Major,
Brahms Choral Prelude, 20 Sacred
Head Now Wounded" Pierne's Pas
torale," and Paques' Piece for Or
gan" A fluent finger technique and
sound musicianship characterize
Mr.. Blodgetts delivery.
Making a resume of all the Or
gan music heard during the bien-
nial, one is impressed by the fact
that the organ does not lend itself
to every type of music. 1t is at
its best in old classics or in those
compositions by modern composers
who understood how to exploit its
depth and grandeur. Those COM
posers who have made an expert
use of the pedal and of the range
have made a real contribution to
the organ literature. Deprived of
these accessories, the instrument is
reduced to very uninteresting
level. Perhaps 1t is not SO much
the fault of the composers but of
the performers who have not an
adequate pedal technique and there