Evening star., 1947-04-30
BIZ Alice Eversmon

The Washington Choral Society
added new laurels to the many it has
already acquired by the presentation
last night Of Beethoven's Missa
tSolemnis" In Constitution Hall.
It was a. performance that should
have been heard by as many as the
hall would accommodate, a tribute
always paid the more familiar
choral works tie society has given
The excellent soloists. Agnes Davis,
soprano; Lydia Summers, eontralto;
Irwin Dillon. tenor, and Burton
Cornwell, basso. lifted the presenta-
tion to a high plane by their sure
and musicianly singing of music
that taxes the performer to the
utmost.
1t was remarkably accurate sing
ing that the group of some 200 sing
ers did throughout under the direc-
| tion OF Louis A. Potter. The often
tricky entries, the several difficult
| fugues and the sudden wide spacing
Iof the vocal range were all clearly
Fencompassed and with good intona-
tion. The latter was particularly
commendable among the sopranos,
where firing repetitions Of high B
flats and long measures set in an
uncomf mfortable register might have
worn down the correct pitch. The
entire performance was an accom-
plishment that showed the splen-
did caliber of the group and the
musical progress 1t has made under
Mr.. Potter's. skilled direction.
For a work of the magnitude OF
the "Missa Solemnis," the various
sections Of the chorus do not bal
ance each other suff1cently in the
matter of sorority. In passages
such as the choral portions of the
"Qui TOLLS" in the Gloria" the
PRO nobis" of the t'Credo" and the
greatly devised "Et vitam ventura
this lack was felt, the sopranos
dominating the ensemble both by
reason of their more ample volume
and the extremely high tessitura
| of the music. The darker voices
of the group are rich in timber but
not sonorous enough last night te
define the harmonic structure Of
the different ensembles.
Miss Davis sang the difficult sole
music with lovely tonal quality
throughout and Mr.. Dillon's tenor
| is splendid medium for the many
important passages assigned to that
voice. The very fresh and vibrant
color of Miss Summers contraltc
and the noble richness Of Mr.
Cornwen's bass helped to form with
the others a beautifully blended
quartet and, in individual meas
ures, to disclosed gifted vocalists
Mr.. Potter was especially fortunate
in having such artists, excellent
musicians of style and fine natural
vocal gifts. for soloists and their
performance was not only polished
but deeply imbued with dignity
and feeling.
The most striking portions Of the
"Missa" are the tremendous "Amens'
of the GLORIA" and the "Credo" and
the ."Dona nobis pacem" Of the
Angus Del" which, unlike the con-
clusion Of the other sections, ends
on a quiet note. For sheer beauty,
the 'Benedictus' is unequaled with
its violin solo introduction, played
last night with fine effect by Raul
de Costa, and the lovely quartet
following the alto and bass duet
II Is matched by the set incarnatus
where the solo voices are woven
together in some OF the most NOV
ling music of the Mass.
However, although the "Missa
Solemnis" is never given as part
Of Q church service, 1t needs the
attachment to the ritual to bring
! out It's full glory. To hear It In a