Evening star., 1949-05-19
by Alice Eversmon

The Lovette Choral Club. which
for more than 20 years has been
one of the active musical groups
in the city. gave its annual spring
concert in Barker Hall last night.
It's long time director. Eva Whit
| ford Lovette, made a welcoming
speech before turning the baton
over to Francise Bass Wilson. asso-
ciate director, who has been In
charge since Ill health curtailed
Mrs. Lovette's participation. An
outgrowth Of a club formed by the
late Thomas L. Lovette and named
in memory OF him. the group opens
all its programs with The King
dom of Our Gracious Lord" from
Lovette's Gods Kingdom"
The 20 singers made a festive
appearance in gowns OF white
with corsages of red. white and
yellow flowers on the shoulders.
1t Is evident from their manner of
singing that a close union has
been developed among the mem
bers. so that each number was
given the special coloring that
comes from personal enjoyment.
Among the choral clubs Of the
city. the Lovette group creates a
feeling Of intimacy seldom at
tanned in formal presentations
The voices are never taxed beyond
a natural ability and the purity
and sweetness Of tone Is well pre-
served.
Assisting in this program as
soloists were Carolyn Schultz,
soprano, and Mark Walker. futist
Accompanied by Elsie Cranmer,
Miss Schultz sang first the Bell
Song" from Delibes' "Lakme. p"
with fleet execution of its techni-
cal passages, and followed 1t with
Rossini's Alpine Shepherdress"
as encore. In group Of bird songs
later in the program. she had the
assistance of Mr.. Walker, where
the flexibility Of the voice and the
flute were contrasted. In GODDARD S
Suite for Flute" Mr.. Walker
showed his expertise in phrasing
and in the clarity brought to
bravura measures. He produces a
vital tone from the flute and
plays with authority and finish.
His sympathetic accompanist was
George Manos.
The choral group chose for a
first offering the chorale, Awake.
for Soon Will Dawn the Day
from Wagner'S Die Meister-
singer" Behold the Golden Sun
Up Soaring" from Mozart's The
Magic Flute" and Spring Round" !"
an arrangement by Spross of the
second movement of Beethoven's s
Sonata .op. 27, No. q" A lighter
mood was established in subse-
quent selections as in Bliss The
Modern Hiawatha," which was
coupled with the Appalachian
carol, Il Wonder as I Wander"
and Bucks "Abou Ben Adhem." ;"
Ruth F. Kimball supplied the
piano accomplishments for the
ensemble.
Charlotte Wesley In Recital.
A charming young soprano,
Charlotte Wesley. was presented
in recital last night in Howard
University by the students of the
School of Music. A native WASH
! ingtonian, Miss Wesley won a
Bachelor of Music degree from
Howard University and a Master
of Arts from Teachers College,
Columbia University. She has ap-
peared frequently in concerts and
in dramatic presentations. notably
Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess''
with Todd Duncan, yet she main
tains a simplicity Of demeanor
that is most effective In recital.
Miss Wesley's voice has all the
qualities to presage a fine career.
1t is essentially a coloratura, as
her splendid delivery of the Bell
Song" from "Lakme" and Ala
bieff's "The Russian Nightingale
demonstrated, yet it has rare
sweetness and strength. The NOV
ing quality was strikingly present
in Burleigh's Swing Low. Sweet
Chariot" and in SCOTS Think
on Me-" given as encore. At the
same time her high notes are full
and resonant and produced with
ease. Her most important asset
is her ability to project the senti-
ment and mood of song and to
do so in personal way.
Classic songs and four from
the French literature were listed
in the beginning of the program
and were of the character to test
her artistic possibility to the full
est. There is still work to be done
on Miss Wesley'S voice to make
| it more secure and rounded out,
as we'll as to bring greater tonal
concentration in runs and trills,
but the qualities that cannot be