The Choral Union

The Detroit Philharmonic Club made their first appearance before a Chicago audience last evening, in the Auditorium Recital Hall. For a couple of years past their reputadon as a remarkably fine quartet of string players has been rapidly extending itself, yet it it is doubtful if any of the audience unacquainted with their work anticipated such a delightful treat as waê in store for those who braved the disagreeable weather of last night. The program included two quartets, opening with Haydn's quartet in D minor, and closing with Schumann's in A minor, op. 41, No. 1. These two numbers served admirably to show the artistic qualities of the players in two widely differing styles of composition. Agroup of selections in the middle of the program included Rubinstein's " Music of the Spheres," an arrangement of Schubert's Moment Musical (a la Hongroise) in F minor, and a scherzo by Mendelssohn. The Rubinstein number was for muted strings, and was played with a delicacy and finement that was truly astonishing. At the lose the dimuendo was so perfect that it was next to impossible to determine the precise moment at which the tone ceased. The Moment Musical was played with almost equal finish, and after the Mendelssohn scherzo, which closed the group, the players were recalled. The reading of the quartets showed musical intelligence of a high order, and the mechanical side of the performance proved that the study had reached a point where each player was enabled to assert his artistic individuality and independence without the least detriment to the effect of the ensemble, which was in fact only heightened thereby. In fact no such thoroughly, finished and artistic string playing has been heard in chamber music in this city for many years - if ever.-