A Critic's Eyes And Ears

The editor of the Song Journal, J. C. Wilcox, carne up from Detroit to attend the recent May Festiva!, and while here wrote some critieisins for the Detroit papers that many imisicians present thought were quite unjust. In his Journal for June he is a little less severe, but continúes to flnd fault with the chorus. A gentleman of our acquaintance remarked that "Mr. Wilcox is not a critic. He is a fault finder and faultfinding and criticism are two different things. Anyone can find fault, but few can criticise." Here is what he has to say in the Journal : "The culmiuating musical event of the season in Ann Arbor was of course the second animal May Festival, given ander auspices of the Choral LTnion of the TTniversity of Michigan of the 17th and 18th of last month. The progranq lor the concerto of the festival were performed precisely as announeed in the last Song Journal. The series operied with the symphony concert Friday night by the Bostoi tival Orchestra, under direction of Emil Mollenhauer. Gertrude May Stein, Rose Stewart, W. II. Reiger and VV. II. Clarke were the vocal soloists, and the Ofioral Union Chorus sang the maren chorus from 'Tannhauser." The werk of the orchestra was nearly always admirable, and the Schubert unfinished Bvmphonv was given ah impressively sincere and sympathetic interpretation. Mr. Mollenhauer is unquestionably one of the foremost young conductora in the country, and we shall some day see liim in charge of a great orchestra. "Miss Steiu has developed into a remarkably dramatic singer, and lier work in this concert, as well as in the matinee the following afternoon, was worthj oi the enthusiastic recognition it re ceived from the audiences. Mr. Keker's sympathetic tenor voice was heard to advantage in a Braga aria and Wal ter's Prize Song from "The Mastersing er." Mr. Keiger sings with much taste and lus voice is ahvays pleasant. Mr Clarke and Miss Stewart were received with loud applause. "The chorus dkl very ragged work in the Wagner number, a fact which Director Stanley afterwards explained was ilue to his inability to get a rehearsal o the chorus with the orchestra. "Mr. Eddy's recital on the great Ooi umbian organ Saturday moruing was .1 much interest. His program contaiiiei works of varied character, from the drj sonata in C minor by Salomo and the noisy C sharp minor etude of Chojun, t such delicate bits of harmony as "In Paradisum," by Dubois. The echo or gan was introduced in se%'eral numbers with pleasing effect. The Farrand & Votey organ responded admirably in the varied program. "The orchestral matinee was most entertaining. The orchestra played several bright and graceful compositions with much spirit, and Martinus ing, the Holland pianist, made a profound impression by his inasterful performance of the Saiut-Saens piano concerto in G uiiner, op. 22 II s playing is remarkable ior abandon, brilliancy and virilitj'. "The great event of the festival was the performance Baturday night of Berlioz's "Dananation of Faust," with ilme. Nórdica and Messrs. Heinrich, Keiler and Clarke as soloists, the Choral Union chorus, and the Boston Festival Orchestra. The performance was directed by Prof. A. A. Stanley, of the University ot Michigan. Mme. Nórdica, of whom mach was naturally expected, sang the part of Marguerite indifl'erently and gave evidence of her unfamiliarity with the score. She several times lost her bearings and stopped completely, and in every respect her performance was perfunctory, and quite unworthy an artist of her attainmenta and reputation. Slr. Hêlnrichsang Mephisto with the abandon and intelligence which characterize all of his performances, and Mr. Reiger gave a careful and appreciative interpretation of the difficult role of Faust. The orcliestra played well, considering the uncertainty which must always result upon the advent of a new director. The "Ride to Heil," that wierd and wonderful piece of orchestral writing, was admirably given. The chorus vork was the least mg leature ot tne pertormance, aside from Mme. Nordica'a fiasco. 'Wliile there was good body of tone, the singers did not seem willing to subject their owu ideas oL rythm to those of the director, and his beat wus syncopated most of the time. The male singers in porticular were responsible for this fault. "The attendance at the entire series of festival concerts was fat in excess of last year. In fact the hall was crowded to suffocation at eyery performance. It is claimed tliat tickets were not sold in excess of the capacity of the hall, but that in the mad rush, hundreds of people who had no ticket forced their w in. In reference to this, Prof. Stanley said after the festival ended, 'We shal] have very different arrangements for next year's festival, and a repetition of the jams will be impossible.' "It would be wise to have a system f reserved seats hereafter, so tliat people wonld not be obliged to rush to he hall two hours before the concert begins in order to secure a desirable lace. "Tlie financial success of the second nimal festival was most gratifying to ts projectors." The reserved seat plan has its objectons tliat are quite as ■jn-.a as the obections to the ïrcc sent plan, jvhicb obections havo h efatSFso of ten hat it is useless to reitérate tlicm here. One of the most sorimH Ts the tardiuess of some people wlio think tTièy llave a ight to disturb an entire audience if hey have a seat to get into when they arrive at the hall.