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Show THE CANTATA ENSEMBLE CANTATA ONE of the important feature activities of the school year was the appearance of the University of Utah Ladies' Glee Club with Miss Florence Summerhays as director, and the University Orchestra, with Professor Arthur Freber as director, in a concert and cantata, "The Death of Jeanne of Arc." The Glee Club greeted the audience with three striking numbers of different types showing the versitality of the group. The first was a beautifully melodious classic, "Day Is Awakening," by Grieg; the second, a representation of the hum and buzz of "The Bees" by Mendelssohn; the third, a catchy yet peaceful Negro lullaby, "Mr Curly-Headed Baby" by Strickland. Ada Waldron, accompanist, gave very splendid evidence of her musical powers in her piano solo, "Hungarian Rhapsody," a composition of Liszt which was followed by two selections sung by the Ladies' Varsity Quartette. They were two favorites, "Come Down, Laughing Streamlet" by Spross, and "Songs My Mother Taught Me" by Dvorak. These songs were well interpreted, and the four voices blended perfectly in the lovely strains. The Orchestra played three swift, capricious dances from King Henry VIII., which were very favorably received. The only numbers of the program rendered by anyone who was not a student were the baritone solos of Mr. Harold Bennett of Salt Lake City, accompanied by Mr. William Peterson of the School of Music faculty. Mr. Bennett sang "Hear, O Ye Winds and Waves" by Handel and "Vespers" by Simsons, followed by a clever Scotch ballad as an encore number. The reception of these songs was very enthusiastic. The main presentation was the cantata, the musical interpretation of the famous tale of dramatic heroism displayed by a poor peasant girl who was known to her countrymen as Jeanne d'Arc, or the "Maid of Orleans." The complete version of this well-knowri story was not given in the cantata, but the opening strains gave a picture of the bloodthirsty crowds hurrying to see the condemned girl burned to death. All the excitement, the haste, and the impatience of her accusers and her enemies was expressed in the rhythm and movement of the music. The ensuing lines showed the horror of the situation, the injustice of her condemnation after the great service she had performed for her homeland. The consideration of her absolute innocence increased the realism of the situation. Then came the vivid description of her approach to death. This description formed the theme of a haunting solo sung by Verda Evans. Then followed a depiction of her calm self-control when she caught sight of the dreadful pyre that was to take her life, and the heartbreaking tears that fell from her eyes at the spectacle of her murderers holding the fatal torches. All the emotion, the grief, and the terror were made real to the listeners by the force and the power of the melody and orchestral accompaniment. The listeners gave high praise to the Ladies' Glee Club, to the Ladies' Varsity Quartette, to the soloists, Verda Evans, Mildred Whipple, and Ada Waldron, and to the orchestra. They complimented the two directors, Miss Summerhays and Mr. Freber, and the club officers on the outstanding success of the undertaking. f^r J» Page 146 |