RejsenTilAmerika_1912

RAC INE , M ILW A UK E E , M IN N E A P O L IS , ST. PAU L

91

The chorus produces a number of unusual effects. The sudden swell and sharp diminuendo of lones under Ihe sweep of the conductor’s baton, made a splendid effect of contrast. The revival of the sharp swell on the final chord is orthodox and pleasing, although it is used less by American choristers now. Another feature of the chorus was the sustained sonorous quality of the chord. The Danes, like other members of the north Teutonic peoples, have voices marked by clearness, a soft sympathetic quality of warmth, which conduces to the most surpassing harmony and contrasts with the coarse raucous quality of the American chorister. Kroyer’s patriotic song was given with a steady forte, combined with the fervor and intensity of men who feel what they sing. Reissiger’s familiar Olaf Trygvason was sung with the majesty and strength which it deserves. The humorous numbers also made a big hit with the audience. Helge Nissen, baritone opera singer of Copenhagen, gave Grieg’s Great White Host with a heavy sonorous voice of rich timber, strong enough to stand out clearly over the chorus accompaniment. Olaf Hol- boll, tenor soloist, sang a Norse folk number which carried quaintly the melancholy minor strains that pervade the music of the northland. Two quartets from the chorus were recalled again and again. The Star Spangled Banner was sung with a magnificence which aroused a new and stronger love for this song, too often depreciated in its Ameri­ can home. E fter et fornøjeligt Sam væ r med T a ler og Sang maatte vi b ryde tidligt op, thi ved M idnat skulde vi med Toget ad M innea­ polis til. »Tak for denne herlige Dag, som vi vil lægge til Grund tor en [ny T id sregn ing«, sagde Konsul R o v e ved A fskeden — som et Bytte for en Begejstring, vi D anskere næppe vilde kunne lade os hen rive til. Fu lg t a f de varm este H ilsener raslede Toget ud i Natten. Og nu kom en a f de Scener, som Gang paa Gang gentog sig under Tu ren , Om- og A fk lædn ingsscenerne i Sovevogn og Pakvogn . F ø rst en langsomm elig V and ring frem og tilbage gennem Sove­ vognenes sm alle M idtergang, inden man kunde bestemme sig tor en Køje, og saa endte det jo gerne med, at man maatte bekvemme sig til at tage den eller den O verkøje, som man nødigst vilde have. Og dernæst de endeløse V an skeligheder med at finde sin Ku ffert frem i Bagagevognen s H a lvm ø rk e ; Ku lstøv og Snavs stod i tætte S k ye r ind gennem alle Sp ræ kker og fik det danske Sprogs kraftigste Ud tryk til at blande sig med Vognh julenes vanvittige Raslen. L id t efter trængtes saa et halvt Hundrede hel- eller h a lv ­ nøgne Mandfolk gennem Gangene under Latter og Gnaveri, under Raaben og F lø jten , mens Besvæ rlighed paa Besværlighed taarnede sig op under Bestræbelserne tor at faa K jolen anbragt nogenlunde