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CHICAGO
65
Saaledes skriver
Felix Borowski
i
Chicago Record Herald:
O rchestra Hall has not often held a more enthusiastic gathering
than that which packed it almost to Ihe last seat when the Danish
Student Singers, an organization connected with the University of Copen
hagen, gave a concert there yesterday afternoon.
The fervor of applause which greeted the eiforts of the visitors
was not solely the result of delight in hearing choral singing that was
surprisingly and, one may add, unexpectedly excellent; it was also
an expression of patriotic emotion. And this patriotism was not made
manifest hy Danes alone. The cheers and the waving of handkerchiefs
were outward symbols of the pride of Scandinavia in the achievement of
the race which the men from Denmark call their own.
. . . Concerning the artistic qualities of the chorus from Copen
hagen only praise must he set down.
The singing is distinguished for a rem arkable degree of polish
and refinement. The tone is excellent and the attack is such as results
from rehearsals that have been conducted w ith more than ordinary
care. Mr. Levysohn, choirmaster of the Copenhagen Opera, is the
conductor, and, it may he presumed, has been responsible for the trai
ning of the singers. He has made a choral organization which reflects
great honor upon himself and upon the members who are part and
parcel of it. The music is, or it was at this concert, turned into a
message of real beauty. There was more than voice put into its inter
pretation, more than the reading of works such as might he expected
from unprofessional vocalists. Since a second concert will he given
this evening this departm ent of the paper takes pleasure in stating
that the perform ance will he well worth listening to.
If the singing was above ihe average, the compositions which were
set forth were also of finer quality than that which is associated with
male choir music in general. Much can he said in favor of H art
m ann ’s »College Song'«, and of the same composer’s »Hunter’s Chorus«,
form his singspiel, »Syvsoverdag«. These works are not, it is true, of
great intellectuality, hut they are endowed with real melody that is
pleasurable w ithout being cheap.
Much charm ,
too, is contained in Ihe folksong »Agnete and the
Merman« and in
the student song »Dans, Ropte Felen« hy Peter
Heise—a composer who, himself a conductor of student choruses, was
one of the most successful writers of Danish choral art. A setting of
B u rn s’ »Cornin’ T h ro ’ the Rye«, made hy Helmuth, had very little
in common with the tune fam iliar to most lovers of Scottish song. It
was adm irably sung, as also was F. A. Reissiger’s music to B jornson’s
»Olaf Trygvason.«
Some of the most attractive eiforts of the afternoon were made
hy two soloists—Helge Nissen, barytone, and Olaf Holboll, tenor. The
former made evident a voice of fine tonal quality and of no little
power. As Mr. Nissen is court singer to the King of Denmark it was
to he presumed that his vocal powers would he of more than the
average excellence; nor did he fail to come up to the standard expected
of him. He sang with admirable feeling »The Great White Host,« a
work which forms one of an album of pieces for male voices by Ed
w ard Grieg, who published the collection as opus 30.
Rejsen til Amerika
°