Show A CRITICISM OF THE CHOIR the musical courier of new york in its issue of september adds to the praise ol 01 the choir in the following fol lowine criticism of the appearance of the singers at the portland fair the greatest success that has come to for many a year was accorded the ogden tabernacle choir mormon its able director joseph ballantyne and tho three artists who accompanied the splendid chorus lo 10 the lewis and clark exposition at portland recently on lae morning of august 18 special train of six pullmans left ogden the second city of the state having on board the musical people who have done so much for the glory of their state two hundred and five voices most ascel bently trained formed the main party the assisting artists were emma lucy gates soprano VV illard wilhe violinist and john J mcclellan Mc CleIlan pianist the aggregation was enthusiastically received at the hose city press fair management and the commercial club of portland fair management and the commercial club of portland vying with each other to outdo in the matter and manner of entertainment the object primarily of the trip was to have sung before the national irrigation congress which met at tho exposition during the week of august 1 the ode to irrigation words by sirs mcclurg and music by abo organist of the mormon tabernacle this aty J J mcclel lan hon L W shurtliff and lion fred J klesel to enthusiasts of the irrigation congress saw the financial end of the matter through with the greatest success tho sum necessary to defray the expenses of the trip being and joseph ballantyne warmly supported by his associate vice president C J ross of the choir saw to it that fame from a musical standpoint was much enlarged and enhanced by his choirs venture on the first night of the con gross the choir with miss gates as eol olst and the composer mr mcclel at the piano gave a thrilling performance for mance of the ode to irrigation above mentioned and which won the prize in 1903 at which time it was sang by ibe game choir before the ogden lesston of the congress the work and its rendition were so well received that secretary tom luch ardson of the congress who was waving tor silence that he might introduce the writer of the words of the ode and the composer of the music was compelled to wait for fully alve minutes before tho applause subsided balantyne fairly outdid himself on this occasion his conducting was very fine miss gates sang herself into the affections of all present an oration wag given the composer who had presided at the piano and the chorus has rarely ever done anything so well in such spirited fashion the second appearance of the choir was in concert at the festival biall A etring program of wa presented conductor own anthem in thee 0 lord was well and received by the audience of over people which filled every corner of the auditorium wallard weihe our virtuoso in the airs Hon grola ernst and the faust fant algle 8 arasate in which he was supported by mr mcclellan Mc CleIlan made the success of his life tho audience gave him a merited ovation miss gates repeated her brilliant access of the night before the world will know bis charming artist well some day the work of the choir received great praise by all tha press the following day and it certainly deserved all the praise it received the attack precision phars ing and general expression were very fine indeed it was regrettable that no adequate organ was to be bad in festival hall for the accompaniments A small affair and a poor one was installed in the building but mr mo clellan demurred to playing upon it no one who knows of the great instrument mcclellan Mc CleIlan presides over in the salt lake mormon tabernacle will but support him in this decision the portland papers after the third concert said that the work was the best ever heard on the pacific coast on this occasion the hall was again packed and the enthusiasm was at tover heat tho artists arti ats gales helhe mcclel lan the choir conductor ballantyne and all the of flowers applause and appreciation receptions were tendered the entire party at the new york building where the mormon young people refused to drink the hundred or two quarts of cumms extra dry champagne of course which the french waiters had prepared for them a fact which caused much comment at tho time and which made a fine impression for the sturdy young people who do not believe in drinking liquor in any form the washington and j california buildings the commercial club of portland at the utah building ac president goode of the exposition said that utah had done more than any other state for the exposition in bringing there the great ogdan choir and artists it had doubled the attendance at the fair and created a new interest in musical matters up their way he congratulated ballantyne upon his grand chorus and vai facetious without being fulsome at the instigation of hon F J kiesel an extra edition of 1500 irrigation odes was printed and each member of the congress presented with a copy miss gates was made an excellent offer to give ten concerts with the administration band she could not accept owing to her future utah engagements the trip was a grand triumph for music in utah ogden conductor ballantyne the choir and the assisting artists |