Show EASTER MUSIC RECALLS UTAH IB Ballantyne a 11 ant y n e Successful In Oratorio Given at Long Beach n By ALONZO LONZO WEST Dear Home Folks care The Stand Stand- ard Examiner Ogden Utah Ulah Easter Easier week elk In southern Call Cali California fornia brought high praise and honor Jonor to Ogden's former choral director and my good friend Prof Joseoh and through the lie columns eol that have ha carried his praise for local triumphs In other days I would like to let you know ot of Joe Joe In Iii hi his new sphere or of action It Is la rather difficult to turn from the drab brevity of commercial English and attempt a come back to the of or the fourth estate tout hut I could not overcome o the In Inspiration 6 given by professor Bat Bal Bal Bal- Ballantyne's latest choral triumphs without w making makinI the effort Ever er since the glamour of or my first month In southern Califor Califor- California nia hla a vacation time wore a away wa some six years ears ago and routine Ire replaced It I have ha been blen hung hungry for the religious music InspIred by the master of ot the Og- Og Ogden Ogden Og Ogden den tabernacle choir tor for so many years So I envied led you ou good until that day little more than than a year ear ago when Professor was my guest In Los Angeles and I knew ho he was as to take lake up his musical work worl In this great metropolis and Its lis environs GREAT T LlE AIM AnI AIMIn In our first con conversation versa lion I knew that choral work meant life to him for In It t the soul Roul of or this mas mas- master mas- mas master master ter has haa found Its development un- un un until til UI the music he lie brings from grouped voices Is iii a living thing vibrant thrilling akin to the di dl di- di divine divine vine Rich In Jn orchestras vocal ocal and instrumental soloists Los An- An Angeles Angeles An Angeles geles offered no outlet for tor the It ability of ot this director but Long LongBeach LongBeach LongBeach Beach called for him to take charge of or the musical work ork of ot St Anthonys Anthony's parish with Its then small choir Within six fix months this choir has been Increased from 16 to 90 voices and developed to toI toa toa I a point of ot high excellence In choral expression Knowing through past post association lion tion with Si- Si St Anthonys Anthony's director that the and the tile Long LongBeach LongBeach LongBeach Beach music loving public was to have ha a R feast of ot music through the he Lenten season culminating with the Easter Easler service this writer with his wife and a group of Los Angeles friends accepted the kind Invitation In of or Professor ne BalIant-ne to hear his Initial ora- ora oratorio ora oratorio torio presentation with a R Call Call- California fornia ornia chorus the new choir or of St SL Anthonys Anthony's cathedral The ora- ora oratorio oratorio ora oratorio torio was Dubois Dubols Seven Senn Last Words of Christ thrillingly de- de de eci e musical setting of or the worlds world's great tragedy to be pre pre- pre rented pre ente In the cathedral as the climax of ot the Lenten music FOR rn The oratorio was as given Sunday evening e April 5 taking the place or of the usual spoken sermon at such a service Father that the sermon mon would be sung by the choir and soloists In anticipation of the music the cathedral was as filled from tram from rear doors Coors to the he foot root of or the altar allar a magnificent shrine of ot pure puro marble valued at The soloists were Mrs Annie Laurie ty t 1 soprano Mrs J T Fisher soprano soprano mezzo James G 0 McGar rig Ie baritone and Thomas J JAmes Ames tenor These singers are pupils pupil of or Professor Ballantyne anti and their work was I a a distinct compliment to 10 his ability as u a voice builder and coach Mrs Fisher lisher It may Interest you OU to know Is a former Ogden gin girl nee Ruth nee nuth Ruth Ragan She he has a voice o ot most pleasing quality and we hope to 10 hear It again when opportunity Is given Riven In the oratorio her singing was deeply effective her interpretation of or the solo work In InThe The Third Word being poignant poignant Ith feeling InO PROMISING SINGERS It was a matter of or pleasure to the he Los Angeles friends of or DI- DI DIrector DIrector Di Director rector Ballantyne to learn after the service e that Mr Ond Mr Sir Ames Aines had bad been under his InstructIon only five fire months for the he maturity of ot their tones and finish of o Interpretation was an evidence of flawless Instruction What a delight It must be to I teacher and pupils pupil such suck as these to work together the tho teacher to see the talent unfolding un uni-a uni the ithe his guidance the pupils to tel few i I the pleasure t te f expression In the I I understanding 1 light of ot a growing or of It Hi laws law These two young men are rich til in promise as con- con convery crt t cel-t nd oratorio singers singers and It Is very possible that Ogden music era Ip maj may maV hear them then some day dayon dayon dayon on a local concert stage Mrs In Daugherty Is a a nf mature and nd sang rang her Ier very ery Im- Im Important important Im Important role rote with fine tine effect FiNE CHORUS CHOnUS WORK Soloists we have hl down here In goodly number but choruses few rew so au though we greatly enjoyed Joyed the theIo Io bOb lo work our deepest interest on this occasion was g as In the chorus This interest was reward reward- rewarded rewarded ed d from the dramatic opening chorus lIe He ot of Death i Is Guilty through the sweet closing choral We Adore Thee Oh Christ As clear In enunciation a as a spoken termon bermon the choir choir- choir Joes Joe quenched choir quenched my music thirst as it It has not been quenched since I last heard the Ogden tab tab- tab tabernacle choir under the baton of the he same name master masler director As I word and phrase came Caine clear and true Irue In tonal beauty or r dramatic harshness meet to the Ole he mood ot of the scone scene depleted distance melt ed cd and md I was home again for a aI hour listening to the musIc that I loved It It- It ItIs Is a rare and beautiful thing a sermon by the choir and It reaches the soul like no other mode of ot expression To the directors or of o choirs religious I leaders owe much nuch of ot their power to fill the churches and It Is a pleasing thing that the tho sphere of I usefulness of ot our own great di- di director director di director rector Joseph Ballantyne is 1 Is so fast tast enlarging In this new field Frequent mention of or Director and his bis work Is Js Seen n tho the columns of the California dally daily press preas and musical musicals J Journals and and I am pleased to SOnI this small 00 tribute 00 1 |