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Show OGDEN CHOIR GIVEN RECOGNITION IN H YORK The weekly rehearsal of the Ogden Tabernacle choir held last night was made specially Interesting through reference made by Director Joseph Ballantyne to a reproduction In the "Musical Courier" of February 24, of the Ogden Standard story of Leonard Liebling's visit to this city several weeks ago, and also the editor's pergonal per-gonal report of his visit. The former article appeared under the head of "Mormon hospitality in Ogden, Utah" and the latter, under the head of "In the Mormon State." Mr. Liebling's statement follows: "In Ogden, we had the great privilege privil-ege to hear again the Tabernacle choir, which had Impressed us so deeply last summer. Under Joseph Ballantyne's skillful handling, the organization is continuing its splendid work, and, in a special program given giv-en for us, we found renewed occasion to admire the musical spirit and tonal vigor and variety of these enthusiastic enthusias-tic and conscientious singers. The chorus counts with the best in the United States. Their performance of the finale to the third act of 'Martha Bsrnby's 'Sweet and Low' and an old English number represented vocal manifestations of an impressively high order. We told the chorus that we expected It to sing in New York some day, and we prophesied success for the body when that time comes Following the concert, at which Walter Wal-ter Stephens, Leslie Saville (pupil of Dougall) and Douglass Brian (pupil of Ballantyne) were the soloists, we delivered Beethoven and other Plagiarists Plagia-rists Before the concert, there was a dinner at the Weber club, at which some of the guests were President L. W. ShurtUff, H. G. Whitney, President Presi-dent Scowcroft of the choir; W. H. Watt is, Director Ballantyne, Business Manager Ross of the choir; Organist Sam F Whitaker, Professor Levi Edgar Ed-gar Young of the University of Utah; Hugh Dougall and Alonzo West." Director Ballantyne, in the course of his remarks, also mentioned tho story of "The Ogden Tabernacle Choir," by Alonzo West, correspondent correspond-ent of the choir on Its California tour, published In serial form In the "Juvenile Instructor." The magazine is the organ of the Deseret Sunday School union and the choir story, consisting con-sisting of more than 60,000 words, has been running In serial form in eight numbers, being completed In the Issue Is-sue of March 1. It includes a brief history of the local chorus from its organization with Joseph Ballantyne as director and the story of the 1915 California tour in detail, with illustrations. |