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Musical Courier 1902-05-14: Vol 44 Iss 1155, 1902
137 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 9. See the scan on archive.org.
1GLENN HALL.
3THE success of Glenn Hall, whose picture appears on THE MUSICAL COURIER's front page this week, has been so pronounced that the record of his accomplishments is more eloquent than any words of praise could be. At Christmas, 1899, he sang the tenor role in "The Messiah" with the Apollo Club, Chicago, being the youngest man ever intrusted with so important a part by that famous organization. Since that time he has not only sung with all the leading choral societies of the West, but, what for a Western singer is a still greater honor, has already established himself as a favorite in the music loving cities of the East.
5Glenn Hall comes of that sturdy stock, which has won the Western wilds to civilization. As he was born in 1876 Mr. Hall is the youngest tenor prominently before the American public, and his vocal and artistic equipment is such that his first triumphs seem but the earnest of his future achievements. Like most distinguished singers he early manifested the bent of his genius, and at the age of twelve he was already solo treble at Calvary Church, Chicago. During the next few years he traveled extensively as a boy soprano. As music was so clearly to be his profession he was placed, from the beginning, in the hands of thoroughly competent instructors in piano playing and the theory of music. As the result of these studies he interprets the intricate modern scores with the breadth of view and firm grasp which are possible only to the trained musician. He is also a man of broad general culture and looks to the University of Chicago as his alma mater.
7His special training for an artistic career has been very comprehensive. He has received the best instruction that America could afford, supplemented by a course of English oratorio in London with Georg Henschel and French diction in Paris. Mr. Hall has held a number of prominent church choir positions in Chicago, and at present is solo tenor at the First Presbyterian Church of that city. In the last year he has declined tempting offers from leading churches in New York, Boston and Pittsburg, preferring the more centrally located Chicago. The most convincing testimony of his success is furnished by a list of engagements and re-engagements with the most prominent musical societies of America. His first appearance with the Handel and Haydn Society, of Boston, in Gounod's "Redemption," was followed by re-engagements within the ensuing year for the "Elijah" and the annual Christmas "Messiah."
9Perhaps the most flattering engagement Mr. Hall has yet received was for the spring tour of the Boston Festival Orchestra, Emil Mollenhauer conductor, for the season of 1891, which embraced all the leading Eastern and Southern festivals, including those at Springfield (Mass.), Syracuse (N. Y.), Ann Arbor (Mich.), Louisville (Ky.), Spartanburg (S. C.) and many other cities. Such was his success that before the conclusion of the trip his services were secured for the present season also, in such works as Gounod's "Faust," Coleridge Taylor's "Hiawatha," Sullivan's "Golden Legend," Gade's "Crusaders" and the Standard oratorios.
11Among the many prominent societies and festival organizations with which Mr. Hall has sung may be mentioned the following:
13BOSTON FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA, SPRING TOUR.
14Handel and Haydn Society…………………Boston
15Oratorio Society……………………………New York
16Apollo Club………………………………..Chicago one of two readings
17Apollo Club…………………………………Chicago one of two readings
18Amateur Club……………………………….Chicago one of two readings
19Amateur Club………………………………..Chicago one of two readings
20Mozart Club………………………………..Pittsburg one of two readings
21Mozart Club…………………………………Pittsburg one of two readings
22Arion Club………………………………….Milwaukee one of two readings
23Arion Club…………………………………..Milwaukee one of two readings
24Philharmonic Club………………………….Minneapolis one of two readings
25Philharmonic Club……………………………Minneapolis one of two readings
26Schubert Club………………………………St. Paul one of two readings
27Schubert Club………………………………..St. Paul one of two readings
28Orpheus Club……………………………….Salt Lake City one of two readings
29Orpheus Club………………………………..Salt Lake City one of two readings
30Spring Festival……………………………..Springfield, Mass.
32Spring Festival……………………………..Richmond, Va.
33Spring Festival……………………………..Syracuse, N. Y.
34Spring Festival……………………………..Holyoke, Mass.
35Spring Festival……………………………..Newburyport, Mass.
36Spring Festival……………………………..Salem, Mass.
37Spring Festival……………………………..Harrisburg, Pa.
38Choral Union………………………………..Ann Arbor, Mich.
39May Festival………………………………..Ann Arbor, Mich.
40May Festival………………………………..Louisville, Ky.
41May Festival………………………………..Spartanburg, S. C.
42May Festival………………………………..Columbia, S. C.
43May Festival………………………………..Saginaw, Mich.
44May Festival………………………………..Champaign, Ill.
45May Festival………………………………..Oberlin, Ohio
46Oratorio Society…………………………..Kansas City, Mo.
47People's Course…………………………….Atlanta, Ga. one of two readings
48People's Course……………………………..Atlanta, Ga. one of two readings
49Oratorio Society…………………………..St. Paul
50Apollo Club………………………………….Denver
51Liederkranz………………………………….St. Louis one of two readings
52Liederkranz…………………………………..St. Louis one of two readings
53Euridice Club………………………………..Toledo
54Oratorio Society…………………………..Winnipeg, Man.
55Choral Union………………………………..Boston
57The following press notices regarding Mr. Hall's oratorio singing are of interest:
59HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY, BOSTON. "REDEMPTION" AND "MESSIAH."
61Glenn Hall proved to be a conscientious tenor, who sang with a surety of intonation, good expression, and best of all, a very clear enunciation.—Louis C. Elson, in Advertiser, April 8.
63Glenn Hall and Ericsson Bushnell had the trying and monotonous task of officiating as the two narrators, but they did it with admirable effect. Mr. Hall was admirable, and sang with excellence of expression. He has a pure tenor voice, somewhat light, to be sure, but sweet and true at all times, while his clearness of enunciation is something that might well be copied by others.—W. F. Apthorp, in Transcript, April 8.
65On the contrary, one regrets to say, the soloists, with the exception of Glenn Hall, tenor, were disappointing. From the very first note of "Comfort Ye, My People," Mr. Hall sang with certainty, freedom and true musicianly feeling. He managed his voice admirably and seemed infused with dramatic instinct.—Louis C. Elson, Boston Advertiser, December 26, 1901.
67The greater favor of the evening was obtained by the male singers, Mr. Hall's "Thou Shalt Break Them" and Mr. Tew's "Why Do the Nations?" being the only songs which were followed by any enthusiasm of applause. Mr. Hall gave the opening recitative with breadth and dignity, and was free of execution and quite in the spirit of suggested prophecy in "Every Valley."—Boston Herald, December 26, 1901.
69Mr. Hall's familiar work in "The Messiah" needs no further commendation than the statement that he sang as well as usual.—Boston Post, December 26, 1901.
71Of the soloists the tenor, Glenn Hall, was easily favored, and finely did he declaim the famous "potter's vessel" and "the rough places plain" passages.—Boston Globe, December 26, 1901.
73ORATORIO SOCIETY, NEW YORK, "MESSIAH."
74(no line here) one of two readings
76Glenn Hall sang with all the fervency of a true tenor.—Mr. Hunger, in New York Sun, December 28, 1901.
78Glenn Hall's tenor voice rang out steady and true, though there was a somewhat too sentimental preaching in the finest of the numbers allotted to the tenor voice, the accompanied recitative, "Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart," and the air, "Behold and See," which followed. When the oratorio is repeated this evening Gregory Hast will sing the tenor solos, with less voice, but possibly with a different style. Mr. Hall deserved the warm appreciation which he received.—Mr. Kreibibl, in the New York Tribune, December 28, 1901.
80Glenn Hall sang the tenor music and made a good impression.—New York Herald, December 28, 1901.
82CHORAL UNION, BOSTON.
83(no line here) one of two readings
85Mr. Hall has a wonderful voice, and everything he did was artistic. His work lacked a little in sympathy, but this coldness in singing the mass was noticeable only at times, and later in the evening when he sang the solos in the Ninety-fifth Psalm, he was everything that could be desired.—Boston Globe, April 14, 1902.
87APOLLO CLUB, CHICAGO, ILL.
88(no line here) one of two readings
90The tenor part was intrusted to Glenn Hall, a young artist, who has of late risen to a position of importance among concert and oratorio tenors of the West. His voice is somewhat light as yet, but it is of an agreeable quality and well adapted to oratorio performance. His singing is marked with a refinement and expressiveness which promise well.—Tribune, December 26, 1899.
92WINNIPEG ORATORIO SOCIETY ("MESSIAH").
93(no line here) one of two readings
95From the opening sustained phrase of "Comfort Ye My People," and the dignified manner with which Mr. Hall declared the following recitative, connoisseurs of tenor singing felt easy in their minds, and although the gentleman does come from Chicago he possesses the traditional training of the English school of oratorio.
96(no line here) one of two readings
98The florid passages in the succeeding air, "Every Valley," and the difficult intervals, were surmounted with the ease of an experienced artist.
99(no line here) one of two readings
101Mr. Hall's beautiful quality of tone was fully developed in "Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart"; the poignant expression of grief was exquisitely sung, the enunciation and phrasing of the singer being well-nigh perfect.
102(no line here) one of two readings
104The benign sentiment in the melody, "But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul in Hell," belongs properly to the tenor voice, and was another fine specimen of artistic phrasing.—Winnipeg (Canada) Tribune, March 29, 1902.
106SPRING FESTIVAL, HARRISBURG, PA.
107(no line here) one of two readings
109Glenn Hall has a tenor voice of richness and strength, and sang with unaffectedness, pathos and fervor.—Telegraph, April 27.
111MAY FESTIVAL, SAGINAW, MICH.
112(no line here) one of two readings
114Glenn Hall, tenor, is worthy of hearty praise. He has a voice of most unusual sweetness. It is of good range and contains qualities which give general pleasure. His tones have a sympathetic quality which appeals to his audience, and he has surprising power back of their delicate smoothness. He sang the parts which were his in excellent form, and his voice has the penetrating quality which made it distinctly heard against the orchestra. His taste in interpretation could not be caviled at, and he was accorded a merited share of the applause. He was especially good in the duet and trio numbers, where his power of placing his voice in harmony with the others was one of the features of his work. This was one of his best qualities, and in the duet particularly it was enjoyed. His solo, "Watchman, Will the Night Soon Pass?" which is difficult enough to render in such manner as to carry its proper effect, was admirably done.—Evening News, May 21, 1901.
116MAY FESTIVAL, SPARTANBURG, S. C.
117(no line here) one of two readings
119It was a genuine pleasure to hear Mr. Hall's beautiful, clear, ringing tenor voice. The first great burst of enthusiasm from the audience came after the tenor recitative, "Men, Brethren and Fathers," sung by Mr. Hall in faultless style and earnestness and sincerity of manner. All the recitatives sung by Mr. Hall were discreetly and judiciously given, and with the instinct of a singer who is an artist by instinct. We, however, cannot resist saying a word of Mr. Hall's singing of the aria, "Be Thou Faithful Unto Death." No better example of "bel canto" has been heard in Spartanburg. The heartiest applause of the evening greeted Mr. Hall at the end of the aria. The audience stormily demanded its repetition, to which Mr. Hall responded, singing it with perhaps even more deeply religious fervor than before.—Herald, May 3, 1901.
121MAY FESTIVAL, CHAMPAIGN, ILL.
122(no line here) one of two readings
124Glenn Hall, who is a general favorite in Champaign, having appeared here in former May festivals, had the next number on the program, aria from "Eugen Onegin," with orchestra accompaniment. Mr. Hall's rich tenor voice appears to grow richer each year, and it was certainly at his best last night, being well supported by the orchestra, which held itself in check at all times.—Daily Gazette, May 11, 1901.
126MOZART CLUB, PITTSBURG, PA.
127(no line here) one of two readings
129Mr. Hall made a fine impression by his meritorious work. Though coming to this city a stranger and an almost unknown singer, Mr. Hall has established a reputation for himself which places him among the best oratorio singers of the day.—Commercial Gazette, December 29, 1899.
131Of the four soloists the appearance of Mr. Hall was awaited with greatest eagerness. The Mozart cult was familiar to the others, while Mr. Hall had not been heard here before. He has a voice of great sweetness, power and expression.—Times, December 29, 1899.
133MAY FESTIVAL, ANN ARBOR, MICH.
134(no line here) one of two readings
136The romantic character of Tchaikowsky's opera, "Eugen Onegin," suited Mr. Hall's voice admirably, and he was heard with the greatest enjoyment. The sweetness and flexibility of his voice, together
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