Iowa Heritage Digital Collections
State Library of Iowa

1915 Yearbook

1915 Yearbook

Title

1915 Yearbook

Description

The College Glee Club
IN THE MUSICAL curriculum the vocal talent was developed to
an exceptional degree of proficiency. The Glee Club, who had
on many former occasions ably acquitted themselves in the rendition of national airs, folk songs, and the like, on the occasion
of the 1914 Commencement ventured on a somewhat unusual
field—rather presumptuous on the part of amateurs. It was the
presentation of one of Verdi's rapturous choruses, "The Bandit," from the opera Ernani. It is strange to say that this opera does not rank
among the popular ones in America. Several circumstances concurred to make
this attempt a complete surprise. First, the general unfamiliarity of the American public with this grand composition of Verdi; secondly, the skilled rendition of this difficult production; thirdly, its rendition in the original Italian. Father
Meinhardt with the violin and Mell Morrin at the piano accompanied the Chorus.
Owing to the fact that many of the members of the Orchestra were singing in
the Glee Club, the desired full Orchestra accompaniment was unavailable. The
thundering encore which followed gave evidence that the attempt was a complete
success. The encore has since continued in the form of an earnest request to
have the number repeated on the occasion of the 1915 Commencement. The task
will not be an easy one, owing to the absence of much of last year's talent. The
success of the Glee Club is due in a great measure to Rev. N. Meinhardt, who so
ably assisted the singers in their interpretation and rendition of the Opera Selection. The Glee Club especially feel grateful to him for his kind encouragement and for his many hours of patient labor sacrificed in the preparation of this feature.

Date

1915

Rights

St. Ambrose University, 518 W. Locust St., Davenport, IA 52803

Identifier

http://cdm16810.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16810coll2/id/3652