THE A M ERIC AN-SC A N I) IN AVIA N REVIEW 
179 
The St. Olaf Choir from Nortiifield 
Reception to Christian Sinding and artistic, in the most American of all 
The great Norwegian composer, Christian communities — the Middle West settled by 
Sinding, last autumn entered upon his duties Scandinavians. 
as professor at the Eastman Conservatory of Technically, in the modulation of its voices 
Music in Rochester. In the Christmas holi- and in its perfect response to the leadership 
days Professor Sinding with Mrs. Sinding of the director, Mr. F. Melius Christiansen, 
visited New York, where they were guests of the choir is almost perfect. In the choice of 
honor at a reception given by Dr. and Mrs. music the director is necessarily limited by 
Henry Goddard Leach at their home, 170 the purpose of the choir, which is to show the 
East 64th Street. In the course of the eve- possibilities of the Lutheran chorales. In 
ning, Dr. Leach announced that an ode had turning his back upon the more sophisticated 
been written to Professor Sinding by a poet music of the great masters, he sometimes falls 
who wished to be anonymous and that it had into the temptation of sophisticating the 
been set to music by Mr. Ole Windingstad. chorales by arrangements which rob them of 
The ode was sung by Mr. Erik Bye with something of their tender simplicity or their 
Mr. Windingstad at the piano, and the poet mighty breadth and sweep. That the choir 
was revealed as Mr. Albert Van Sand. Pro- under his leadership is abundantly capable of 
fessor Sinding thanked the three artists in a giving the hymns in all their jubilant force 
few gracious words. The hospitality of Dr. we heard in “Praise to the Lord” by Peter 
and Mrs. Leach gave an opportunity for a Sohren. Its sweetness of tone and delicacy 
large number of friends of music and friends of execution were evident in the charming 
of Norway to come in personal contact with little fourteenth century chime song “In dulci 
the distinguished composer whom all know jubilo.” 
through his works. - 
Anniversary of a Danish Industry 
Ihe St. Olaf Choir The American branch of F. L. Smidtli and 
ccustomed as we are to feeling that noth- Company of Valby, Denmark, manufacturers 
ing short of edged tools will cut through the of machinery that is used in making cement, 
preoccupation of New York with its own celebrated its fortieth anniversary at a din- 
amusements, the mere fact that a student ner at the Plaza Hotel, New York, on the 
choir from a Norwegian Minnesota college, evening of January second; dinners being 
with a programme of chorales, could fill the held on the same evening in Copenhagen and 
Brooklyn Academy of Music on Sunday and other cities where the company has branches, 
the Metropolitan Opera House on Tuesday Among the speakers was Dr. Henry God- 
is in itself noteworthy. One critic said that aard Leach, former secretary of the American 
it was Main Street come to Broadway,” Scandinavian Foundation. He paid a tribute 
3Ut °. ne << of our friends P llt it differently; he * to Alexander Foss, to whose engineering skill 
said it gave the lie to Main Street .” The and ability to organize business upon a large 
xistence of such a choir is in itself evidence scale the remarkable development of this in- 
ff the fresh upwelling forces, both spiritual dustry is largely due. 
