In an effort to benefit the
community, the Dallas Junior
Women’s Club has scheduled
several projects for December.
Areas of conservation, educa-
tion, crippled children, caring
and aiding
State
Hospital are included in the
The conservation department
will meet Dec. 10. The use of
returnable bottles will be dis-
cussed at this time.
Each year the club provides a
area high school senior. A
the scholarship applications.
by Harry Trebilcox
The Wyoming Valley Oratorio
Society, under the direction of
program of 20th century choral
en’s Episcopal Church. Three
works were performed—Poul-
enc’s Gloria” (1959), Calabro’s
“The Floods are Risen’’ (1973),
and Vaughan-William’s ‘Dona
Nobis Pacem’ (1936). I found
two-thirds of the program sup-
erb, and my reservations about
the remainder have to do with
the music, not the performance.
The Poulenc ‘Gloria’ was the
only familiar work to me. The
opening movement (there are
six in all) sounded unsettled,
short order. The Latin text is
taken from the Catholic mass,
and Poulenc’s setting of it has
always intrigued me. I'm sure
the composer had some reason
for stressing weak syllables
(Je-su Chris-TE), but I haven’t
the faintest idea what that rea-
son might be. It hardly matters,
for the piece works. It is mov-
ing, well, even tightly, con-
structed, and jaunty. And why
not? I know of no law that says
praises must be snug solemnly.
I have long thought this com-
poser at his best in his religious
music (perhaps the group will
present the ‘‘Stabat Mater’’ in
the future) or when he was be-
ing urbane, even witty. On other
levels of communication (the
opera ‘Dialogues des Carmelit-
es’’ comes to mind) I find him
dull or pretentious. Not so with
the “Gloria.” The chorus and
orchestra gave of their consid-
erable best and delivered an
accurate and often very moving
performance.
I can not say that the soprano
soloist, Joanne Netter Herron,
sang like an angel for the simple
The public affairs chairman,
Mrs. Charles Parente, reported
that two-way radios will be in-
stalled in the school buses to
alleviate some of the busing
problems.
Ninety-two pair of shoes were
donated to the Wyoming Valley
Crippled Children’s Associa-
tion. Anyone with shoes to do-
nate can leave them’ in boxes
provided at Humphreys or
Fairview Shoe Store.
A Christmas Party will be
given at the Maple Hill Nursing
Home, sponsored by the welfare
department. A party will also
be given at the Retreat State
Hospital.
reason that T have never heard
an angel, but neither do I expect
to hear the part sung better. The
solo line is treacherously diffi-
cult; crossing vocal registers,
lying cruelly high, and demand-
ing complete control. Ms. Herr-
on met the challenge head on.
She sang with purity of tone,
secure pitch, did not flinch from
the altitude of the music and
floated roughly a dozen high
A’s. (I think they were A’s.)
Some of her singing had a dis-
embodied, other-world sound
that was ideal for the music and
the text.
Itis a truism that one can only
once hear a piece of music for
the first time. I was hearing
both the Calabro and Vaughan-
Williams for the first time. I
have come to depend on what is
colloquially, if not elegantly,
called a gut reaction to music
new to me. This reaction falls
into two broad categories. The
first is, Thank God that’s over;
the second, where can I get a
score and learn more about this
piece. Mr. Calabro’s work hit
me in the first category.
As with Poulenc, weak syll-
ables were stressed (I must
confess I could not understand
most of the words) and the voc-
al writing, particularly for the
soloists--Dorothy Balshaw and
Christopher Unger--, would be
more suitable for a keyed in-
strument.=The work is" brief,
knowing the forces involved I
assume it was well performed,
but it did nothing for at least one
listener.
On the other hand, Vaughan-
Williams's “Dona Nobis Pac-
um’ (“Grant Us Peace’) al-
most did the same listener in.
The texts are taken from Walt
most poetic), John Bright, the
Catholic mass, and the Bible. It
It was announced by Mrs.
Billie Kisailus, club president of
the Wilkes- Barre Junior:
Womens Club that due to the re-
quests of many residents the
club will again have available
their, member compiled cook-
*“Cooks’ Delight” was a flood-
related inspiration by the club
members who used ,the pro-
ceeds to assist Agnes Flood
disaster victims. Many persons
were able to feel a little less
grief by the donations received
from this cookbook, and the
members are hopeful that their
efforts will again be supported
by the entire community.
Donations for this ‘secret’
recipe-packed book are $2.50
and a copy may bel obtained by
contacting Valerie Johnson,
committee chairman at 824-
4766, Barbara Zigmund, co-
chairman at 822-8264 or any
club member.
It Pays To Advertise
Sunday 1
on Rte. 6
Call 836-2151
Ae
DALLAS, PA.
We will prepare your
luncheons.
Regular dining hours:
Fri. & Sat. 5-10 p.m.
675-9639
favorite meal for any
Sun. 12 Noon -7 p.m.
+
Christmas baskets will be
given to 15 families in the area,
Dec. 15. Food will be collected
by area chairman from Nov. 30
to Dec. 6.
held Dec. 3 at the Irem Temple
Country Club. Dinner will be
served at 6:30 p.m. Reserva-
tions can be made with Mrs.
Andrew Stahovec until Nov. 27.
The Dallas Women’s Club
Chorale under the direction of
Mrs. David Wojciechowski will
provide a. program of Christ-
mas music.
Cookbooks and jewelry will be
available for sale at the meet-
ing.
seems an odd combination but,
like the Poulene, it works. Con-
sidering the date it was written
(1936) it may have been the
composer’s reaction to what
was happening in Europe. I
neither know nor care. That is
the sort of thing best left to
musicologists.
Looking beyond the obvious
imagery of the texts, I sense a
desire for peace far removed
from battlefields of war. And
that, I think, I will leave to the
mystics. Some of the writing re-
minded me of Mahler, but a
Mahler with control and no ner-
vousness or hysteria. The chor-
us sang superbly, although at
times they were overwhelmed
by the orchestra, the soloists--
Harriet Santos and David Scott:
-were absolutely right for their
brief but important parts, and
the orchestra could hardly have
been better.
Catharsis is not a word I find
much use for, but there was in
this performance an element
that transcended the limitations
of musical notation and human
fallibility. Given more rehear-
sal time some of the minor
rough edges might have been
smoothed out. I'm not sure
smoothness would be a virtue
here. There was a craggy hon-
feeling of fulfillment that no
amount of polish could ever re-
place.
ip :
eh
HELL
2
5
The first Christmas Concert
given by the Orpheus Choral
Society will be presented Dec. 7,
at 8:30 p.m. in the Wilkes
College Center for the Perform-
ing Arts. Ann Lutz is chairman
of the Concert Committee and
the chorus.
The Chorus will present a
variety of Christmas music
under the direction of Eugene
Kelleher, a resident @ of
Plymouth and a graduate of
Wilkes College. He has done
graduate work at the University
of New Hampshire and Kent
State University. Mr. Kelleher
has given many performances
in the Wilkes-Barre Scranton
Area as a soloist.
Marjorie Briggs George who
is choir director and organist at
the Firwood United Methodist
Church will accompany the
group. She is Past Dean of the
Organist Guild and is a member
GIFTS
Jewelry
Toys
Brass
SHAFFER'’S
PINK APPLE
RESTAURANT
AND GIFT SHOP
open daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m,
CLOSED MONDAYS
*« GIFTS
‘Wall Plaques
Novelty Items
Candles
of the Senior Mozart Club. The
Chorus gives many concerts
throughout the year for chur-
ches and other organizations
beside their Annual Spring
Concert.
This Christmas = Concert is
being sponsored by the Triple
“S$” Class of the Firwood United
Methodist Church. Orpheus has
approximately 70 members who
come from all walks of life but
who enjoy singing.
The following Back Mountain
Orpheus: Martha Dilley, Arline
Klinger, Margaret Rowett,
Grace Scott, Marie Troxell,
Eleanor = Vojtko, Dorothy
Adams, Sylvia Schooley, Midge
Smith, Elayne Campbell,
Richard Oliver, George Stolar-
ick, William Clewell and Dave
Schooley.
A Greenstreet News Co. Publication
The Orpheus Choral Society will present their First Christmas
Concert Dec. 7 at 8:30 p.m. in the Wilkes College Center for Per-
forming Arts.
|
CHECKERBOARD
INN
FEATURING
Seafood
Steaks
Homemade Italian
Food
"Dinners Served
Tues-Sat. 5 til 12
Diningroom closed Monday .
Peter & Janice Mattioli
Carverton Rd.
Trucksville
4
superior
x CATERING
5
—
/ Bresven Amine
SERVICE ’
RELAX & ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS | OVER
Let Us Do The Work This Year!
We'll take care of the holiday preparations. so
you’ll enjoy entertaining.
i
Preparing & Delivering Party i
Foods Is Our Specialty i
CALL 822-7616 i
George D. Cave, Prop. 0
269 S. Washington Ave., WB _ ;
AE PREPAY YA PAL PRK PRK PAK PK PO PAK PA PAL PRL PAK PA
If no answer...... Call 675- 0145 3
TR RATE STR SA PR TR TTR TR RR NR ST RR SN RT SA A ST SR RA
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