Church Music

A spirited performance of Vivaldi's Gloria was the major attraction in a service of church music presented by the Harvard Freshman Glee Club and Radcliffe Freshman Chorus at Memorial Church last night. The concert was short, but solid, achieving no remarkable heights, but maintaining a satisfying level of musicianship.

The chorus, led by Emily Romney and Heywood Alexander, showed the customary discipline and technical skill which has become characteristic of Harvard choral groups. What it lacks chiefly is a warmth and lyrical quality which is difficult to attain, but which should be the principal goal of an ensemble as competent as this one.

The loveliest portions of the concert were supplied by the two soloists, Victoria Spurgeon and Edith Gould. Both of them have beautiful voices which they used intelligently to produce some remarkably emotional singing.

The Vivaldi was preceded by a Brahms motet, O Heiland Reiss die Himmel Auf, portions of a Byrd Mass, and a powerful Brahms prelude played magnificently by the organist, James Armstrong.