1912 Olympic Games Official Report Part 2

came the concert proper, consisting of patriotic songs alone, whichwere rendered most brilliantly. It was simply astounding to hear suchperfect ensemble, such precision of intonation, with variations infullness of tone that allowed the vast volume of harmony to roll inthunder across the Stadium, or to die away in the faintest pianissimo.Each number was greeted with great applause, and after the last song— “Hear us, Svea!” — which was heard by the audience standingwith uncovered heads, there was no end to the cheering. There wasa clapping of thirty thousand pairs of hands; people hurrahed andshouted, they waved handkerchiefs and parasols and, the ‘encore’not coming quickly enough to please the public, bursts of applausewere heard arising from section after section of the audience, followedby the cry “Hear us, Svea! Hear us, Svea!” Although the concertwas now at an end, the public would not quit the Stadium, but continuedto ask for fresh numbers, which were heard with an undiminishedenthusiasm, seldom, or never before, witnessed among the slowly-moveddwellers in the high north.As may be imagined, the concerts in the great hall were of greatermusical value, as it was possible to arrange the programmes there inbetter accordance with the demands of art, and as songs by smallerchoirs and soloists, given in addition to the performances by the largechoir, lent variety to the whole. The ideal acoustic propertiesof the concert hall also added to the effect, for seldom has a temporaryerection better served its purpose in this respect than was now the case.831