Litchfield enquirer., 1844-10-03
SOA IN GgsQUmM.
GTTcHFTELD COUNTY SACRED MUSIC so.


On the 25h in spirited styles and much to the cred
it Of Mr.. Battell, the Leader. Most of the pieces
were familiar to Us, from having heard them re-
Peatedly in the large cities, and from having been
drilled through three musical campaigns, to storm
the public ear with, the very same thunder. Know
ing the difficulty Of bringing out the great chOruses,
we were prepared to expect very considerable de-
hciencies in the performance Of society scattered
over county, and able to secure but day for re-
hearsal in committee Of the whole. Those very
considerable deficiencies however did not occur.
The whole performance came well up to what
would be accounted good in our city societies.
There several old campainers in the audience,
members Of the Boston Handel and Hayden and the
New-York Sacred Music Society, who expressed
themselves highly grati6ed. The excellence of the
performance may be referred to the Uniform good
voices Of the choir and the accurate time through
out. There were certainly some deficiencies, OBJ
vious enough, but not easily remedied in such
ciety.
The charm of the great choruses and the secret
Of their pleasing effect popular audience, lies
in the perfect balance of the harmony. Only here
and there strain Of pure gentle melody steals up
on the comprehension Of the uninstructed nearer:
the most is racket and dscord, unless the harmony
be adjusted and expressed exactly according to the
idea Of the composer. On this occasion the tenor
was quite too weak in all the heavy pieces so was
the bass in several important passages The sopra-
no swept with unbalanced force through the whole.
Accordingly the responses of the parts were not
manifest enough to give to the audience generally
the idea of the piece and where piece is not in
telgble, its more delicate beauties cannot be felt.
The performance of the VEspER HYMN illustrates
favorably what we mean by the response Of the
parts. We think no other piece was so fairly un-
derstood and felt by all as this The idea Of it
made distinct by the position of the performers,
while the parts were admirably balanced. The soft
sweet chorus in the distance, low but FULL harmo-
nzed beautifully with the plaintive quartet; and
every listener felt that the gentle spirit
moving through the whole piece. To cultivated
ear the same thing is manifest in grand chorus,
when each part is fairly sustained: the tumult of
sounds causing no distraction. Here the composer
shows his art. For moment We are lost in the
confused minglng of aimless sounds tossed on
sea Of dscords. But suddenly there streams forth
from single instrument pure liquid strain. that
soft as it is, thrills every 1t trembes for mo-
ment in the harmonic notes Of the VIOLIN and then
its gone no, tits hcre--'ts here--now the flute
has it-there, twas in the trumpet: how it darts
from voice to voice, swelling with every change!
1t flies through the soprano; follow me-" then
on where alto modesty glides; follow me-"
thence in where mighty disc ords in bass and tenor
are struggling to come together; follow me, fol-
low .ne," it cries: and all parts forsake their
wild careering; round and round they go in jubilee
dance, and then blending in one harmonious move
ment, grace the triumphant march of this pure
melody. To adjust the choir and orchestra for the
highest effect of these master "iecos, and to bring
out the language OF the music ITSELF no easy mat
ter any where. In a society like this, representing
not body of protested musicians. but the choir
singers of a county, the thing may be impossible.
The matter is beyond the control of the leader. He
must take what comes to him, and adjust all as they
admit Of being adjusted. Notwithstanding this
difficulty, in some instances the true expression of
some delightful passages came out finely; as, for
example, in the passage ''rHE STARS ARE FADING"
The dimuendo glided from part to part most grace.
fully.
In the orchestral accompaniment, we felt the de-
fciency on the bass though exceedingly gratified
with the execution throughout. The piano is I" a
feeble folk" among many strong rushing sounds,
and poorly compensates for the 'deep toned organ"
Still, we could feel its gentle command upon the
whole choir, under the hand of the accomplished
player. After hearing Wallace or Ole Bull. critic
10 liable to offend the lesser brotherhood. by damn-
ing them with faint praise :" though we have known
a splendid musician to hold his own violin dog
cheap after hearing theirs. We hope Mr.. Hubbard
may not fall into the Respondent mood at the VIC
tories or fame Of these great masters; for though
there are angelic heights Of excellence above him,
he already towers far above the mundane throng Of
mere 6ddlers, and moves with the artist band, who
know the violin to be the prince Of instruments,
and who are able to make others feel it. If that
voice Of his was only at the other end Of the church,
we would jump the question as to an audience any
time.
The Waterbury Band fairly took US by surprise,
% we think too it did the audience in more ways
than one. If we take out from our best city bands
few transcendant players, who give character to
the whole, we see not wherein this band is whit
behind them. 1t may play that Overture to Tam
credi ON Boston Common with perfect confidence
Of Aattering reception.
Our limits do not allow US to speak particularly