New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-27
GRAND MUSICAL FESTIVAL IN
BOSTON.
From Our Special Correspondent

festival that country has ever seen tooA p'So :"
the Music Hall this morning. at IL o'clock. Inc llo
portions Of the musical departments far exceeueu 'ne
promise held ont by the advertisement lhsleso Vi oV
singers there nearly 75o ana inS'eau Vi ioV III
sruInents there were nearly 100. Inc suihseu guar
tette presented the following proportions - hst No
,ns o. sscond victims, 10 violas 10 violnee, and ,.
contra bassi There we're, besides = hu1eS oDoes'
,,ariope.tss. 4 bassoons horns trumpets, .
rnetsa.pistor, 3 trombones. l tuba and serpent
1tvnpauj. 3 side-drums. l bnssdrum. and cymbals,
and triangle Eight first vionS We, I'D have been
worth thousand dollars for the Of musical effect
hut o. il waS il importing and admirable that
we can hardly say that it needed any addition. And after
MI this came the great organ--thlt instrument OF
wonderful power and hesuty-which sweled up the
nutudinous sound to grand unity. giving by It's 81
feet pedals base sufficiently mighty to sustain the
brilliant and powerful supeIstructure. combination
10 vast and in all parts SO admirable has never before
been known in America il hes been raining steadily
and disp1itingy ever since l have been here ana
because some one stole nv umbrella II poured down
with additional GOOD vii this morning. found the
great Music Hal bat sparsey filed the weather opera
ting very seriously against the attendance Inc paI-
form was built out 80 or 40 feet In roni OF he
treat organ and om either SIDE seats rose mp eX-
tending 10 the back of the Han and up to the second
gallery In few minutes after the chorus began 20
come iD every seat filed. the ladies were hy no
means dressed uniformly. There we're opera clocks Of
every color red blue ultra blue, graz, black and white
Next entered the asrumenaliss TIE solo singers and
Gle Conductor with some Of tie officers OF the
society. To appearance ot this moment was
brilliant and imposing. The Conductor, baton n
hand mounted his stand and said q few words which
we could not oatch and pause eRsued Suddenly ne
faced the audience placed himself in graceful pose
and remained stationary. At first this omnous pause
puzzled me- but suddenly the thought hsshed upon ns
the whole orchestra was acknowledgements Ny
FIRST impulse was to exclam against the public vanity
ofour Boston cousins but tie hearty shouts OF laughter
which burst out ri The close Of the operation IN "Aeh
She whole audience Joined proved that to nearly all
was en- unexpected surprise the humor Of which struck
every one simultaneously On reelection an satisfied
that the occasion was fully worthy Of being placed in
debly on record and that no one in after years viii
feel ashamed Of pointing ont their counterfeit present
nent liz the photograph taken that day.
The great body Of chores is composed OF fine fresh
voices. displaying larger AMOUNT Of cultivation than
Is usually found in such assemblages. This is mainly
accounted FOR in tie fact that very large proportion Of
Gle gers lady and gentlemen belong 10 The highest
class of Boston society Of them excellent amateur
singers who when is concerned. not too proud
to sing in the OhoTnscs. O. Gotham when viii Thy
people in high places DO the Ike What mighty social
revolution must occur before thy children ofwesth and
fashion would orch even eyebrow for the cause Of
Art,
lido not think tia. tho disposition Of the voices which
was adopted, was calculated 10 produce TIE greatest
possible effect They were arranged in masses bat
In twcseparate choirs soprano alto, tenor and bass
on either side OF the orchestra In The ensemble pnT's
TIE weakness not perceprbe but when either class
Of voice bad leading points, want Of decision aid con-
centrated force was plainly peIceptble The voices
divided by 20 feet Of space. and perfect unaon
IT. and conpsctLes Of force impossible. In double
choruses this arrangement is imperative, but in the
present case 1t useless and les. effective than it other
wise would have been.
Immedatelv after the ep.sode alluded toaboYe the Con-
encor tapped bis desk and the whole body # tie eho
rus rose II was magnificent sight but its impression
faded into nothing when. on tie first beat the whole
strength ofyoces instruments and organ burst ont into
.he grand old chorale God is a castle and defense.
with which Nicolss Religions Festival Overture com
renees II exceeded in grandeur Of eject in massive
unity Of sound ard sublmi'y Of sentiment anything
have ever heard Ii made NY heart beat faster and
was a sensation worth living FOR.
The overture is curiOasly constructed. Commencing
will & ehorale the s'rinfed instruments commence
fugue in onr measure which IL gradually aupfed and
strengthened by the other Instruments. and as the
voices again take up the choIae the figure becomes
more intricate and the oounterpont closer ana more
brilliant II Is certainly learned ard srandly e.
fective composition and ira eliminating point at the
final Amen can hardly be exceeded in majesty and
force.
At the close Of this fne performance, nr Upham. the
President OF tie Handel and Haydn Society, aud tic
gentleman 10 whose intelligent efforts and untrng FER
severance the City CT Boston not only owes her spedd
Music Han (which is used for other than musical
ourposes) but he great organ also, delivered an adj
dress In which he gave brief sketch OF that Society
from its commencement fifty years ago. it spruIg
from the Massachusetts Society which commenced IN
1907 and ded in 1910 from pure ina1iion, never having
numbered over ~ enty- one members in ls5 The Han
Del and HAYDN Society was founded, several Of the
members Of the previous Society taking part in its or
eanizaiion 1t passed through countless vicissitudes
but th ere was avoys found strong true man 10
put forward hand 20 sustain it. 1aspecied to
hear the rlae Of tie late respected Jonas Chick
.rinr. who vas for many years tie prop and the
sainstay Of thc Society proving his wise ard noble
generosity in hai in countless others rot re-
corded In books Of human make.
Dr. Upharn also alluded 10 tie Widespread influence
Of the Society IN TIE Of musical education. ard
made few general remarks upon tie progress Of music
from en- early date b tie pTeseat period His address
wa, sohol.rlv and eloquent, and WAC received with
warn applause
At tie close Of IRE address commenced Mendes'
,ohn's diyi1oly inspired work, The hymn oI Praise
The keynote Of tie whole composition IS COMPRISED 10
one phrase wAc the brass Instruments develop IN The