New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-12
Cheshire, AHegoi
MUSIC.

sTEINwAY HALL-THE 0fAT0RI0 OF SAMSON
When Beethoven was dying, he raised his
hand toward copy of tie works OF Handel and ex-
claimed There is the truth" Beethoven himself had
probably the most beautiful musical genius ever created
yet called the composer OF samson and The Messiah the
monarch Of his art and declared THAI he would kneel
before his tomb with uncovered head 1H she grandeur
Of his conceptions Handel never has been surpassed lie
towers above other composers like mighty giant; he
rises TO the Hottest nights OF inspiration, and seems
more nearly than any other master TO h8Ie
caught that spirit OF sublime and awful beauty
WHICH broathes through tho pen Of Dante and the pencil
OF Michael Angelo No one has ever equaled the magnh
cence Of his massive ch0rses and few beside Beethoven
have surpassed HIM In depth OF passion The resources
OF the orchestra better understood than they
were in his time, and modern composers have learned
how to produce striking effects with their instru
mens but cannot judge exactly what effects Handel
did produce BECAUSE he wrote his orchestral scores
in full trusting to his personal direction TO I'LL out the
parts which his impatient pen could not pause to trace
His melody Is ineXhaustble, rch noble, clear elevated,
and msjesticaly simple. In the dramatic char
acter OF his music no stands alone Rapidly
wrote his works the product OF deep thought
and his oratoro airs express perfectly than any
one had ever expressed before him, than any one
writing such lofty themes has expressed since.
both the sentiment OF the words and the character OF the
personAges OF the drama.
remarkable Of all his works. It written in great
haste being commenced eight days after the completion
OF The Messiah and completed In five weeks yet II is
artlscaly as perfect II IL had been the labor Of
years What can be finer than the marvellous
dramatic contrasts with which it opens-the
plaintiff soloqny OF the wearled Samson, the festival
chorus OF the Phstne priests the awful pathos OF the
blind heros lament and the sublime hymn OF the Israel
ites "Then round about the Starry Thronep The duet
afterward between Samson and Harapha " Co. bafiied
coward CO." another superb example of music that
speaks as plainly words could speak and the grand
closing numbers from the announcement OF samson's
death 20 the trumpet song and hual chorus, are
as thoroughly descriptive as any composition
ever written. The Interpretation of this great
work last night intrusted TO competent artists
Madame ParepaRosa is the best oratoro singer we have
heard for years Her performance OF "Let the Bright
seraphm" Is something TO BIO long remembered. Loud
above the stirring trumpet-aocompaniment rang her
clear, rich voice. soaring easily and clingng long to
perous nights and swelling volume like the voice OF
some splendid organ. The yocazaton was perfect and
the effect OF the poce-much helped by tho excel
lent trumpet-playing-wa tremendous Mr.. Simpson
rendered tho famous air Total Eclipse with taste and
feeling and was throughout the evening entirely salts
factory lie pleased us moro than Mr. Thomas, whose
voice Is hardly enough for his part although
the beautiful and touching air "How willing my pater
nal Love- which fell 20 this gentlemans share was given
extremely we'll Mrs. Jenny kempton was un-
fortunately, hoarse and hardly did herself jus
tice The chorus was much hrmer than it
was In The Seasons and thore really very little
fault to lind with It, We must particularly commend its
singing of "Then round about the starry Throne"
Fixed In His everlasting seat and Great Dagon has
subdued our Foe" Tho orchestra has also improved,
Mr. Ritter having apparently got his men under better
CONTROL though there stl room Tor some moroYement