New-York tribune., 1868-03-21
MUSIC.
THE oRAroRIo sEAsoN-ELUAH.

THE ORATORI0 SEASON-ELIJAH.
Mr.. Harrisons oratorio season at Steinway
Hall closed on Thursday night with good performance
OF Mendesohns Elijah :" not perfect one. not by any
means good performance as that OF Judas Macca
baus few weeks ago. or the Messiah" on Christmas
night but upon the whole very proper crown to bril-
liant series The deficiencies OF the orchestra which IS
mediocre because 1t is composed OF poor material but
because it Is weakly conducted are more observable
in the delicate and ornate accompaniments OF
Mendessohn than in the simpler and more
massive Instrumentation OF Handel not that
Handel or any other good composer be fairly inter
preted without nicely both OF touch and Of intelligence
but defects which would only mar the " Messiah are
wel-ngh fatal 10 the effect OF est Paul" or Eli ah"
Many OF the finest beauties OF the score were missed be-
cause the players took them with such heavy handsas
II they had been punging through poato-felds when
they ought TO have been tripping over beds OF flowers
That the members OF the orchestra are individually COM
petent 10 do much better we need hardly say.
We saw several proofs OF it on Thursday night
In one OF tho solos, for instance 1--WE forget
which onel. the violin accompaniment OF Dir.
Matzka was notable for its rich expression, and
in another there excellent playing on the cari
In the forte passages the playing was almost always
good the time too usually correct but what Is an
orchestra without soul Many OF the choruses we're
excellent. The great invocation OF the Pagan God,
"Baal we cry to thee" rendered with admirable
precision and spirit, and He watching over Israeli de-
OF the voices but for the tasteful accompaniment by the
orchestra and the panissmo passage toward the end
"He slumbers not sleeps not" was given charmingy
The chorus OF Hebrews. Lord bow thine ear TO our
prayer" which forms n background as it were to
plant for two sopranos at the beginning or the ora
toro spreadeth hands for aid" likewise
good the inonatons being firm and the measures well
observed In the first chorus. Help, Lord" there Is
fine passage beginning =" The deep affords no water
which when properly sung, has remarkable effect but
the time must be taken with exactness; the voices
attack the notes precisely together Here there
was a failure The sopranos which begin the movement
were uncertain; the tenors came in struggling; and
before the different parts got fairly into their work
the point OF the composition was lost In
several OF the subsequent choruse there great deal
OF ndecsiOn and weakness especially In the fugdto
movements which are not apt to be wearisome unless
they are strong The fault appeared 90 be principally
with the ladies' We have been somewhat particular In
pointing ont these defects Of orchestra and chorus not
because their performance was bad-t was not
really bad at any time, and often It was very
good indeed-but because with care and compe-
tent direction they could both do so much bet
ter. and because We hope to notice decided inn
provement when the festival comes of IN May.
To speak OF Madame Rosa in oratorto positive pleas
ure akin to hearing her sing Criticism is impossible
upon her performances there is only place for eulogy
Whether in the magnificent ring OF such LOFTY conceptions
as Hear ye Israel" the intense emotion both of anN
ety. OF grief and OF exuaton embodied IN that superb
dialogue between the WdOW Of zarephath and the Pro-
phet Elijah or in the silyery sweetness OF the trio
for sopranos and alto, Lift thine eyes," she Is
unapproachable We have seldom heard her moro
glorious than she on Thursday night. Mr.
Simpson in the tenor part was much better
than we have usually known him, though he Is always
one OF our best singers for the oratOro His aras
with all your hearts," and, "Then shall the righteous,
deserve especial praise. Mr. Thomas Elijah was good
in the slow and tender music and in the scene with the
priests OF Baa and that with the Rdor which we nave
lust mentioned but most of the spirited and mpas-
stoned music the ordinary power OF his voice seems to
desert him Mrs. Kempton received merited applause
for her, Oh rest the Lord" but her performance as
whole was only tolerable Mrs. Reed, the second So
prano had little to DO except in the quartette but she
did that little well.