New-York tribune., 1868-05-19
MUSIC.
THE FESTIVAL AT sTEINwAY HALL-HANDEL's
MESSIAH

THE FESTIVAL AT sTEINwAY HALL-HANDEL 8
MESSIAH"
The second of the annual musical festivals
NJ stenway Hall opened last night with The Messiah
IL is certainly encouraging TO find that there not only
manager In New-YOrk enterprsing enough to give
yearly feast Of the masterpieces the higher kinds
musical composition, but public sufficiently educated
TO appreciate and demand them. 1t was, therefore
with particular qualification last night that despite the
rain aud the mud. and tps general encouragement and
horribleness Of the weather, We found the hall en-
tirely filed, so that no more could have been
admitted without positive discomfort. The solo
parts in the Oratorio were taken by Madame
Rosa, Mrs Kempton Mr.. Simpson, and Mr.. j. r. Thomas
The New-York Harmonic Society mustered chorus Of
about 200. the orchestra numbered 4O and Mr. f. L.
Ritter the conductor The best thing OF the evening"
beyond all comparison, Madame Rosas Come unto
Him." 1t sung with unusual feeling. and the
most exquisite neatness and confident could
not have been surpassed by any artist In the world.
Next in excellence must place the delicious air How
beautiful the Feet" and know that my Redeemer
Liveth," by the same lady. Her famous recatives
There were shepherds" And the Angel said unto
them," and the rest Of that marvellous series
OF narratives, wereI superby declained; indeed,
to say all that she did well, should have
quote everything that fell her share for in oratoro
she disapponts fails to interpret the CON-
posers finest beauties We would gladly praise Mrs
Kempton IL could but che has very little conception
OF the spirit OF Handel and did much violence 10 the
three famous alto solos, Thou that teles" He shall
feed His Flock and He was desplsed" especially to
the first. Mr.. Simpson sang Comfort ye my People
well. and was generally acceptable Mr.. Thomas was not
In voice, and his part freely cut The choruses were
not good usual though several OF them deserved
warm commendation Behold the Lamb OF God" opened
in excellent time and was throughout solid spirited
andscorrect IAN we like sheep" was likewise
careful and accurate performance, though cOlOress
Lift up your Heads excellent and the ''Halleu
ah" too entirely satisfactory most of the other
choruses ame several Of them dragged unaccount
ably; and one, "And He shall purify" was perfect
chaos Mr. Ritter, as usual followed the orchestra and
singers instead OF leading them Upon the whole the
performance was decidedly inferior 10 the last rep
resentatlon OF the work on Christmas night.
The Harmonic Society has our best wishes. We
honor them for what they did In the cause Of ora
torio music during the long years when their work
was not appreciated, and their annual concerts In
volved not only much thankless labor but consid |
orable positive expense TO the members We feel that
wo owe them debt OF gratitude yet we feel too that
now In tho day OF their prosperity would be mistaken
kindness TO be silent upon their shorcOmings and TO re-
fran from expressing our conviction that instead Of
making progress they COINS backward They do.
they often have done. much better than they did last
night. We hope and believe that they will do much bet
tor tomorrow.
Tonight there will be especially interesting con-
cert Mendelssohn's recently recovered Reformation
which has created such lively sensation in
England. and produced &C the Boston Festival few
lays ago for the first tune In America. will be played to-
yether with Bach's Suite No. In ID, tho Romeo and
JuAet" symphony by Beroz, and Beethoyens Le0nora"
overture I've believe the thrd The orchestra VIII be
inder the direction OF Theodore Thomas who decided
Improvement upon Mr.. Ritter.
MOSES IN EGYPT.
A performance of Rossnis " Moses in Egypt"
will bo given oratorio at ST. AIMS Church, Eighth
hIa a.ins uuIa tha Of |
)achauer An efficient chorus aud competent solo artists
Viii take pRIl, 4