The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-08
BARNBY'S NEW ORAT0RIO.
ALondon Composer and New York Librc'


Joseph Barnby, of London, is one of the
rising composers of the day, and in various
classes of vocal music, whether for the parlor
or the church, has shown genuine ability. He
lately wrote q new work entitled Rebetdh
which has been produced in London. The
Musical World says of it,
''Mr. Joseph Barnbys 'Rebekah' is entitled
"A Sacred Idyll in two scenes. The libretto,
by Mr.. Arthur Matthison, of New York, con-
fines itself entirely to the business of Eliezer
and Rebekah at the well, and to the meeting
of Isaac and his bride, as the latter drew near
to the patriarchal camp. Hence there is great
unity about the narrative, the thread of
which, if it have thread, can hardly be lost.
Mr.. Matthison has treated his subject in an
imaginative and poetical fashion, idealizing
actual. facts, as he had a perfect right and
was in some sort, bound to do. Take, as an
example, the conduct attributed to Rebekah
on hearing the object of Eliezers mission.
Mr.. Matthison puts these words into the
young girls mouth: My soul this
day hath been in joyous tumult, and my heart
foretold me ere the night should come glad
tidings would be brought unto me. Outlines
in sleep have visions of thine image blessed
me, o beloved Ofttimes hath fancy pic
tured to my soul thy hand enclasped in mine,
thy loving kiss upon my brow! And freely,
gladly to thy love 1 come This is very
pretty, we grant, and confirms the romantic
notion that marriages are made in heaven
Nevertheless the fact was that when Eliezer
presented Rebekah with q golden earring of
half shekel weight, and two bracelets for
her hands of ten shekels weight of gold wide
Genesis xiv, 22), the damsel, like natural
and unsophisticated damsel ran home to tell
her mother, thinking no more of Isaac than
her parents thought of consulting herself
when they made up their minds she should go.
''This, however, by the way; and we have
only to add that Mr. Matthison has produced
libretto which answered Mr.. Barnbys pur-
pose very well, by giving all needful scope
for effect. Addressing ourselves to study
of the music, we expected to note the infiu-
ence of M. Gounod more or less apparent.
Former works by Mr.. Barnby clearly revealed
his prediction for that snowy and shallow
French composer, and we are glad to find that
it is in this case considerably diminished.
AS matter of fact, Mr.. Barnby has deserted
Gounod for Spohr. Some may declare that
the change merely involves looking at the
same ideal through a German instead of
French medium; but, at any rate, we con-
gratulate Mr.. Barnby on having made it.
Spohr, with all his faults, was master
who founded a school of his own,
fascinating enough at one time to
bid highly for predominance. The in
fluence of Spohr upon the music of
Rebekah cannot be mistaken. MIR. Barnby
has produced melodies full of sentiment,
often full of beauty also; and to these he has
welded harmonies SO ornate that the decora-
tions seem to jostle each other for notice.
Moreover he has adopted the thoroughly
Spohrish device of incessant modulation and
unexpected progressions, which frequently
make one uneasy as to whittier they will lead.
We may take the liberty of counselling Mr..
Barnby to 60 no further in this direction.
There are passages in .Rebekah which can
only pass muster by courtesy; and any
further development of the restless search
for effect out of which they spring
would be certain to do the clever COM
poser harm. We have no space left for
notice of the music in detail, and
must be content to point out those num-
bers which are most characteristic. The
two fugues, at the beginning and end respec-
lively, are worked with freedom and boldness
enough to secure for Mr.. Barnby no little
esteem as a scholastic writer. A chorus of
damses with solo), 'Who shall be feetest
and first, has charming effect due to pretty
melody and elegant treatment; this number
was encored at the performance in st. James
Hall, as was Brides March, which pro-
misses to meet with favor apart from its con-
nection. One or two of the airs may also be
cited as examples of Mr.. Barnby's best style
that for 'Eliezer,' 'The Daughters of the
city come, and that for Isaac, The soft
southern breeze plays around me- The scor-
ing is throughout admirably done-so far,
indeed, nothing could easily be better"