New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-13
MUSIC.
TIE BOSTON FESTIVAL.
SECOND AND THIRD DAYs-EIIJAU-rspApr 49,
EGYPT-sYMPHONY CONCERTS. :"
PR0M OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE,

EGYPT-sYMPHONY CONCERTO
lPROh OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,
BOsTON, May 1.-THE verdict ia ppa,;.
that the Handel and Haydn Society never was q, -
condition than 1t Ia at this moment Chorus spo,r. -
paapie 70 that which forms the great feature OF a..
present festyaneyer has been heard IN America ,n,.
eay DO excuse Tor criticism upon the Elijah which
was given last night. II as near perfection a. ans.
thing can be on this side OF the New Jeeu.a,e,,
This Is the work in which the society Ia. ,."-
most OF its laurels, and 10 whose intern,o,.,,"
1t has brought the closest study and the he.,
est sympathy. There is not delicate beau,,
OF the score rich IA 1t Is In the finer sentimental raoo
OF Mendelssohn's exquisite genius, which tbl, na,nis
cent body OF singers have not learned how 10 exn,e
with the most aftctonate Hielity There Il not !.
majestic phrase to which they fail Of giving full ,o,o
ana dignity. In a word, they seem to he completeiv
permeated by the spirit Of the composer he as heartily
en- rapport with Mondelssohn they certainly ara th
Carl Zerrahn. know what to single out "A xoyth
OF special praise where ak excellent. The beat,
fu opening, Help, LOrd wilt Thou quite destroy ma,
The harvest now Ia over, the Summer days are gone
or that noble phrase, His mercles thousands fan
or the Blessed are the men who fear Him. which an
pears to me more and more lovely the ofteper be.,
1t; or the great chorus OF the Priest, OF gsaI.
or the prayer for bass and chorus, " One,
the heavens and send ia relief - or ~.
famous Thanks be TO God" and BE not afraid ana
"He watching over Israel :" or beautiful perhao.
OF ALL that impressive story, And after the fire then.
came still small voice, and in that still voice onward
came the Lord :" how can say which was tIe beat I'm
this wonderful series OF chorses, all grld and -
perfectly finished can only repea. that hid most or,
raVagaht expectations formed OF the performs Ince
fuly realized Ihe SOLOS were less extraordinary than
the chOrnses, but still excellent Madame Rtleradors
il a majestic singer thoroughly trained in the toad ora,
toro school OF which we have heard 80 few reilly great
interpreters IN this country and although she obliged
often 10 force her falling voice, she Ia s far ,reof n
every other artist who has attempted Oratorio in
America. with the single exception Of The inoon
parable Parepa. Mr.. Cummings has also maas
an agreeable impression and become a favor
tie. His voice s not electrifying, but 1t n
sweet, and pure and tOleraby strong and he
too is excellent representative Of the old Enghsa
traditions OF the oratOro about which our own singers
know so very little. OF Miss Phillips and Mr. Whitney
who took the other principal parts need speak for
they almost well known in NewYOrk they are
in Boston. Miss Phillips IL probably the best Of our
native oratoro singers and Mr. Whitney gOoddn almost
all that he undertakes, Is especially good In Elijah
shall beet describe the performance OF ast night
call it the most beautiful Interpretation of Oratoro to
which it my good fortune TO listen. Por this
evenings of song very different adjective Of prass
be chosen. It the first performance in Boston
Of the whole OF Handels mastsTwork the @fsrsel In
Egypt" which Mr. John :. Dwight 80 ha9pily do
scribes ga mountain chain OF oboruses
connected by rugged passes OF recitaiye and few
green wales OF song" Here we have the mghties the
most complete manifestation Of tho colossal HaDdelAn
music. The ehoruses nearly all in eight parts. and
they roll on on with but trfng Interruptions, pnS
up the most supendous effects, and glowing with tho
most awful beauties until the mind IL almost oppressed
with 80 much magn6cence. The severest study and
training requisite to cope with the difficulties OF sucA
work. To the Handel and Haydn Society labor 10
different from what Mendelssohn's ofatorio demands
was apparently but agreeable stimulus for their pride
They attacked it with splendid courage and they are ne
warded by splendid victory. With the hearty prass
which have to bestow upon their performance there
ia literally no qualifying remark TO be mingled. do ns>
say of course that there no FAULTS bat after listen
ing to sucn admirable singing 80 correct eonorous inh
voiced and true in spirit and especially while the Non
GUS Gladstone Chorus" still rings in my ears, have
not the patience TO lock for faults can only Do" my
head, and admire and be thankful
The solo parts in this were given by Madame Knders
dorT Mrs. Julia Houston West Miss Sterling, M Cum
mngs. Mr. whitney and Mr.. j. f. Winch. They were al
good, but call for no special remark. / may spare my
sef also any critical account Of the afternoon COD
certs to-day and yesterday, not that they were
but because they did not differ ma
terialy from what used TO at home
Yesterday, for example, we had, besides singing
by Miss Cary, Miss Ehiipps, and Madame Rudersdor
fine performance of Beethovens fat concerto by Miss
Mehlig and good work for the orchesrathe gross
" LeonoTa" overture. one OF Hsydn's major sympAe
MES. LISTS Preludes,- and Schumann's "Geryeys'
overture. To-day the programme was Schuberts SYM
phony in maJor-thas stupendous work % heavenly
length" which Schumann called the most rsmarkabts
orchestral work since Beethoven - Gai1s beautfh
Ossan overture, the Air from Baehs familiar suite IN
d. singing by Miss Cary and Madame RudersdoEf, and
brilliant performance by Miss Krebs Of the came 5chH
mann concerto which she recently well in New
York. The orchestral perfect, but considering thss
It is not permanent band, but in large measure 70
cruted for the occasoa 1t plays the symphoses remark
ably well To who used to the perfection Of shs
Philharmonic and Thomas orchestras 1t Lacks nnotass
and polish 1t improves however, the week goes On
arSwas much betta- o-day than yesterday. j r c.