New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-16
MUSIC IN BOSTON.
v1rru DAY OF THE FESTIvAL-BACH'S PASSION
MUSIC-THE WOMAN OF sAMARIA.
rFRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS
-, Mnv 18-The whole of this hrieht

s,,,,v has been given IN TO music from morning tin
near midnight Mr. Lang first an exhibition of the
great orgaunot as complete and elaborate perform
ance as was because the process OF raising
the pitch of the instrument is yet finished and seve
raj important registers consequently cannot be used
but he nVrov,scd wen for about half an hour and had
an audience of very respectable dimensions. Al came
the usual symphony concert, with Miss Mchig playing
Chopu's minor concerto. and the orchestra contrihu
ing part of Bccthoyen's PrometheuS' music ana the
great symphony in minor. The evening was devoted
10 the most interesting programme of the
week. for il contained two choral works entirely
in America, OF them being the greatest
composition Of of the greatest OF all the old masters
aud the most difficult production as whole that the
Handel and Haydn Society has yet attempted mean,
Of course the Matthaeus Passion Of Johann Sebastian
Bach More than year ago the Society made prepare
hiring out this gigantic work but the plan was
changed and a few selections only given parts
Of miscellaneous concert programme. Even now they
have not yentured 10 sing the whole They have picked
out sixteen quarter of the entire work
hut these have selected with such excellent judg
Iuent that get from them an idea not only OF inc
majesty and richness of the music but of the wonderful
dramatic power with which Bach treated the awfn STORY
Of the Passion All but three are taken from inc rue,
Part We have the narratives Of the amounting OF 1ess
feet, the Last Supper and the Agony In the "aiuo"
We have the tremendous douhe chorus, Ye lghtnngs
We thunders :" which follows tho apprehension VI Onio
at Gethsemane. We have the beautlfui eoi ''C "i,
Er6arpe dieh eco pardon me, my Goa inc Vnoi"',
o head all bruised and wounded ana 'ne spenulu
final chorus Around thy tomb here slt We "oePns'
mis- o an ontline Of the whole sacred poem, and at
tho ane time preserves the continuity of the most
dramatic passages. The performance renec'eu great
credit upon the Society and their estimabe CONDUCTOR
vet must confess that it the least satisfactory e.
fort of the week There very little fault TO he iOund
with the chorus The noble chorals were delivered with
DIGNITY and precision; the famous aye lightnings ye
thunders was encOred, it well deserved to be; ana
the immortal finale, Around thy tomb" Wir seen ns
in eight parts-was Of the best things heard to-day
But the solo singers all unequal to the demand upon
their powers Madame Rudersdorf took the contraito
air Eybq,De dich, which is somewhat below the best
register Of her voice. she showed but an Imperfect
comprehension Of the inner character OF Bachs music
whose pathos is always elevated and ennobieu III such
an extraordinary by the union of regouserVor
and majestic simplicity Her delivery was sentimental
where it ought to have been tender and exaggerated
where il ought TO have been simple An habtual ten
dency TO excess in the sOrzdndO style she here dugeu
10 most unfortunate extent Miss Sterling had much
more genuine appreciation OF the work. but her 0rieI
and pain solo was almost remarkable for lack OF color
AZ Madame Rudersdorfrs for its superabundance
Mr. Whitney struggled with part beyond his strength
and Mr. VIM. J. Winch who had the exquisite tenor
OF the EconOcliS made havoc Of what should have
the most beautiful portion Of the oratorio lie
showed right conception Of his part but he had neither
ply steal gifts the artistic training 10 do II justice
At of the Passion" (which Iregret to say was
not reished by the audience) there was curious
illustration Of the perfect system with which things are
managed at these festivals Most of the choruses thus
far had been in eight partschorus answering chorus
from opposite sides Of the stage The singers were now
10 De rearranged In the usual manner-soIranos ana
tenos side altos and BASES on the other so they
ali marched down stairs to turn around. Under the Music
Hall is large room, known rs Bumstead Han, where
each member OF the chorus has numbered seat. The
places are arranged by the conductor so that not only
shall the voices Of the register be together but the
shall be grouped in the -four divisions with due re-
gard 10 the general effect. Thus. when they left their
seats the platform and filed into the lower hail. each
fell into the proper place. and at the word of command
they filed out again, and marched back to the stage,
completely sorted. 1t done IN two or three minutes
and without the least confusion
The second part of the concert consisted OF Sterndale
E.unett's cantata The Woman Of samaria" written
for the Birmingham Festival Of 1851 and now well |
established in popular favor in England but entirely
new 10 the United States. 1t seemed dangerous thng
10 place such work (which almost an oraoTlo imine
datsy after Of the greatest sacred compositions
ever written; but whatever the more critical musicians
may say Of such an arrangement suspect that IN the
estimation OF the general public, Dr. Bennett gained
rather than suffered by the contrast 1t was not only
that Bach is above the popular comprehension hearu
a lady. who had been careful and, as supposed an
appreciaye listener nj nearly all the concerts protest
that she couldn't understand bit OF NJ !
hut the woman of samaria" was much
better performed than the Passion" the exc
nion OF it being not indeed equal TO the best work OF
this society but than the work of any other III
H. moreover the production of an admirable scholar
,loundiug i'm solid writing as well IN striking melO-
dies and ingenious combinations Of instruments. The
opening chorus novel and very pleasing adaptation
of Jiuher's HYMN close upon which follows most ef
iecve and original chorus the words Blessed DE the
Lord God Of Israel" Both these were finely gwen.
shall not take tue space in this letter for an account OF
tle whole work but must allude TO one or two num-
hcrs which especially pleased Mr.. j. F. Winch had
beautiful bass air. "WhOsOever drinkCth of this water,
which he sang admirably II closes by duet of just one
phrase between the and the soprano, Sir give ne
this water that l thirst not" and then comes the !
bright AID impressive chorus Therefore with |
JOY shall ye draw water out Of the wells |
of salvation and thine shall hear
word behind thee saying, This il the way-the |
last part being treated peculiar and striking man
per There il hut solo each Of the four principal
voices The soprano air Art thou greater than our
father Jacob" Mime. RudcrSdoif) Is perhaps the least
successful Of the four The contralto has fine and
deepv religious air Lord Thou hast searched me
out which Miss Phillips gave with great feeling ana
there il an excellent for the tenor, His salvation Is
nigh them that fear Him." 10 which Mr. Cummings ola
tun Justice An unaccompanicd quartet, God is
.prt was emphaticaly encOred, and probably will be
whenever it is suncuncss it should be sung too badly
FINALLY must spare a word Of special praise for the
eautiful six-part chorus, "Thcrcop they shall come
and sing in the high Of Zon'
Tomorrow night the festival viii close with perform
apce Of The Messiah" II has been brilliant week IN
the history Of the Handel and lladyD S0cldy. and
e f great usefulness 10 the cause Of art all over the
United states. Visitors have come even thousand
miles 10 attend it, aud its good influence viii he ie ID
numberless ways from Maine To- the MISSISSIPPI Inc
society TO which We indebted for so much that Il eX
90 o,tt fsh IA a