The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-24
A FEAST OF MUSIC.
Second Night OF Thomas' Festivai-Han-
del and MendelssOhn as Interpreted by
the Boston Chorus.


del and MendeIssohn az Interpreted by
the Boston Chorus.
The second performance OF Thomas musical fes-
tival showed no diminution OF public interest in
the good work undertaken by the young pioneer OF
art. The hall was crowded and the enthusiasm
even greater than on the preceding even
ing. The programme consisted OF selections
from Israel in Egypt" and the "Hymn
OF Praise,n by Mendelssohn. The choral
and orchestral parts In each were fully equal to the
high expectations formed OF them as tar as the
rendering Is concerned. There was feeling OF
disappointment In the minds OF the hearers when
the few selections from Handel's work came to an
end. This feeling was caused by the thought that,
with the transcendant majesty Of the five cho-
ruses sung and the finished rendering they
received, the audience had not enough Of
the grand old master. The "Hymn OF
Praise" Is gem OF beauty which can
never fail to have host Of admirers but 1t is rather
unfortunately located when 1t follows q chorus
from what may be considered as the most sublime
choral work that ever emanated from the human
brain. Few people present at the performance,
who were well acquainted with the King Of Ora
torios, but would have preferred to hear that
grand chain OF choruses commencing with HE
Spake the Word" and ending with 81 Will Sing
unto the Lord" to the "Lobgesang" charm
ing though 1T may be. There Is rugged majesty
and subllmity about "Israel In Egypt" which when
interpreted by such an able chorus Us that Of the
Boston Handel and Haydn Society carries every
thing before It. The selections made were In the
following order:-Opening recitatve, double
chorus, "And the Children of Israel;n tenor air,
.sThe Enemy Said;' double chorus, "He Gave
Them Halstones - double chorus. sThe Lord
Shall Reign Forever" recltative, double chorus,
II VIII sing unto the Lord, for He Hath Triumphed
Thn nnn and flo
Thrown Into the Sea-" Both chorus and orchestra
covered themselves with glory in the double or
to memory such an effective rendering OF the
Gladstone Chorus" The tempo was dangerously
fast for aught but well disciplined body OF sing
ers and instrumentalists, and yet not point OF
the sublime phrases OF the composer was lost.
Words and music were clearly expressed with an
many years Of constant association and
produce. "The Horse and his Rider,n with all
Its enormous difficulties and grand Ideas was
equally effective. Mr. Nelson Varley displayed more
animation and dramatic spirit than we gave him
pity that this immortal work Should be SO little
known to the public OF New York. 1t Is like the
yertebra OF the American continent the Rocky
Mountains and the Cordilleras, grand unbrOken
chain OF choral eminences soaring into heights
which constitute the musical empyrean. England
deserves praise her fidelity to The teachings Of
the great apostle OF music who came to her shores
In the last century, for in no other country is the
music OF Handel SO well known and so well appre-
clated. Shall New York, through the insincerity
and apathy Of lew vocal organizations, be left
in an Egyptian darkness in regard to his
to Organize 'Ai Handel Society IL in this this
city, as the materials for a chorus are abundant.
Memberships work gave fresh evidence OF the
high training OF the chorus and the weakness OF
the sol0sts. The orchestra Carried or the first
t aSDS Snata y ths $ 1se
n10to, dlleg,etto un POGO d0itdtO and addgi0 re-
iigt0So-were delivered with spirit almost
amounting to enthusiasm, an unaniInity OF tone
and feeling, as II there was but one huge nstru-
ment combining every orchestral effect and q
prOmptness and distinctness in phrasing, reaching
the regularity Of clockwork The opening chorus,
"All Men," showed slight weakness In the tenors
OF the society, enough to mar the nicely OF bal
ance OF tone which should exist IN such joyous
movement Mrs. J. II. West then sang the spirited
"Pralse Thou the Lord /" accompanied by the deli
cate choral passages that come In at intervals.
She did not remove the unfavorable impression
conveyed on the first evening OF the festival, but
rather confirmed 1t. The tenor air, "He Countetn
All Your Sorrows" was sung by Mr. Marley
artist. but the same throaty" defects his voice
were distinctly perceptible. Nothing could be more
beautiful rendering S than the chorus a IAN ye
al waited for the Lord" is, perhaps. one OF the
most attractive features of the cantata but neither
OF the ladies who undertook the duet was capable
OF giving 1t the effect 1t demanded 1t Is singular
that the leading soprano will inss. upon constantly
seemed to banle her. The chorus created quite
Juror by their splendid Interpretation OF the con-
Guiding number, Eye Nations"
The orchestra was not behind the chorus In efil-
cheney. In the stormy phrases OF Handel and the
full, rich harmonies OF Mendessohn, this admir-
able body OF instrumen talists equally efficient.
Strings reeds and brasses in this orchestra are so
admirably blended that one can only hear
the combined effect without being able
TO detect predOminance in any one
department.. Mr.. Carl Zerrahn, who conducted on
the occasion, had an agreeable task to perform,
and no small share OF the success OF the perform
ance is due to him. II Is no easy task TO be pilot
on such occasion, where rocks and shoals threaten
the musicai bark at every point. rehearsal OF
the two works performed last evening took
place few hours before, commencing at
one O'Clock. The hall was literally crowded,
even to the second balcony, with ladies'.
So far the costly enterprise OF Theodore Thomas
has borne good iruit, and the subscriptions Tor
Friday and Saturday are pouring in at such a rate
that not seat will be vacant at the concluding
performances. This evening the oratorio OF
'Elijahr will be given at the Brooklyn Academy OF
Music with the grand ensemble that character
tied its presentation here on Tuesday night.