New-York tribune., 1873-05-07
MUSIC.
IN CINCINNATI
THK MAY FEsTTvAL-ORCHKsTRA. CHORUS. AND GUN
CERT RooM-A SUCCESSFUL OPENING.
inv rpt pen 1pu rO THE TRTBUNB.l
IN CINCINNATI

| festival opened with u concert tniS
the direction of Theodore Thomas. ana wiii cou'nuo
80, ,ho o,na,ndcr of the week with both afternoon
and evening copcerts closing saturday with an opeha
concert and social picnic Tho vocal numbers Vi INC
! programmes will be given by miNeu o"oiu1 y, "sou'
a5o voices large proportion OF which arc ny
n Cincinnati societies. The remaining SooioueS aio
/ from xenia. Mddletown. Milford. Lebanon Middle
mort HartweH Hamilton, Mansneid' ana Orpaha'
~, one fron rtusville Penn. and one from Charles
town Ind The soosts Of the fesuVal are MIS- Dexter
~ Cincinnati Mrs. II. NJ. Smith OF Boston, MISS Cary,
Mr varlev Mr. whitney, and Mr. Rudolphsen The or
chestr which IS admirably balanced numbers about 100
nlavers so OF whom Mr.. Thomas's own orchestra,
tho remainder being from Cincinnati. Cleveland. st.
To,,s philadelphia, and NewYOrk. The division is 40
,ns and yioas IA oeos u double basses, u reeds,
and IA brass and percussion instruments. The whole is
augment ted by very effective and smoOthtOned organ
which for rarity forms the groundwork Of tone with
ont drowning instruments aud voices in its roar.
The chorus, although largely composed Of rural sing
ers who we're totally uuacQuainted with the difficult
music OF such works as the Denger TIE Deum the Choir
uses of Gucks Orpheus." tho Beethoven Ninth Sym
phOny, Mendessohn's "Wapurgis Night" schumanns
"Gipsy LIfe," and schuberts Twentythird Psalm has
been thoroughly drilled under the rigid discipline OF
Otto Singer of NewYork. who sent out hero about
three weeks ago by Mr. Thomas TO take the place Of
local drllmaser who was not succeeding his work
satisfactorily. Mr. Singer found the vocasts leading
the leader but soon reversed the order OF things and
has succeeded admirably that the chorus has received
the hearty applause Of Mr.. Thomas himself and very
determined effort is being made to retain MI Singer
here.
The building in which the concerts are given is the
Exuosition Hail. in which the Cincinnati Convention was
held including also the large halls either side These
are thrown open and rereshment between
the parts Of the programme and are elegantly decorated
with evergreens and huge pyramids Of lowers one OF
them being 20 feet diameter at the base and 20 feet
high The auditorium proper seats about 5000 people,
and its acoustic effects admirable. The disposition
OF the singers and orchestra is also perfect Every
singer faces the conductor and has him plainly in view
and each row so arranged that the sound OF the voices
il unbrnken The orchestra, unlike those OF the two
Boston Jnbees. does not come in contact with the
singers at ALL but occupies clear space by ITSELF dvid
ing the chorus in the center, concentrated that
in case OF any emergency or where special effect Is
needed. the conductor has perfect control OF them
Owing 70 Mr Thomass well-knOwn aversion TO show
or noise of any kind there is apparent local excite
ment The popular enthusiasm has not been worked
ND with parades PROFESSIONS blowing OF trumpets ham
ing announcements, bells, anvlls or artillery a few
flags are flying but beyond this and the somewhat
crowded condition Of the hotels there no signs of
festival The undertaking will stand or fall purely on
its musical merits II intended the pioneer OF an
nua festivals in future in the large Western cities and
although there is much classical music in the pro
rramme for what is intended 70 be a popular
festival and large proportion OF 1t new
some OF the numbers having been given before IN
this country STILL Thomas has acted upon the cor
rect theory that people enjoy aud even understand
classical music II il is performed 1t should be- and
that the only reason why classical music has not been
popularzed is because IL mas been 80 mercessly muir
dered hitherto. The programmes for the week are the
best that have ever been offered the West, II not IN
this country They include the actual masterpieces OF
Beethoven MendesshOn. Mozart. Handel Gluck, Schu-
FegF and Thq
principal numbers for the week are the Dettinger
Te Deua and DeethOven's fifth symphony,
which were given this evening" the Bach
suite No g. several scenes from Glucks Orpheus, the
Coriolanus Overture, and schumanns Symphony in c
for Wednesday evening; the isis and Osiris from the
Magic Flute, Schumann's Gypsy Life, and the Ninth
symphony Of Beethoven, with Mrs. Smith, Miss Cary,
Mr. Varey and Mr. RudOlphsen in the quartette Of the
second part Thursday evening" the YOrspel 20 Wag
ners Meistersanger Schubert's 23d Psalm, Llszt's
Tasso, and MendessOhn's Walpurgs Night for Friday
evening In addition TO these numbers the matinee pro-
gramme presents very attractive selections OF oratoriO
solos, and choruses, and movements from symphonies
inters persed with operate arias marches and dance
music The programme for this evening was as follows
/ Handel's Dettiager Te Deum with Mrs. Smith,
Miss Cary and Messrs. Varey and whitney III the quar-
q Beethoven's Fifth symphony.
q MOzart's Concert aria No. Mtsere Osogn0, DY MT
Varley, and Tie Heavens are Telling" from the
Creation.
The audience. including performers, numbered nearly
5000 The temperature at Summer hight, and IN
the balcony the heat oppressive that many had
10 leave Promptly at u Mr. Thomas took the stand and
was welcomed with ng-cOntinued applause which
he heartily acknowledged The doors were then
closed at his own request and none were
admitted until the close OF the second number Of the
Te De,rn About five or minutes rest was then
taken during which time the crowd became seated and
the performance the Te Deu went on without inter
ruption The greatest success in the Te Deun the
third number To Thee. Cherubim and Seraphim,"
which was taken in exact time and with won
hers Mr.. Thomas's tempos were very rapid,
so much so that in the closing quartette Miss
Cary was somewhat disconnected, and Mr.. whitney
was more than once behind the beat. The chorus how
ever made its attacks superbly especially in the fugued
numbers and developed remarkable purity of and
unanimty Of singing the whole side carrying
itself along rather than waiting be led by few
voices as Is usually the IN choruses OF this size
The altos Of course were weakest but In their solos
developed superb metal and steady work. After the
Te DeuBl a half hour devoted to promenade, after
which at the sound OF the bell, the
audience was reseated and the Fifth Sym
phony Beethoven was given in magnificent style. The
1ndaute being specially good, the audience made des
perae attempts 10 get encore. but Mr. Thomas did
not Weld Mr Varey made very decided hit with his
Mozart role and the concert closed with the Haydn
Chorus about 10 80. in the midst Of drenching
STORM which did not serve, however, TO abate the pop
ular enthusiasm The concert is pronounced on all sides
10 be great success and very auspcious opening OF
the festival although there furious discussion gong
on among the Germans here over Thomass Tempos.