Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-05-27
AT THE-
Cumberland Presbyterian Church,
Friday Evening, Nay 80, 1874.

On Friday evening the Mendelssohn
Quartette Club with the number Of sing
ers and instrumental performers men
toned above will sing the great 0ratorio,
Handel's Messiah" at the Cumberland
Presbyterian church. All the civilized
world knows the grandeur Of this gigan-
tic musical work, and vocal societies in
every land have attempted productions
of the same, which are recognized as
efforts, to which communities and cities
of every size have lent their municipal
aid. In European countries the court
donates great sums of money to foster
this elevating science; and joint corpo-
rations appropriate annually large
amounts to constantly encourage this
particular branch Of the art Of music.
Bearing in mind that aside from the great
financial support large cities in this and
foreign countries afford such excellent
opportunities to obtain artistes at any
hour, let our music lovers appreciate
the undertaking of the Mendelssohn
Club in essaying an oratorio which, in
London, Paris and Munich, gathers to-
gether the greatest composers of the
age, enlsts the presence of Queens and
Kings and presents to a cultivated
audience the baton of Mozart,
Beethoven and Mendelssohn. No one
who was ever present in London or Birm-
ingham at the Messiah festival, when
5000 auditors rise together, standing with
heads uncovered while the great Halle
jah chorus is sung, will ever in life for
get the greatest of musical events; and
if such the intelligent world thinks of the
oratorio Of the Messiah, in how far are
we indebted to our Mendelssohns;
in how far are we expected to contrib
ute2 1t is fair to assert that this orato
rio will be given with an effect and com
pletion which creditably approaches a
high standard. To make allowances
for some circumstances limiting every
undertaking in this country, we can
boldly proclaim that an entertainment
is to be rendered which the most critical
musicians will honor. We have q
Perring to direct it, who could assume
dictatorship in the highest art centers
His familiarity with the music
aided by his great knowledge
insures surely success. We have our
Mrs. Czapksi, our gifted and scholared
Soprano; our Miss Jennie Magevney,
who so bird-like MARBLES; our Misses
Walker, Hitzleld and Barry, Dung la
dies VINO in the first Messiah concert so
beautifully sung their difficult parts, who
are so promising as voealIsls. We
have our Petersen, our Kirkland
as basso-soloists, a grand chorus
Of seventy five singers and twenty
five instrumental performers; and
how, with this force, could it be
otherwise than a grand success, es-
pecially when under the guiding care of
the successful MendelssohnsP The build
ing in itself contributes greatly to the
music and comfort of the audience, the
whole musical corps being directly Wis
avis the people on the same floor
upon platform specially erected for
the occasion face to face with the au-
dience.
Let Friday nights concert, then, be a
grand ovation, brilliant testimonial to
the zeal and ambition of the club, to che
art which is cultured, to the church in
which it is given, to the merit of the
singers taking part.