The New York herald., 1874-10-26
vERDrS MESA DI REQUIEM.
First Performance I'm America ut St
Annss Church..

First Performance I'm America ut st.
Ann's Church.
The mass whfca was written bv the most dsttn-
guished OF modern Italian composers In memory
OF his compatriot. Aessandro Manzoni, and which
created such q marked impression in Italy and
Paris, was heard for the nrst time In Ameylca last
night at st. AIMS church. In Twelfth street.
The soloists were Mlle Henrietta Corradi,
soprano; Mile. Octavie Gomien, contrato;
Mr.. Frtsch, tenor and Mr.. Blum basso. Mr.. Tully
played the organ accompaniment and Monsieur
Louis Dacnauer, The eminent organist OF the
church, of1cated as conductor The chorus con-
sisted OF forty well selected voices. Although
WORK OF such magnitude ana one so singularly
constructed cannot be judged as to Its full enect
without hearing 1t interpreted BY o very large
chorus and full orchestra, yet 80 excellent
were the materials generally speaking, last night,
that very definite idea WAS given OF it
The representative requiems, which have long been
regarded as the highes: standards OF such a style
OF musical composition, are those OF Mozart and
Cherubini. The massive grandeur OF the former
and the dramatic character OF the latter, at Illus
trattons OF the sublime ritual that portrays the
service OF the dead in the Catholic Church, amply
supply all that ID required OF music to explain
the dread hereafter and Its uncertainties. The
magnificent poem OF the 'sDies lrae,n which paints
the terrible scenes OF the last day,
the final judgment. the summons OF the Arch
angels trump, the eternal division OF the hu.
man race, the rending asunder OF the graves Of
all mankind, the deuge OF fire In which everything
earthly passes away, the awful majesty OF the
King OF Kings, and the thrilling scenes OF the
drama in the Valley OF Jenoshaphat, with more
than Michael Angelo power, Is also Q wall
OF intense earnestness for mercy and pardon. No
han could ha nj Ctod tor thn
of the genius OF great composer. Mozart, Cheru-
bini, D0nizetti, Ambrose Thomas and other re-
nowned writers have essayed It, and the latest
asplrant for fame in this direction is the Maestro
dramatic dram. imagination on in the the treatment OF Of
his his viii ii'' Se found @ such overpowerlns and
vivid effects When this opinion is the result Of
organ accompaniment, il must certainly be con.
nrmed when the mass Is produced on complete
scale Ine orchestration Is SAID TO oe wonderful
IN Its strong coOrfng and, OF course, such an
essential element must add considerably TO the
effect.
Domine," IN minor, Is grave and subdued
very solemn effect being produced by the sopranl
is written. re deceit Hymnus'' is snen gwen oy
the chorus without accompaniment and Is in
Tue movement becomes more animated as It
gdes into the "Kyrie," which IS commenced by
the tenor and then taken up by the bass. soprano
steps In and In the singular moduatlons and hdr-
monies the progressive spirit OF the composer may
psguas be An q seuna SsSeTs IL
the "Dies Irae." The opening Is very stormy
and very dramatic, put savors too much Of .he
foolights for such q theme. The succeeding
phrases, "Quando Judex Est vensurus,n are ex-
ceedingy eecrve in their exp ression OF the dread
follows the summons OF the archangels, which re-
qulres the orchestra to DO II Justice. as the re-
tas'0 tsaiy were ' distributed in Inherent parts Of
the theatre. cannot be initiated on the organ
with due efrect. me passes thunder out M the
dramatic interest reaches y climax In the superb
setting Of the lines, '.Mors stupeblt" the basses
muttering. as II in lear and trembling, the word
.MOrs.n The first OF the three fugues in the mass
then follows IN tue "LiDer scriptus and IS well
conceived and admirably constructed specimen Of
The first trio was the plaintive "Qud Nunc
Miser,n the opening theme being rendered with
deep feeling and in devotional spirit by Mile.
G0mlen Tne tenor and soprano next TOOK up the
theme, and the plantive character OF the trio be-
came more intensified as 1t drew TO close. Very
impressive was the outburst OF the basses in "Rex
Tremenda Maestatls," and nothing could be more
passage from key to key, constantly increasing In
angulshed expression, with the tnunders OF the
startling manner. A very beautiful duet, .Re-
cOrdare, Jesu P1e," for soprano and contiato lol-
lowed and was interpreted oy Miles, oorradi and
well trained artisLs The duet is decidedly operatic
in character. The tenor 500, ''Qui Marian Abso-
also be said OF the bass solo, "Oro Suppiex es
Acclinisu very adm raby sung by Mr.. Blum. A
charming quartet IN b fat minor, "Lacry mosa,"
alterward repeated with the chorus, formed one
OF the most attractive numbers in the "Dies Irae."
Passing over the 'Onertorium," quartet OF
rare merit. review OF which We must deer until
another time, we come to the ''Sanctus,na q fugue
for double chorus colossal number that tmpera-
lively demands q very large body OF well trained
singers for its due Interpretation. The most beau
tiiu number In the mass, In every sense OF the
word. Is the "Agnus Deb" commenced by the
soprano aud contralto In unison, and then
given by the chorus. The effect of this
number is very charming, and created
more decided impression than any other portion
aLux Erernan oherol de batdfle IN difficulty.
was followed BY the concluding number, "Libera
Me- DOmlne,n soprano solo, chorus and fugue.
The finished school OF singing and dramatic ex-
presSon OF Mne COrradt tended to place the
declamatory passages 0! this fine numoer in the
more intensely pathetic tnan the few measures,
"Libera Me. Domino, de Morte Eterna IN Die lila
Tremenda,n that bring this great work to an end.
1t would be unfair and not In accordance with
the spirit OF true criticism, to pronounce final
verdict upon the merits OF such composition
alter a single hearing, and that without an Or
chestrai setting. The word effective. may be ap-
piled to 1t in the extreme sense OF the word.
in some Of the numbers the composer has risen
far above even his operate standard. The render
ing was generally very commendaDie, the soioists
leaving nothing to be desired, and the chorus,
although entIrely too small in numbers for sucn q
work. singing correctly and IN time, save slip or
two in one oil the fugueS. NJ. Dacnauer conducted
admirably. and brought the performance to q
close without palpabe misnap the interest or
the next performance OF verdrs mass when all
the elements OF greatness In 1t Will be brought into
reQutsltOn.