, 1874-06-21
VERDIS MASS.
4 Full Account OF the Wnnzoni fIcquf-
em--ulu.v It Was Composed.

| Ihe fact that Sig. AuzlO, On ILLS return 10 tnle
city in tho full, will bring with him the score OF
Ierdis new 1nass. intending to produce it in this
city with all the resources OF the new Strakosch
| opera company, Will justify our deTotlng SONG
space to an account of the work.
Verdi Is very great adm1rer OF the genius OF
Al8nzoni, and wus warm personal friend Of the
dead poet and povelist. The last time they met,
.Aanzoni Grnsped Ills hand tightly, saying. F" LIE.
me press your hand, for fear We shall never
see each other again." The words were pro-
phetic. A few months later. Manzoni died. On
tho day after the funeral, Yerdi-says the
Figaro, from which we gather most Of these
! facts-vrote to the municipality Of Milan, az
! nouncnE his intention Ut composing requiem
for the first annsyersary OF the poets death.
| From that time he devoted his best energies to
| the 1ufillment Of this promise.
| Ii the month OF June 1873, Verdi wont to
Paris with his wife formerly Nile. Strapoli, the
| creator of the principal rolo in his opera Of
| "Nabuco''). He took rooms at the Hotcl de
Badc where he remained incognito for three
mouths
The day after his arrival, pianoforte was
| conveyed to his apartment, and he was promptly
ut work. He went out walking every morning
| frpm to 10 O'Clock, and, while strolIlng along,
mentally conceived the plan of his forthcoming
composition aud sketched out its principal fen
lures His afternoons ho devoted to reading
his tastes eading MIN to the study Of the best
phases of French literature.
In the evening, while Nr. do Locle and Mr..
! Eecudier, the only friends admitted to the
privacy of bis parisian home, chatted with his
wife, Verdi, pensivo aud silent, seated himself
at the piano. lie would rim over prelude. aud
then murnlur soto r0ce some melody, without
pav1ng the slightest attention to his compan-
ions, who on their part, were careful not to dlB-
ings thnt Verdi composed the most salient
points Of the mass. After remaining an hour
and half at the piano. he would step out for
another stroll in the Doulevards, returning to
retire at 10 O'Clock. When he went back to
Italy, tile greater part Of the requiem was COM
posed Ho prcra,ed tue orchesslation at Genoa,
aud the complete work was terminated III the
month OF April last.
There was not much time left to rehearse the
MAS, and prepare it for the anniversary of th5
death of Manzoni. The task was at once begun.
Noted artists from all parts of Italy solicited
tho honor Of taking part in the performance:
They came to Milan at their own expense, and
placed their talents at the dlspoaitlon OF the
great maestro. Tho orchestra WAS quickly
formed, comprising ITO musicians. all Of first
rank, and including the musical directors of the
chief theatres Of Italy. Five thousand musi-
ciauS-many coming flon us far al Slclly-had
sought the privilege Of assisting at tais .great
musical solemnity. The ranks OF the chorus
singers, the chorus OF the La Scala opera seEv-
ing as the foundation. Four OF tue most cele-
brated artists Of Ilalv-Mudame Teresa Stolz,
Madame Maria Waltlman, SiSnor CapPon and
61gDOr 1la1nl-Wele eDEAS01 a3 tue SploISsS
With such interpreters the rebearsats pro-
ceeded rapidly. On the 21sr Of May the last full
rehearsal took place, under the pe1Bouat drec-
ton of the composer. No outsiders were ad-
m,tted to this rehearsal on any pTetext what
ever; but Seve-a1 composers managed to dis
cover the password, and 30 slipped IN among the
ranks of the chorus
On the day OF tho performance, the Church OF
St. Mark at Milan WAS the centre OF public inter-
est. The facade OF the edihco was very simply
IL IL. ~ L.-f
wreatl,s. Above the door hoated black ban-
ner, bearing in lattors Of gold the inscription:
To TIE MEMORY MAazoN1.
e2d MaT, 1874.
The Cathedral Of Milan would not have held
all who wished to hear the requiem, but St.
Marks Church was selected for the ceremony
because its acoustic properties are superior to
those OF the Duomo. Besides this, the clergy
of the Cathedral were unwilling to permit women
to sing in the choruses. The chief of the pariEh
OF st. Mark had no such scruple, and, by special
authorization of tue Archbishop. he yielded up
to Verdi the free use Of the church for the day.
The interior Of the sacred edifce was but
slightly draped with black Grape and green
wreaths. Before the chance1 stood bier COW
cred with black pail, decked with roses and lau-
rels, the whole surrounded by lighted candles.
The singers were placed in the choir to the right
of tho altar. tho orchestra to the left. In the
middle wero four seats for the eoloists, and 8
n1usic-desk for the conductor. These arrange
Tie clock etruck II. Verdi took his place at
the conductors desk, and the mass began. Tho
work consisted Of seven different naorcedur-
There il no prelude. The chorus is heard at the
seventh bar, and begins the requiem by several |
broken phrases, which. says listener. impart !!
to The mind OF the aulltor sort Of religious ter
TOR, aud prepare him for the sombrs drarna |
which is to follow" These broken phrases led |
to Kyrie Of grand seniority and power OF OK
preston.
n;naY Yn17 fn ;tao1f
drama in drama, for it is composed OF nine |
episodes: First, Dies 1rGe, chorus; Tuta nairnn7,
chorus; Libe,' scr-iptus, chorus and fugue; Qnid |
n,ise7, trio for soprano, mezzo- soprano, and
tenor; Ker trenendtg, quartet and chorus; Re |
cordare, duo for soprano and mezzo-soprano; |
Inge1n1sco, solo for tenor: Confutdtus, solo for
basso; Lac,Yn,osd, quartet and chorus.
This musical picture OF the Last Judgment is
tho masterpiece OF the mass. It is arranged |
with great sL,lI and sustained by magnificent
of trumpets placed at the four angles of
the body Of chorus singers respond to each
other successfully, and then the full orchestra
and chorus burst out into Formidable tuti, pro-
ducing an astonishing effect. The bass solo 1s
q superb conception.
Tao third 113rcedu Domino tjes1s, an oRcrtory
for soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, and basso. is
naturally OF a. moro placid character: 1t is one
Of the most finished and perfect features Of the
wholo vorE. The prelude, which slightly sug-
gests that OF Iiossinis Stabat Mute', the grand
unison for etr1nged instruments, the prayer for
soprano accompanied by the highest notes Of the
vioiins the admirable phrase of the Rostios firat'
By the tenor and taken up successlvely
by the other yo,ces-all soem to be tho perfection
OF musical writing.
In tho Sdnctus-tnc fourth naorcedu-Verdi
Offers q fngue for double chorus, in which he
shows thorough mastery of counterpoint.
The last three morcedur, an Agnus Del for
soprano, uaezzo-soprauo. and chorus; Liz Hter-
11, trio for mezzo-soprano. tenor, and bnss; aud
Libera me, solo for soprano and fugue chorus,
are worthy Of what preeedes them. The orches-
tration in the Luz Gte1na il specially noticeable.
Such, hastily sketched, are the details Of this
magnificent work, which will take its place
among the grandest musical conceptions Of our
ago. Only in one OF two places does it recall
the Ordinary formulas, the familiar traits, or the
of Verdi. It is free from those
cxaggerauons, from those brusque con-
trasts, and from that carelessness Of stsIe
which often mar his compositions; the
inspiration is elevated, sho style we'll sustained
the o1chestratiou firm and powerful, and tho
disposition OF the voices always remarkable
The new tendencies Of musical art, and the |
more modern e1igencies, arc skillfullY harmon
lied with the traditions OF the Italian school.
There will probably be discussions as to whether