New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-19
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
RACUs ST. MATTHEW PASSION.

BACRs ST. MATTHEW PASSION.
In producing Bach's st. Matthew Passion music
for the first time In New-York the Oratoro Society
did we'll prefxpg to the little book of the words
an explanatory page abridged from the excellent
notes of Mr. John s. Dwight This told the listeners
what they were to expect; 1t indicated, In a Few
well chosen phrases the character of this great-we
had almost said this unique-music 1t described
the peculiar plan of the work it pointed out. not
all Of the most famous numbers, but at least some
of the most striking and interesting pas
sages in a word. 1t taught the audi
ence how to listen. Without some such
guide many of them would probably
have been lost. Bachs Passion Is sngularly unlike
all the music with which familiar not In its
deep religious sentiment and its ineflable tender
ness and sorrow flor many modern works share
these qualities in lesser degree but in the form of
its melodies aud the Of treating the musical
idea Most people, we dare say, neither compre-
bend enjoy it at the first hearing. He must be
dull listener. 1t is true who remains nsensble to
the opening chorus "Come, We daughters" or the
final chorus, Around thy tomb" or the
alto solos, "Grief and pain" 90. par
don me, my God" and "Ah. Golgotha;
or to the choras, introduced with such tremendous
effect as when the solemn hymn, "A head. all
bruised and wounded" follows with short pause
after the dramatic narrative of the crucifxiOn. Still
the forms of much of the music are so
strange to us that they need a moro thought
full attention than the ordinary concert audience
is inclined to give them. The same causes which
make the Passion difficult to appreciate make 1t
still more difficult to sing, and hardly praise
too highly the zeal of the Oratorio Society which
crowns season of remarkable industry
by the production of such stupendOus
composition. The Berlioz performance was
childs play by the side of 1t. The cuts made in
the score last night were more than were heces-
sary to bring the work within reasonable limits of
time. The whole of it requires FIVE hours In the
performance; DR.. Damrosch by judiciOus excisiOns,
reduced it TO three
The choice of st. Georges Church for the per-
Torrance was in some respects an advantage The
religious spirit in which the Passion Music ought
TO be listened to- if one would understand II, was
stimulated by the associations of the place, and the
air of decorum and recollection which peTvaded
the assembly. The singing, however, was
not favoraby affected by the situation. The chorus
was placed on temporary benches covering the
chancel; the orchestra necessarily divided into
two wings. pushed back under the galleries and
wholly separated from each other by the body of
singers. Az natural consequence, the
voices and the band were not always
together The arrangement was the more to be re-
GREETED because the chorus, having had little expe
rienee in this kind Of music, needed all the help 1t
could GET and creditable as its efforts generally
were 1t was not quite at its The comfortable
assurance which distinguishes most of its work was
lacking here-as well it might be.
OF the solo singers 1t is difficult TO speak with
exact justice. The important and beautiful part of
the Evangelist (euorl given with great feel
ing and delicacy by Mr.. William j. Winch
Mrs. Anna Granger Dow had the soprano
solos, Miss Matilda Phillips the alto, Mr.
George T. Aiken bass had the part Of ,Tesus. and
the other bass solos were sung by Dir. JOhn f.
Winch. The gentlemen were better fitted for their
tasks than the ladies' neither Of the latter being at
her best in Bachs music.
The beauty not only of the solos, but Of the cho-
ruses, was undoubtedly affected by the extremely
slow time in which the work was taken. he
Inetr0nOnic marks affixed to the by Robert
Franz indicate much quicker tempo than Dr.
DSmrosch allowed himself No conductor how
ever. is boand TO accept Franz's judgment of what
Bach probably intended. and DR.. Damroschs de-
hberate opinion in question of Interpretation is
entitled to great respect.