New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-30
MUSIC AND THE DRA VA.

TIE ORATORIO SOCIEiY-THE MESSIAH.
In the second concert of the OratOrio Society az
Steinway Hail last night at which The Messiah
was sung there were many of the elements whlcA 90
to make a musical entertainment asource OF pleasure
IN performers As well as 10 hearers The chorus was
large. and as was repeatedly demonstrated
in tho course of the evening, fun OF
enthusiasm and love for the work III when
t was engaged Tie orchestra was III. keeping 80
far, at least as numbers 60. The solo quartet was
a happy one, and the audence-limlted III size only
by the capacity of the roOul-was evidently SUI III
.pired by the spirit that comes with tho holidays
and which has one Of lis grandcst monuments
in this MASTERPIECE of choral writing. Tn
der such circumstances 1t would nave
been difficult for any nearer to DRIFT
into captious and critical mood excepting on
strong proyocation and this existed only with those
who cherish some Of the traditions that surround
Handles work and do not like to have them ruth
Ics7lv disturbed. Undoubtedly this class expert
enced a number of disaDp0intments during the even
ing notwithstanding the performance was carred
through with a swing Of enthusiasm which made
some of the ch0ruses sound brilliant and imposing
and they have much to justify their feeling
It is not pleasant at the outset to have the greater
part OF the overture omitted. The opening slow
movement without the allegro fngue does not make
a good introduction to the nomenclature, as every
one must have felt; and if time compelled more
than the usual number of cuts. the prunmg-knife
might have been more discr3etly applied, especially
since the early departure Of the tenor soloist
left tho quartet numbers in the last part
in dilemma which destroyed their effectiveness
entirely. Then, too, there was something probably
unheard-of in tie manner in which Dr.. Damroseh
mad his forces begin the A" Glory to God" chorus.
e s1otfa al ugia al mi
rational Is in favor Of grand outburst Of sound on
the opening phrase, to say nothing OF the fact
that either Handel wrote ii SO, or else all
the prints that are within reach are
vronp WHY any one should fly in the
face of good Judgment, reason and such tradition rs
has beeI created IN this country Oy seventy per-
formances OF " The Messiah " by the Handel and
HAYDN Society alone since the first one IN tHs
country in 1918, 1t is hard TO understand One
might almost be tempted TO believe that tire Ill
rector of the OratOuO society was lacking IN lcu
onnrpciatiOn ana understanding OF the work.
Even the work OF the sOloists was mnrred by the
lack of precision, delicacy ana expression III Tue nc
commandments and the pastoral 81 nphoiy was any
thing but the exquisite ldyl winch long
ago won the night royal compliment from
one of the Georges. that you cOUd see
,hc stars shining through it, These criticisms
are such as must occur 10 all familiar with the work,
even though, as last night, they do not smut out a
very large measure OF me enjoyment which me
work always brings when even moderately well
Of the soloists, Miss Lillian Bailey. Mr.. Theodore
J. Toedt ard Mr. uenschel though not strangers 10
New-York audiences, were new IN the work Miss
Drasd has sung the aso solos here 50 often that 10
saw she was all her earliest, painstakng. cOnscen-
fInus self again. last night. will suffice TO convey an
idea OF how her part Of the music was rendered.
Miss Baiey's voice sounds very light III oratorlO
music but is none the less sweet and pleasing in
quality. Her singing of But thou ddst not leave
| hIs soul in he'll" ranked wIh Mr. Toedt's
Behold and see," and sir. Henschel's arIas as
the very best accomplishments of the concert.
| Mr. Toedt united lovely voice with exquisite taste
IN all of his and Rotations. though he was uh
doubtedlY discreet IN NOT singing the AR, Thou
oulres more robust voice aud more dramatic style
| than are at Mr.. lOedts command. Mr.. HcnschePs
singing through the wide compass of the bass airs IN
the oratorio exposed perhaps ali the defects in his
voice and methods, was even superior TO that which
he did in the first OF the OratOrio Society
| when Elijah" was gwen; IL was more dlgnlted III
| STYLE less constrained aud equally musical.