New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-09

ia quite long enough for the first move
mont OF n symphuny 1t begins with a stately andante
grave In Dmiuor It's severity is relieved by some beau
tful soft passages, and by chromatlc moduauohs
which rather detract from s strength than add TO s
charm. 1t soon merges into long aud olaborateiy
workcd-out allegro in D-maior, which Is easily fasc'
mating in spite OF its great length.
The overture leads the first chorus 10 Fmnor by as
sudden meditation, the purpose OF which, os connect
ing link between two movements more apparent thhD
Its musical fitness.
This first chorus. Praise His awful name. who was.
and is and IA to come" is certainly the most vigorous
bit of choral writing in the work One Of the gems OF
the work, was soprano solo and chorus
All glory Lamb that died" According TO our
modern notions nothing could DO less suited TO the text
than the music of this number. 1t is slow andante
movement in Aat 6-9 time, Of such precise rhythm
and cut II melody to suggest sort Of solemn dance
The accompaniment Is for the strings pzzcatO, the
reeds playing and then few soft chords At frat
sight childish enough. But 1t has solemny
religious and devotional flavor about that Is positively
enhancing. II is pure ecstasy!
The following chorus, Blessing honor, glory and
power introduced by short tenor solo, is not parcr
larry cdifyng. The laws of conrapuntai development
and OF the fugue sacKles to SpOh and he did not
move easily III such harness.
The second part opens with n long and INCIDENTALLY
commonplace symphonic movement lalleSrOl In C-ninor
winch IS followed by on andante grave in Eminor
which can only Dt cal CU Qfc1EN. Inc HINl ~
turns afe awhile and very commonplace, not 10
say vulgar. writing winds it up IN C-maijr.
The bass voice announces that the Day Of judgment Is
at hand IN an mir rather weak character and the So
urano aud tenor sing duet FOrsake me not IN TINS
dread hour" which there IS much iht Is fiue Ihe
following chorus. II with your whole hearts," las Il
sort OF dignisd respecaOiity abOut it hdt borders
upon re worth. Thcn after a short preliminary tenor
rccitative, the judgment cnorus Destroyed Is
Babylon" which is effective in somewhat mild waT,
and extremely well written; pernaps SpOhrs
greatest merit in writing It Is that he could
Oycrstep the haDtual ms Of his genius so far without
icing merely ostentaous vulgar The chorus II Ger
tanly cGcctiv,. and nothing hard can be said
OF it truly-which is more than can be said
for some other choral catacysms. 1t - FOL
lowed by the quartet and cGOrus, BIe7t
are the departed" which Is familiar to almost every
chlrch-eOcr. There still some persons left Ill the
world who are OF the opinion that Of Tn" objects OF
music is to be beautiful well as expressive.
Let ne commend them to this quartet The
next recltatlye: - saw Il new Heaven" calls
for no especial comment, and the concluding chorus
"Grcat and Wonderful are Thy Works" Is alternately
weak and fine weak III the fugued portions, ana very
beautiful in some Of the delicate quartet and
chOra! effects.
The orchesraIon f. exceedingly fine throughout the
work all the Instruments being used with great skill
and Judgment and with the kccncst sense OF artistic
fitness Yet with all its beauties The Last judgment"
is too plainly work that has mad IFS day. The larger
norton Of tho audience were evidently bored
by i-this by the way is by no means conclusive eyl-
dence against any cOmpOstiou-and even those who
most enjoyed IL could not help feeling that, iccu as
their pleasure was for moment, II was caused by
something that could not long preserve It's efficacy
One cannot feel that the most delightful
parts Of the work OF sort 10 wear WE'LL Tie Ter
Torrance WAS very good The solo singers, Miss Ida w.
Hubbel Miss Emily Winant Mr.. William Courtney ana
Mr. Myron W. Whitney were admirably choaNl with re-
spect TO cir fitness for the music.
Rossini's stabat Mater" sounded positively joyiM
after it. It was admirably given, sSnOr Campanin
turning all heads with his superb singing Of Cujus
Amman"
On Thursday afternoon there a very fine concert
which opened with G.. ". Chadwick's genial and well
written overture to Rip Van Wrinkle conducted with
rare tact by the composer, and closed with
n fairly fine performance Of Beethoven's " I'm
mortal Ninth" The chorus did uncommony well, and
the quartet Miss Thursby, Miss Cary. Mr.. Adams and
Mr. Dudley did as well as can be reasonably expected
with such unvocal music. Tic orchestra played eX
tremely well in the main. but the tempt were too fast
throughout
Miss Ihursby sang Ophca'S death scene, from Ham
let with great finish. but singer in the world
sing this extraordinary TO make
one believe that the poor Ophe'u is one 1.-THE
as crazy as the cOmDOser and lihrettists
Mr. Adams sang ScbUbert's "Erl-Knng" with
the scored b. BerOz. This IS less
exuberantly suggestive than Liszrs. but far more in
beerng with the modest dimensions Of the Miss
Cary sang the Juno's from Handles Semee " SUI
perb'y and the chorus heard at its very best in
McndelssOhus very beautiful and noble Psalm KILL"
In the evening Vordis ManzOnl Requiem was finely
eiven SgnOr Campanin again carrying off the hOnOrs.
Hlg singing of the Ingemisco" was simply superb
but he allows himself to take greater liberties
with the Latin language than his appar-
emily slight acquaintance with it would to war
rant Miss Cary, Mrs. H. NJ. Smith and Mr.. Whitney
also appeared to excellent advantage, albeit firmly
believe that no born AnGoSaxon do full Justice
70 such thoroughly Italian melody as Verdrs.
Before the requiem, Dudley Bucks symphonic over
ture, "Marmion," was played. This overture prob
ably the least good thing Mr. Buck has vet done. For
one thing it shows very command over orches-
trail resources mot always used to the finest purpose
however,, but it is hopelesslY commonplace, and at
must think still has, far better arrows Ill his culver
than this one.
This friday evening large audience was delighted
nv most excellent performance Of the Spring and Sum-
,oer from Haydn's Seasons" What exquisite mu-
sio It isl Hero Miss Thursby was, for the
first time during the Festival thoroughly and entirely
her proper element. Her singing was absolutely deli
cIous. Mr. Adams and Mr.. Whitney were also capital.
Then came Saint saGus'5 Deluge," about which
mediation had been raised to feverhea There
compositions which neither comprehends nor
onioys at the first hearing. but which one feels
impellcd to return to again and again until
their meaning becomes clear, and their hidden beauty
or submity makes itself felt at last Again there
other works which bear utter vapidty spiritual
and intellectual poverty AMI hopeless emptiness
stamped upon their very forehead To This lat
ter class the Deuge" belongs One asks himself tn
sneer Amusement how man OF Saint-Sa9uss ready in
vention easy fascination, electric nerve and
nrolound musical eruditOn-hOw man OF his
musical savOir-fare should have been, not
willing. but able tC produce such a monstrous inanity
ne this oanata. There melOdlc and
one contrapunta idea in the " Deluge." They
are not strong, grand, nor even very beautiful
ideas but still tangible themes They used
to 10 purpose whatever. Curious but true; for the
man is Of the cleverest writers living and his sub
iect Is certainly strong one.
The Deluge' may be described OF the most
superb eats OF OrchesraOn accomplished. Never
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