Litchfield enquirer., 1880-05-27
A Grand Musical Event.

known in this country. For mere bigness,
 indeed, it bears no comparison with the Gill
 more Jubilee at Boston. Nor was it's music
 of the kind which made that gathering so | popular. The Cincinnati Festival dealt with
 no anvil chorus or cannon accompaniment, but
 undertook, and, if we may judge from the published criticisms, actually mastered some
 of the most difficult music ever attempted by chorus or orchestra. The whole was under
 the leadership of Theodore Thomas The
 orchestra, numbering abouts one hundred
 stringed instruments and one hundred and
 ever before assembled in this country. The
 music they attempted was of the grandest and
 most difficult, and the way they did it was that perfection of art with which Theodore Thomas as-made the country familiar. Thomas orchestra, even at it's finest, is no
 novelty, but his chorus, we are told, exhibited 2 completeness of training, and beauty, power and variety of expression such has never before been known among us. MT. Hassard, of the Tribune, speaks of it as follows: A most extraordinary impression has been made by the Thomas Chorus. It is 30 superi- or to that of the last festival and so different from all that we have heard elsewhere, that | musicians, who are here in numbers from Boston, New York and other distant places, are often heard to declare that there has never been anything like It in America, and that no better chorus singing can be heard in the
 world. That is sweeping assertion, but don't believe it goes beyond the truth. had talk with several professional musicians and connoisseurs who were at the Boston festival the other day, and who heard the Handel and Haydn Society slng the same anthem of Han- ders which was done here last night. They all say that the Cincinnati performance was so immeasurably superior to the ether that there can be no thought of comparing the two.
 wish our own Oratorio Society, to whose merit and service have often paid willing tribute of praise, could sit here among the audience and learn, what it is high time for them to know, how muG,A their stalwart sing ing falls short of the ideal standard There is no particular in which the Cincinnati chorus does not far excel them. In this young and enthusiastic organization the voices are fresh strong. and admirably balanced. The volume of tone is immense while it's quality is lncom- parably rich and fine. The purity of intOna- tion is absolute, and the frmuess, precision and unanimity of attack are the wonder of all competent judges. With these fundamental merits the 630 ladies and gentlemen unite the last graces of elegant and effective expression. 1 never supposed it possible that large chorus could acquire 90 much of that soft blending and graduation of tone which one hears in the best glee singing, and so much of the art of accent and phrasing which one expects only in solo. In short, the excellencies which distinguish Thomas's chorus are precise ly those which distinguish his orchestra and if he would do what his friends at home have been urging ever since he resigned the direc- torshi p of the College of Music that is, estab- fish chorus in New York, he would make as great revival in one branch of the art as he made in another when he founded his per- manent orchestra.
 The music performed was, much of it, of kind that only such an exceptionally fine or chestra and chorus could venture upon. The orchestra played Beethovens Fifth Symphony, Mozart's "Jupiter" Symphony, Schumann's D minor Symphony, Berlioz, King Lear Overt ure. The Orchestra chorus and soloists per- formed 6 notable work of Bach, the "Eine Feste Burg," for which Thomas himself re- wrote most of the orchestral parts; two selec- tions from Handel; Scenes from "Longfel- !ow's Golden Legend", prize composition written by Dudley Buck for the occasion. The chief work of the Festival, played on the second and again on the closing evening was, however, Beethoven's Missa Solennis (Solemn Mass) in D. Of this Mir. Hassard speaks as rollows:
 Bethoven's Choral Symphony used to be considered the highest possible achievement of an ambitious singing society, and in European cities only few years ago condutors of great repute were not ashamed to make changes in the melody of the vocal parts for the accom-
 mediation of the chorus. But familiarity has dispelled it's terrors and 8 correct execution of the choral movement is much more con-
 mon than 6 really good rendering of the or chestral portion. In the Missa Solennis, how
 ever, Beethoven's demands .upon the singers
 are heart-breaking. The voices are strained
 almost to the last limit; the intervals are often
 extraordinarily difficult the changes of time, rhythm, and key are sudden and apparently eccentric above all, the meaning of the music | requires painful study. By comparison with , It the Choral Symphony is child's play. Beethoven considered it the greatest and most advanced of his works. He spent upon it
 three years of the dark and awful period of his life-the period of the Ninth Symphony I
 later) the last quartets, the last pianoforte | sonatas works so far bey ond the comprehen- sion of his day that most of them seemed to | be written for another world The | super-human difficulties of certain portions of l the mass can never be so completely overcome but that the listener will remain painfully con- scious of them. Yet if we had to tremble for | the singers now and then, they came bravely
 through. Of the impression pro- hxgf l the general audience it is not easy to speak
 positively. It made marked sensation, and
 the demonstrations of satisfaction during the pauses were unexpectedly hearty. believe
 that the people felt the music q am sure that | it excited them). don't see how anybody | could fail to be overcome by it's colossal grand
 eur, for, taking all things into consideration,
 the character of the text, the long, uninterrup-
 ted succession of appalling difficulties, etc., it | certainly does affect . sensitive mind much
 more powerfully than the choral symphony.
 Regarding it's second performance the same
 critic remarks:
 The Beethoven Mass marks not only the
 highest point reached by 8 musical festival in | this country, but also probably the highest point attanable in the present condition of art.
 Even respectable performance of it is a rare event in any city Tn the world. A perform l ance so noble as that of Cincinnati must be 1 long remembered to the honor of all concern ed in it. can add little to the verdict which hear over and oyer again from the ablest professional musicians whom l meet--that l thls interpretation of Beethovens work comes | as near perfection as human infirmity permits. ''I do not believe" Said competent authority ! in my hearing, ''that the Mass has been better given, CT ever will be-" And the general | opinion of those who knew enough to have
 any opinion on the subject runs to the same | effect
 Mir. Dudley Bucks ''Goldep Legend" music
 was much admired and is considered much
 the finest thing he has written. This was
 played on the third evening when the people
 relaxed their their minds after Bach and Han-
 del, Chuck, and the Solemn Mass, with Wag.
 ner and Berlioz-rather queer relaxation,
 semi-musical people might think.
 l The uvholo affair uao q Uropd opnroec sy,