New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-06
BOSTON MUSICAL FESTIVAL.
SUCCESS ON THE OPENING NIGHT.
MENDRLssoHNs ORGAN PART TO ST. PAUL USED FOR
THR FIRST TIME IN BOsToN-THE SOLO PARTS

SUCCESS ON THE OPENING NIGHT.
MENDRLssoHN's ORGAN PART TO ST. PAUL USED FOR
THR FIRST TIME IN BOsToN-THE SOLO PARTS
WELL RENDERED-A STRONG CHORUS
IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIRUHE'
BOsToN, May 5.-The fifth Triennial Festi-
val Of the Handel aud HAYDEN Society OFenrd grandY
on Tuesday evening with performance OF MendcIs-
sOhn's 49, Paul" Almost every seat in the Music
Hall was filed, and almost every noted musician
and musicover In the city was present Among DINERS
present were Dr. j. Baxter Upnam. OF New-Ior", ana
Mr. Loring Barnes both expresideuts OF the socley
Mr. g. w. Chadwick, whose overture 10 h'P
Van Wrinkle" is to be played Thursday after
noon; and Alexander W. Thayer, tho bOgrapher OF
Beethoven now on few weeks visit to his 'tive city,
The solo singers of the evening wcre;o MISS
Emma c. Tnur>hy, Miss Emily Wnant mot MISS
Cary, as announced by mistake on the Dilsj'
Mr.. Charles r. Adams and Mr. MyrOn w.
Whitney. Mr. Babcock's ponderous bass also did gooo
service In some of the concerted pieces The orchestra
numbered seventy players, several OF whom had Deen
engaged from NewYerR and the chorus was III very i
force, being about 500 VOICES strong.
st Paul is so familiar q work that however SIN
cerey our musical public admire its great Deautcs' Nv
one expected anything at the performance FosS
bly, very few Of the audience suspected tn"t
they were listening to very l"ioi'"
novelty. Yet this the first performance oI I"c
oratoro in Boston (probably the first in Amerca aC
which Mendcssohn's own OrGan-part was used
III
Society came into possession some time ago
of nm undoubtedly authentic autograph orG"n-rart
to one of the choruses In "St. P7uI AS '"e
organst is only directed when to play but never "a'
TO play. in the published score, Mr. Ahhh
curiosity was excited, and as soon as
tho nrcsent performance OF "st. Paul "
was determined upon b. the committee 81 tho
Handel and Haydn Society lie wrote to the musicluo-
fishing house Of SchOtt, in London 10 inquire
whether there no traces OF an
original OrGan-part TO the whole "olH'
knowing that the bulk of Memberships unpublished
MSS we're owned by that firm Tho answer came in the
shape OF the desired part ITSELF which hau DEC"
published only very recently.
This orCan-part of Mcndrlssohn's is marked lhhoN"
ton upon all precedens. There Ia no great chorai
work Of the composers day In which the organ
Is used IN striking manner The 1act thaI
It reinforces the chorus In strong passages woulu
lie nothing than conventional we're 1t not mat III
many IoItiSSo phrases is picuous by Its total ap
sence. But the greatest innovation is IN lis use III
the solos. 1t comes In piano with superb 'he't'
In the latter part Of the soprano air. "JernSatiu'
Thou that killest the Prophets" Its strong stea"sV
pedal sustains the whole instrumental PRELUDE 10 'no
chorus Rise upi Arise" II accompanies Pdu'
when he cries out to tho lame man at
Lystra: "Stand upright upon thy feet" 1t plays
prominent part III tho accompaniment OF PauPS ar
For know ye not that we are HIS Temple Z" And III
the long rectaiive beginning 20 wherefore
do We these things2" crashing cnOTus Oh
the full organ alternate with tho sentences OF the
apostles exortaon the Of Lystra to leave Their
idols In word this organ part ia Invaluable, and one
OF the p,dst striking features In the score
Tie OratOriO given entire, with the single eXcep
tiOn of the chorus III 80 tine. But our Coo ahlieth
in Heaven" The performance was in the main very ine
MrWmupy sang the part OF the great ApostlcWltn AL
his weBnOn grandeur of stNle, and was III eXccllcht
voice. Miss Thursby sang delightfully."- al
Though she Is not heard to the very
best advantage in this style of music,
in tho air Jerusalem" she made profound nl,
preston. Miss WInant sang her few nnGhers
beautifully, aud rarely escaped encrr after " but
the Lord is mindful OF His own" But the ciicl
donors Of The evening carried off 10y Dir.
Adams. He plainly telt perfectly SURE OF hlS
ton In tho IecitatIves he gave an example which IT.
would be well for al singers 10 follow he sanG u III
in purely narrative waY' WTi'h dlanin,,o
fire and expression when IL Was ne
manded, but in STYLE wholly removed
from that dOeful pre- ichG tone which so many singers
affect III OTdlOrO recilatve. His singing OF the air o.
be faithful unto DEATH may he called one OF the finest
and most artistic performances that have been heard
any where aud at any time.
Upon the whole. this festival has opened more bri'
lianty any Of It's predecessors. and Mr Zervabn'
the conductor, may we'll congratulate himself upon an
nm IN