New-York tribune., 1881-12-29
MITSIC AND THE DRAMA.
on,rop1o socIRTY-THE MESSIAH.


cbandoned There is peculiar fitness in II OUTSIDE
of ts timelincss for to see at any one OF
The performauces that the spirit of peace and gool-
viii which the gracious holiday pours out upon all
Deople IS one that attunes the mind and heart 70
full and fair appreciation of the sublime music
Warm enthusiastic, ccGsidcrate audiences were
ALWAYS the rule in Christmas week, and the influence
they exert is an aid 10 good performances.
The concert OF the OI&toriO Society last night Mt
Steinway Hall was no exception to the
rule. The clements were all favorahet1 an evening
of the highest masica, enjoyment, and, cxcep IN a
few things the performance gave il in generous
5neaslre. The general feeling one Of unusual
exatatiOn Of SPIRIT and il was shared IN eqnal
degrees hv conductor, performers and auditors
In view Of the number Of times that the Oratorl0
Society has sung this music 1t Is not to be expected
that any material change will be noted from former
performances 1t has reached high degree of PEI
lection in the letter and spirit of the music ana le
manner of singing the choruses seems estabhshe0'
Untoward circumstances may affect the execution
to the harm of the mj.ic as Tuesday afternoon,
when for natural reasons, the singing was so iist-
less and slipshod as TO hold out promise Tor
the concert; but favorable circumstances will
again restore the normal standard OF feeling ana
ability as last night and the society viii MAINTAIN
itself upon the commendablc plane which 1t has
reached. The enthusiastic and Obcdent spirit OF
the society has often been noted, and IL Is lh"eed
rare that a body of sin GERS is found so prompt IN lis
response 10 the wishes of its conductor 1t has been
trained to sing all the music OF the OratorO
very uently and to mark the varieties OF expression
in welsh ded nuances In the long rouiaGeS'
which the Ell gsh used to call divisions" scat
tered so pentifuy through the oratoro the precis-
ion and correctness Of mtOnation maintained
by the singers are very beautiful, and
there is a deal of ponp AID impressiYeneSs
in its sOnorous torte as was again displayed
last night III such choruscs as And the
Glory OF the Lord" Surely He hath borne our
Griefs," "Hallelujah,' and the concluding num-
bers. Ordinarily the only exception that can be
taken IL the conception OF the pieces and here
plainly the society is not at fault and fortunately
the occasions are not many Its W TX last night was
uniformly admirable, and For into Us Q Child is
Born had TO be repeated TO quiet the ap-
plausc Of the audience that, by the way filed all the
available room the ball. The orchestra generally
was a worthy support, but there were several IN
stances where sovenly kInU OF play followed dis
regard OF the beat.
The principal singers were Miss Hattie Louie |
Simms soprano, Miss Anna Drasdll, alto, MIR. A. |
L. King. tenor. and Mr. Frank Remmertz bass. !
These singers were successful in the same degree
that they were known to The public in the music OF
"The Messiah" Miss Drasdil and Mr. Remmertz
have ton sung what and where they dld last night
but they could not with their pecuhartes OF voice
and style unchanged, Improve on the good work
done by them. Miss DrasdiPs sympathetic style |
and hef evident feeling, though it leads her
occasionally into slightly exaggerated sentiment
which revenges itself upon her voice by forcing
into it now and then unpleasant tone, Is finely
adapted 10 the pathetic airs OF the oratouo; MI
Remlnertzs bury voice, when handled so skllfully
as it was last night, gives out the dramatic bass
songs with good effect. His jingIng of Why do the
Nations" won the warmest applause given. Miss
ha aclna fhar ar,D.
SCISSORS of beautiful voices and certain degree of
vocal skill and learning but being both deficient
IN some of the requisites for oratoTlo singing |
Neither possesses sufficient breadth Of style Here,
however the parallel for, whereas Miss Simms
showed plainly that her tastes and understanding
outstripped her physical ability, Mr. KING showed
with equal plainness that his shOrtcOming was in
temperament His style is sentimental and
not at all dramatic, and he would have |
left a much better impression If he |
had not attempted TO sing so vigorous and |
difficult an air as the Thou shalt break them" Miss
Simms sang the recitatves and the air, But Thou |
didst not leave His soul in hell" with very pretty |
voice and sentiment, but her scantness of breath
and lack of power esOpDed her from attempting the
broad. sustained defamation necessary to an |
ideally correct performance of the airs, Rejoice |
Greatly and Know that My Releemer Livcth" |
The latter song she filed instead with simple and
unaffected trustfulness which gave at least |
measure of satisfaction.
With persistency which would be admirable If |
it were not directed toward tbat which was at the |
beginning and always will remain inartstic Dr. |
Damrosch last night for the past three years. |
gave a reading to the Glory to God" chorus which |
hles in the face of all tradition. well as the musi
cal and dramatic idea of the piece, and the univer
sal conception of a Gloria" He began the chorus
softly. and afterward developed forte with the
avowed purpose of making it represent the coming
of the multitude of the heavenly host that sang the
inspiring paan on the plain of Judea. And this |
notwithstanding that the sacred narrative as given
In the short recitative which precedes the chorus
plainly tells that the celestial choir suddenly
with the angel who conyersed with the shepherds,
and did not come at all gradually like " Turkish |
patrol" year ago took occasion TO mention |
the disappointment which such a singular proceed
ing created since then at the festival last May and
the concert last night Dr. Damrosch has repeated ii,
and we cannot withhold a record of the fact that |
familiarity with the effect attained has only added
TO our contempt for il. OF all strainings after orig
inality in readings of the musical classics this seems
20 us the most absurd and the most ndefensible. |
We have no hope that DR.. Damrosch |
will any more heed criticism now than he did year
ago but it is difficult to hold ones peace while
Of the gems of Handels sublime musical crown is
despoiled OF all its lustre.
1t is an old story among DR.. Damroschs patrons
that he jusfes his conception by reference to some
words written III the autograph MS of " The
Messiah" on the first page of this chorus.
There was nothing novel i'll this dis
covery (which made possible to every
dilettante musician by the publication of fac
simile of the MS. made by the Sacred Harmonic
Society several years ago for Mr. Cusins had
already directed M attention g., to it in his little
novelty in the case lay in Dr. DanrOschs cOncev-