New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-14
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
THE MUSICAL FESTIVAL NEXT MAY.

THE MUSICAL FESTIVAL NEXT MAY.
portion of the work of preparation for the Musl-
cal Festival, TO be given under the direction OF
Theodore Thomas next May. which has been done
during Mr. Thonas's absence III the West, has gone
toward perfecting the plans of the society which
is to be the nucleus of the festival chorus. cir
rnisr which has JUST been issued contains STATE
ment of the successful organization OF the society
and an announcement of the dates which have been
fixed for four public performances. two rehearsais
and two concerts-on January 81 and March "a ana
January % and March %, respectively. On these
occasions the chorus will have the assistance of solo
performers and a large orchestra; the members VIII
have the customary admission privileges,
and subscription of not more IMAM
LOO seats has been opened TO the public.
Subscriptions can be made through the Chorus
Society's directors, the secretary, treder-
lick A. Maynard, and each subscriber by the pay
ment of So, which is the cost of ticket to the
four performances. becomes a member of the So
ciety and the right vote for directors at
the next annual meeting. 1t is from this that
the expenses of the society to be met neither
fees fines to be demanded of the singers.
Punctual and regular attendance Is to be
enforced on penalty of forfeiture OF men,
bersbip. Other items of interest in connection
with the festival these: The stage and
distribution of chorus seats will be modelled after
tine plan of the stage of the Handel festivals at the
Crystal Palace Sydenham. An organ will be spe-
caly built for the festival. II will have manual
and one p-dale, twelve speaking stops and two
couplers. The instrument we'll as the player will
be placed under the stage in order to save room for
singers and orchestra. After the festival the organ
will be sent to Chicago and used at the festival to
DO given under Mr. Thomass direction in that city.
The programme of the first night is to be made up of
works by Bach, Mozart and Handel; on the sec
ond night Beethoven's Mass in ID will be
sung; on the third night, HandePs Israel
in Egypt" The fourth night is to be de-
voted to the works of modern composers. For the
second and third nights there is prospect that
the local chorus which will number 800 voices
will be reinforced by trained singers from other
cities. The Handel and Haydn Society and Thomas
Chorus of Boston, the Cecllian, OF Philadelphia
and the Oatorio Society of Baltimore have been in
vited participate in the performance of the great
mass and the oratoro, aud the correspondence
which has passed between their officers aud
the Festival Association jastiies the hope that
these societies will each send q complement of ex-
perieneed singers. This with the drill which the
New-Yorl< Chorus and the Brooklyn Chorus have
had and will have from Mr. Thomas, will insure a
body of choristers to the festival of ripper know-
edge and better skill than any that has yet been
heard in this city. Frederick A. Schwab, the bust
ness manager of the Festival who went to Europe
to engage the principal singers has sailed on his
homeward voyage. and the results of his negotia-
tions will soon be made known