New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-26


port of this claim. Ont of the setting of an
amorous madrigal beginning Isl tn non lasci
amore" he con structed the duet. 80 Dca:h
where is thy sting 7" and the the chorus, But
thanks be to Cod Out of another, the text of
which complains of Loves cruelty, he made the
choruses, For unto Child is born" an ." All
we like sheep" /" His yoke is easy and &" And He
shall purify also drew their subjects from the
duets. The duet aud chorus first mentioned have
long go fallen into dcsuciude no one thinks now
of performing them with the rest OF the oratoro.
4 sentimental style of singing the next chorus in
the list (which Is without Handers sanction and
grew, probably, out of MOzarts plan of havi
the difficult fugne passages sung by sooists. thus
working up the overwhelming effect OF the shonts
o. Wonderful" "Counsellorl" etc) has contrib
uted much to make this chorus popular 1t is I'M
denlable however, that save in the music of the
sonorous epithets-an original Insrira'Ion toward
which the old love duet contributed nothing-It is
despite its beauty spiritually unworthy OF
the text. The Inconsistency between the
light-hearted. jigging music of the chorus
'All we, like sh'ep, have gone astray''
and the sef-accusing sentiment of the text every
one must see besides it has long been notorious.
Singulary enough, too Handel, as though to- pro-
test against what he had done and TO show that
he had the proper appreciation OF the teN'' 10
tluence Of the secular tune than he gives setting
to the closing words of the verse, And the
Lord hath laid on Him the inquiry of us all"
that has a dignity and spiritual power equal
10 the great st numbers in the WORK.
The other two chouses ingenious
vocal fngues without the fantest trace of harmony
between text and music. b til could be spared
from the work without material 'oSs.
The reyampcd melodies are much more numerous
in " Israel - than in {" The Messiah" and many of
them are the inventions of other men than handel
Concerning some there is dispute whether they
are really appropriations from another author OF
from an early composition OF Handlers own.
This question has no concern in this In
ouiry however; there are enough pllIerHgs that
are not at all open to doubt TO fix the premise for
the nronosition which was sought TO be established
IN tbe hurried glance at THE Messiah" Uniortu-
na'elv the material is not at hand Tor conple'e
demonstration. For the duet and chorus III Inc
Messiah however. there i n parallel IN the lSrl-
oIn The duet for two sopranos "The Lord IS my
strength and my song" besides being Immensely
dinicnlt. is wholly unintcrestng to the tastes ot
today II is note for note the composition OF an
almost unknown Italian composer ma med Erba;
The succeeding double chorus. - He ia my God
and possibly its sequence, and will eXat Him.
are drawn from the sane spring aud together they
contribute nothin. to the peculiar grandeur OF the
work.
There are Other evidences besides the
appropriation of the Thoughts OF others
10 show that in the Israel" Handel was
less conscientious than in his great Christian
oratol1o. Compared with The Messiah" and in
deed with nearly any one of his larger works, It
Shows an astonishing absence of design. We miss
the symmetry, the progressive development to
climax and in some degree the deep
Il. 4fr..ft~ fgat4 Tnnt
only the music but the plan of the later oratoro.
4 strong argument might be made to show that the
two parts of the work do not make
homogeneous whole. 1t is known that
the seco d part was designed and carried
out as a conta.a. 1t was ca led 1.-The Song
Of No,cssr and glance Will show that it Is a COM
plete thing in itself Ii has a broad, firm and I'M
pre,sive introduction in the ins rumental mtrolt.
and the massive double chorus. Moses
and the Children of Israel" and re'nr-
renee of the burden of this pecan
of triumph in the closing number rounds out the
work and seems to preclude the idea of any add-
ton. Ii was written first and when Handel deter
mined to amp ify it and stretch its dimensions he
could only do il by preixing another part
Thus was originated the first part
called "The Exodus 1t is descriptive
while the second part is cOntempla'ive. 1t has no
introduction and after couple of short recatives
md single air 1t presents an unbroken cham OF
massive choruses to relieve which, ordinarily, other
rccitatives and airs are introduced. 1t gives pic
lures of the plaques as prologue nothing more, to
the song of triumph the peoples deiverance
from bondage. which is the real business of the
piece But such was the commanding genlns OF
Handel that even under these adventtions circum-
stances he made ont of the plague chorses the most
characteristic and enduring portion of the work
most enaurin- because in them there is more of the
modern feeling for vigorous and correct expression
than IN the choruses with few exceptions, of the
second part.
This digresslon has carried us so far from our
original purpose of directing attention 10 some OF
the Characteristic beauties OF the Israel IN Egypt
that We have time to return to
il with any chance of success The
euliact is too LARGE TO be compassed IN one article
however: il must remain for future discussion.
Fortunately for all the lovers OF oratOrio music,
though they NAV have waited long for TINS WORK
they are now 10 be filled. We can expect
if 10 be repeated al intervals bv the
Oratario Society and at the Musical fcs vaI IN May
it will be gwen with the largest array OF vocal and
instrumental forces ever uulled performance OF
OratOro in this country.
BIJOU OPERA HOUSE.
A.. V,4. nit