Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-10
THOMAS,
The Great Conductor, on the "Redemp-
tiOn," the Last and NOblest Of the
Works Of Gounod.
His Impressions of the OratOriO Which
Was Produced for the First Time
in America on Tuesday Last.

was ETOuuceu iOE INT rtIbb A1lHc
in America on Tuesday Last.
The production of Charles Gounod's new
orot0TiO, The REDEMPTION, on TueFday evening
at Sfeinway Hall, Gays The New York Herald,
is the most important musical event Of the
local season. Gounod il best known through
his opera Faust, but his popularity is so
great-chiefy gained through that extraor-
dinzrily successful work-that any new COM
position which he may offer cannot fail 10
attract the closet attention, not alone of
musicisns but the people generally. The
Redemption, completed in 1880, after inter-
mittent laoor of Twelve years, was intended
for the Birmingham (Engl1nd) Festival,
held in the autumn Of this year, where it
was presented by chorus and orchestra
under the personal direction of thecomposer,
and numbering in Instrument Iisss and vo-
calis.s total Of 500 persons. The success
Of the oratorio was instantaneous and en-
phatic, aad il was repeated aiterward before
audience such az had not been drawn TO-
gether since Elijah was first heard in the
same place thIrty-six years before. In
view Of the fact that no similar
work Of modern time has excited greater
interest in the musical world than this
latest effort Of the great French composer, it
will be seen readily what Importance is at
tached TO Its first performance here under
the direction of Mr.. Theodore Thomas, to
whom alone has been given the authority
TO present it to American audiences. The
work will be interpreted by vocal force of
300 carefully trained voices from the New
York chorus, and picked orchestra of eighty
performers, the number of each being exact
Iy calculated in their proportion 10 each
other and the size Of the hall to produce the
effects intended by the composer when he
designed the music for the Birmingham Fes-
uval. Mr.. Thomas has given his closest al
tention to the rehearsal OF this fine body of
performers, and they, in turn, have worked
30 intelligently and conscieniiously that
there can be no doubt that the perform.
snce of NJ. Gounod's work will fully
equal that first production in Eogiand
which stirred the Birmingham audience TO
enthusiasm.
The composer has himself outlined the
motive Of the work as lyrical setting forth
of the three great facts on which depends the
existence of the Christian Church. These
facts are: l. The passion and the death of
the Savior 2. His glorious life on earth,
from His resurrection 10 His ascension. 8
The spread of Christianity in The world
through the mission Of the Apostles. These
three parts of the present trilogy are pre-
ceded by prologue on the Creation, the fall
Of our first parents and the promise ora Re-
deemer. Gounod wrote his own Hbretto as
well as composed the music, adhering as
closely possible TO the orthodox French
translation of the Bible, preserving as far as
he could consistently with the musical de-
mands Of the Bible phraseology-an example
in which he has been followed by the Rev
j. Troutbeck, who has furnished the English
translation of the French hbretto. The work
consists of three divisions, illustrf ting the
Passion, the Resurrection and Ascension and
the Pentecost, preceded by brief prologue,
the several portions OF which last are en-
titled: "The Creation, !" "The Fall" and the
promise of Redemption" The three main
divisions first named comprise the follow
ing subdivisions: "First (The Passiop),
"Ihe March TO Cavalry" "Ihe Cruci6x-
ion" "The Rsproaches," MARY at the Foot
of the Cross" "The Two Thieves "The
Death of Jesus," 'The Darkness" "The
Earthquake" and "Tbe Cenlurion;" second
1.-THE Resurrection and Ascension), "The
Prophetic Choir" "The Holy Women at the
Sepulcher," Jesus Appearing TO the Holy
Women" "The Sanhedrsm," "The Holy
Women Before the Apostles" and Jesus
Appearing 10 the Apostles" and, third, the
introductory movement of"The Pentecost."
followed by "Tne Descent Of the Holy
Ghost" and aThe Apostles in Prayer" and
the final "Hymn o. the Apostles.n How
well NJ. Gounod has accomplished his pur-
pose we have alre ady been told by English,
French and German critics who we're st
Birmingham, and who were unanimous in
their favorable verdict. But New York
can judge for ITSELF, by a hearing of the
score, how we'll these good opinions were de-
served. No one ia better able than Mr..
Thomasto express careful judgment on
the value of the composition, as his long ex-t
perience in such matters eminently qualities
him TO speak as to It's merits. And, again,
he is the only musician in America who has
had extended and intimate acquaintancs
with the music of The Redemption. His views
on the subject, which he gave to a repre-
entatiye of the Herald, will be read, there
fore, with special interest, and will serve
an Intelligent guide to fuller understand
ing and enjoyment Of the new oratorio.
"To take up the score and go through il
from end to end,D said Mr.. Thomas, ''pont-
ing out in detail the vocal and orchestral
composition of each number, would, of
course, be to deliver a lengthy musical lee
ture, which / have not the time to give, the
Herald has not inclination to give space TO,
and the busy public have not time TO read.
Very well. Let us not consider this a
learned magazine article upon the work, but
a brief and Informal chat about the chief
characteristics of The Redemption. Excuse
n.y looking at my watch, l don't want 10
hurry you away, but have 10 attend re-
hearsal in ten minutes. Now let me see
what can tell you in ten minutes about
Gounod's or0E0ri0. Ii is certainly . fne
n
which cannot fail to attract the attention
and admiration of the thoughtful, critical
portion of an audience, and yet having ihat
charming grace and sweetness in its meIo-
dies, that simplicity and yet mssterly COM
binalion of hzrmonies in It's ensembles and
that admirable skill in its broadly dramatic
effects that are we'll calculated 10 c>tch the
popular ear. The methods hat he has en-
ployed 10 pie ase The general public are such
legitimate means and so we'll employed that
they cannot be denied by the little circle of
musicians who are ever on the lookout
for any outrage OF the stern rules of
art. His orchestration is absolutely mas
terly, and yet 1t continually appeals TO the
public in its charming effects as we'll as to
the musician for the subtlety of its methods.
In the lovely and almost sensuous sweetness
of the melodies in this crdtorio and the ar
raDgement of its dramatic effects we recog-
nice the skill of the composer of Faust,
though there is no actual repetition of him.
self in the score. The quality of ihe work is
quite equal 10 anything he has heretofore
accomplished, bat in the mighty grandeur of
some of the chorals, and in fact, in the fnaies
Throughout, we find Gounod ascending to a
plane of excellence he has not before
reached. The work is consistent from end
TO end; that is, we do not find that he effects
any change that may have occurred in his
style during the twelve years intervening
between the beginning and conclusion OF
this oratorio. II presents a wide variety of
sentiment in its musical expression, and its
characters call for the boldest contrasts, vet
each is we'll conceived and its musical color
ing we'll sustained throughout. Whether in
the sweet dignity and loving tenderness
sho En in the music of Christ or the boldly
scored passages written for the thieves upon
the cross, the forceful and vigorous phrases
in the March TO Calvary or the celestial
music of the angelic chorals, NJ. Gounod
never confuses in the least the distinctive
character of the music and does not ono.
sacrifice the true sentiment of the scene to a
Rmptation TO produce q popular effect.
Such dramatic effects as are had are made
10 grow out of natural causes, but their
natural presence once apparent he uses
them with a mastery hand. The sacred
spirit which Pesvades the orutOrio is not per-
mitted to sufsr TO this, however, for the
profound, deep religious background, SO TO
speak, sgaiust which these brilliant effects
are occasional laid, IL never lost sight of,
though il is occasionally used to make the
contrast the greater.
There has been much inquiry "a to whsther
Gounod DE- veloped any inclination TO new
style in this ordtorio. All can cay is that
bis melodies, while not displaying any new
or unsupported talents, are not repetilions or
echoes of his younger days, but are fresh
and original. His oTchestration is good
example OF his ripper experience, his more
maidre abilities, without developing any
thing new-that IL, he uses familiar ma
Ierial, but be shows mastery hand in the
nav r0nhin ationa he farms mora