Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-08
THE MOZART MUSIC FESTIVAL.

tursd plans has cleared the horizon of al
doubt, and the singers and the publ,
alike are rejoicing in the approach
OF the great Music Festival +hat i
'clipse every thing OF that order
hat has ever teen attempted here. No mu
ricsl vent in our history will compare with
this Feslival in ,cope, far-reachipg results or
! interest The old Philharmonic Society and
the Mendelssohn Club in their day sccom-
plished what was deemed great thipgs, the
latter especially, but nothing that will COM
pare with this in artistic dignity. in drs
niallc power, in strength OF voice, certainly
not in orchestral sweep, volume or strength.
Oratorios were produced u a very credilable
way by the MeDdelssohns, aod for few sea
Sons they gave concerts thst were much en-
joyed, because the programmes neilber taxed
the vocal energies or knowledge of the ANA
teurs, or The attention of the sndienc;s TOO
severely. These efforts were amateurish, J.,
and OF cour,e all but colorless,
but they were, nevertheless, enjoy able,
and were accepted as the promise OF better
things to come. But the two epidemics Ct
1873 and 1879 played havoc in the ranks Of
these ambitious vocalists, and for q lime
there was mourning, and no rejoicing. The
Mozart Society, recognized within year,
musters many OF the surviviDg members OF
the Mendelssohn Club in its ranks, and is
the legitimate heir and successor 10 its
placs in the confidence of the public.
EntitliDg it to This confidence il is about to
certify to its ambition in something mere
than fostering the individual desigus or de-
eires OF its members by launching forth in a
supreme effort with the Thomas orchestra,
the first musical organization of its kind in
the world. l. lie this that gives character to
the Festival. Without the Mozart Society
Thomas is a host 10 himself, with
it he is strengthened and localized
and for the time is ident6e with
Memphis in the effort she ia thus making to
signAlize her capacity for something more
than trade. 1t is not merely the coming OF
Thomas, the supreme raster 10 the produc-
tion of orchestral eGecls, that M skos this Frs-
tival the thing Of so much promise that it is,
but the debut of the Mozarls on an artistic
stage under the Leadership of this master aud
accompanied by the orchestra that un.
der his direction has achieved 80 noble
a fame throughout the civilized world.
1t marks an era in the history OF Memphis,
-
love OF music and its capacity to appreciate
the best that art has yet produced. 1t is an
event in which all classes should feel
pride, it is one the reflected glory
OF which will fud its way in
to every home and every heart.
We say this assuming that the programme,
IN 30 far as it is TO be interpreted BY the
Mozaris, will be 80 ailesst to a degree, some
pproach TO the high standard below which
Thomas never falls, and TO which he
seeks 10 elevate every musical orgsui-
zation in the country. 1t is a great
venture for the Mozarts TO attempt
the Redemption, one of the three greatest
musical works Of this last quarter Of the
century--the other two being the Domnation
Of Faust, by Berlioz, and ParsifaI, by Wagner
Only few months have passed since the
Redemption was first given in Lon
don and aroused the musical diHe-
tdnte of that most musical Of the
capitals OF Europe 10 the highest pitch of
fervor. Subjected to the crucial tests OF the
closest analysis it was declared to be among
the greatest works The genius Of man has
yet embodied and worthy TO take its place
with the Creation, the Messiah and the Elijah
1t is full of the promise OF the
holy hope its title implies, and is pervad, d
by lofty religious fervor in keeping with
the divine message which the ascension
sealed. The listener is carried out OF him
sslf by the pictures which sound thus 50
gleriously and patheticalIy paints, and is
overshadowed by the almost divine spirit
which pervades every note. To attempt such
. work is a venture to make the best trained
chorufes shrink, and bat for the thorough
. training the Mozarts have had at the hands
ok-Ar. DownP, very often in the form Of per-
sonal Lessons, we should despair of their sue
cess. But besides this, they have undertaken
the choruses Of Mendelssohn's EiJph, the
best Of the works Of one of the most pro-
foundly gifted composers the world has yet
seen. A. its title tells, Elijah is the story Of
one of the greatest of the great prophe 5
OF Israel, to whom, as Rsnan says, ib It
people were indebted for the spirilualziug Of
their religion and the purifying OF
it from the formslism md grossne,s
in sacrifices which threatened the forget
fulness of IT. central doctrn, the
uUity tf God. There is no story in the M os'
wOr deriul o II looks so rich as that oi
Ejab, n no caught up into heaven, who
was SO pure az to b. worthy of translation
without passing through The process oi
the rebirth through death. There il
the sweetness of chidlike faith il
il, the strength and 6rmness of the
perfect man surrendering himself TO spir
itual guidance as the prophet of tbs
Most High with trustful confidence in Hi
will. 1t is this life, as interpreted by the
Christian Church, 80 full of promise
OF another and greater, the great.
est Of all prophets, that Mendelssohn
man of the loftiest faith, a gentle spirit,
full of the graces OF religion, pious without
cant, and subject only to the most spirituellt
infuences, has embalmed in music that
all writer's agree is worthy the exalted
theme. The ambition Of the Mozarts could
not carry them further than this, aud if they
meet the exactiDg demands OF Thomas 10 it
rendition they and we shall have reason no
only to be proud but to rejoice. 1t il
great leap from the humdrum o
cavatiuas and ariss in schoolgirl style, tC
he Redemption and the Elijah, with the hand
of Thomas to guide and his orchestra L
sustain. But this is not all that our 50
eiety is billed TO do. Ia the second concer
they are to give that beautiful choru
bf Bsethovsn's "Sea Calm aud Happy Voy-
hge," the 'fGipsy Life" Of Schumsn tht
rVenetian Boatman's Evening Song" o
Sebastian Bach, and the "Halleluj all Chorus
Df Handel, that chorus which TO hear is to b
lifted into the realms of bliss, TO have fore
aste Of the divine harmonies and 10 Tealiz
10 what depths the musical master ca
20 in search Of the profouudest emotion
pf the human Heart. Besides these ma
estic and beautiful works, Thomas his
assigned to his orchestra compositions {
surpassing interest from Wagner, Webs
! Beethoven, Saint Saeus-Whose opera OF Hen
y VII was recently produced with grei
scEat in Paris-Lisz', Mendelssohn and Schu
mann. Neither New York nor Cincinnati