New-York tribune., 1884-11-14
CONCERTS OF CHORAL MUSIC.

Rv an unfortunate circumstance, which seems
10 have been unavoidable and TO have lacked every ace
of the petty malice charged by an ineonserate iehu VI
the Oratoro society in statement published recently 10
This iourua the rs, concerts OF the New-fork Chorus
and Oratoro Societies fell together last night Ihe com
cdence was as distressing 10 the singers who oeong "
hath socties as TO the lovers OF choral music VINO "ee
Tins forced TO choose between the two societies an" '
programmes they offered. Both societies as i ha'u
at the opening Of a season. repeated woiKs p'e'i"
performed bat the advantage OF greater hoVety' a
seouently greater public interest, rested Win ",
Thomass organization. which produced Tor the se0o"
time In America Antonin Dvoraks otaD"' '"'N''
brought out for the first time last APRIL .
second hearing has confirmed us in our previous"
xnressed Judgment OF the work-in our admiration II"
its beauties as well as our condemnation Oh ts "o'
Far the very considerable number OF people VINO He oo
ut IN look upon the setting OF any text simply s aos"
Iute mn sic there is much pleasure in the bohemian 'o
uoser's setting of the famous old hymn LOT o'hcis ~
~ n al,,,vs Ia find the essence OF the music In the uh
doriny words the pleasure afforded has It's aioy'
tho exceedingly great ingenuity displayed III INC 80
ment of the forces employed. especially 10 INC 80.
., color contributed by the brilliantly en'o.n'
instrumental part, nobody can at this day oe -" -
co-operation of voices and instruments Is sr"P' -.
,er,y and so far superior every other setthS VI WV
.,, ,bere remains no ground for comparison
- h resneet Its general melodic and harmonic oea"''
TOO IA indisuutable except where question oi '@s"
only is obtluded. but we find ourselves sun u'o''
tect freshness and originality OF ih'ehuoh In '"' 49,
,i nd vve remain unrcconcei to the monotony OF !"
Tin, while recognizing how persistently the unio"
,,as of the te 1t urged the composer In this d'cV
i'm There are so many evidences, however III ~.
work itself of the composers scn-emah'i P'''
| th. ,hr,ldom Of the words that we see no - ~"
why he should not have gone to WORK WIN ,o,ss
h, hearted Indifference to the sentiments fJaooloN.
hymn as Rossini OF course we are glad tn"' NC .nty
we have operatc masses and church services III ~.
and he who ventures TO add To tncm iuu'' u"
skill of a Ros,ini, at least OF Nerdi. a.. M.
Arother dofeet which the severe Judgment :" ~ -,
,,,ro will he moro likely Ia condemn than we VI " :.
vhoare given SO few opportunities to nJo"" rh,s
,,,.hlc contribution to musical literature -
n,ade IN this stabat," is tho unblushng ,hA
which The words have received IN oiuei '" os.oces
no accommodated to the rhythms OF the mus" a
| oins, the rules OF prosoiy fairly pepper 'he p a
,ho .om,ositlon and some OF them are 50 nagr' I'd.
,,,e themselves upon the notice even OF m''n' ,ha
ts,a y,tafter these dement's have beeh po'" ,h,so
! work remains a beautiful piece OF music ~, o"
.,nr, har arrest. attention or challenges admh'uo"
| 1hc nerfotnance OF the work scarceN ~ ala
tho whole. AS that Of last April sltho"s" -. ras
,r,r, aud tenor parts were In better han'~ 80
har,c,erts,tcs Of the work OF the chcir "e'' ,s.
| .h,,h wa arc accustomed 10 ' ....v
| cer,s directed by Mr. Thonas Iher" ,,n.ausl.
instances ~ nice expression and ovennes' sn.v ot
A.. A. ,n ,noo,hly flowing numbers but q aen'' m
- 4, an, ,oyt,s and uncertainty Of intona' am
| ,.a,,.a ,noiulatlous aud unfamiliar htciN"s ,us,o
| nha.,s 10 tho monotonous chats''e' v ,,.sforsnsd
| rba accompanimenis were 10 oe""'"s 80 AZ bel
ss Ia rlyet tho attention almost 10 'ne MsA
anced hearing or the solo s'hso'S s...ues on ~
90 h. credited with tho most even pet'0''N'-