New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-09-26
THE WORCESTER FESTIVAL
NEW Accomplishments FOR THE MESSIAH.
OLD TRADITIONS DISQUALIFICATION OF THE
NEW READING END OF THE FESTIVAL


annual festival of the Worcester County Musical Asso-
citation came to o conclusion this evening with per.
| Torrance of HandeIs Messiah which was given
with the additional Accomplishments written by Robert
Franz and in all respects according to the revised
version published in Lepsc last year. The colo singer
held copies of the German edition, in which the piano.
| forte accompaniment was that arranged by Otto
| Dresel At the recent Birmingham festival Herr
| Richter introduced the accompanments to the
English public. and also restored the original SO
far as to the entire song eshal Feed His Flock
sung by the solo soprano in the key OF Blat instead
of giving halt of it in the key of to the contralto
Mr. Zerrahn having decided to use the new version,
and finding American tradition less unyielding than
| Herr Richter found tae English, radical;
he deferred to Herr Franz in everything changing the
long accepted reading of the phrase And Peace
Earth TO make it fit the marks in the book that is
forte instead of producing the old effect Of height
ened emphasis by drop TO piano after the first ebu
ton of praise in the angelic hymn, and giving the
bulk of the three numbers, And He shall Purity"
| For Unto us Child is Born" and His Yoke is
easy to the solo quartet Another feature of the per-
Torrance which amounted to innovation was the
restoration of the second part of the conrao air e
was DespIsed," which long ago fell into desuetude.
An article published in this journal last December
outlined The most striking features of Herr Franzs
| work He has based the new edition the old
containing the additional Accomplishments written by
| Mozart for the performance of "The Messiah in
Vienna in 1890 but has also accomplished what be
describes as publication of Mozarts score calling
to his help in this work the original Breitkopf and
Harte edition, the Peters edition. that OF the London
Handel Society, and the fac-simile publication OF tho
| autograph score made by the Sacred Harmonic
Society.
Be iustifes himself in his work of publication" by
an appeal to the discovery made in 1862 by Z. b.
Baumgart that the accompaniment OF the air IL God
| be for us" nowadays omitted in performance were
| not written by Mozart but by Johann Adam Hitler,
one Of Bachs as Cantor in Lepsic Herr
Franz has compared Killers OF " The Messiah"
with the original Bretkopf and Hartel edition, and
processes to have found many proofs that it used
in the preparation of that which has hitherto been
accepted Mozarts lie has therefore exercised
his Judgment Ia the excelsior of material for which lie
had proof. external internal, that it was not the
work OF Mozart aud has written his additions to the
! score thus purified. The accompaniment, which
do not differ greatly from those to which we are
accustomed to attract the attention OF the public
we're received with great favor at the recent Brming
ham festival, and much applauded by the
muslcans and connOisseurs there gathered together
Here the chief interest centred in the obvious
changes from the traditional manner OF performance
| in the three numbers already specified
|
| the purpose OF enhancing the dramatic effect OF tho
pieces. They full OF the rouades winch were
| formerly called divisions" in England, and For
unto Us" contains besides the much and justly
admired cmaxes on the ePlthets, " WonderIull
| Counsellor! The Mighty Coo The Everlasting
Father! The Prince OF Peace" in which the thunders
OF the chorus the rolling OF the deep diapasons Of the
organ and scintant BLOSSOMS OF the yions unite in
one of the most thrilling choral effects invented
| by man. Undoubtedly to beghten the effect OF these
cmaxes Mozart prescribed that all that preceded them
should be sung by the solo voices until after the second
H. ha uff. he IN
90 on with the a." div isOns and sing TO the cod. In
And lie shall Purify the solo voices carry the music
alone tor twenty bars. whereGPGn at the woLds thas
and sings TO the eud. The device is need IN ms
yoke y strl sSY D lFrre the
The change in the allotment of He shall Feed His
Flock ana Come unto Him" to a ingle soprano
voice has the sanction of Handels original score as
well as Mozarts but the division has almost equal
sanction. In the autograph both in Biat,
and they in tue Dublin owned by Sir Fred
er1ek Gore Ouseley, which Is i'll the handwriting of
Handels amanuensis But here 1t is followed By Two
inserted eayes in the hanc writing containing the
change In the conducting preserved in Buck
ingham Palace and Hamburg the song is in + and
B-hat THIS form has much TO commend il aside from
the tact that IL relieves the nonotony Of three long
numbers succeeding each other all in B-at he chief
drawback has consisted in the fact that the singers
ordinarily compete tor the pauIse of the public in tho
song and success OF the cOntralto results in
complete eiacement by the gratulatory noise OF the
beautiful emphasis which comes from the leap in tho
interlude into the higher key.
Alter the oratorio fairly launched there were
many evidences of au absorbing interest in the new
features of which the compiler OF tho official pro-
grarnme had strangely emitted TO make mention Only
those who had attended the Iehearas in the
know what TO expect, aud murmur OF curiosity and
Barton. Miss Clapper, Dir. Mockeridge and Mr.
W hltney rosa with o. orus 10 slug . And lie Shall
Purify The soOists themselves showed good deal Of
nervousness and their performance imperfect
that 1t became plain at TO some that they did
themselves and the music injustice 1t is dicnlt for
one just out OF the concert With many confused
impressions in his head TO realize fully the effect the
innovation. There startling a contrast between
the volume of sound which one expected from force Of
habit and that which reached the ears, that feeling
Of disappointment could not be repressed This
ot gradually ths music went on untii 1t was almost
wholly eiaced by the grandeur OF the tutt burst when
ever the epbets reached. Still, 1t is exceedingly
Questionable whether public imbued with love for
ho old oratorO viii ever accept this feature Of the
version.
In one respect however there feeling of salts
Tine desire Fo, to pr1ducH great effect with the
conductors I'm. in tho East as well as the West
alf voice. If the glad tidngs be conveyed ia
ION hdence only to few rhis foolish sentimentality
ne other disappointmenrs to hear tho
shamed OF in 1t: The plan should have better test It
. true ina hat Handel never contemplated IT, but
'ould be sung by ehoruses, numbering hundrds and
ouId expect perfect performance from Large chorus
difficult a vocal test &" lie shall Purify"
Sa M zsSu : S5 two
blow FranZs MetrOnomc works, and In only few in
auces did he approach them. Rejoice Greatly
as sung by Mrs. StOneBarton at break
eek pace which robbed it OF all its
harm and she did nothing worthy
hearty praise until she reached He shall Feel His
lock" she both OF this beautiful song in
amer that fully atoned for the loss OF tho
l,nge from contralto soprano voice. She
lowed unfamilarty with the oratOrlo style, however,
III IN her rocitatives offended correct taste by
ssive use OF the operate appogiatura Miss Capper
ug with true feeling, but would have given greater
easure had she united her tones in freer She
rapidly ripenng intOan artist and has laid aside much
the stiR, amateurish vocal manner which character
I'd her when she began 10 be heard In the New-YOrk
ncort rooms. She, too offered novelty by singing The
cond part OF the air. 4" lie Was Despsed." which Ia
most universally omitted. In this performance Of