Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-05-12
CENTENNIAL MAY FESTIVAL.
The Grand Choral Works to be Heard i
music Hall, CINCINNATI, May 2a-26.

The Grand Choral Works to be Heard In
Music Hall, CINCINNATI, May 2a-26.
A concession to the centennial spirit Is
manifest In the commission to Jno Knowles
Paine, for centennial ode, or more prop
erIy speaking, hymn, which he has pro-
yided in his ''Scng of Promise" the words
drawn from George Edward Woodberry's
ode, MY Country" This feeling Of graf
ulation peculiar TO a people after century
of prosperous life. is still further intensified
by the choice of Weber's glorious hymn,
with mighty wisdom rules our God, q
composition that Is at once q grateful
prayer and mighty psalm Of praise for
Almighty protection and blessing. These
aside and without doubt, we approach the
true festival spirit of the programme, and at
the head of the list welcome as harbinger Of
musical grace, Mendelssohn's ST. Paul.
The date OF the first performance of this
deeply affecting oratorio and the opening
date of the festival are the same, the work
having been first produced on the 22d of
MAY, 1887, at Dusseldorf, under the per-
sonal direction Of the composer. 1t was the
result of two years frequently interrupted
labor on the part Of the master. In the
midst of 1t he was called to the death-bed
q
had urged its speedy completion. After
this event Mendelsshohn threw all his sad
dened energies into the writing. and every
page echoes his grief and the almost wo-
manly tenderness of his heart. Upon st.
p.ul with its superb succession of recita-
five and AR. feryid, choral and impressive
chorus. he might well have inscribed In
memOridn
ia sharp contrast to ST. Paul stands
Anton Rubinstein's dramatic epitome of
Millions immortal song, Paradise Lost.
Since the death of Hiszt, this shaggy Rus
sian with his Beethovenisb head ana lower
ing brow, Is the most prominent figure In
In the art world, as well for his instrumen-
tai yiriurs;ty as for his fast growing al
many sided ability as composer. The
present work was the fore runner of THE
Tower of Babel, " which Is fore-shadowed. |
The composer has modelled With consum- |
mate skill all the rich material at Is dis |
posa', and, d spite the necessarily dramatic |
b.nt of the production, it Is grateful to the
general ear because of its strong melodic
nature and will prove one Of the popular
successes of the festival.
Representative In character, individual
In tone, brilliant with orchestral color. and
most daring in the free use OF harmonic
methods is Anton Dvorsk's The Spectre's
Bride" Founded on the old Bohemian
legend enshrined in verse by Er5en, and
which tells of the phantom lover, his mid
night call for the waiting bride, their loving
journey DER bog and brake and stony way
70 his lonesome house In the graveyard,
and her escape by last resort to prayer,
forms q picture possessing peculiar
fascination for the lively imagination.
The work, which was written for and
produced at the Birmingham Festival OF
1885, takes the form of dramatic cantata.
The story is given to the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
who is relieved. supported, or his narration
echoed by the full choir as the effect will be
most agreeably enhanced, while the two
principals take up the lines applying per-
sonally to themselves.
The programmes show the great
variety of orchestral works that will
be performed-many Of them for the
irst time In Cincinnati. While lovers OF
music may prefer some Of the concerts over
,thers, there Is no distinction In attractive
hess between them.