New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-16
THE BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL
SOME DISAPPOINTING MUSICAL NOVELTIES.
FEATU RES OF A TINE UONORED ENGLISH GATH
ERING-MUsICAL FEAsTs AND FAMfNES.
birmingham. September I.

substantial that the musical dietary ran AFFORD Then
the provincial public dspcrses for another three years
Of digestive quiet which for TOO many Of the psr'ici'
pants It 4 10 be feared Is also a period OF musical
torpor The festival Is veil enough known 10 us In
America from the Worcester. Cincinnati. and other
smaller institutions Of the kind, founded avowedy on
the English model but none Of these csn appro'on
their originals In the thoroughness with which the
| festival idea Is carried out. The production OF
now works s ono OF the most important features OF the
choral festivals IN England and one which gives mem
much Of their value and prominence in the musical
life Of the country. and musical people in America well
know that in this respect own festivals have
chiefly failed realize the full meaning they could be
made 10 have. OF all these English PERIODICAL garner
ings that Of Birmingham though not the oldest,-the
Three Choirs" OF Gloucester Worcester and HEREFORD
antedate IT By half ccnturyhas long been the fore
most and IN every respect the most represcn iave es
pcclay In this matter Of securing important novelties
/ since l545, when Eah,n written 10 Birmingham
order first produced here. musical people have
always looked hher for some Of the most interesting
additions current musical production. They have
been often enough Disappointed to be sure Tor chofa
masterpieces are not always forthcoming at the demand
Of The market but the rmin CHAM programmes for tho
past forty and years show that the part played
by these festivals in stimulating musical creation has
| been 10 unlmpOrtant one.
This years festival. now closing Will take rs place
| among the less memorable though al one time the
|
dempton7 and Mors Vita" gave the chief interest to
the last two festivals. declined commission; 50 dd
Dvorak who seems 70 have acquired distaste for
English audiences and critics after the unfavorsbe
reception Of his st. Ludmls7 At Leeds two yesS ago.
Notwithstanding the SUCCESS Of his "Spectres BRIDE
in Birmingham In 1855 sir Arthur Sullivan was I'M
able produce any hing a he was requested TO DO
probably owing to tho pressure OF comic opera compo
! siton. Three novelties finally announced
Dr. A. c. Mackenzie, who will dispute with Sir Arthur
sullivan and Mr. Frederic Cowen the Of lbs lead
lns English musicians OF to-day, was 10 furnish
csntata with tho rather unpromsing tile Of " The
Cotter's Saturday Night DR. C. II. n Parry, who e.
N ugh yOuns man. In some rspess ono o. fhs best
equipped "a well as on. u the progressive Of the
newer English school. dswn fer "a sratcro.
judith whils pr. J. r. Bridge, tho young srsanss
OF Westminster Abbey wrote for the festival secular
cantsta a classical subject, "cal!rhsa' E@
thi. was not bad prospect but pr Masksnis, frsn
i'll health was unable 70 complete his work; and 50
upon tho two As yet comparatively unimpOrtsn names
OF Parry and Bridge devolvcd the Birnin CHAM repus
FOR the bringing forth Of something new IL was
scarcely be expected that they should maintain tia
high level reached by Of the recent festivals, a..
Indeed, they have not
Parrys judith was performed last Wednesday
morning. As might be inferred from ITS name 1t
deals With the exploit Of the Jewish heroine recorded
In the Apocrypha. which Or. Parry, who IS his own
lb,r'tist has with rather slender Biblical authority,
connected with the reign Of Manasseh The choice was
scarcely happy ono, and the literary treatment Is
curl0usy Ineffective Neither the character ~ the
weak king nor that Of the inwomanly assassin Of Hoo-
iernes has much attract sympathy and the aton.'
II that word may be used OF oratoriO, mild substi
tute for drama that II *, is developed with only an
Incidental allusOn 10 the real climax OF the story
But for oratoro, perhaps the chief merit OF text IL
that II gives or, At most groundwork, for
certain number OF choruses, rcctaves and airs, and
I -. To Thsr
/ Or. Parry has done well enough His music is hailed
by the conservatives a 70 me proper and
thodox methods Of oratorio writing after some entirely
unauthorized excursions into tho fields opened By the
! more modern schools Of composition Yet the music
Of Judith on the whole Will come rs dsappolnt-
rent to those who observed his work in the past
The composer employs representative themes 10 the
OF half dozen so, bur always IN the rather
mild fash affected by the present school OF English
/ composers. which generally quito fails 10 add 10 the
dramatic signfcance OF the music. and bring;
but the palcst reflection OF Wagner's colossal power
through their aid He has written also several choruses
o. f1gal character which admirable specimens OF
contrapuntal skill Handellan7 air that is excel
lent copy and several other choral and solo numbers
that arc OF curorsly differing styles, and generally
| smell strongly Of the lamp There are few numbers
| of unquestionable value-a Gty sung by Mana sehs
queen TO her children. quite in Vokston7 and OF
much charm couple OF finely developed choral fnaH-
an orchcs raj nocturne and air given TO Judith IN
7 the very beginning. But, In general there Is lack
Of any sponsneity in the work the meode invention
Is distinctly weak and the best qualities the tech
meal ones Of counterpont and ochesraton
The second novelty, It s safe 10 say, was surprise
10 nearly everybody. DR.. Bridges "Callrhoe' vas
given under the composers direction on Thursday
night II Is based pretty Greek myth. and though
only in places does II rae above prettness
II has n,uch that viii mako for time at le,st orc
Of the popular recent cantatas. Ii gsned very
prompt and iuu measure OF favor from III. festival ALL
dlence a well as from tho critic. nearly without tx
cepron. CarbOc. virgin Of Csydon. having refused
the love OF priest OF Bacchus, so the story runs tho
god aficts the people with a dire disease. The oracle
OF Dodona is consulted and from It the will of the god
Is madc known that only by tho sacrifice OF maiden
could relief come. Calllrhoe prepares herself 20 be
the victim but Coresus. the priest who loves her.
moved by his passion, offers himself In her stead
whereupon Calrhoe too. Stays herself and The pair
are changed into river gods Of no llt'le orig
lnalty IS that representing the consultation OF tn,
oracle In which the orchestral effects heightened
by the Of certain newly Invented gongS 70 repre-
sent vessels hung the grove. and moved
by the wind Here, and in the succeeding ch0rises OF
the people Of grief the sacrifice Of the young pair,
and Of Joy al their temperance as river gods Inc
best and most highly dramatic writln. in the work
which il, undenlably at times Of much visor and cS-
pressiveness Furthermore there is throughout
abundance OF fresh and spontaneous melody that gives
the cantata a peculiar charm, and one cannot help
thinking. a peculiar fitness in embodylng the sweet
and picturesque legend Of Greek antiquity one Of
the most interesting feature Of Callrhoe7 however.
is IN. exceptional freedom and orr -.nay Of the har-
monte treatment, which for Abbey organist and
Nu.. Doc Is siugulariy untranmcued by the rules
and regulations by the observance Of which, IN Eng
land especially. one gets his musical degree.
But after all, Blrm!n CHAM does NOT depend alto
sethcr upon novelties magnificent chorus Of
Midland singers trained in the good old English ira
dlIons. immense and IN most respects very admir-
able orchestra and 70 crown all, the gudin. hand OF
the greatest OF conductors, DR.. Richter should DO
enough 10 carry Birmingham festival even without
novelties To be sure marked islin. of In the at
tendance is noted in this festival In the LAST, bus
whether II IS be attributed altogether tho pro
gramme is doubtful One OF the noticeable facts IN
the late festivals has been the recognition Of the de-
mand for greater catholcity in the proGammes-a
tacit avowal OF the fact that by Handel and Mencals
~. Ill H.. seal "a -