New-York tribune., 1891-05-09
MUSIC.
THIRD NIGHT OF THE FEsTIvAL.

There was considerable food for thought In the music
performed at the fourth Of Mr. Damrosehs festival con-
certs last night. The programme had tnrce nvlsions
The first introduced an archaic setting Of the story Of
tho Cr,cifxion. by Heinrich schuetz' emitted Tho
seven Words Of Our SAVIOR its interest was purely
historical. Tho second division was also devoted TO
music hitherto unheard In New-York, two unaccom
panied choruses. sPster Noster' and Legend" by 4.
Tschaisowsky 10 the intrinsic charm which they had
as compositions added tho fact that their per
formance conducted by the composer whose pres
cnce has been the chief source OF bnlliancy In The
weeks festivities The third division brought per.
formance of DIR. Damroschs setting in cantata form OF
verses from the Cantcles entitled "salamith': In
terest in 1t was largely sentimental. being inspired
by the amable desire TO do honor 10 the Of the
founder Of the Oratorio aud symphony societies
The composer OF "Thc Seven Words fills an ex-
tremely interesting place in musical history For
sixtytw years, before his death in 1872 he was
Chapel Master TO the Eector OF saxony The over
eIghty-seven years old when he died. and during the
greater part of that time looked tho fore
most composer Of Germany. lie was pupil OF
Giovanni Gabriel, head Of the Venitlan School. and
his works arc the link that connects the music OF Italy
with that Of Germany. Tho former WIS In fullest
bloom when Scetz who, in accordance with the usage
Of learned men at the time. called himself by the
Lanixed form OF his name, saggitsrns) shot his ar
rows across the continent and carried the pollen from
Italy TO Northern Germany century later tie Teur
tonic art blossomed In the great Bach In one
Of whose grandest creations, "Tbe Passion Accord
ing to St. Matthew" VIC recognize tho rs
growth OF certain germs dlscernible In tho WORK
sung last night Unfortunately there is no music Of
Bachs in the festival scheme, so the relationship be-
tween schuetz and that Titan could disclose itself
directly TO the listeners but I'm to-nghts performance
Of Handers "Isael in Egypt students may SEQ
another stupendous elimination Of the tendencies In
composition which the short oratorios OF scbueSs
helped TO introduce into the art 1.-The Seven Words
stand midway the old Passion service OF the
early Church II was presented down to the time od
Luther and even later, and the Passion oratonos OF
Bach In that early service, which was feature OF
the devotional exercises OF Holy Week, the custom oo
tained of dividing the reading OF the scriptursa
story Of Christs suffering and death between three
deacons. The Gregorian plain song was used. one
deacon chanted the words OF the Evangelist one thoso
of Christ and the third the utterances OF the disciples
and people, The dramatic element, though nodes,
is yet observable in this custom, and those VINO arc
willing to give speculation free wing may see III 'he
employment OF the GregOran chants relic OF that ex-
ceedingy primitive time when music was an ih'egrai
element of all solemn speech. In the "PassohS OK
Bach the plain song has given way TO free recifatve
inspred by dramatic truthfuness in the part OF the
narrator TO coruses in the part Of the third Deacon
while the words OF Christ stll uttered In single
voice. In the "St. Matthew Passion among me
devices used by Bach to lift the figure OF CHRIST into
significance Is that Of reservng the strings OF uho
orchestra for him alone OF the solo speakers, the mar
| ratve being accompanied on the ccmbil5. Baeh also
followed a custom already fixed I'm his day. Of utilizing
the congregation for function similar 10 that Of tie
chorus In the Greek tragedyhs BODY interspersed tho
recital Of the Passion with songs sung 10 familiar
tunes, the sentiment of the hymns being appropriate
TO the stage OF the tragic story reached at the moment
OF their introduction. This element had further
artistic sblimation in the aas and cheruses miro
duced to words supplied by the religious poets OF the
| tlme the narrative proper and all the dialogue d.
rectly connected with 1t being given In the words OF
Scripture.
This descriptive outline of the Passions in their
highest and latest form will help Us 10 appreciate
| the historical value Of the archaic work
| performed last night. It's textusl contents
are an account OF the Crucidxion compiled from the
four Evangelists The Seven Words are tile seven
utterances of Christ upon the cross:
l. Father, forgive them, for they know not what
II. . woman, behold thy son'
| III. "Behold thy motherln
"; @yerly, / say unto thee To-day shalt thou
v. My God. My God. why hast Thou forsalen
VI al thirst,
| VII. at is finished. Father, into Thy hands
| commend my spirit"
The Gospel narrative is carried very much Ia
| the indicated above, except that the two
| thieves ndivduali1cd by solo voices well az
Christ and that twice the Evangelist IS fouryoicef
| instead of one. This latter feature seems like
relic Of an old style OF Passion recitation, in which
the entire story sung antphonally by two choirs
| but We Imagine that its significance In schuetLi
scheme lay the fact that the words thus uttered r
harmony by four voices words in which the four
Evangelists, Matthew, Mark Luke and John, are In
| accord no one Of them having recorded all OF the
] Seven Words" which, curously enough In Schuetzh
work are eight. two having been included in the last
paragraph OF the scheme as printed above This
| tha faot thafth thA has
each time changed the voice of his evangelist when
narratng the episodes which the individual prop
erty of single account. Thus cOntrao tells OF the
episodes borrowed from st. Matthew soprano thos
| borrowed from St. Luke, and tenor those borrowed
| from st. John. Mr. Damrosch's study OF the worh
evidently not having brought this fact to his notice
| gave tine two four-part narrations to the chorus,
thus at destroying the composers dramatic idea
and permitting the representative OF the e0nTegottoa
| TO interfere in the recital The congregational
| chorale OF tho latter Passion Is suggested by
| schuetz's "Introitusn and "Conclusio' which con-
| sist of two stanZas Of hymn sung by fuii
chorus in which, however, chorale melodies are nos
used More interesting than these brief choral nunocs
| is an instrumental symphony" which is hye-voIced,
and last night was played by the srnged quintet cf
the band This symphony, written in the vocal style
Of the period is played after the choral Introduction
and before the choral conclusion thus separating the
| story Of the Passion from the comments OF the
congregation Of worshippers For the narrative tsen
free dramatic recitative is used with accompaniment
| for q keyed instrument the composer prescribes
the organ In Historic der Anferstehung Jesu
Chrlstn work that is in respects more interest
ing than the Seven Words" though the plain song
is used in the narrative) and two instruments besides
the bass accompany the words OF the savior Ihis
early anticipation of Bachs muchlauded and wonder
fully effective device also the Introduction OF the
instrumental movements and the essentially dramatic
spirit Of the whole setting all point back TO the im
pulse which the composers talent received from the re
form instituted by the Florentne terau who In the last
decade OF the sixteenth century and first Of tie seven
tecnth broke the shackles OF counterpont which till
then had bound music and invented the lyric drama.
This movement which rise TO the italian opera,
was cxering an irresistible influence during the years