New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-25
THE CINCINNATI FESTIVAL.
OPENED WITH MENDEISSOHN'S ST. PAUL.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE CHORUS OVER THOSE OF
FORMER YEARS OTHER INTEREST-
ING FArUREs.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TLisuHAs
Cincinnati, Ohio, May 24-For the visitor from News
York the elements OF curiosity and interest In the tenth
May Musical Festival which opened here to night,
moro numerous than they have been for some years.
Such visitor, In the first place. is likely to >c con-
cerned first OF all with the chorus for that the feature
Of festival which Is local which the stud,nts Of
musical culture throughout the country look 70 as .
measure OF the taste and capacity Of a community.
The circumstance that the people OF Cincinnati have
been little slow In recognizing this fact and Q
little Jealous OF judgment based upon It, has teen to
blame for numerous heartburnings In the past but the
incidents OF the last two have been instructive,
and 1t Is possible that estimate OF tho present est
val based upon the only standard worthy OF the city
and the institution which used shed subj lnstre It,
will be received more kindly this year han such
Inmates have been received In the past
Two years ago the Cincinnati festivals which have
been practically OF biennial occurrence since 1879,
seemed to be nopelessIy decsdent nevertheless local
pride and the spirit Of the management (prdonable 10
a Snowman but not In a body Of citizens protesting to
devote their lsbors unselhshly to the pomotion Of
ar refused make public confession OF te fact ana
bitterly resented its publication. After pufu
choral exhibition, Mr.. Th)mas was quoted as saying
that IIandePs Messiah had never been sung well
Mt Cincinnati festival, and the president Of
the association, in his annual report, brcot lie
dignity far TO reflect upon the mo-
tives Of a newspaper correspondent wh) I'D rnrn.
tioued the decadence OF the festival cnir. TX
months later however the directors c0nessta nj. BY
announcing a reorganization OF the choir, AM u vA
conducted on so thorough plan that there 'as en-.
eral cause for fear that the new zeal was etcssigs
rim reta q. ,nA
unHisdom OF pouring out the baby with the or
from the bathtub had been forgotten. The reorsi
ton was conducted the basis OF individual kan.
inaton, and after much effort chorus Of about 90
voices secured.
With this choir a performance OF "Eliiah" was
given last May which is said to have been admirable;
but when 1t was accomplished, the choirmaster VINO
had effected the reorganization resigned, and he
directors were 30 discouraged the Obstacles in The
way Of what now they knew to be the chief element
OF festival that they formally resolved to abandon
their determination TO give n festival In 1892.
The tmehonored institution seemed thus to have
come to ingorlous end. but at this jgncture vas
discovered that there was pending contract With
Mr. Thomas and also Mr.. Edward Lloyd the English
tenor. For reasons which need not be inquired Into,
Mr. Thomas was unwilling to abandon the festival Of
1902. and last November the directors rcconsidGed
their resolution Since then the work OF preparation has
been carried on with most admirable vigor and thmga
the choir which sang Memberships ST. taul To-
night was the smallest In point OF numbers ofany
tina, has participated in a Cincinnati fesuva, it
was much more efficient than tile choir Of 1890. Ac-
cor,iing to the official list 1t numbered Job
voices, distributed as follows: sopranos, 40;
contratos, 1OG ienoE, 80: BASES. IS.
This shows, VI course, Unbalanced choir. ant tho
manner Ia which Mr.. Thomas turned loose lib n'
srumenal forces. including the great organ In Mem
delssohn's score. Indicated something OF willingness
the relationship between singers and piyers
which used to prevail In the days Of landed
and Bach when the insrumentalists always out
numbered the singers. Nevertheless the result housh
not what the Cincinnati standard ought TO exaf. Was
on the whole satisfying; and the fHeis u
the festivals who have watched their pro-
gress with afrectonate zeal during the nine'
teen years OF their existence, must hav felt
@ swelling Of the heart tonight which they haze nos
been privileged to feel for six years at least. Tie
possibility of return to an artistic standard Or tie
choral features Of the festival was prcngured.
The second feature in which the visitors from
the East felt a curiosity and interest never
felt before tile orchestra. Heretofore the band
has come from NewYork. This time 1t comes rom
New-lork Also but by way OF Cltasot
10 is Mr.. Thomass Chicago orchestra. aug
mented 10y CplcbMati musicians to swell liz
numbers TO ll3, IN the ordinary distribution
Of Instruments. Concerning the capacity AID char
acteristcs OF this band shall have something say
hereafter. Its duties tonight being confined u play
Ing the Accomplishments IN the oratorio, there ~
test OF It's real metle. That will whea
Beothovea's Heroic symphony is played TO morrow
night.
The solo singers, barring few Of lccI habitatioA
and name, who to take part In the festival hav,
sung so often In New. York that the,
cannot be included in the l..t OF TEXTURES which
deserve the special atteltion Of Ea>terL
reviewer but Third cement Of Interest Is
found IN three choral WORKS which 70 be given:
A cantata by Ait.Et Becker, Anton Buckner's F." Is
Deum7 and Dvoraks Requiem. rlc inst two 4
these wo..s have not yet been heard ii
New York. and they are exceedingly interesting.
Mr. Thomas and the festival forces have worked
with tremendous energy during tie last lour days. and
zeal apd effort in both the business and artistic de-
partinent can rehabilitate tie festivals may cx-
lrct 10 that mos; desirable thing accomplished. The
public Interest has been thoroughly aroused. ard the
audience present tonight promising for the
financial and social II the undertaking; and
financial and social success goes very lar toward
ning the soul of the average Gncinnaan with salts
faction.
The audience, Mry, numbered about
$500 persons. aud gracious In de-
meanor brilliant In appearance and most eratifyngy
apprcciatve and discriminating. This was shown by
their treatment Of the singer who sang the parts
please Mr. Loyds artistic singing WIS admired,
especially In the air BE Thou Faithful; MIS-.
Corinne Moore Lawson. a great local iavonts was
warmly rewarded for all tat she did, but Ill inc
part the most unqualified and the best deserved
success by Miss Ida NJ smith. the con-
tralto, also local artist. who knew how 70 sins
from the head well rs III, heart. H. H. n