New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-29
MUSIC.
ACIS AND GALATFAr

It suggests n rather singular commentary on the
average sense OF consistency That Mr. DamrOsch should
announce performances Of two works OF Handel IN
CommemoIaton Of the 10th anniversary Of the first
production OF "The Messiah and In one should mani.
fest q desire to get back to the primitive method Of
performance while in the other he deliberately flies
in the face not only of tradition but Of the expressed
,r,sh NJ tho composer himself. "Acls and Gaatca -
was performed at the Music Hall last night as n
stage pay-that is TO say In n manner as that
OF q stage play was possible. Handel composed
this work for concert performance. Ten years after
ward he gave his sanction to a performance with
scenery but refused 10 countenance the plan Of trying
10 act It. The circumstances Of the case contain
a plain indication Of the composers wishes and
reasons in the premises. On Nav 10 1882 an nm.
authorized performance OF the work given In the
Haymarket Theatre. London. II was announced as
q pastoral drama and as an inducement the dis
honest manager said that II should be given with all
the chorses scenes machines and other decorations
being the first time It ever performed In q
theatrical way" Handel seems to have been power
less to prevent the infringement OF his rights but he
promptly arranged performance on his own account
at the Kings Theatre for June TO- when he correctly
defined his work as "a serenata' md said that 1t
would be given with great number Of the best
voices and Instruments" There was to be "no action
on the stage but the will represent, in pict
uresque manner. rural prospect with rocks. groves
a chorus Of nymphs and shepherds and every decora
ton suited to the subject 1t something OF this
NATURE that the OF the first performance
OF the socalled Handel festival had led us to expect
Instead Mr.. Damrosch gave us something vastly
different. The scene was pastoral one, but show
scene. The chorus OF nymphs danced on an of the
stage and the characters sang to and Of each other
sometimes simultaneously and while In each others
arms as IN Acis,s air, Love in her eyes sits play
ing This walking on and off and addressing each
other In the third person made up the bulk OF the
action OF the piece, and It such action as could
not by any means have brought the blush OF modesy
to the cheek Of the most timorous sunday-school
teacher brought up to avoid the theatre rs the open
door to perdtOn. But there action at the close
action fright the soul Of the lovers OF poetic verify
and greve the soul of the lovers OF the classic legend
oily swift thou massy ruin, ayi
Die, presumptuous Acis, die
sang Polyphcmus and then nstend Of heavng the
death with his staff. Galatea. however, was not
deceived. She knew what was essentlal to the
ing his length on the fiat ground, In null view OF al
Blu Must / my Acis stin bemoan,
Inglorous crushed beneath that stoneT 80,
Then the moon the Mediterranean S'a and the
chorl,ers grouped themselves most arti>ucay ID pal,
ArtemisS light and their comfort 10 the sDui vi
Galaea til the enthusiasm OF the spectators anu hs
principals and Mr. Damrosch II was al very stmng,
and some lovers of Iandcls music thought that IL
poet Gray been respected and the imagination been
called on to supply the incidents suggested IN hc poem
which incapable o. stage 3nt tS er
were MANY In the audience who belonged 10 tie class
spoken of by Mr. Lncon-they liked that sort OF thihg
and for those who like that sort OF ming Mcis ana
(nlapnr rs stage PLAY is the kind Of thing they like
As for the singing OF Miss De We're (Galatcal, MISS
Pevny Damon Iandel wrote the part Tor tenor
was remarkably good and though the chorus OF we'll
known church singers did not distnguish themselves
I'll then they sang the chorus Mourn. all yc MUSES.,
with marvellous effect The performance was pre-
coded BY a concerto crosse for strings In Gminor by
handel In which the Obbligato first and second violin
and violoncello excelenily played by Adolf
Brodsby Jules Reonns and Anton llehking Inc at
tendance did not Indicate warm interest In the ex
pertinent on the part OF the public. The performance
will be repeated this afternoon for the benefit OF the
st. Johns Guild.