New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-20
PALESTRINA.

work. however, and Mt the very first concert ever
~given by the Oratoro Society, December g. 1873,
an "Adoramus TIE" by Palcsrina was sung under
the direction OF DIR. Damrosch. The prominence to
be given TO Pedestrians music will, nevertheless be
one Of the most Interesting of the celebration
and for this the public is indebted to Mr. Graf, Who
believe, is Swiss priest lately come TO town from
Baltimore.
The difficulty about fixing an educational or aesthetic
Status for the music from the fact That PaleS
trina, the model in what has come to be looked upon
as the true pure ecclesiastical STYLE is consOrted
in the list with composers OF the most varied man
ners and purposes. The Pacstrina pieces will be a
"Haec dies" an % bone Jesu," an 40 beata Trim
itas" and "Sancus' and "Bcnedictus" from a
missa brevis The ompanfohs of these pieces will be
the orchestral "March Of the Three Holy Kings"
from LISTS "Christus"; lIandois Largo; Bruno
Oscar Klens setting for soprano solo and orchestra
OF Cardinal Newmanis beautiful hymn. Lead Kindly
Light: a recitave and air entitled "Ruth" by
Cesar Franck wagners Prelude to Parslfal"; Saint
saenss Involata," for soprano Ito which the Rev.
Mr.. Graf has given orchestral accompanimenO' q
"Te Deum" by the Rev. +. De Witt ID. d., ana Mr..
Klein's ode, columbus" which was performed last
October at the Columbus celebration of the Roman
Catholic societies. IIandcl's Largo" is an operate
air he original Is in "Xerxes, arranged by llcmcs-
berger; the Wagner prelude is, OF course, secular
music as such things usually considered, though
profoundly religious in spirit.
The circumstance that though comparatively little
of Pedestrians music is sung outside Of Rome, his
name is one Of the most familiar In musical history
Is due to the circumstance that he is credited
with having saved artistic music to the church when
II was in imminent danger OF prohibition The story
has so often been told and fancfully embeshed by
ignorant thoughess writers that It's present form
Is out all proportion, and has spread great deal
OF misnformaton throughout the world touching the
true state Of musical culture in the sixteenth century
This story In It's popular FORM Is TO the effect that
the sacred Office about the middle Of the sixteenth
century had become fearfuly degraded and yugaraed
b the caprice and vanity of the composers and
singers Not only the elaborate contrapuntal articles
of the writers, but also the fryoty and wordliness
OF singers had brought TO pass that the text OF
the mas was wholly unlnteligible and In perform
ance wss mixed up with those OF the secular ballads
whose melodies used by the composers. This
part OF the story had been so exaggerated In
the books that one would think that while the priest
was performing his functions at the altar the choir
was amusing itself singing brothel airs. Such
monstrous conception is wholly false, but there was
enough that Objectionable IN the settings Of the
and lis performance 10 call ont vigorous pro-
test from the Council Of Trent In 1868. The violent
reformeS wished 10 Danish figured music. as 1t was
called altogether ana return TO the plain chant The
decreta Of the Council were sent TO Pope Plus ~,
who put the whole subject into the hands OF COM
mission which had Carlo Borromeo at its head This
eminent preate tnow a saint, who lover OF
art, called Paestrina. who In 1851 had been APP
pointed chapel-master Of the Church St. Maria
Maegiore. TO write 10 prove that artistic music
might be kept honestly subservicnt to the church.
Psestrina wrote three instead of one, which
were sung by the p0ntifcal choir before the CON-
mssioners in the palace Of Cardinal vitellOzzo
vitellezzi The third OF these was the fnmons Missa
papae Marccili. which thereupon declared to be
the model for church writers to follow In the future
Three weeks later Pope Plus " heard Il In the
6stine Chapel, ana was so impressed by its beauty
that he Is reported 10 have said "Ths mnst surely
have been the harmony OF the new song which the