Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23
IN MUSICAL CIRCLES.
The Coming Performance Of the Messiah
by the Choral Society.
Good Work That This orgaafsatiea
cal Taste of washington.

The history and growth Of the Choral So
ciety Is particularly interesting a. & forms
a part Of the history Of the development OF
musical interest and musical culture In this
District. Before the chorals. the Philhar-
monte Society did a good work In presenting
oratorio and the higher forms OF musical
composition from a devotional standpoint,
but with the starting OF the chorals new ne
was infused into local musical circles and
a new interest manifested In the commun-
ity. 1t commenced work In 1883 with a high
aim and it has steadily advanced to its pres
emit standard. 1t has produced more than
one novelty in the choral line. and as an
oratorio society many Of the standard works
1t has had the assistance. on different occa-
sions. OF the best orchestras in the country.
and has given performances with a bril-
hancy and musical success equal to that Of
older and larger societies, and has afforded
to many Of the community a first oppor-
tunity 70 learn the grandeur Of great choral
works The society. both as an educator
and as an entertainer. is a credit to the city
and IT should be seen to that there Ia NO
lack Of support and encouragement
An Illustration Of the growth Of musical
education in Washington and the change In
the opinion Of outsiders as 20 the value OF
musical judgment in this city is found I'm
the fact that in 1857 the Choral Society
prepared for public performance Dudley
Bucks Light OF Asia" and shortly before
the concert notified the composer that hin
work would be given with organ accompani-
ment Mr.. Buck. while thanking the So
ciety for its interest In his work, protested
against its production without orchestral
accompaniment The orchestral parts were
in London and could not be obtained. even
If suitable orchestra could have been
brought together at that time. and 80 The
Light Of Asia was FIRST heard in Washing
ton without the support of orchestra.
Mr.. Bucks protests were given q good deal
Of publicity. appearing in print both here
and in New York. The Choral Society was
doing its best - although Mr.. Buck was
doubtless in the right. to the best eject
of his work being lost But the point OF
the story is that the musical journals took
up the matter, and said that the great
American composer was unnecessarily ex-
ercised about nothing: that II did not matter
how thing was given In Washington; the
city had no musical status whatever. and
there was no musical public here capable
Of forming opinions TO which any value
could be attached
No one would venture now to write In such
sighting strain of musical Washington.
Several factors have been at work gradually
raising the standard not only OF perform
ance. but Of criticism, till Washington now
has a really musical public with opinions
of It's own Thomas has given good music
In the past, so have Gericke. Nfkisch. seidl
and Damrosch: nearly all OF the great con-
/ law
been successful
No one local influence has contributed
| more to the spread OF musical Intelligence
and the elevation OF musical taste than
that same Choral Society. An the other
local musical organizations have assisted
in this musical development. but he Choral
I Society. from its larger membership. has
had the most potent effect. ana IL leservee
formances.
Next Thursday night, at Convention EsIL
| the Choral Society win present the ora
| torio of the Messiah" and coming, as ft
performance has a greater signifies ncs
than the ordinary concert and Will ooobt-
less inaugurate the placing OF ors-
! torio in Washington upon the high plane
( representative body OF the singers OF the
city. the soloists. Mrs. Genevra JOIN stone
Bishop. Miss Gertrude Edmands. Mr.. J.
/ H. Mckinley and Mr.. Erickson II. Bush
NELL are of the first rank: the orchestra
is the Baltimore Symphony. a well-drilled
body Of professionals, ana lastly, the prices
are within the reach Of all. even In fhess
times.
Special arrangements are being MADE
both for the lighting and The heating Of
Convention Hall for the occasion. and every
care will be exercised for the comfort ana
convenience Of the audience.
The rehearsals for the Three Dukes''
are going on very satisfactorily. The prins
cipals are well up in their parts. and the
chorus is already doing excellent work.
Mr.. Arthur Percy Harris, the composer
OF the opera, is personally conducting the
rehearsals.
The work Of preparing for a repetition
of the Juvenile performance oe ''Pinafore'
is going rapidly forward. Hr. Harry W.
Howard is conducting both cast ana chorus
rehearsals SO far as the music is con-
cerned, and the little ones are reaching
a high degree of excellence. The asst VIII
be mainly composed Of the same children
who We're so successful at the first per-
Torrance last spring. Master Nerryraan
Walker, who took the part OF Ralph
Rackstraw, is out of the city. and IN the
new cast that part viii be sung by Master
Robert Lee Cox of Georgetown. II IL Re.
lieved by the ladies' who are interested IN
this production that the coming perform
ance will be better even than the one gives