New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-12
MUSICAL COMMENT.
EDGAR TINEL AND HIS ORATORlO, 81
FEANCIS'-ANNOUNC

one OF the most interesting features OF the musical
season nov drawing To "A close will the production
hy the Oratoro society Friday and saturday this
week Of Edgar Tlnes "St. Francis The work Is
called an oratorfo but in matter, manner ana spirit
IT departs widely from ordinary historical con
ccpilon Of what an Oratorio IS ought to be. 1w"
weeks ago 1t produced by the Philharmonic
society in Berlin, whore II made profound impres
sion upon public and critics alike. Novelties IN the
depart mrnt OF oratOrio have not aroused inncn inter
est I'm Ncw-l0rk as rule heretofore, but We doubt
not st Francis would be looked forward to with
eagcrncss 1t known how unconventional Is Hs
STYLE. how varied its sentiments how fascinating
some features Of It's musical nvestiturc. An init
nation Of these things be derived from an ont
line OF IFS book and n description OF the treatment
which the subject has received AT the hands oi P"e'
and composer. An opinion OF the value OF IN" music
must OF course wait upon the performance. For the
rest We are bchodcn the beautiful pianoforte score
published by Br,ithopf & laerte.
Tho st. Francis who Is celebrated In this oratorio
Is the saint Of ASSIST whose story Is told, or rather
eyemplItcd in three lyrlcdramatic scenes for which
Flemish poet named Lodewiik de- koninck pro
ylded the verses In the besides the original
text there are transatlons into French and German
An English version was made for the use OF the
Oraoro Society In Leipsc. The work Is divided
like Gaul into three parts, Part deals with the
pleasures; Part II with his clolster life; Part III
with his death and Qualification. The mode OF treat
mcnt Is scmdramatic Francis and the other persons
concerned are characters In play without action
like Elijah, the widow. the child and Others In Men
desohn', oratorios The Incidents intended to HIS
trae the three phases Of life OF IN" SAINT are pre-
pared and their phases brought together by recital
which Is sung IN Il sort Of ario>o style by a tenor
chorus In unison. In this the work Is unique Bach
I'm his Passions Uses single voice that of the Evan
s,ll,u; Dvorak In the narrative part OF his "spectreS
Bride uses full chorus. rs Is done In the majority
Of choral ballads In the first part We are introduced
10 Francis in the character which tradition endowS
him with in his youth. lie I, Young man OF the
world rich fond Of gayety and gifted with the art of
song He In the midst Of party OF jewellers
After a dance they call on him for II song. The
suggestion came To the poet doubtless from the fact
that A lad Francis familiar with the Romano
Language. the songs OF the trouhadours that u"
WAS called the little Frcnchman." In keeping With
bi, nature as one who lavish In his bounty 10
the poor he sings chvalrcsquc ballad In which
Poverty +, represented Il, a lady who is held cap
tive by n giant and rescued 10y n gallant knight to
whom she gives her hand In marriage The sym
hol,m Is obvious. ON the way home with his
friends rranci, hears angelic voices calling To him
from heaven ana consecratcs himself to God. AT the
outset Of second part the narratng chorus tells OF
fine wolm condition OF the world and the Church.
and I'm separate choruses we hear the efforts made
by Hope. Love and Peace, on the on" hand, ana
He'll Hate and War the other. to enlist mankind
in their service. Francis meets his old comrades
who wit him with the meanness OF his dress ana are
told that he Is bctrothcd to the daughter OF king
They ask her name and he sings song OF Dame
Poverty the poem In the lihrrtto like that OF
song Ia the sun and to Love which occur later,
being "A paraphrasc Of medieval hymn the author
shin of which tradition ascribcs TO the Nerable 81
Francis The second song illustrates the growth oil
ihr Franciscan order the third he sings III obedience
to a call from heaven. Part III brings The Dying
,dumnton of Francis To his brethren. an angels
song OF "Glory to Cod blended with chant from
tho Mass for the dead. Lux aeterna uceat Ell etc;
sup,sS,d TO sung In Church. An orchestral funeral
march and "A final double choru, OF glonicatlon