New-York tribune., 1893-12-03
MUSIC.
THE ORATORIO SOCIETY.

THE ORAIORlO SOCIEl1.
II Is to De- feared that far as the public are
concerned the performance of Grels solemn mass
for sixteen voices. unaccompaned is almost a
thankless thing. 1t gratifies Mr.. Damroschs artsuc
nature, it delights the musicians who come TO near
it, and 1t is fine aesthetic and artistic indication
for the singers. All these things are good ana IL
would be a fine thing If it could also be truthiuiy
said that a performance Of the work met as much
appreciation from the public in general as 1t has
met each time that it has been sung from those
concerned in the performance. But unaccofnpanled
vocal music of the old style has little place IN ,he
economy of the modern concert-room. III Is piuiui
that this should be So but the fact cannot De
blinked. True understanding and love for capeiia
music are not cultivatev in our churches ana the
tendency OF the theatre which is dominant IN our
concert-rooms. has carried the many far away
from the province in which simple and pure beauty
Of tone beauty of harmony and beauty of voice
progression make appeal. Music like that Oh "'eh
mass is uplifting but it Is not exciting II charmS
the ear il soohes the soul and 1t fires the intellect
but IL does irrtate the nerves or stimulate 'he
superficial fancy or produce ntoxicaton OF the
nearer emotions and hence 1t fails Of effect with
the lovers of dramatic music. The number OF those
who enjoy 1t wholly is necessarily small, like the
number of those who know and enjoy chamber
music its real value. In giving such music, now
ever Mr. Damrosch performs service to art Ior
which the community should be grateful. Inc re-
ward will come in time, and will be none the less
real because 1t may not be apparent to the careless
observer. The refinement of taste and gentleness
of feeling which it is bound TO promote VIII beneht
all other musical activities of a lofty kind.
The mass which was sung by the Oratoro So
ciety at its first concert this season in the Music
Hall last night was given first March q and 2s
1889 The next year it was repeated, so that II mas
figured three times in Mr. Damroschs schemes
Though it is scarcely practicable to perform
Of ito cha "
of hundreds of amateur singers. the early per-
formances were notable achievements. certainly the
most striking which Mr.. Damrosch has placed to
his credit in all his varied and Industrious career
Were IL not for the fact that there Is large
unstable element in all our singing societies. every
repetition OF the work ought to have added to It's
effectiveness and that OF last night been the best
of the series but the fact Is that every choral
society must be recruited. not only every season.
but more or less for every concert consequently
there Is but little reliance to be placed past
achievements. The ideal choir for music like this
is body of eighty or one hundred proies-
sonal cathedral choristers: only with such choir
and with solo singers trained in the spirit OF the
old polyphonic style. which precludes every thought
of individual assertion. can complete exposition
Of the beauty which lies in the music be MADE.
IMPURITIES of information, want OF precision III at
tack and lack of balance between the parts are Ut
terly ruinous of the composer mentions .hutr n
the circumstances, II was remarNaDis , lnst Mr, NJ
Damrosch accomplished what he ala win une
oratoro Society and his body gf SOLO SINGERS. RS
homoreneity Of voice quality In the more difficult
portions he found it necessary to support the cholr
with the organ. which was also subversive OF
the purely vocal effect contemplated 10y the com
poser but was much preferable To "A collapse OF the
tonal edifice The solo quartets were composed OF
the following singers IL being understood that there
is no difference between them Ia respect Of i'm
portance: First quartct-Mss lillian Bhuvelt,
soprano; Mrs. Carl Aves. contralto: william II.
Rieger. tenor. and \. pahm.Pet, rsen. bass Sec
ond ot,artet-Mrs. Theodore Toedf soprano; Miss
Marie Maurer contralto: William Dennison. tenor.
and Alfred Hallam. bass. Third quartet-MisS
Marie Van, soprano; Miss Triz.h Hamlen con
tralto; William r. Williams, tenor and Frederick
Reddall bass Fourth quartet-,me yosefu Mid
decke-Merckens. soprano Miss Elizabeth y. Boyer;
contralto: Charles Herbert Clarke. tenor ana
Charles B. Hawiey, bass OF these singers MIS-. MS
Rleger Mr. Haam and Mr.. fIIwley took part in
the performances Of 1859 and 1880 with such material
careful study and long practice might have accom-
plIshed results more finished In detail than those
OF last night but there was so much 10 delight one
in ali the Incidents OF the performance that II
seems churlish To cavil at anything. As an In
teresting fact in connection with the solo voices
IL may be mentioned that the third quartet was
composed OF the solo singers OF the Lafayette
Avenue Presbyterian Church. Brooklyn.