New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-07
MUSIC.
DvORAK,S "SPECTRE,S BRIDE"

DVORAK'S "SPECTRE'S BRIDE"
On March 90 1856 Dvorah's cantata The spcctre's
Bride" which had been composed for the Birmingham
Festival OF the preceding year. performed by tie
Brooklyn Philharmonic Society under the direction OF
Mr.. Thomas. Possibly that fact kept 1t out OF the
repcrtory OF the Oratorio Society and deprived
New-iork of the privilege OF hearing it. II Is not
easy 10 find any other explanation Of the neglect OF
one Of the most charming and feasible OF modern
choral composition. For years conductors have
lOngcd for works IN this department Which
should combine sufficient dignity, scope and beauty
to fill evening, stimulate the fancy and charm
the senses OF Che listeners. II was known that Dr.
Dvoraks canata met all these requirements. yet until
last night Ncw-Iork had no performance OF IT, ana
In order that obvious duty TO the work. lis
composer and the public should be performed IL was
necessary to invoke extraordinary circumstances Inc
Church Choral Society had to burden Itself with obi
cations and tasks outside OF its Legitimate field oil
activity the concert had to be given In the name
OF charity. The occasion served 10 put In bright
light the zeal industry and devotion o! Mr.. RchaN
Henry Warren and hi, singers. though it served also to
emphasize the hardness of Newlork In doing )isuce
to a work that has been heard and has found favor IN
several of the smaller cities OF the United states
"Thc Spectres BRIDE" Is an entirely unconvennohai
work lis subject matter Is part Of Aryan folklore
There IS probably not one OF TIE lndoGermamc peolieS
that retln In some form the ola tale Oh inc
coming Of ghos:y lover fer his BRIDE the Journey
through night OF horrors and the grewsome denouc
mont IN a churchyard Burgers ballad, "Lenore,'
which sir Walter scott paraphased Is the most noaoe
literary setting that the old tale has received.
Rotcmian poem, ~ X. j. Erbcn which lacks the sue
cInctness and dramatic orcculncss Of the older iok
songs. provided DNorak with his text Being largely
narrative II puts something OF clog on 'he COM
poser's fancy, though one must nevertheless au"re
many of the devices OF dramatic expression which he
used 10 keep M the interest The story Is treated
hall
dramatic STYLES being blended. but higher potency
than ordinary Is infused In Tn" orchestral part whch Is
the true expostor Of the superaturasm OF the sory'
and resort had &c the system OF typical phrases
free style OF antphon between baryone SOLO ana ''S
tells the story while the individual utteranees oil The
spcctrc and his BRIDE given to solo voices, tenor
and sourono There are of them quasi
dramatic Numbers three OF them duets In which re-
current melodic phrases used with spcndiu Skill
TO work up climax. The work Is aiileht III meiouS'
the orchestral coong is most striking and enec'Ne'
the harmones expressive and the rhyths Iasclhauhs
In their variety. II any shortcomings are 10 be noen
In work SO full OF merits, they are to be traced 10
Dr. Dvoraks want OF real dramatic Characterization
the Inconsistency between the contents OF the poem
and the phrase which is used the principal tema'ic
factor in the musical fabric, and the nonoiony WHICH
In spite Of the ingenuity Of the score resulted from
the excessive amount OF narrative in the work But
when one Of these deficiencies can be mentioned there
than the "Requiem,7 this work shows DR.. DvoraK
as a naive creator OF music who finds happiness and
reward for his labors in music pure and simple
This score was less buidened with the evidences OF
reflection than any one Of the works which have fol
lowed It, save possibly the symphony In q. 1t was
pleasure 10 hear IL though the conditions OF thc
performance were not all that the work calls for.
Considering that the Church Choral Society has had
It's hands fun OF it, regular work this season
its zeal in learning the cantata is highly commendbe
and in somewhat startling contrast with the conduct
OF choral societies in general. The choir Is not
large. but is not embarrassed with much dead
wood as most singing societies, and the volume OF
tone was fairly adequate More 10 the purpose was
its excellence OF quality. which showed itself es-
pecialy in the early part Of the work before the
descriptive portions had been reached which made
mere utteance OF the notes thing not 10 be under
taken lightly. Had Mr.. Warmers leading been
more virie ana the 500 singers pee yie VII" tb
performance would have been one Of notable e4eeenJe
singers we're Miss Lillian Blauyeit. soprano Mr..
James II. Ricketson tenor and Mr. George W.
Ferguson, barytone The latter Is newcomer on
our concert stage, who halls from Minneapolis, and
is to he the solo BARITONE Of Grace Church; the
voices of all three are agreeable IN 'imbre and Their
dramatic intensity in the music than taey succeeded
In @osG az N. into or The Of s
and Sunday Hospital Associations and the audience was
gentle and refined One thong" v %@y 90 ~.
ing character Of the work and the prascworhiness OF
the charity. . ,., A., ...o...
and before the cantaa conducted the orchestra In
nerformance Of his Husitzka7 overture. This re
mains one OF the strongest and most inspriiing OF
his compositions, and II was pleasure 10 near u
under his baton The phrase OF melody. which plays
so important role In II. IS genuine relic OF the
weriod in bohemian history which Is celebrated In
the overture IL IS war song Of the fifteenth cen
,urv Uusstes and. ms the story goes II helped Ia
win the battle Of Taus fought between the IIussifcs
and the army brought together by Pope Eugene "
and Cardinal Julian. on August u, 1431. The
Jus,ite army advanced. singing the hymn. " kdoz
jse Bozi bojovncl.7 with It's stern resoluir lncx-
oradc rhythm. and before they were within iour
miles Of their enemies the latter fled incontncnty
taken and SLAIN The ancient copy Of the hymn Is
preserved in the University at Prague