New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-18

PERI. "EURIDICE"-CONCERT OF THE
MANUSCRIPT SOCIETY-NOTES
AND COMMENTS

"Euri1ice" last Thursday evening was an extremely
interesting incident OF the musical season whether
il served fully rs purpose OF instruction may be
doubted. since little done 10 Inform the
audience concerning the character and historical
significance of the composition. y rev remarks
from the stage explanatory Of its relation TO the
dramatic music which preceded it and That 70
which IT finally led would have served good pur-
pose. Peri's work stands midway between the mod
ern lyric drama as developeI by Wagner. and the
tragedy OF the ancient Greeks u was the product
Of effort made by art lovers and scholars IN
s3rcl by the Of learning. to reconstruct
what they conceived to be the drama of the classic
Greeks and Romans. It led within a few decades
to the italian opera. which. after running course
which might perhaps be most sententiously ana
comprehensvely described course OF musicah
evolution and dramatic degeneration. H. now re-
turning 10 a conception similar to that To WhIch
it owed is invention. ParadoXical as II might nave
seemed t. those who sat in the berkeley Lyceum
Thursday evening. i; would have been enilreN
correct and wise to have asked the audience TO lis
ten to the pastoral scenes which were represented
marginal note Wagner's art. There were
several things in the performance which made 1t
somewhat difficult remain consistently In seri-
mood but it is proper that utter1nce should
be given to a hearty word Of appreciation OF the
spirit which prompted Mr. Sargent to make 50
unique an experiment. The suggestion, VIC imagine,
came from Mr.. j. f. Botume. principal In the opcr-
attic department Of the academy. and II may De
said that by this we'll as by his part OF the work
OF representation he gave evidence OF degree and
kind of scholarship and interest In artistic culture
such all too rare among American musicians
The chapter Of musical history which relates to
Peris "Euridice" is perhaps "a familiar as any eX-
Cept those dealing with the art il Is practised to-
day. In its essentials 1t is easily summed up Tn"
end Of the sixteenth century coterie OF schoI
ars and amateur musicians In Florence who desired
70 re-establish the relationship which they knew
from the books had existed between music
and the drama. The revival Of learning had made
the classical tragedy dear 10 their hearts. They
knew that that tragedy in sense musical
throughout. In their efforts To- bring about an in
timacy between dramatic poetry and music they
found that nothing could be done with the polite
art IT existed In their time. 1t was the period
highest development i'm the ecclesiastical music.
and the climax 90 artinciality. Tho professional
musicians scorncd their theories and would not help
them and they were compelled to IA! back on
their own resources They cut the Goriian kno;
and invented a style Of music which they
fanced be- like that used by the ancients in
their stage plays. They abolished poyphony. or
contrapuntal music. in everything except their
choruscs and invented a style OF musical declama-
ton. using variations Of pitch and harmonies built
up "A simple bass % give emotional lie to their
words. In choosing their clements they were guided
by study OF the vocal infections produced IN
speech under stress OF feeling thereby showing a
recognition OF those fundamental principles upon
which Herbert Spencer has built up his theory of
tn genesis % music II is not inconsistent with au
appreciation Of the significance ~ The reform
effected hy the Florentine lterat TO say that -.
performance last Wednesday demonstrated that
their lyric dramas were mono,onous in the long
stretches Of musical defamation. supported only /
by chords played keyed Instruments guitars and
!utcs behind the scenes. but Il ought also - b..
said that their defamation. with its occasional !
use Of expressive phrases u melody. was more
rational. more effective and moro beautiful than /
the rectativo - tho Italian opera of seventy i've
years ago. There arc indeed passages IN rcr's !
"Eurldice" Ike the address ~ Oruhcus after Venus
has left him IN the underworld -"Funcatc plogrc" /
AM the song with which on his return with En- |
'iiiee he greeis thc lght OF day. "V!,i'e a. milo |
cthto -wh.N' ar" - dramatically moving nc any /
thing OF thu same kind n tho lyric dramas ~ to-
day Neither Of thes- passages occurred I'm tho r-r
ment performed last Thurs.lay hui their eilri,
was suggested in tho lament o., Orph.Is ON hearing
OF H.. death Il Elrdlre. The FUN effectiveness wa
also ntcrfcre1 with by the absence - good voices
and tho s'lt"d pantonlme Of TIE students. Thor.
IS enough Of the ridiculous n the stgros and poses
Of pesrt'an novice to turn a death scene INTO 81
roaring farce.
The a"com'auimeuts were rl,y,I upon & piano
fort", the ngur'I bass being written pu. lob 81 dis
Greet manner without attempt ~ ngurntl.u 81 any
Kh1. II "'hh nav" been r...ih.. - hiyo a;-
p'Achr! n"T"i th" orie.u4l eject ha3 30 occurred
M i''tuNl' - f'tl uf 10 NJ " Steiner
som" ~ his archaic kcscl Instruments. Ar the
original representation ~ "Eg-lI.cc" in honor 20,
u" marrag" 81 Maria &~lc. ami Henry " Of
France IN" band p.lycl los n,berren an ms.
-ician'. consisted y gravcembao. Il chittar,nc a
'rs' Tyre AMI ltrs" iu'". So much. together with
~" names Of m" singers and players may b.
EARNED from TIE preface which P,H gave his work
when b" published 81. There can ne no uucsft,n
mat t"r'" Hhics were also used ln a Scene which
a'''i uhc'"'roiibe amusement last THURSDAY
ms Shcih"fi comes into the scene singing a
song to orphcuF. and playing ~ Intervals q rtor-
ltH' on I'm instrument called by Peri a ''iripl. !
in'e' such an Instrument unknown 10 the an
@enis ana IS purely tho fantastic creation oc Slrnnr
PERI VINO for the sake Of an independent instru.
rental piece" ID" only one IN the drama. gave nm
iddit'"n"i Pir" 10 the ancient double nutc The I .
music IA graceful little melody I'm the sf,l. ~ rho
'iHrrd"i with two supporting voices one a bnss 4
h" other an alto voice thri below the melody 4
ir. Hotlme permitted his shepherd to blow ON th,
ripe mute, hut produced the tones supposed IN | !
ome from IN" pipes on tho pianoforte-an inc,n-
isency that gave rise TO considerable amusement d
There have boon many concerts pibl,c and rrl -
ate. of the Manuscript Society which ha,. raised II
oubs in the minds of thc Judlcious toucbn,, tbo \
aiue oi that institution In the musical life Of tho :
ity The average Of creative talent and learning g
Inhibited by the compositions which have been die 8
HE'D by performances has not been large and :.
he thought has frequently arisen whether ar no,
ne society was deserving Of any consideration an
he part Of IN" serious minded people I'm view Of l
hcsc facts 1t Is gratifying 10 be able to say that
ne last public meeting for this season held last Il
Wednesday evening in Chickcring Hall was more y
han ordinarily interesting. The programme con-
aimed an overture entitled. Hector ana Andr,- II
lachc, by Henry *. Bailey. Of Boston: Two nave :"
l"nts Of Rustic Suite" for orchestra by Fer
inand Dunklcy Of Albany: song. "Bcyond." for -
'htrIi"' with orchestral accompaniment hy :. y S
enfield, 4 "Conccrtstdck" for violin ana orches- y
RI. 10y Paul Miersch. Of New York. 4 part song u
n mixed voices. "GO. Hold White Roses bv Vic
~ Harris OF New York. an overture "rrnnc.sc,
Il Rlmini.' 10y Arthur Fooic. Of Klrton: = art-
lduc air for tenor and orchestra, "kn1mef. hN
Omrr y. bartlett: pirt-sOng for mems voices
The Phantom ',ondOiier" by Addison r. Andrews y
New lork. ana some bale; music and Il march ! r,
ON an opera entitled 'Ncra." by Martin Rocdrr | IN
Boston or all this music the compositions which | -,
im" from boston we're most nDteWortny. Mr. -
OCtcs overture of which this journal spoke words Il
priif. ny h.