New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-24
MUSICAL COMMENT.
CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONs-THE MUSICAL
ART SOCIETY-"LOHENGRI AT THE
OPERA-OTHER THINGS.


The musical season has reached It's height al the
gladdest and most gracious time OF the year
Chrstmastide offers for our contemplation the
principal musical institutions Of the city In run
activity each with its distinctive character STAMPED
upon IT, The opera has brought forward nearly all
its factors. and concerning those siilI hein j."
allegiance popular curiosity is not large How many
more novelties we may expect. the MANAGEMENT
only can say since the preliminary announcement
in the prospectus is OF that delightfuly vague
elastic and uncompromsing character with which
many seasons OF Italian opera in the past nave
made familiar. The repertoire VIII he seec'e"
from the following operas" may mean much OF
little as the management wills. In the present IN
stance II NAV mean that Verdis "FalstaH SAINT
Saenss "Samson ct Da,ila' and fhryhe anu
Massenet's "Esclarmonde' and "Thals are 10 pe
vouchsafed us. in addition to the ola hs'' ih"'
were a contamination devouty TO he wished ou'
hope for much is to he almost 100 ""''nS'
One who could let his feelings carry him thus far
could also believe that Tristan und Isolde VIII De
given as has been much talked about, with Jean
de Reszke as Tristan and Nine Norlica as Isolde.
But come what may (and the public mas commence
In the goodwill generosity and enterprise OF
Messrs Abbey and Grau), the measure Of the com
panv has been taken by the patrons OF the opera
and the measure OF the public's approval by the
management. The satisfaction seems To De "u'uh'
which is a pleasant reflection ana appropriate W
the time So also with the concert organizations
Philharmonic. symphony anu ofh'olio
disclosed that the promises of their proSpec'nseS
are TO be honestly and brilliantly redeemed. Inc
artists who have come to us from abroad-isaSc'
Thomson Stavenhagen and Gerardy are con
steaton OF peculiarly scintillant stars. that VIII
shine on to the end OF the season without loss OF
refulgence. All IL we'll with music "A Srauiyi"sN
high standard is being honorably upheld ana al
occasional lapse from 1t brings It's own revenge.
The climax OF the seasons lovelincss was reached
~ he
neyie Hall last Saturday evcrlrg II was that con
cert which suggested the thought OF the propr''y
Of hlgntide In the peoples hearts being @ynchrohohe
with high-tde in the citys musical ACTIVITIES 'h's'
mas greens adorned the platform. ana lhspreu
Christmas feelings In performers ana listeners
Christmas ioy In giving and receiving CHRISTMAS
uve,Iness of anticipation Christmas benevoence III
Judgment should II chance 10 be needed lhe'e
was also a programme OF Christmas music MI
Frank Damroschs choir Of professional singers sang
old cantlcles OF tie Roman Catholic church ana ou
HYMNS Of the German Protestant Church; on the
ono hand three beautiful examples Of the capela
STYLE of the sixteenth century. and or the othcr
severa! examples OF the homc,er. heartiuler sF'e
which the Lutheran Church took out OF the mouths
of the people when II provided SUBSTITUTE 'o' 'o
ornate service that had come TO be aSsocm'cd VII"
thoughts OF idoatry and pri@tly wlckedness. Inc
nx,apositIon OF these two styles which may have
been A mere coincidence the first part Of the pro-
gramme being devoted TO the former the s'cohu
part to the latter. might be taken for long as
Gulsl,ion upon the influence Of the German Teior-
nation upon church music. but that space ana 'h'
readers patience would scarcely endure. one cir
cunlstance however. must be noted The choral
numbers OF the first part were motets by Faesfma'
ManlnI and Viitoria-settings Of "Hodie 'hrlstus
natus est" by the first two and 80 magnum mys-
terurn" by the last. NOW these three men marx
the elimination Of the oldsiyle ecclesiastical music
in Rome They were contemporaries aud friends
The motcts selected by Mr. Damrosch are sr.'h-
did examples OF the a capela style. ana disclose
a.. clearly three selections coud the pos
slhites Of the Old art IN respect OF tha' ID ""'"
ones thoughts naturally turn IN connection Win
Christmas musc-;hst Is. Its emotional contents.
It was extremely interesting to not" the more hu.
man 10y OF Palcstrlna- compared with the celestial
jubllation OF Maninl ESPECIALLY In the treatment
OF the refrain. "Noe. noe Noe"D ami To contrast
both these expressions with the awe-flled accents
in which Viitoriss hymn. the inenabe mystery
Of the word made Flesh. But It was SIN more
interesting to observe how In the German music the
unaffected. honest. simple Folksong pro''l''
vehicle OF expression which disclosed an nseni-
business OF belief. sympathetic feeling OF relation
ship between and his God. siurdiness OF
faith. and an independence OF attitude. 50 far a.
rnedlatlng agencies are concerned. that might be
said to stand as characteristic 81 the German peo-
pie and their efforts for religious regeneration IN"
music TO which refer was a six part hymn. Jo-
seph Heller Joseph men." by Cayisus dtS6-l6b. 4
entsprungen." by Praetorius d57li62D. and t"o
chorals from Bachs "Chridmas Orat0rIo" The
basis OF each OF these pieces wa~ a FOLK 'ong. but
a. presented they illustrated the hlghest develop
nent OF musical science. That they could DO TINS
and still retain their characteristic and native expires
siveness is marvellous Their greater netrness 10
the religious life Of to-day cat least that portion
which makes religion personal matter. ana not
the concern Of organization was quite a. Cd
vious their greater nearness to the musical
feeling Of to-day. The hymns Of calvaius and
Praetofus marked the hiehtlde OF the audiences
enjoyment and the elimination Of the cholrs
achievements This suggests some thoughts of Mr.
Damrosch's choir.
The Musical Art Society aims specifically at a
cultivation of the highest forms OF choral muse.
These forms are generally admitted to be the un-
accompanied compositions written for the church
In the sixteenth century the motets OF Bach the
madrgals Of the contemporary writers. etc. THIS
music Is too difficult for the ordinary amateur
chorisiers, and Mr.. Damrosch supported hy the
society. has organized choir OF hfty-four proies-
slonaI singers to cultivate music which otherwise
we should not hear. The ambition is lofty and
none Of organizations is more deserving or sue
cess 1t gratifying to see how great IL the
popular appreciation which has rewarded the en-
thusIasm Of the ladies' Of the society and the labors
of Mr.. Damrosch and his singers. The hall on
Saturday night presented "A most remarkabi" sight.
II was crowded in every part. and the atmosphere
that pcrrneatcd the affair was one Of gentieness
and appreciation The choir has been changed In
personnel somewhat since last year. and the change
does not as yet seem beneficial We believe that
II might and ought 10 be better, while appre-
ciating the difficulty OF organizing and maintaining
IT, unfortunately all professional singers are
not artists I'm the real sense and still more un-
fortunately all artists are not unseiish enough To
work unscnshly for ideal and little else. Mr.
Damrosch's singers paid. but the pay Is not
AZ. uhl A. Al
seems ungractous md fault with them, csp"-
cIaIly when they sing so beautifully as they did
most of the time last Saturday More ehquislt"
singing than that OF the calvsius and Praetorius
things or n more successful tour de force IMAM
he Singing OF Bach's "Sumber. Beloved, by all
the contraltos need not be expected. But the alb
sence Of the modern feeling for tonaIty III the