Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-01-04
WHY 1T WAS ABANDOSED.
Reasons That Induced the Tuesday CluI
to Withdraw Its Contemplated Pro-
duction of "rhe Messiah"

to Withdraw Its Contemplated Pro-
duction of "rho Messiah
Very unexpectedly to many people
there came notices from the managers
TO the members of the Tuesday Club
that the concert of messiah" music,
which was intended to be given upon
Monday next, has been Withdrawn. AT
the same time with the notice of the
withdrawal of "The Messiah" comes a
further notice that the regular concert
Of the club, which had been postponed
from the 18th of January to a later date,
so as to make way for the rendition Of
1.-THE Messiah, had been returned to that
day. With the notice of withdrawal of
1.-THE Messiah" was enclosed tickets to
the other concert, now to be given upon
Monday, the 18th of January.
The club has been preparing for that
regular concert for long time, the
music is of very high class, and the
concert promises 10 be one of rather ex-
ceptional quality, but, nevertheless, it is
regret to great many people that
1.-THE Messiah" should have been set
aside. The club has given it now every
Christmas season for several years, and
1t seems, somehow, to be break in the
work OF the organization that it should
not give it this year. However, there
appears 10 be very good reasons for
emitting it.
The idea of giving "The Messiah"
was entertained only at the time Of the
last rehearsal of the club, when the
members sang it with so much spirit
that it seemed to be pity not to give it
publically. 1t was intended at first to
give it in one of the large churches, but
there was SO little time to arrange for
such presentation that it was not
possible to carry the plan through.
Accordingly the only feasible arrange
ment to make was 10 render the music
at the New Century Club auditorium as
one of the regular club concerts. To
give the great oratorio in such a small
way was In itself very serious injury
TO the quality of the proposed concert.
In addition to this it was found at the
last moment that it was impossible to
procure local soloists from the club
even those who have heretofore sung in
its concert. Failing such local talent,
the only alternative would have been to
have employed outside professional
voices to render the music, or else to
have omitted the solos entirely. Either
would have been much to the injury of
such concert, taking away great deal
of the grace Of intormality that has
heretofore always surrounded it.
And then, apart from that it would
have rendered the concert far too ex-
pensive for such an informal affair. An
organ would have had to have been
erected, an organist secured and alto
gether such preparations made as was
almost impossible to carry through at
such short notice as to have omitted the
solos entirely and to have given the
"Messiah" without them, it would have
been like rendering the play of Hamlet"
with the part Of Hamlet omitted.
So, upon the whole, so far as it is
possible TO know, the directors acted
wisely in Withdrawing The Messiah"
and in substituting the other concert.
Yet, as was said in the beginning,
there will be many who will feel sorry
that the greatest of all oratorios is not
to be sung this year.