Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-23
THE CHORAL SOCIETY.
Its Program for the season Completed
Interest i'm Isl. Paul"

ST
The season for concerts projected by tn,
Choral Society comprises four OF she most
interesting choral works, representing three
different periods In musical history-the
oldest, Handrs immortal. THE Messiah"
the parent of sacred oratorio composed Ia
174I; next, Mendelssohn's st. Paul" With
the methods of the earlier masters broaden.
ed and beautifed. m 1876; then Saint-saens'
Samson and Delilah," of the sacred. OF
biblical opera school Of composition. com.
posed in 1872, and lastly. Councils The
Redemption" composed in ISL in ths
more purely oratorio style. resembling
st Paul" in the introduction of chorals
This work is the most recent. having beer
composed i'm lSS2.
In the order OF performance ST. Paul'
comes first that work being in preparation
for the first concert, Wednesday evening
November .. Apropos OF st. Paul" the
records OF the society show that portions
of il were rehearsed at one OF the first
meetings in November. 1883. OF the singers
who became the founders of the Choral
Society" and that IL was contemplated
producing the work, but for one reason and
another it was laid aside. Prof. Kaspar. the
interchangeable musical director of the So
Getty. expresses the opinion that IL is likely
to be the most successful work that the
society has ever given, excepting only the
ever popular Messiah" and as Il has not
been produced here since in the seventies. by
the old Philharmonic Society, considerable
importance attaches 10 its present revival
by Ihe Choral Society. As an oratoTio 81.
Paul. has a varied colorirg, ranging from
the stately, solemn choraIs or hymns. to
the mOb-like choruses, such as Stone him
10 DEATH AMI the tender song OF alteration.
How Lovely are the Messengers. Ii
treats of stephens martyrdom, saul's jour-
ney to Damascus. and his seizure with sud-
den blindness; his conversion. snd, Paul.
his Christian work, and his leaVe-taking OF
his friends at Ephesus on his final departure
for Jerusalem.
of the character and scope Of The Mes
siah,' which will be given on Friday even
ing, December IS, little need be said. Its
treatment Vi the prophecy OF our Lords
coming, Of the fulhllment. His passion ana
resurrection, is well known to all music
lovers.
Gounod is probably best known to the
musical public through his opera OF
Faust" His COMPOSITIONS are always tune
full, and lis most important work of the
oratorio class, The Redemption" Is no
exception. The scope Of the work is in
part Identical with that Of The Messiah
but with a greater elaboration of the sub
ject OF the Savior's crucifiNion and resur-
rectiCn. Ii is set down for performance on
Tuesday evening, March 8. the FRS week
of the Lenten season, to which Il Is es-
pecially appropriate. aside from its great
musical attractiVeness.
Probably the greatest interest attaches
TO Camille Saint-Saens' samson and Deli
lah," announced for "Wednesday evening.
April IL 1885. This work has never been
produced I'm Washington, though solo selec-
tions from ii have for several years fire.
qUently appeared on our concert programs.
1t is less Of a choral work than any OF the
ether compositions mentioned, and possesses
more of the elements CT a miscellaneous
program, the scloists and orchestra having
large opportunities and the chorus being
| comparatively unimportant, though there
is by no means a paucity Of chorus num-
bers. The story of Delilah's allurement Of
the Hebrew champion. the muscular sam
son. and of his downfall and captivity. is
told in most charming manner in this
| great work.
OF the soloists there are none announced
/ as yet that are not already established IA
voritss with Washington audiences. Mime.
Lillian Blauvelt, who made her first APP
pearance in Washington at the society's
| performance of The Creation last spring,
has been re-engaged for st. Paul. The
contralto is Miss Florence A. Stidham, one
| of Washington's foremost singers, who Will
make her debut in oratorio on this occasion.
The tenor and bass will be Mr.. Anton Schott
and Mr.. Emil Fischer. For THE Messiah"
an Incompatible quartet will be presented,
comprising Nine. Emma Juch. Miss kath-
crime Fleming. Mr.. VIM. III. Rieger and Mr..
Ericsson F. Bushnell For samson and
Delilah," Mr.. A. l.. Guile. who is perhaps
best known here the principal tenor OF
the Hinrichs Opera Company. is engaged.
With DR.. u. Merrill HopkinsOn In the BARI
| tone role, and Mr.. Emil Fischer for the
| two remaining bass roles. A number OF
| artiStes are under considera ton for the role
| OF "Delilah." and the decision OF the So
ciety Will be announced early IN November
The prices for these concerts are ex-
ceefingly low. and the terms for season
tickets especially reasonable being 81 so
ana -, and emitting the holder TO seats TO
the value of So and ST. respectively. al his
convenience. Convention Music Hall has
been vastly improved for concert purposes
py the reduction OF the audience space and
the elevation OF more than half dncluding
the entire balcony of the $500 seats which
the nan now accommodates. Under the
capable direction of Prof Josef Kaspar the
soclety rs constantly advancing. and prom
iSes even more enjoyable work this wear
man ever before. The society is engaged in
| a very conmendable object and deserves
nearly and substantial support.