New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-10
THE ALBANY FESTIVAL ENDS
A LARGE AUDIENCE HEARS BACHs pas
SION ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW"
nrrruovrxs EIGHTH SYMPHONY PERFORMED
AT THE AFTERNOON CONCERT-MR. MEESS
INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS

(BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNE1
Albany. May s--The fourth festival OF the Albany
Musical Association came to close To-Day VIII" ="
concert Of a popular character (but without sur
render TO bad taste) in the afternoon. ana per-
Torrance Of Bach's st. Matthew Passion In the
ching. The popular concert brought forward Men
dclssohn's Midsummer Nights Dream" music with
George Riddle as the reader OF the portions OF
Shakespeares necessary to make clear the p"r-
pose of the music. and Beethoven's Eish'h sym
phony. The latter number derived historical III
tercst from the fact that II was the frst symphony
that Mr.. Mees has venture1 TO give intact AS an
experiment. 1t was happily chosen. not only De-
cause Of It's brevity "a consideration that Appeared
with some force In such warm weather. especially
10 a music-weary Ncw-Yorker). but also because o'
its blithe and cheerful character that maze IL an
excellent consort for Mendelssohn's exquisite larry
music.
The performance Of Bach's great work in tho
evening was calculated 10 set n musical observer
10 thinking To Judge by the attitude OF the audi
ence. /, Is much be feared that large proper
ton Of the 1900 people who listened 10 u ie''
toward II the end much the fab'ei h'huu
fe.t toward his idol-wl,h n variation OF the az
jeclve-they knew that II a WEAKNESS OF the
flesh. but they felt that II great. Such con-
yict!on IS not to be desplsed 1t provokes spirit
among the listeners that makes for good
1t will not be suspected that musical reviewer
for The Tribune will ever be found wanting III
corceptions In music Bachs Passion Is; but
II is A shortsightcd and unwise policy which re-
fuscs TO recognize that ideal appreciate OF this
work IS a thing OF slow growth ana that the'e ~
much in It's archasm which acts az a hihdr'hce
TO It's ready acceptance. Trained musicians KNOW
what world for loveliness Is In its measures anu
MANY amateurs must feel the eloquence and vital
ity of It's expression But before one can kno" IL
and love II as II deserves TO be known ana ioVcd'
II ,s necessary not only to enter freely INTO luz
musical spirit but also to have sympathy VIII" '''
religious mood OF which II is 80 wondrouS p'o-
clamation.
dacval mysticism as II is from modern rational
ism can only be inspired In non-German audience
by rcvcrcnt study Of the form OF the work. ana a
RECOGNITION ~ the fact that its performance ~
more a religious function than an artistic eh'''
tainment. The dcvout Christian ought 10 ~ ~
an. with IN, earnest muslc-loVer In his apprecla-
ton OF the st Matthew Passion" for IL Is more
a religious evange than artistic work. but ms
attitude is no, likely TO be attained until the pup.
lie are carefully prepared for a performance anu
the performance Itself H. put upon the very "b"
est plane Of excellence ,,...,
That plane vas no, reached tonight. It seldom seldom
u.s. and until IT can be. II - a question ,m.n,n'ci
tho preparatory work ought not 20 pr in The
through the medium OF compete .nan si, -. an
ordinary methods Of performance" II Wo"i ~ o.. %"
Performance - tho manner which prevailcI- IN
Bachs tine. or ear.icf when the realms -. n,
wG rSE"''F feature Of the ''''''" '
Churrb: ina, the solo singers that Is the mar
rator The basso who sings the words o' JeSuS,
the bssso who uttcrs those Of Peter am JulaS ,m'
SOPRANO and alto who sing their reflective" airs;
were 20 don their conventional "venlne di,s. an
irasmaiic choir were divided. tho nrs, chorus IN
the work demands for It's eject ana pin''n ". 49,.
lcc4nI am cantor. sides % The chancei 'ha' l.r
orchestra. always commcnsuratc u huinost. ~,
ihr requirements % the wor'.. Yer" 80 40
.fft.4I l.~l bat nr
congregations with an Inspiring orSa" conn an.
mont slppOs" all thls-is mere any rpuD' s''"..
a.. tpil,;.ng effect which the work "ou'h nv
Wou.A = not be as moving IN us way "s " ""h
1-rt0 ih,e is done the only mcArs u doing ipgFox.
MAJ. rlstir. 10 the work enlist IA" hes, solo
miracles from the chorus. ami TO c,mp" Animation
los sheer excellence Of performance from n" ,9ii
more than can be asked. csccp, under very din'rrn
conditions than h2se pr.va,nns IN Ao,ny
OF 4, In the dramatic choruH"s. but u hnd tinaH
blame Tor the comparative inencciivcnrss "i ,ns
performnnco The orchestra. though aimTab'r. Wa
not larcc enough Mr. Watkins MILE The i.ngh'n
hasso not only was bailv ru' - voice buy he use !
:, dif.yen, version = The work than ihr' uscd hy
he conductor ana II" orchestra. anu scene b',
sides. unfamiliar WIN The pnl' he sang vqh, o
OF columbus ohio. infani.l" soprano. Was utterly
inadequate TO her undertaking.; ana ne nuri,n OF
Mr. " II Hcro- and Mr. lusAneiL IN" New
YORK singers ne last Of whom had 70 ircplIe
n wen as his own In view OF a threatened IN
ability o. the par, ~ the foreign slne.r $500.
h, The boy choir Of st Psuls Church troy. under
the direction of Mr. Christian stein and ~" rec ~,
Frederick T. benson outside 81 the expressive
snsns Of Mr hrssr ana the mo-. god T9Tn OF c lne
ure - tho evening the sound. sane and swec'ly
fensb, manner I. which Ihc choir sang hG
marks tho readings Of Mr. Walter Damrosch Tn the
performance Of the New-York oratorio Society