The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-05-27
THE STABAI MAIER
ROssini's Famous oratorio at
Bethany College.
is TO BE PRESENTED IN JUNE.
purinE Commencement Week = some
Critics who Rssara ztho Music a. too
wOrldIyAns'vsred BY Prof FsuehtinEsr
wagner's Humorous Account OF the
Origin orths stabat Mater.

Origin ofhs stabat Mater.
The production of a great work Of art
has always been considered an epoch IN
the intellectual history Of the commune
ity in which such an art work is for the
first time introduced. Nor is this mark
Of distinction confined to the town or
city alone. but to the entire section Of
country surrounding It The impulse
that a great art production generates
is felt over a wide field and leaves It's
influence for long space OF time. The
noble gift Of Carnegie music hall and
the magnificent pipe organ to our
neighboring city, Pittsburgh, stimu-
lated the desire for the great master
work for that temple NJ liquid tone. An
artist OF high repute WIS engaged to In
terpret these master works, finally an
orchestra that gives great promise for
the future has been inaugurated. The
influence OF all this Is already greatly
felt. Anyone who witnessed the Dam
rosh-Wagner operas at Pittsburgh,
last January, must have been impressed
with The intelligence and discrimlna-
ton displayed by the vast audience,
and especially so with the almost
breathiess attention which was given
to such works as Tristan and Isolde,
q work which requires the closest at
tention and alertneas OF a trained lis
tener. The oratorios OF Bach, Haydn,
and especially of Haendel and Mendel-
sohn. have created the musical taste OF
London; and Paris, formerly, at least,
the centre OF thought and culture, owes
most OF Its fame to art and to artists.
The production of RoSslnFs "Stabat
Mater" at Bethany College on June
II, the day before commencement, ought
to create an impulse Of musical activity
not to be easily forgotten or lost, but
to be followed by a productivity hereto
fore unknown.
The ultimate purpose OF the oratorio
Is to elevate our souls, to purify our
lives, and, so far as art can conduce to
such an end. to strengthen our faith
and devotion toward God.
Music religious heat inspires,
It makes the soul and lifts II high,
And wings it with sublime desires,
Addison.
With more or less success all writer's
Of oratorios have been striving to this
end, each In his own way, and all sub
tect to individuality. Bach wrote his
Passion, according to st. Matthew, for
the st. Thomas church at Leipzig.
Eaendel his Messiah" for London au-
dieBees, and RossIni wrote the "Stabat
Mater" for Paris. Heinrich Helne, the
great German poet, was friend Of
RoSslni. and heard the first perform
ance of the "Stnbat Mater" given at
Paris. He writes about Il in a letter
dated April Is, 1872:
the NOSE remarkable production Of the
last season. It Is stlll the talk OF the
day."
The adverse criticIsmEvhichw we have
heard from some north German critics,
give the most complete proofs OF the
depth and originality OF R0Bsini's
genius The critics complain that the
music Is too worldly, and of too. much
sensuous beauty for sacred subject;
that its music is too agreeable and too
entertaining. Such are the complaints
Of these so-called critics, who IL they do
not hypocritlcally pretend deep spiri-
tuality. yet have a. very narrow COM
prehenslon OF the province OF music.
Many painters and musicians have to-
tally wrong Impressions OF the treat
Iuent of sacred subjects. Not the out
ward cRreworn features are dlstin-
gushing mark of Christianity in art,
hut certain inward superabundance
and transcendance which cannot be ac-
so / find the Stabat Of ROssini as truly
more Christian thar Mendelsohn's rSt.
Paul" which latteIs4s claimed by these
critics az being moro Cnristian. Heaven
forbid that I should say anything
against the author OF est. Paul" and
least Of all would the writer Of this,
think of doubling the Christianity of
tho oratorio. est. Paul" because Its
author. Mendelsohn.-is by birth Jew.
M the Fhnt "a
the age when Mendelsohn became
Christian. Che was baptized when he
was thirteen years Of age), Rossini had
already forgotten tho same, devotinE
his entire attention to opera,
Now when Rossini returned to the
bosom Of the church. when the old
melodies Of organ and sacred songs re-
gained their power over him, when he
wrote the "Stabat Mater" it was not
necessary for him reconstruct the spirit
Of Christianity by scientific methods,
much less to copy slavlshly after the
manner Of Haendel or Bach. He need
only recall the memories OF his youth,
and, wonderful so full Of grief and
pathos, or dolOrousl as those melodies
affect us, so masteTful and mighty.
they sigh and bleed. there Is vet somr-
thing sweet and ohlldllke In this music,
This IS the sweet, affcctlonatc. lowell
IlEbH VI lNbsolAlls iAA9 lAANNNAA ANhAbAN AAttA~
ness, which could be spollt by. neither
impressurio nor mnrchand de muslque.
Badly as he has often been treated dur
ing his life. yet there Is no trace OF bit
terness, hatred or disappointment in
this music Like that spring Of Are
thusa. which retained its sweetness, al
though It crossed the bitter waters of
the ocean, Rosslnl retained his melo-
dious sweetness and lOveliness, though
he tasted OF the cup OF bitterness which
the world has ever ready for its genius.
Richard Wagner. the great composer,
gives n very humorous account Of the
origin Of the "Stabat Mater" RossInl
and the banker Aqundo, from Paris,
were travelling In Spain. Comfortably
seated In their carriage. they were adj
mtrinE the lovely scenery OF Spain, NJ.
Auuado refreshing himself with choco-
lgtas, and Rosslnl munchlng sweets.
(Rosslni was never without n pocketful
of sweetest. All at once NJ. AquadO be-
thought himself. that for many years
he had been cheating his countrymen;
repenting, ne took the chocolate from
his mouth: Rossini, stopped his munch-
ing and confessed that all his life he
had been too fond OF sweets. The two
concluded, that for the salvation Of
their souls, they had best stop at the
next monastery. make confession and
receive dissolution. The prior Of the
next monastery received the travellers