The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-22
The Progress Music Is
MAKING in Birminqham

In view of the fact that the interest in
music is so general in Birmingham, all &C.
counts and details relative to the great
masterpieces of musical composition are
necessarily enjoyable ard instructive. In
the majority of the churches of the city
there are excellent chors; there are several
musical clubs; several Conservatives. with
generous patronage. and many accom-
plished amateur musicians, vocallsts and
instrumentalists, all of which keep in touch
with the world of harmony outside. AS
Handel's glorious oratorio, 1.-THE Messiah"
is so soon to be given at ST. Marys-on-the-
Highlands the following description of that
elevated form of composition, the oratorio,
will be improving reading, especially when
it is understood that the article was writ
ten by one who has devoted many years
to the study of the highest class of music.
1.-The Messiah means practically 1.-THE
Christ" which should be fully appreciated
by all persons who are interested in the
approaching presentation of that grand or
atorio:
'Oratoro" is derived from the italian
verb 'orane"-(to play): this form of COM
position was taken originally from the sa
cred dialogues and songs, ''Laudi Spirit
uati," which were sung by the priests In
the "oratory,' or place of prayer--a sacred
poeln-usually of dramatic character,
sung throughout by solo voices and chorus,
but Cat least in modern times) without the
assistance of scenery, dresses or action.
The difference between sacred drama and
sacred oratorio is this, that the sacred
drama is intended for the stage while tho
oratorio is intended only for the church.
The invention of the oratorio is commonly
ascribed to st. Philip of Neri, who founded
at Rome in 1910, the Congregation of tho
Oratory. This pious ecclesiastic, wishing to
detract the attention OF his parishioners
from the theater tthc mania for which
often kept them from their religious dutiesl
formed the idea of having sacred interludes
written by poet set to the music of able
composers and performed by the most cec-
brated singers. The experiment succeeded;
crowds were attracted to the concerts,
which took the name of oratorios from the
"Church of the Oratory," where they were
performed.
The oratorio is the highest form of nu-
sical-dramatic art, in the sense that it pos
sesses, as foundation and material, the
deepest and loftiest ideas of Christian, re-
ligious. moral life. Its heroes and heroines
are the ideal instruments and messengers
OF Divinity.
George Frederick Handel, born Feb. 20,
1885, at Halle, In Germany, died April Il.
1859, In London. is the renl creator and per-
fector of the oratorlo.
He attempted opera, and was n complete
failure, after which the illustrious lnusi-
clan was forced, us it were, into the path
where his genius won lasting glory.
The more important of Handles ora
torios are the Messiah Sampson"
saul" ''Jeptha." Solomon 'Tsrae In
Egypt" and Judas Maccabees." In the
Holy Scriptures Handel found those great
principles of truth, religion, and morality;
there he found his immortal heroes. and
there he also found those words of hope
and consolation, which lie welded to the
most exquisite and tender strains.
He produced the greatest tone effects,
through the means of his incompatible,
powerful and lofty choruses, for in the
chorus. as the most important factor in the
oratorio, he concentrated all the rays of