New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-16
MUSIC.
A NEW oRAroR1o.

At the third concert OF the Oratorio societv.a
festival in Carnegie Hall yesterday afternoon a
first performance was given to Professor Horatio
W. Parker's dramatic oratoro, st CHRISTOPHER"
That it was event which best American
musicians recognized Of real pth and moment
was proven by the fact that number OF the
best Of them came TO hear 1t. OF Mr. Parker's
fellow students at Munich we noticed Arthur
whiting and Henry Holden Huss In the audience
Samuel Sanford. his associate In the musical fac.
ulty Of Yale College. was also on hand to- rejoice
in what proved be his colleagues triumph and
also George w. Chadwick director of the New
England. Conservatory Of Music whose privilege
IL was to direct of the earlier studies OF the
composer Local pride and interest for Mr. Par
kers family ties bind him to Boston) also brought
B. J. Lang from the New-Engiand capital TO hear
the work, and there were doubtless others whose
presence was overlooked. The delight which st.
christopher" gave to these men was shared by Mr..
Walter Damrosch, who conducted the performance:
the singers and the audience, and Mr.. Parker.
who sat with his wife In one Of the boxes,
called I'D over and over again to bow his acknowl-
edgments to hearty testimonials or appreciation.
IT. was an occasion calculated to reflect credit and
honor 10 American music and all lovers OF the art
owe a debt of gratitude to the Oratoro Society
for the Service rendered under such suspicious CIR
cumstances.
Tho poetical contents OF Mr.. Parker's composition
have been set forth amply IN The Tribune. 1t Is
a dramatic oratorio. and the composer has not
hesitated to the most modern agencies OF musi-
cal cxnressIon such as typical phrases. harmonic
an6 orchestral effects and what We may call musl-
cal SYMBOLISM to make his purposes plain. He
has also kept the essential requirements or choral
work I'm View and blended the secular and 'eccle-
sIastical with real skill. His other works, nota-
bv his superb setting In oratorio style OF the hymn
..tIora Novissima' has led TO think that his
genius had fullest and freest sway In the ecceslas-
IN rrpd nv
the grandeur and beauty OF his settings OF the
missal Gloria" introduced In ST Christopher
(especiay the fugue on the "Quoniam' portion)
and the ancient hymn Jam sol recedt igneus,"
but the new work also shows that he knows how
70 handle the orchestra dramatically. st. Chris
tophcr Is superbly sonorous and full Of color But
we still prefer his churchly melody to his secular
The solo parts IN the oratorio were sung
by Miss Emma Juch Theodore van YORK On
Mace of Evans Wams). Ericsson Bushnell
Ffrangcon Davies and Master Harry Smith. or
these the latter had only few phrases to sing
and sang them acceptably. The bulk OF the APP
probation which all garnered went to Mr.
Bushnell Mr. Van YORK sang well, bur his voice
WAS effective only In the high register. MISS
Juch after doing finely in the earlier scenes,
found the range OF the soprano part trying AFTER
ward and Mr. Davies could not stamp the music
which he sung with sufficient Observation-Disclosures
which he IS entitled to ask the composer 10 bear
some Of the blame Considering the newness and
difficulty OF the music The work Of the choir was
highly commenaable. as were the intelligence md
zeal OF Mr.. Damrosch and the skill OF his orches-