The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-20
FESTIVAL MUSIC DESCRIBED.
Arnold GantvOOrt's Lecture Last
Night at the PropyIaeum.

Arnold Gantvoort, a well-known lecturer
and musician, gave the first of a series Of
talks on the music of the forthcoming May
music festival at the Propyleaum last night
This talk last night was on Benoit's oratorio
"Lucifer,' which Mr.. Gantvoort character
lied as the greatest of all oratorios, so far
as the opportunities for chorus work are
concerncG. His treatment of the subject
was in g popular vein and was intensely in
teresting to a large audience Saturday
night Mr.. Gantvoort will return to explain
some of the striking instrumental music of
the festival. His talks are being given by
an arrangement with the directors of the
festival who anxious to give the public
sn opportunity to become acquainted with
the works that are to be presented. The
lectures are free.
In his talk last night Mr.. Gantvoort gave
an interesting historical account of the ORR
gin and growth of oratoro tracing the
growth of that character of music from the
early Greek theater where the drama was
devoted to sacred subjects. AT first bards
and poets celebrated the acts Of the gods
and heroes. Afterward their great deeds
were told in song, soloists personifying the
gods and the chorus commenting on their
deeds and messages. Mr.. Gantvoort told
how, when the Christian religion supplanted
mythology, mystery plays were originated to
appeal to the demands of the people, who
had been educated to expect their religion
to be interpreted to them in a dramatic
way. The church fostered and developed
the musical treatment of religious subjects,
priests participating and representing God
Christ, angels and Satan or Lucifer, who
was always present. After time the peo-
pie became anxious to- themselves partici-
pate in the representations and gradually
the miracle plays were abandoned by the
church. For a hundred years there was
nothing of the sort, but after the. reforms
ton it was again taken up by the church.
During Lent, however, plays We're forbid
den. in 1854 FiIipo Neri, who Mr.. Cant
WORT described as the father of modern
oratorio, stationed priests at the doors of
the churches, adjacent to which their ora
torios or halls for prayer were erected
Here religious subjects were portrayed in
song without action. AS the oratorios lost iii
action they gained in musical worth. The
best musicians of the day sang the inspir
ing music The music was generally in two
parts, between which sermons were
preached This form of service was att
tractive and grew in popularity.
Mr.. Gantvoort took up the oratorio of
''Lucifer' stating that he had studied much
to ascertain from what source the Flemish
musician drew the material for the libretto
He arrived at the conclusion that much of
the material came from Miltons paradise
Lost and the ;ess-known Paradise Re
gained The oratorio deals with the strtlg-
gle of Lucifer to gain possession of the
world and subjugate mankind after he was
cast out of heaven, and the final vanquish-
ing of the evil spirit. He illustrated his de-
scription of the various motifs running
through the oratorio with piano accompani-
The speaker emphasized the Importance Of
chorus work in oratOrio. He said that the
chorus is the scenery, the description of the
story Poor chorus work could not be for
given as in opera. where so much depended
on the soloists