The record-union., 1898-06-15
THE ORATORIO LAST NIGHT.
After Many Years Sacramento
Hears Greatest of All Oratorios.

The large and representative audi
ence that gathered in the Congrega-
tional Church last evening was agree
ably disappointed and very much graf
flied, for it was we'll aware of the
heroic task undertaken by the Treble
Clef Choral Society in attempting to
give that masterpiece of Haydn, THE
Creation" 1t has been a long time
since anything so pretentious of that
order has been attempted here. But
the Choral Society, trained under di-
rection of Mrs. Clinch-Lester, had the
courage to grapple with the magnificent
production, and, assisted by number
of good voices and several leading solo,
lists, and supported by Neale's concert
orchestra, with Mr.. Neale welding the
baton over all and directing the stage
work, a success was achieved in much
excess of expectation.
Indeed it was handled with more than
ordinary skill and given with spirit, and
depth of feeling that testified to a gen
eral correct appreciation of the glor-
.ious harmonies of this noble work, and
the superb theme which inspired Haydn
to write such loftily tuneful num-
bers and to evoke from the crucible of
his genius those wonderful chorals, so
full of grave and suggestive beauty.
THE Creation" above all other ora
tories which it has been our fortune to
hear or read involves a richer, deeper
and more harmonious body of tone
from the corps of singers undertaking
to interpret it. Hence it was with fear
that we awaited for the society and it's
aids last night to take up the glorious
The Heavens Are Telling" But we
had fear removed before we had time
to weigh doubt. 1t was sung in graft
flying good taste, and in admirable
spirit True there was notable a lack
of strength in both tenor and basso
chorus, due to sparsity of numbers in
those sections, rather than to unfamil-
iarity with oratorio work. or timidty
because of many of the singers never
before undertook such majestic
theme.
In two or three of the numbers, not
ably in Achieved Is the Glorious
Work." there were moments of hesita-
ton on the part of the chorus in en-
tering upon the number, and once or
twice some notes in a sustained chord
were held too long, but on the whole it
was a meritorious chorus, and for the
soprano and contralto sections we have
only commendation, since as rule
their attack was sharp and strong, and
there was little of that timidity that
is certain to be manifest from imperfect
acquaintance with oratorio work
Mrs. Lester was particularly success
ful in that beautiful air than which
there are none more lovely, with Yer
dure Clad In good voice and singing
with much feeling, she was quite as
though in the first mentioned there was
more of delicacy and soulfulness. Mr..
Beardslee sustained more lines than
any other singer, having to double as
Adam and Raphael. But the strong
serviceable quality of his bass enabled
him to bear this extra burden of work
without evident fatigue. His best num-
Der. and he did none i'll. was the "Roll-
ing in Foaming Billows," though as ev-
idence of differing judgments he receiv-
ed largest measure of applause for
other work, as, for instance. in the duet
Graceful Consort." But it was good
work by this soloist throughout, and
tested his voice thoroughly. Not that
it is equal to the volumnous majesty
of tone that the masterpiece of Haydn
demands, but it testified to a realization
and artistic conception of the require
ments of the oratorio.
Mr.. Lester, the leading tenor. was a
surprise He was distinctly the ex-
ample for most of the other singers in
the matter of enunciation, and it is to
be regretted that some of them did not
improve the lesson he gave them. An
audience will pardon a good deal that is
faulty on the music side if there is ex-
cellence in enunciation. That virtuous
quality Mr.. Lester has and he combin-
ed it last night with clear, resonant
feeling tenor. His opening solo, Now
Vanish" was as bold and confident as
his last. But his real triumph was in