The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-27
THE HANDEL AND HAYDN.
Fresher Programs and More Concerts in
Worcester for Less Money.

1t is clear that Rheimhold L. Her
man, the new conductor of the Handel
and Haydn Society is not to be allowed
to introduce any startling innovations.
He was summoned from across the wa
ter to rejuvenate Boston's venerable in
stitution, but the program for the saith
season shows that he will have to do
his rejuvenating with moderation.
There is not novelty in the list, unless
Schumann's piece, which was composed
90 years ago, is to be considered new"
because the Handel and Haydn has
never sung it. Here are the works for
the four concerts of the season:
Sunday and Monday evenings, Dec. 25
and 26-Handel's Messiah" as usual.
The soloists are Nine. Charlotte Ma
conda soprano; Mrs. Josephine S. ia
CODY, contralto, who has been heard
to advantage in Worcester concerts;
George Hamlin, tenor, and David Bis
pham, bass, two former festival art
lists.
Sunday evening, Feb. 19-Mendels-
sohn's "St. Paul" Soloists, Nine.
Gadski, soprano; Miss Gertrude Ed
mands, contralto; H. Evan Williams,
tenor, and bass yet to be announced.
Sunday evening, March 19-Haydn' s
THE Creation" to celebrate the Tooth
anniversary of the oratorio, which was
first performed April 3 1898. Soloists,
Mrs. Genevieve Clark Wilson. soprano;
Ben Davies, tenor; Joseph S. Baern-
stein, bass.
Easter Sunday evening, April 2
Schumann's Paradise and the Peri"
Soloists to be announced.
The orchestra, as usual, will be COM
posed of players from the Boston Sym
phony Orchestra" but Franz Kneisel
&c or. nt en- y
for the Handel and Haydn, as he does
for the Worcester festival,
Five or six of the soloists are of high
repute, and may be safely trusted to
give a satisfying performance. The re-
naming four will also have to be
trusted" at any rate till they show
what they can do.
But what would newspapers and
critics say of the Worcester festival il
1t announced four choral concerts with
out either a positive novelty or a dis
tinctiv2ly modern work in the lot? Mr.
]. Vernon Butler with his little chorus
Of $50 voices at Pilgrim Church, offers
a more novel and interesting oratoriC
program than the Handel and Haydn
But the whole story is not yet told
The price of a season ticket to the WOr-
cester festival of seven concerts is Sc.
The Handel and Haydn asks IS, Sc and
four concerts, including either perform
ance of THE Messiah" The compari-
son is decidedly in favor of Worcester
The highest average price per concert
at the Handel and Haydn is 81. At the
Worcester festival a purchaser may
pay a S. premium and bring the cost
of his ticket up to $11. His seven cen
certs will then average $1.57 apiece. An
unusual premium of 81 will bring the
Worcester average up to only 81 49, II
should be added that the Worcester
choral performances have on the whole
outranked those Of the Handel and
Haydn in recent years, both as regards
the soloists and chorus. Naturally each
organization has had it's disappoint-
ments.
There is satisfaction and profit in
comparing local advantages with those
of the metropolis. Sometimes we find
we are pretty near the head of the
procession.