The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-03-09
GOUN0D CONCERT TONIGHT
PROMISES 10 BE A BRILLIANT &C.
CASTOR,

General Rehearsal This Afternoon at
Half-Past Two Clock-Biographical
Sketch of Grell.
The concert of the Gounod society
tonight will probably be one of the
most brilliant events in the history of
the organization. Everything prom
ises great success in the performance
of the most difficult task the society
has ever set for itself. The sale of
seats has been enormous and note
worthy assemblage of music lovers is
expected. The final rehearsal will take
place this afternoon at the Hyperion
at 2:S0 o'clock.
Here is a short sketch of the life of
Grell, the composer of the Missa So
Tennis, which will be the piece de re-
sistance of the concert tonight. Ed
ward August Grell was born in Berlin,
November 6, 1900, and died at Steglitz
near Berlin, August 10, 1885. He was
an organist and had studied with his
father, later with Kaufman, Ritschl,
and Zelter. He became organist of the
Nikolail1irche in Berlin in the year
1916. He entered the Singakademie in
1917, and was made vice director of the
same institution in 1882. In 1889 he
was appointed court organist of the
cathedral, in 1S41 a member of the Ber-
lin academy in 1S43, teacher of the
cathedral choir, and after Rungen-
hagen's death in 1851, teacher of the
composition school of the academy. He
was also member of the senate of the
academy and first director of the Sing
akademie. Became a professor in 1858
and received the order pour lie merite
in 1864. He relinquished the direction
of the Singakademie in 1876 In 1883
the Berlin university conferred on him
the honorary degree of doctor of philo-
sophy. He is best known by his Mis-
sa Solemnis" in sixteen parts. Be
sides this his works include an orato-
rio, 1.-THE Israelites in the Wildesness,"
various works for orchestra and or
gan, motets, cantatas and other forms
of church music.
Because of it's enormous difficulties
the mass has rarely been performed.
1t was sung for the first time in this
country by the Oratorio Society of
New York in 1889, and was repeated by
the same society in 1893. 1t dispenses
entirely with orchestral accompani-
ment, being written in the "a capella".
style of vocal music, which was in use
in the churches is Pedestrians time,
and up to the sixteenth century in
general, before the orchestra had be-
gun to usurp the Importance hitherto
assumed by choral music. Extraordi-
nary variety of effect and richness of
color were secured by increasing the
number Of parts, each part being taken
by a single voice. In the performance
Wednesday evening the same effect is
obtained by dividing the whole chorus
into sixteen parts. The novelty of it's
arrangement and the marvellous con-
trapuntal skill it evinces, entitle Grells
mass to a supreme place among COM
positions of religious character.
The Symphony orchestra will render
the Prelude Choral and Fugue, in G
Minor of Bach, and will accompany
the Gounod society in the third num-
Der, Women and Roses" of C. A.
Lidgey.
The fourth number will be the per-
| Torrance by the orchestra of two of
Dvoraks "Slavonic Dances" The last
number will be Prof Parker's Harold
Harfager,' in which the chorus will be
| accompanied by the orchestra and
Prof. Parker will be the conductor.