The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-01
NEW CONDUCTOR
His First Boston Concert
Notes of Music.

Reinhold L. Herman, the new con-
ductor of the Handel and Haydn,
seems to have captured Boston
at his very first appearance. At any
rate. the uniformly commendatory
newspaper criticisms which followed
the Christmas performance of The
Messiah can hardly be matched in the
recent history of the society. 1t is adj
mitted that The Messiah is not a
very rigid test, owing to its stereo-
typed traditions and the chorus IA
mlliarity with the music, but never
theless, both conductor and the reor-
gained chorus are declared a marked
success. The volume of tone is per
haps not so large as formerly, but it's
quality is fresher and more musical,
and its execution much more accurate
and finished. Mr.. Herman is said to
have firm beat and perfect control
over both chorus and orchestra The
work of the latter is said by all to be
the best ever heard at u Handel and
Haydn concert. Here are a few brief
quotations:
Philip Hale: For nine or ten years
/ have not heard such an interesting
or such truly musical performance
of this -oratOrio, so far as chorus and
orchestra We're concerned. The chorus
is smaller ct might be smaller still
with beneficial results.) But the vol
ume OF tone was no less, the parts
We're better balanced, and the gain in
expression was most noticeable. Mr.
Herman established himself Immediate
~ as one having authority. His choice
or tempt was for the most part for
tunate. 1t was delightful to hear "All
we like sheep" taken at a high rate
OF speed, and the sublime close of this
chorus was all the more effective. For
the first time in this city, l heard in
the performance of this oratorio an ad-
mirabe orchestral performance"
B. E. Woolf: THE chorus did its
work with more spirit, emphasis. light
ana shade than has been the rule Mr..
Herman seems to be he tight man in
the right place. His readings of some
OF the choruses were quite out of the
conventional path, and in the main
are to be commended for the greater
animation impaired to them, though
the race-horSe pace ar which he took
All we like sheep was to be accept
ed with some reserve, especially as the
results We're not always in the direc-
tlon OF clearness. The rendering of the
ofatorio as whole, however, may be
justly praised for the elimination of
the solemn and poiley fusSiness that
mas been so depressingly characteris-
tic of it in the past The work of the
orchestra was immensely superior to
anything that has been heard for years
IN oratorio performances here"
Louis G. ElsOn: "The Handel and
Haydn Society has possibly entered
upon a new phase of existence, a re-
nascence that may mean much in the
future. The orchestra did the best
work they have ever done in Boston in
The Messiah and we suppose that The
praise for this ought TO be divided be
tween the conductor and themselves.
POSSIBLY the same division Of lauda-
tioh should be made as regards the
chorus. There was less volume of tone
than heretofore but infinitely better
ensemble. Possibly the most striking
number apart from the HaEelujah,'
was All we like sheep which was
taken at a brisk pace that made if
very effective, for it was clear in spite
of the tempo, but it's majestic finale was
not so perfect"
Here is ample endorsement for the
new conductor, whose name, by theway.
dld not appear on the program as such
Here also is ample demonstration of
the fact that eminent critics may dis
agree radically as 90 details.
The recent death of Sebastian Bach
Mills of New York at the age of 80
calls to mind the fact that in his dav
and generation he was a leader of men
Al the age of seven, he was playing
ne piano as an infant prodigy in Lon
oon. Al the age of 10 he came to New
York, where he remained till a few
years ago, when he went to Wiesba-
den, Germany, and there he died His
father, musical enthusiast, brought
MN up on strict musical diet, and