The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-11-25

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To present a -orb ~ .ich musical m ~ nifuds
~ Daoh'. Mass IN y minor 4, on Undertaking
which demands n subtle ron binatIon ~ energy
and d.yolipn Some ~ these ma ltIs wets
IN evidence Lac, night ut Carnegie HAL. whore
tho Orntprio spcietv gave Mo nobl" compost
ton fnr 'he .acond 'imo lat Arm, ~" OIL.
this Organization tra.entsd tho inst- Ia Vow
YORK. i,lns antedated n frw drbs March
a. by tie Hcthl,hcn. Pa, peffotmauc" The
east Of last spring consisted Of Joysrh Baorn-
stein. sara Andcr son. GERTRUDE MAY S'"in and
Nicholas Douhv Inst night thu singers wrr"
Mira lits."iu ds Moss. Gcftrudo Mly stein.
Ellison Van Hooso and Joseph : Bsrrnstein
Mr Frank Damrosch nc ain conducted with his
accu stonedc caro- and mu .ica n-Liu
The rnass was compu-ed-.o -sys .hs ponder
ou,ly crldltr Dr. Spit'a- bctwocr Tag and 1898
Parts y y were first SUNG In 1879. for IA Srltta
writes When Frederick August II tho King
and tiector. died. frb. 1. 1919. Bach resolved
10 show his devotion TO his successor and raise
himself In the estimation ~ the iTipslc fubo-
t~ionaries by connecting hiinseli more closely
with the court. He. therefore. composed these
two aubjccts. Kyris aud Glona. from tho mass
and presented them himself In Dresden. July
q. i73s." Dedicated though II was to placate
tho powers that he. this work. nevertheless.
iFb boNhN ~ 'fc dEN8VV w ~ ' -
ing genius. Tho orchestra. 10 addition 10 tho
regular strings, calls for two t'utea three oboi.
two oboi d'amore--an instrument a minor third
lower than the regular oboe-two bassoons. one
horn. three trumI~ts in d.. kettle drums the
continue IA played by the organ. There are
tventy-four musical numbers-ffteen chorIses.
six arias and three ducts. As a rule. the Choir
uses are for Ave parts. the second hyrie for
four. while tho Sanctus is for six. and the
Osanna In Excelsis Ia for doublc chorus.
Through the Journalism OF Bach's musical
speech the idiomatic speech OF his contcm-
poranes-there shine. golden genius. shiacs
music that 10 not possible 20 conceive as ever
becoming old. Here is tho true music OF the
Future dreamed Of by Wagner aud antid-
psted by Bach moro than a century before
Wagner. Time In ia mos, ironIcal whirl-
gigs never played a more fantastic prank than
incarnatlng In the person Of a solemn. perl
wlg-pated old cantor In a sleepy German town
the very divinity OF music. From Bach all
musical blessings flow. all musical blessings
must flow: and no matter how remote the
future, or fugacious musical fashions. Bach
viii he the keystone OF the art. But this Is Q
COMMONPLACE OF musical criticism.
Though the Oratorio Society showed more
familiarity with the score than 4, did last spring.
there was much 70 And fault with In the per-
forrnance. Yet criticism here may with propriety
wear the mnsk of raciousne.s. Rather should
the feeling h. ono Of gratitude toward Mr..
Damro.ch and his associates. To recapture
the fine old churchly atmosphere behind the
bars O. Baoh's music would In thsse latter
DAYS be- az difficult as to tell what songs tho
sirens sang-a question which long puzzled
Sir Thomas Browne. There was a brilliant
qualify in tho work Of the chorus last night:
brilliancy and solidity. BIZ, It was not always
by deep religious sentiment. Here
aynin time and place were unfavorable-a
cathedral 4. the only ft environment for thi.
,.., -~rr Th.rr -aa .1pna ruaJIpaxu