New-York tribune., 1900-05-09
MUSIC.
OPENING OF THE MUSICAL FESTIVAL
IN CINCINNATI.

,Frzox A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrscNr.l
Cincinnati. May s-Fortune looked upon the open
snr of the fourteenth Musical Festival here this
evening with one auspicious and one dropping eye
TIE prospects from every point OF view for q
H-.Il,art beginning of the feast OF song had grown
brighter day by day since the sale Of season tick
cts indicated that the money loss OF the last festi-
,-sl two wears a go would be recouped and a hand
sor.e surplus left in the treasury So. too. the
-ro-z Of the cho!rs under Mr Glover with the Wig
orous finishing touches by Mr. Thomas. gave PROM
@ that the feature of the festival in which its chief
merit ought 10 lie would he worthy OF the proud
reputation which the festivals have always en-
5oyed-
Before going further let me say that the prom
ise was fulfilled. 7 cannot speak from personal
rerence touching the meeting Of two years ago but
both foreign and local experts have assured that
the choir tonight better than that Of 1888 II
that be true then discriminating critic will
bark back 70 the festival Of 1856 to find q memory
og the standard Of excellence exenplihed tonight
and greater variety Of dynamic effects in equally
large choirs but 7 recall finer quality Of
tone nor balance Of parts so nearly perfect
The singers number toHr hundred They have
lost the perfuncIory manner which brought list
lessness into many OF the past Festivals. and
have exhibited most lovely and praiseworthy
zeal the spirit which enabled Mr Arthur Mees 10
do so many notable things with the choirs which
were trained by him. and this reflection invites
70 4 bit Of retrospect which clouds and sunshine
shall play hide and seek, they did all day to-day
before downpour Of rain came TO introduce the
one dissonarce in the days pleasures
Readers Of The Tribune have long known Of the
interest felt by this journal in the Cincinnati fest
vaIs. A staff correspondent has reported upon
every one from the second held in 1s75 the
twelfth il 1896. inclusive Had the meetings been
held IN New-York they would not have received
more attention. for IN The Trihunes editorial
rooms they were held 70 represent the sincerest
and nobIest efforts which America boasted in the
l.ne OF musical culture Cincinnati seemed pleased
AZ the tribute. but understood the point Of
view from which II paid. This the high
standard Of the programmes and the high efficiency
of the forces employed IN their performance. OF
these forces the choir was the most significant
from New-Tork point Of view, for from the begin
Ming the solo singers were. with one or two e2cep-
ricns familiar figures n the rooms OF the
metropolis. and the orchestra was Mr.. Thomass
New-York band, augmented for the occasion. The
transference Of that hand 10 Chicago did not alter
The situation materially, for the exodus did not
drain New-York Of its orchestral musicians lessen
the number Of its symphony concerts or cheaper
their quality So. except for the combination and
the excellence Of the choral work there was moth
ing % cause amazemeut 10 the visitor from New
York. From 1873 TO 1856 there was q pretty steady
growth IN the efficiency OF the choir, though in the
latter year g decadence OF the male element.
especially Of the tenors, was deplored- The de-
generation became more noticeable at each fest-
val until II became the duty OF historian familiar
with charal doings IN other cities Of the country
20 say that Cincinnati festival chorus had fallen
from its high estate and did not sing well
half dozen societies IN the East. An absurd
pOther resulted. Motley and malice seemed 10 be
The only wear in Cincinnati. There were no mo-
tves low be attributed 10 the correspondent,
who SO far $ the matter was personal at all. had
foacIy thought that ne was attesting his aduira-
ton for the festivals by visiting and reporting
upon them year after year. A clergyman forgot
his calling and disgraced his cloth by publishing
lie about the correspondent, and when called on
20 prove Il said he had made the statement without
-A---
but since the correspondent had said il was
error he thought It but Just and fair 10 recall
and regret the same And this, a preacher OF
Ch-ssrs Gospel, considered reparation for e wicked
caIuruy. The secretary OF the Festival Assocta-
tion futiuated that IL matter OF money, but
being taken sharply 70 task said he had not meant
his remarks 20 be taken seriously, and apologiZed
Ike q man An editor across the Ohio told
story n detail about the ignorance OF the CORE
spondent; how that he had written that Mr..
Theodore Thomas had composed ''Mignon." When
brought 10 book editor said he would cheer
fully acknowledge his error II he found II 10 be
one OF investigation. and let the matter at that
There were other hisslngs and spittings which
resumed in 1896, but the climax OF the insensate
and hur1iIlating folly reached when second
clergyman encouraged by his predecessors work
two years before preached a sermon on the
festival denounced The Tribuue's criticisms
"uncouth. unwtse and unjust" the correspondent
as equal unknown quantity drew parallel
between Theodore Thomas and Jesus Christ, and
critical function BY talking CT whom he had
observed n the orchestra who played cyulbals and
kettIedruru' and always in time "a four
armed v1rtuosot Is ne still with Thomas? I did
not see him tonight and utilizing technical terms
thusxise: Beloved! the Lord Jesus Christ be
first and foremost IN every true movement, in
staccaros slurs and independent notes IN order TO
the production OF harmony and Through redemp
ton the Lord Jesus Christ orchestrates His own
divine arrangement OF the vital beauties and har-
monies. and all Of US have places. positions and
cut.es IN the sublime oratorio," and The octaves
q faith and repentance must be thoroughly mas
tered" This IN Cincinnati. with SIS long record Of
gentleness and culture, Faugh!
These things would be too silly 70 recall now did
they not serve 70 point the moral Of a tale which
deals with the present choral situation in Cincin-
nst- They constitute the satyr play after he
tragedy and their folly was always brought home
70 the Ctnctnnatians themselves a few weeks after
each festival when Mr.. Thomas would thunder at
the trefciencv OF the chorus, which the president
had st,u defended against wicked aspersion IN his
annual report Il might all have been diverting
had = not had 10 do with an institution profoundly
devoted 70 the highest forms OF musical art, and
demanding tribute OF over 10000 year for its
maintenance. The story Of the Cincinnati chorus
begins with the first festival, held in 1873. Mr..
Thomas was travelling with his orchestra. and.
meeting encouraging friends IN Cinciunati-fore-
most among whom were the wife Of the present
United States Minister 10 Spain and George Ward
Nichols then her husband-he conceived the idea
% a monster festival the lines of the German
Sa1Eerfeste. The choir was TO consist Of union
q the singing societies OF many cities. This is
plain from the first circular issued. which was ad-
dressed TO the choral societies OF America and
stated the object Of the projected festival 10 be
TO elevate the standard Of choral and instru-
mental music and to bring about harmony Of action
he f~alS this and