New-York tribune., 1901-04-05
MUSIC.
THE oRAToRIo SOCIETY.

New-York's only organization devoted to tina
cultivation of the largest forms of choral music
the Oratorio Society. gave the last concert of ftz
twenty-eighth season in Carnegie Hall last nigh,
under the direction OF Mr.. Frank Damroseh Ir
brought forward a work which TO all intsnts
and purposes TO New-York. the Requiem Mass
composed by Dr. Dvorak for the Birmingham festi
val OF 1891 II would be pleasant thing TO record
that the popular attitude toward unfamiliar choral
works different from usual on this occasion
but the verities iorbid- Again the lesson
enforced upon the choir its conductor and it's d.
rectors that the people all but Indifferent to
everything in the province of oratoro. mass and
cantata except Handlers Messiah" at Christmas
time It is a pitiful testimonial to give the
music loving element in the American metropolis
but truth is inexorable and the bit OF comfort
TO be extracted by the lover of Oratorio from the
circumstances comes from the demonstration again
made of the unselfsh devotion OF the singers and
their leaders to high artistic ideals
There were aplenty why public curiosity
in the work performed should have been large.
All the musical world was agoS ten years ago when
Dvorak composed the Requiem for the Birmingham
festival New-YOrk heard II five months after it's
first performance in England and ii was heralded
as the most striking feature of the Cincinnati May
festival of 1892 three months later. Despite its
many beauties and the great fame of its composer.
however. IT has made It's way slowly. Vienna heard
IT for the first time last March, and Vienna may
be said 10 be third TO New-York and second to
London i'm admiration for the Bohemian composers
music. The reason. it is 70 be opined. lies in the
attitude of conductors toward il. The Requiem
has manifold beauties. but after it's opening
bers 1t becomes obvious to the reader Of the
score as TO the in yenuous listener that it is
spontaneous work but the creature Of reflection.
The typical phrase upon which it is built Git
sists OF a sequence OF three senni-tones) not only
loses all charm long before the work is ended, but
becomes monotonous, and all of the composers
marvellous fecundity in the invention Of instTu-
mental and harmonic effects fails 70 save il. More
over, there are many rocks and whirpoos in its
current for the singers. and unless they are
trumphantly avoided the impression created is not
uplifting Mr.. Damrosch's choir accomplished nota-
BILE things last night, and he had an unusually capa
bic solo quartet but lassitude Crept into the per-
formance and duIleG the sensibtes of the listeners
nevertheless. Most Of the praise must go 10 Nine
Gadski who never sings in concert but that she
conpeIs admiration for the loftiness of her style
and wonder at the zeal and devotion to artistic
ideals which prompt her to acquire such perfec
ton in the midst of the labOrs entaed by opera
season Mr. Van HOSES beautiful voice. much
in evidence. would have sounded more beautiful
still II he had times appeared TO be himself
so anxious TO enjoy charm that he retarded the
flow OF the music. Capable companions were Miss
Stein. who is filing a field OF great usefulness
throughout the country, and Mr.. Bispham- In
happily. as has been intimated. the audience
not numerous. though IL was appreciative and
gra teful.