New-York tribune., 1901-03-31
MUSICAL NOTES.
THE WEEKLY CALENDAR-BAcH's PAS
SION AUsIC-A NEW ITALIAN OfEf'A
NINE BI.AUVELT-PRoGRAM
OF THE WEEK-NOTES
AND COMMENTS.

AND COMMENTS
Opera HSgss s9 arts P Cub IN $3.50 $50
n m concert OF chamber music by the names
9s4Fgset s2S,a GR%Te5 An RnFes x I ch1reh
m praise service, Stainer's "CruclhhloiH .
Ross.ni's "stabat Mater"
Monday-No lu East Thirty-thrd-st GlS h;l5 a. ra M;
church. D. m, free organ recital 10y "iiliahi
q Carl
Back's st Matthew Passion by the BROOKLYN
Oratorio Society.
forte recital by Arthur Friedheim; Church OF
he Holy commnnon adb Gg 4S Tu1am r m organ F spence
ciiai by Mr and Mrs. HenscheI
6retorio soeitfy 5 DToraks Rcquem
Friday-Good Friday.
Observation-Disclosures Hall. p. m song recltaA
by Mr.. and Mrs Henschel.
Holy Week will be marked in the musical life
ri New-York by two choral concerts OF extraor-
dinary interest. On Tuesday evening The Passion
Of Our Lord According 10 st. Matthew" by Bach
will be performed by the Brooklyn oratorio Society
under the direction Of Walter Henry Hail. and on
Thursday evening Dvoraks Requiem Mass VIII be
given by the Oratorio Society under the direction
OF Frank Damrosch. Concerning the latter work
something was said in this journal last week. 1t
may not be inappropriate 10 direct attentloh 10"
TO the Bach composition
The Passion According TO 81 hatli1t" IL lAc
acknowledged masterpiece Of the broadest. most
coy,nrebensive most universal musician that ever
lived who created literature from which, 1t mas
been well said, the entire modern art could be re-
constructed all but IL, in some mysterious
yav wiped out OF existence. Until Bach is heard
in this monumental creation he is not known in the
fulness of his musical character, and there rests
upon him, in the popular mind. an imputation or
pedantry and dry dust antiquity which bars the
mental door against perception and understand
ing Of his many-sided greatness.
The Passion music throws the door wide open,
foods the mind with the dry light OF knowledge and
appreciation and dispels the bugaboos which igno-
rance has conjured up concerning Bach as the in
carnation OF Journalism, scholasticism, and hard
unvielding. unsympathetic science In music 1t
shows the great masters real character the pub
Usher of the truest, tenderest. deepest and most
individual religious feeling.
The music is peculiarly a hymning Of the religious
sentiment of Protestant Germany. 1t reflects with
rare fidelity and clearness the essential qualities
of the religious character Of the German people,
their warm sympathy. profound compassion, fer
vent love and sturdy faith. Handels Messiah
magnificent publication Of faith. impressive deep
felt sinceredepends entirely upon the higher arti-
fetal forms for its modes OF expression, While
Rach's Passions ind of their most eloquent
accents in the congregational chorales. which
sprang from the simple, homey folk-tunes that, be-
fore they came into the service Of the Church.
voiced the most intimate feelings of the German
nature. country and God.
The music also embraces some OF the loftiest
forms Of art expression and IS. in fact, the culmi
nation Of an order that had undergone development
for centuries. and is still continuing in changed
phases: bit TO a great extent il is the fact men
rioned above which gives il its peculiar power In
swayine the deeper feelings Of the human heart
NO music ever written" says Mr.. Dwight, mot
excepting the Messiah is so stepped in the most
wholesome tender. deep religious feeling It goes
down into the individual. private soul. pleads for
and with the contrite and believing heart and
lends sympathetic voice 10 every Christians per-
sonaI and private feeling to and for the Saviour.
Handel on the other hand, is universal, speaking
10 AID for mankind. Instead OF the mournfui
rnonotony one might expect in an oratorio of grief
one meets in il continually fresh beauties and new
phases OF expressions; and the wondering atten-
tion is excited at almost every step by rare and
exquisite surprises both in musical idea and form.
It IS fun Of living stirring scenes. and of fine and
vivid character painting which is dramatic in the
purest sense. And while the text may dwell upon
details Of physical pain and sacrifice. the music
all the while lifts you above the physical brings
cut the heart Of the tragedy, causes the spirit TO
shine through II, pointing not chiefly to the wounds
which Christ bore in the flesh, but TO his wounded
love for man and for his prosecutors So after all,
instead OF being one long wall, it is cheering and
divine interpreter Of sorrow and sings the spiritual
victory so that hearers soul is not depressed,
hut raised a molly atmosphere Of all serenity
and sweetness"
AS an art form the Passion music is unique II
combines various elements and approaches nearest
the dramatic oratorio. but il IS, nevertheless,
distinct type. 1t roots partly in the old miracle
PLAYS and mysteries OF the Middle Ages but its
origin is more remote. The custom of X
ing the reading Of the Passion special servic or