New-York tribune., 1902-12-21

since the days of DR. Damrosch Handel wrote IL
strings only-for three violns. viola and bass. The
third violin doubled the first in the lower octave as
the viola doubled the second The third violin part
is in both the Dublin and Hamburg conducting
scores. but not in Randall & Abell- This was the
score which Mozart followed. but he added viola
parts and parts for the wood-wind- These lat
ter d.. Prout eles, but also oraifs the third violin
part The bass Is sustained throughout oy soft
stop the organ.
Singularly enough DR.. Prout also adopts a reading
of the chorus beginning GLORY to God" which Dr.
Damrosch employed here for about five years, and
which called up interesting controversy between
him and The Trbunes music reviewer as far
back as 1881. To make the point at issue clear a
facsimile of half page of Handel's autograph Of
the chorus in question is printed this page
From the illustration it will be seen that when
Handel COMPOSED the chorus he wrote what might
properly be called stage directions to the left OF
the two slaves devoted the trumpet parts. At
first evidently, he wrote I'm disparte.'' which is
the equivalent of Aside; then 'Da lontano un
POGO piano'-"From afar a little softly Some
time about 1871 1878 the Sacred Harmonic Soci-
ety's facsimile fell into Dr. Damrosch's hands.
and. conscientious student that he was. he imme-
diately evolved the theory that Handel had in
tended at the beginning OF the number to depict
the gradual approach of the heavenly choir as the
Instrumental postlude was most obviously designed
to depict its departure And he began the
chorus softly and worked up CresCendo The
Tribune reviewer tried to demonstrate that such
reading was contrary to the Biblical record as
peated in the text OF the oratorio that suddenly
there was with the angel d multitude of the
heavenly host praSing God and saying Glory TO
Cod ETC. contrary to the style of the compost
ton which had called in trrlmpets and drums,
hitherto silent. in orde- TO add scintillant glory
to the angelic proclamation. and contrary also to
the significance Of device characteristic Of Han
Gers manner-an explosion of the hddles in eli
makes that called for brilliant tonal color Also
The Tribune tried to prove that the directions
intended for the trumpets. which. had
they come in in the usual harins manner, would
have spoiled the celestial effect OF the chorus put
whose tone properly modified would put addi-
tional brilliancy the close and high harnones
with which Handel begins. his chorus All was
in vain for four years Then Dr. DamroSch
changed his mind 0he musician probably asserting
himself over the sentiInentalist in his nature)
and ever since we have had the traditional and oo-
viously correct reading from him and both MS
sons Now the subject has come up for DIS
cussion in England. and Sir Frederick Bridge mas
most vaIiant1v upheld what The Tribune asserted
twenty-one years ago. that the directions were IN
tended trumpets, not for the entire company
of perforners DR.. Prout plays fast and loose
He will not have forte at the beginning OF Inc
chorus; neither will he have piano he aroi-
trarily writes mezzo piano direction at the De-
ginning and just arbitrarily a mezzo 4orte @I
the first And Peace Earth: and In the preface
to his orchestral score referring TO the SIdse
tons quoted above and quoting the slghlIcahce VI
the fact that they are crowded between the
trumpet sigma lures and put at the top OF the
mage like the Allegro which is general drec
ton, he says:
It is not quite clear whether he means TINS l 70
rsfsr only 70 the trumpets or the whole chorus
a-d orchestra and the Dublin score throws no
iiebt On the point as Smith has not copied tIle
indication From the fact that the SIduuai S u uJ
crease in force in the final symphony seems eXi-
dant1v intended to depict the departure OF tne
eayeny host / inclined to oeileVs Ia ItI ot1
commencement of the chorus Is summary uetsli
all the parts mp the beginning and reserEed tiS
first forte for bar 10. where Handei mas niiiiSei-
marked 1t.
~ the fact that such a reading is contrary 10
sacred history and contrary to the spirit OF music
the omission of the directions in the Dublin score
throws great deal of light on the point. Dr.
Damrosch used the Mozart score with his own
markings. Here there are no trumpetS a1 'ii1 ~
ginning DR. Prout restores the trumpet parts
and compromises with a w1shy-~aShy AuiAi9i
patrol effect by arbitrarily writing in mezzo
-, yybv7 Because the first mark in the auto
qranb is a great big Plan over the exquisite IN
terI,,de which follows the descriptive phrase Anu
peaca on Earth" After that comes the forte IN
..the tenth bar" II is as plain as pikes'aii 'i'
Handel wanted the trumpet color but not 100
much trumpet noise mixed with MS dhsei.I
ot the beginning and meant his stage directions
IN annlv where they were written IL VIII Oe ue
r1orabIe if conductors adopt his suggestion mere
In the next significant feature or his edltion DI-
r,-,,+ ;gnores the autograph and follows the buo-
"a, .oore Fsut here he has the argument OF traui-
tion taste and effectiveness on his Slue III '