New-York tribune., 1902-05-15
MUSIC.
THE CINCINNATI MAY FESTIVAL Be
GINS WITH DELIGHTFUL AND
INSPIRITING CONCERT.
[BY rELEeRApH TO THE 5RIDUxE. J

IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE IRI3UNE.l
Cincinnati, May 14-The fifteenth biennial Nav
music festival began here in the Music Hall under
the direction Of Theodore Thomas this evening
Mr.. Thomas established these affairs in 1873 and
they are, fancy, as intimately associated with
him was Meleagers ltfe with the billet Of wood
which his mother snatched from the fire In their
loftiest aims their finest achievements and their
pettiest tendencies, they have represented his
artistic character and individual whims absolutely
implicitly, slavshly. In this has been their glory
and occasionally their shame But the record is
one which has made for the good of music and
kept the name OF Cincinnati bright in the artistic
annals Of America. The festivals, long after the
time when they were occasions OF great popular
rejoicings throughout large tributary territory
stil occasions OF interest TO historian and re-
vieWer-though the visitor from New-York is COM
PEELED 10 look upon them with different eyes than
the local chronicler and hear them with different
ears.
Popular interest in the affair seems to me smaller
this time than at any of the previous meetings I
do not know the cause. but an unamiable observer
might seem justified in surmising that the want Of
great names IN the list of solo performers NAV
have had something 10 10 with IT, There seems also
10 have been some apprehension Of a falling of in
the oldtime enthusiasm on the part Of the man,
agement- Heretofore the festival has covered 6ve
days, within which time seven concerts were given
This year the festival IS limited to four davs
and five concerts. But the lack of A dominant
ing star performer and the curtailment Of The
number Of concerts are both improyenoenrs
from the point OF view (which ought to be occpied
when contemplating these large affairs They
concentrate the attention OF both the festival
FORCES and the public on the true mission Of choral
festivals The four programmes Of the week are
admirable in constitution and arrangement the
oTcheslra and choir finely adequate, and there is
10 be no sacrifice of art to sensation mongering
Ihere nave been great operatic singers engaged
in earlier festivals who failed utterly in the work
which they ought to have done well, and reduced
the concerts to something only little better than
the Sunday night concerts in the Metropolitan
Opera House New-York.
But If there was any indication of \ falling off
in popular interest. in the apathy OF the business
men who used TO exploit the festivals for the sake
Of trade, in cessation Of street and club chatter
and drawing room iutter there was none in the
appearance and size Of the audience which gathered
for the first concert. The music hall was filled
with listeners, and there the usual irrupton of
gay gowns. a Gladsome spirit prevailed and the
new work which had its first Western production
was graciously received II was Cesar Franck's
"Beatitudes," which has been heard once in
New-York. twice in Worcester Mass and once
IN Boston. With those performances I am
familiar, and they surpassed in every respect
by the performance of this evening. The Cincin-
natl choir is only little larger than the Worcester
choir which sang the oratorio in Boston as well
as Worcester, but IL is composed Of better ma
terisl. The German Lederkranz sang the work
as Well-oetter, indeed, so far precision Of attack
ana nuance are concerned-but there was no ade-
quate instrumental complement in either case and
III greatest charm Of the composition lies in its
orchestral part. Mr.. Thomas has brought his or
chestra from Chicago and augmented il largely
70 meet all the requirements of the works to be
gwen even the phenomenal demands of Berlioz in
his Mass for the Dead" which is to he nerforr,e5
on saturday evening. In that work and in Bach's
mass IN minor on Friday evening he will COM
lnand force Of ia players. The official statement
makes the number ls3, but that is an amiabIe
e&aeserauon achieved by counting players of diff
Ierent instruments over and over again in the var
os groups. More significant than the number of the
80 4tdIsts' however, is their superb quality
% tone and the finish which has resulted froy,
% t constant drill under their leader The Chicago
O-0Hesra IS one Of the permanent organizations
- "H!ch New-forkers have heard considerable of
- - Has just completed its tenth year. and its |
49, -! nave Just paid their tenth assessment
s -OH lis year amounted 10 some $50 oc0 but that
IacI aIIects only the question of its future not 30
@ .s present Philadelphia has suffered a loss Of
$4,000 Plttshurg Of $2S0oo and Cincinnati of SO 0n
''0ush mel & tne money lost was voluntary gift
not an assessment. The facts are interesting
though not relevant TO the subject of this report
except as one may choose TO apply some of them 70
the question frequently discussed here as 10
Nnether or not there ought to be harmony of action
oetwee- the May Festival and Cincinnati Or
chestra Associations.
1he FESTIVAL choir is a body Of 466 singers the
majority OF whom have participated in earlier fes
uVals It is well balanced in respect Of volume Of
tone, Notwithstanding that there is a want of pro-
the contraltos 49, the tenors 81 and the basses 93
Sorne years ago when the choir had sunk TO a de-
Plorable plane resort was had TO the English plan
OF recruiting the weak voices (tenors and basses
o. course) with paid singers and since then three
score or tenors have served to balance nearly ten
score OF sopranos, in which group there is less
Aho"Iedge and experience. In the first caCrus this
evening the volume and quality of the choral tone
OoEhe up on the rich and muscular orchestral tone
ana saturated with its euphony was delightful in
splFltng and spiritually uplifting
Al! the solo singers engaged for the festival took
part N the performance. They were Mrs. Marie
AunkeI Zimmerman. Miss Clara Turpen. Mrs Ger
truce May Stein. Ben Davies, Ellison Van Hoose
Ahorew Black and Gwilym Miles. Save those of
M Dawes and Mr.. Black, these names do not
souno particularly imposing, but their effective
operation tonight exempIihed the wisdom of main
talning the true festival idea hinted in the
early part OF this report-a good chorus a good
orchestra. worthy programme and solo singers
engaged for their competency in such programme
and not 10 promote the show spirit. Messrs Davies
ara Black belong in the front rank of British
orlo and concert singers The former is singing
MS nIth Cincinnati festival engagement; the lat
ter his first having been brought from England
ior this meeting. They exemplars of a noble
style OF concert song but prefer let them pass
with little comment tonight so that the tribute due
70 the ensemble may have the greater weight. L
should Ike 10 make IL fragrant and beautiful, but
mere ~ time only for expression OF sincere appre
citation and gratitude. H E. X.