New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-26
MUSIC.
,.p PADEREwsKrs FAREWELL.

MR. PADEREWsKTs FAREWELL.
= seems that when the manager Of the concert
,cn Rt Carnegie Hall @ fortnight aso last Sun
g., announced Il Mr. Paderewskf's farewell he
ckoned without the pianist. his manager and
tber men ambitious TO identify themselves with
L. p--istic activities At any rate, there was an
+ber farewell concert last night in the Metropoli-
-, opera House, and, like its predecessor, Il had
-, arranged TO enable young musician ex-
.,b,- his talents. This time II Mr.. Henry K.
ryoalev who figured in the affair in dual capacity
=. composer as well S conductor. The manager
nos MI Burnham and when the audience (more
,-,arous than that at Carnegie Hall. but still only
: eractjon as large the gatherings which have
roetea Mr. Paderewsh when he appears s a
ealo performer pure and smple) opened the house
,,1s a vast disappointment appeared to be threat
r,,e. for despite the newspaper announcements.
the pianist's name appeared only under the
nouncement OF Chopins minor concerto. There
had been stipulation for solos, IL was said, and
.be announcements ought not TO have been made
tut Mr. Paderewsh IS not the man to disappoint
>, audience After a brilliant performance of
.ba concerto he acquiesced in the enthusiastically
exnressed wishes OF his hearers again and again
mil he had supplemented Chopins accompanied
-ork with a solo recital OF about forty minutes
duration, chiefly OF Chopin pieces. The excited
delight Of the audience grew with each number.
and reached a climax after marvellously stirring
,,erforrnance OF a Hungarian rhapsody by List.
with an orchestra that played rather listlessly
Afr Hadley gave Tschaikowsky's ''Marche Slave"
TWO movements from the graceful incidental music
composed by Mr.. Edward German for Shakespeare's
much Ado About Nothing and of his
composi tions-an overture. In Bohemia. and q
..J3alet Suite" The latter, composed in his study
wears in Vienna, had been heard publicly in New
York The overture is newer, and amiabe
work whose chief defect is monotony in theme.
color and Key
A PERFORMANCE OF PARRY'S JUDITH"
Dr. c. Hubert II. Parrys oratorio judith" was
rerforrned for the first time in America at con-
cert OF the Mount Vernon Musical Society last
niebt under the direction of Mr.. Alfred Halam.
II wes an occasion worthy Of special mention.
Fourteen wears ago, when Judith brought
forward at the birmingham festival. and soon
after at St Jarness Hall, in London ii was hailed
as one OF the finest triunphs Of English music
i: was praised rs truly English In style. abound
ing IN dramatic effects OF genuine power,
masterpiece indeed. But here and at home it has
had the usual fate of new works in the oratorio
field. The press reviewers clamor for novelties.
and when they given the public VIII have none
OF them. It a brave and laudable thing for
the Mount Vernon Musical Society to undertake
the work though regrettable. of course, that con-
ditions did not permit a performance with or
ctestra for the instrumental part Of the COM
position is something more than mere support
for the voices TO be replaced by panoforte and
organ.
The composer Of Judith his own lbret-
fist and provided surprise for the public by
making familiar story of the heroines treacher
Gus destruction of Holofernes, which had exer-
cised q fascination writers for the stage for
centuries. little else than episode in his book
The real subject is that described in the subtitle
OF the work. The Regeneration of Manasseh.
a subject which DR.. Parry thought himself just-
fed in consorting with the old story by some
speculations INDUCED in by Dean Prideaux. TO
prove that Judith's exploit may have taken place
in the reign of Manasseh. In view of the stress
which Mr.. George w. Chadwick and recent Ger
man composers have laid upon the scenes Of the
seduction and murder Of Hoofernes, 1t is at least
Interesting note the course of Dr. Parry argu-
ment. The Israelites under Manasseh have fallen
into the worship OF Moloch At a great assem-
blage in the valley Of Hinnom the priests demand
the children of Manasseh, that they may be sac
riiced the god. The King is compelled to yield
Judith TO the rescue OF the children and is
the point of herself falling victim to the fury
of the worshippers when Assyrian army ap-
pears, laws Jerusalem waste and carries Manasseh
captive Babylon. In captivity he repents and
is permitted return to Jerusalem but Holo-
fernes follows him thither and demands tribute for
Nabuchodonosor. Then Judith accomplishes her
deed Of deliverance, and, fired by her example the
Israelites fall upon the Assyrians and destroy
-nera