New-York tribune., 1902-05-17

he followed in his arrangement and distribution OF
forces. This editor Mr.. Hermann kretsch-
mar. of Leipsc. who in his edition Of the mass
prepared for the Riedel Veren and published three
years ago expressly stated that he had in con-
temptation orchestra of the pre-Haydn period
which meant the augmentation of the wind band
to the extent of player OF wood or brass for
each stand of viOls.
The obsolete instruments which Bach employed
in the score were the oboi damOre and a
da caccia-the latter for Oobigato In thet
bass solo "QuOniam sOlus." The oboe d'amore is'
an alto oboe pitched i minor third lower
Its voice Is pastoral character, sweet.
yet pungent and distinct from the ordi-
nary oboe that the whole effect of color Is
changed If one be substituted for the other. Bach
uses both instruments. but never tOgether-a plain
indication that his aim was color. sorority
merely. though it be borne in mind that he
was not permitted to think of large orchestra IN
connection with his works. and. though he
heard his mass (which was written in part for the
Dresden COURT. he restricted to the limits of
the practicable Tie cOrnO da caccia was small
hunting horn. The obbigato which Bach wrote for
II IN one number can be played by 5000 per
was played the last in New-YOrk and Bethle-
iaboriousIy Drnd1cSd and tbe ,Imbinstion Of horn
two bassoons and bass was Opaque The small horn
BaGhs first trumpet is also practically obsolete or
poWers S Of modsI S0 ng as and beS nstr
ments- COrnets in + fiat sometimes substi-
fame for themselves by playing the parts as writ
schenk in Leipsic on a small d trumpet
hg third question % touches b the ca T fns
an accompaniment from the figured bass was so
created by the player (who generaIt. the COM
poser became very important sometimes even
was no organ in the hall when concerts Of Handel,s
music were given in Vienna, Mozart wrote his addt-
tional accompaniment Franz followed in his foot
SbraT Vdic oEy snpped the want b
writing out the contnuo in an organ part IN Baehs
TosGh at the performances Of the hen mass @ IN =, New
COrdanCe kretSChTnaTS
Rear Rrps as DamroscS Ss conSred four flutes four
| oboes 1.-TWO d'amOre). two bassoons. one horn and
allied thirty-seven OF the wind instruments called
for by the score and otherwise sTeIed t the tonsl
| hundred voices than the New-York Oratorto
tons however. attained in p, Bsthlslsm LAST
| orchestra sixty-nineteen wind Instruments.
| The impression had gone out widely In Cincin-l
| as ne did the cantata Fin Feste Burg" for the
festival Of 1850 The impression was not at an sl
| the Kretschmar score. which added nothing but
as Bach LEFT it This organ part played by Mr.
cretion and fine taste in registration. gave com
| pactness and consistency TO the instrumental
solo numbers. The problem presented by ths
that ought to be SATISFACTORY to All except stickIer.
| against musical anachronism by using high ID and
sages with clarinets. Against this procedure ID
in Bach's day, and there is on record an enl-
| phatic protest against their use by Pro-
|
66S t62s in 6d 6s & day. 10 e e s n @ s h
chestra Nevertheless. the effect tonight was ex-
GesDt in SO far as the trumpet voices % IN the
i lost portion of the brilliant clangOr of thes
the corno da Caccia Mr. Thomas substituted =
French fsF born Il, in "A The obbgat% g in the I'M Mu9na%
| lection mentioned having forced itself into
bsssCOns horn and organ gave out an opaque BODY
OF tone singplarly monotonous in color kretschnar
fancy would obvate the difHculty complained Of
nights performance, like those in the East proved
! to be absolutely essential to the attainment or
| oboes bassoons and trumpets with the string
of single stands Of vioins and yioaS with mqtes Z,
Except the greater number of instruments in all
the parts the greater proportion of winds TO strings
formanee was not markedly different from those OF
1t was different. however. IN the merit of tbs
which ought TO have carried IL to uniformly
fpsrs and {bsTe was sI,a Caf1s f0r wonrvv vvSsT,
the audience turned on tempest Of appause ate.
| the Gloria and the "Gratias Agimus.' In these
the full. rich. strong body OF acted upon the
| listeners like inspiration. 1t splendidy up
| But Calas that there can be no praise without
! the Qualifying butt these Hspriting memories
knee, palsied performance Of the. the '9ui Tolls" and
| was grievOus to the lovers Of Bach's music Mr.
| Thomas's absurd jiggng I'm this number brought
heart OF Mr., Mees. who was then the festi-
/ val ChOirmaster and had studied the
| with great care. I do envy the presena
Chorusmaster. Mr.. Glover. his feelings tonight
So profound was the disappointment caused by Mr.
/ ThOmas'S mad temper that all desire 10 point
the features in which the singing of the choir could
| bear comparison with the performances in New
York and Bethlehem disappeared. We have
incidents like these at most of Mr.. Thomas's
festivals He glOTteS in the virtuOSOShip OF his
band. and seems willing to exploit II at the cost
of composer and choir. This much may be saids
Had either of the New-YOrk performances had
magnificent instrumental contingent. they
would deserve pages in the history Of musical
culture America. AS vet these pages belong only
to the Bach Choir. OF Bethlehem whose conductor.
j. Fred Wolfe, assisted in to-night's performance
by translating Mr. ThOmas's gestures into words
for the benefit OF the OrganiSt. But for such
performance there must be Bethlehem's conditfonss
The solo singers Mrs Zimmerman, Mrs Steins
Mr.. Davies and Mr.. Black performed their diffculd
tasks with complete DEVOTION but also with
thing very akin to fear and trembling. contraltn
and tenor deserving the most praise The audiences
more numerous than on the first night. and
graCiously attentive. III. r. K.