New-York tribune., 1902-03-19
MUSIC.
ocurrNANN.s PARADISE AID THE PERI"

ccuTrsfANN'S PARADISE AID THE PERI"
r,ss Ijttle singular yet not wholly inexpncable.
-, despire the admiration in which Schumann
., row universally held and the large number of
,roral works which he wrote, our singing So
feries pay so little attention to him Decades sep
arats the experiences even OF veteran chroniclers
q, musical events with this music of an acknow-
o4qed master and one whose memory extends
more than q quarter OF a century can scarcely
-scsU performance OF one Of the cantatas or
motifs unless back Of It there act OF
rg,ug devotion the names Of composer
,.bo has always made a peculiar appeal to
the affections of those who appreciate his music.
There may have been something of such
feeling in the prompting which led Mr..
Frank Damr0sch TO bring forward Paradise
and the PERI at the last Of this seasons concerts
ri The Oratorio Society. which took place in Car
regie Hal last night. The work last heard In
New-York in April. 1876. nearly twenty-six years
ago and then it was performed by the Oratorio
Society under father of the present conductor.
Twenty-six years make up a long period in the life
Of singing society and its patrons. and though
there were doubtless some persons in Carnegie
Hall last night who assisted in fact and others who
assisted in the French sense at that last per
formance the work was practically a novelty TO all
concerned. II was listened TO such; unhappily it
was also performed such; and the fact that 1t
evoked greater enthusiasm than any novelty
brought forward ly the society within the last
decade despite a performance Of which 1t Is i'm
haps as warm a tribute as the work has ever re-
ceved.
Paradise and the PERI is a lovable work
Moores poem Is just such thing was bound
10 90 TO the heart Of the poetical dreamer Schu-
mann Unfortunately it is also just such thing
as Was equally bound his purely lyrical
heart strings 10 vibrating He was never a
dramatist except in few OF his songs. While ne
was full Of the subject the incidents of the hrst
part struck few sparks Of fire from his SOUL but
4F.-~ timer IA
ing and there nothing to rouse him out OF
that mood until the finale reached Iheh
again his enthusiasm blazed forth. Meanwhile
however, he had written many pages which,
v-bie they echoed the German sentimental
ism Of sixty years ago, not likely ever
again to move the hearts OF music lovers
,rofoIndy This is the dramatic age OF
music But il is still a ovahle score, with moments
that disclose the genius Of the composer IN us
highest estate The poignant harmones OF the
choral cry OF Woe in the first part, the picture
q bat-le that precedes II, the deIiueation OF the
lsge "a sad subject for music in the second part.
the chorus Of the Gerii OF the Nile Qor whch
srbUmann also wrote the teXU and the finale Ghe
choral part which also his conception) must
always rank with the finest pages IN the book OF
secular cartata or oratoro. All this would have
been more viyidy enforced the minds and sensl-
filities OF last nights audience had the perform
ance been more vital. varied in nuace, more
Luminous in color. The massive effects can always
be left 10 care for themselves the lighter and more
gracious portions Il the which lie so close TO
the fancy in a work dealing with the creations of
Oriental Imagination, The portions which re-
ouire careful and reverental treatment.
The solo parts sung with singular uneven
ness considering the excellent repute in which the
singers ale hed. The best, by far, Nine.
Gadskl, who sang with surety and whole hearted
ness that produced an luspiraIional effect, which
was frequently needed stir performers and
listeners out OF threatening lethargy. Mr.. Van
Ho0se. TO whom the next guerdon due, found
some Of the music TOO low for his voice. and
best when the lines permitted him 10 be strenuous.
Miss Stein was lifeless in q degree seldom met with
in her case, and Mr.. Baernstein seemed 10 be
suffering from hoarseuess, for nearly all the notes
above the staff made him labor, and all his utter
ances were more or less uncouth and ponderous.
Mrs Hissen de Moss's voice was generally bright
and true but occasionally shril. II she fancied
that ii was necessary TO force il in order 10 keep
PACE with her companions