The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-17

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was sung, and on Saturday the festival
ended with the B Minor Mass, in which
Bach has expressed the Protestant spirit,
though he has used a Catholic form.
Throughout this admirable scheme has
been retained the religious thought. and
in Its fundamental beauty the festival has
been made logical in Idea Before the
nearer has been brought some OF the
most noteworthy and powerful ecclesiast-
ical utterances Of the greatest Of all
Protestant composers.
The cantata, 'Sleepers Awake, for
Night Is Flying was intended for the
twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity. a
day that rarely occurs in the church year.
and only when Easter comes exceptional
~ early. Perhaps to honor this fact and
also on account of the solemn parable OF
the Ten Virgins, Bach was moved to
produce composition OF the very first
rank
The first chorus is founded upon the
choral melody. sung by the sopranos.
while the other parts weave contrapuntal
voices around 1t. A dramatic piece OF
recitative for tenor and beautiful or
chestral accompaniment to the tenors'
singing OF the choral melody are the other,
striking numbers OF the work It is diff
ficult sometimes for soloists to become
thoroughly in sympathy with the Bach
themes; some OF the solos and duets that
Bach employs SO often In the cantatas.
therefore II Is scarcely surprising that the
singing at times by the imported singers
III r4 + II ~ \ III
The "Magnifcat" formed the second
part Of Monday evenings session. It is a
setting OF Latin hymn in honor OF the
Virgin, but was composed for the use OF
the two Lutheran churches OF Lelpslg In
Baoh's time, the LutheranB used much Of
the liturgy that was Of Roman Catholic
origin
The singing OF the chorus has been, as 1t
ought to be, the chief feature OF the fes-
tival There Is a spiritual force in the
chorus which can scarcely be described
and certainly cannot be fully understood
till heard. Only once before has this
superb composition been given In Amer
tca at Cincinnati in 1915.
The solo singers OF Monday evening
were Miss Ef1ie Stewart, soprano; Miss
Lucy A. Brickensten, soprano: Miss
Marguerite Hail. alto; Mr.. John Young.
tenor; Mr. Herbert Wltherspoon, bass.
The soloists in the main brought in
telllRenCe ara fllHo letliHS nv l111A WI ~
but after ALL the chorus Is the chief fea ).
ture of the Bach festival. The mission
OF this festival, though 1t not to perform
Bach's music for the entertainment of the
people assembled here, but to set a stan
dard for the performance OF Bach's
music which shall BIO recognized and
acknowledged in church and concert-room
Throughout the United States" Tuesday
afternoon three of the cantatas which
constitute the Christmas oratorio were
performed; the fine quality OF the chorus
was brought out emphatlcally and the
excellent acoustic properties OF the Nor
avian church aided in producing much
better effect than Is often secured by
chorus where the nominal strength is
three or four times as great.
The remaining three cantatas OF the
oratorio were sung in the evening; this
Christmas oratorio Is made UP of six
cantatas. Possibly the chorus sang with
more fexbility than on Monday; the
voices are strong and fresh and full of
spiritual Intensity. The solo singers were
the same as on Monday except that Mr..
Nicholas Douty was the tenor.
OBJECTION BY CRITICS.
Certain OF the critics object to some of
Mr. Nolle's readings and consider that
his frequent retards at the closing of a
theme are monotonous: also comment is
made on the disturbing effect produced
by the lack of uniformity In the matter
of the short or long appoggatura used SO
frequently in Bach, One of the charming
features of the Bethlehem Festival Is the
feeling of sympathy and Intimacy between
bearer and performers. Occasionally there
NAV have been among the audience
desire for a little more variety and beauty
of feeling expression, but Tuesday even
ing in the exquisite ngurated chorale
Jesus. Who Ddst Ever Guide Me" the
hearers We're strangely thrilled there was
hn1tJ tHfn MI n 400
feeling. expression. The music came
down from the choir loft like O gracious
BENSON"
Only one concert was given on We'd
nesday. The music consisted OF the second
Rdandenburg Concerto and two solo can
atas Strike, oh Strike. Long Looked
For Hour" alto voice. and sung by Miss
STAFF Gladly Wander for bass. sung by
Mr.. Julian Walker, In the concerto the
arrangement by Felix Motel was used
and the organ introduced In the slow
movement. The performance was al
together different from that OF the Boston
orchestra. but was a fine piece OF work.
The first cantata Is simple hymn
homophonlo throughout, The use of
chimes was most startling device, but
the music Is pleasing, The chimes
strike tonic and dominant OF the key, an
swerng to the invocation strike. oh
Strike. Thou Longed-For Hour" Miss
Hall sang we'll and with appreciation OF
The spirit OF tho invocation. This cantata
suggests the song writer's Of the early
mart OF the nineteenth century, but In the
second cantata there seemed the fore
shadowng of the music OF Parslfal.
There was some dissatisfaction With the
singing of Mr., Walker, II seemed, thoush
excellent, too modern In style But there
vas nothing but praise for the concluding
ohnrale of the cantata, 'Brother of