The sun., 1903-04-14
THE PEOPLES CHORAL UNION
Its Performance OF Haydns "Thc Seasons"
Al the Metropolitan.

~ uhc "hetSopVussu'
Haydns THE Seasons is something OF
novelty in these days. 1t was heard
last night for the third time in twenty years.
Not many important works are performed
so seldom as that; but perhaps it may fairly
he said that THE Seasons is no longer
important. 1t is q cheerful and gentle
relic OF the golden age OF music, when clear
sunshine and babbling song were all that
the world asked to make 1t happy in the
domain Of melody. 1t was the early summer
Of modern musical art, when Haydn and
Mozart were the morning stars and sang
together without thought Of world problems
or even Of the morrow. 1t was that period
Of merry childhood when q good old man,
to whom music was kind Of second religion.
could think seriously OF setting to music
James Thomsons rosaic poem.
SO when the Peoples Choral Union.
that young and vivacious chorus which
Frank Damrosch has led out OF the wilder
ness Of the Fast Side Of town into the delect-
able land OF high art, tookit upon itself to give
Aperformance OF this oratorio at the Metro
politan Opera House last night. the people
went out TO hear and to wonder at the sweet
would be hard to find q work more suited
to a chorus Of somewhat Juvenile quality
OF tone and Of immature accomplishments
in the department Of ensemble singing.
The plainly harmonized choruses Of the
oratorio are 80 transparent and 30 obvious
IN their style and theyery fusues are woven
A most significant historical interest be-
longs, however, to this composition. 1t
was the offspring OF Haydn's declining
years, written in 1901. only eight years
before he died at a ripe old age. One can
po II ~
loved to call him, laboring with grand
fatherly tenderness over this babe Of his
waning genius. One can see him working
over with lingering fondness the formulas
which he himself had invented for orches-
the birds twittcr and the frogs croak and
the thunders roar; but more slowly. does
the stage apparatus work now, for the In
vention IL no longer new and only an old
mans doting love keeps It In working
order
Again, too, the slow movement Of the
Surprise symphony pops into sight. this
time as an obliRato TO a bass solo; but II
no longer surprises. except by it's unex-
pected appearance. And ever and anon
one hears an echo Of the magic flute OF
Mozart, whose admiration for Haydn was
squaled only by Haydn's alteration for
hir
'Eheu, fugaces anni.' The apples do
not grow so large nor 30 sweet as they did
when we were children and no one makes
The doughnuts that our mothers made.
Even Gluck's heavenly sOrfeo' begins to
pail and at III Flauto Magico' We amuse
ourselves by laughing at the monkeys. The
vofu gods must sing to US; we care no
more for the little fishes. Away with the
hddles and flutes and fal-lals; give us tr,lm-
pets, trombones, tubas and turmoil.
Yet il Is well for the oldest and most
musicay dissipated to sit down occasionally
Da supper OF cold Haydn, sweetened by
NE oil and wine OF good humor. and for
ne young. overheated by the ragouts OF
wagner and Strauss. there Is no better
psbuum than this, except the purities
o. Mozart. Perhaps Papa Haydn's Sea
ons would seem to have more variety
Y the work were better sung than II was
hst night
10 point OF precision and accuracy the
choral part OF the performance left little
b. desired. but tonally 1t was thin and
Gndent and most Of the chorus-s sounded
adouby childish The solo singers were
nnnanna Cumming, soprano, Ellison Van
noos', tenor. and Gwilym Miles, bass.
ih.re was little color In their work. but II
generally correct In spirit and honest
N intonation. The orchestra. thrust lar
opt into the auditorium on an extended
platform, sounded curiously thin. but that
sS fault OF the acoustics OF the house.
frank Damrosch conducted with spirit.
ne audience was large and In commen-
datory mood