The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-27
EDWARD CIGARS CANTATA,
"THE DREAM or GERONTIUS, A
WORK or BEAUTY.

English Composer Who Knows How IN
Handle Materials Of Modern Compost.
tiOn-PefOrmance OF Choral Excel.
lence-And Van Hoose sings Beautifuli,
The final concert Of the season Of the
Oratorio Society which took place last
night at Carnegie Hall in the presence Of a
numerous and brilliant assemblage. was
devoted to a performance OF The Dream
OF Gerontius,' Edward Cigars sacred
cantata, built on the text Of Cardinal New
mans remarkable poem. The cantata
was performed first in this country on
March % by the Apollo Club OF Chicago
and had It's first hearing In this city at a
concert given by the Oratorio Society
on the following evening for the pleasure
OF public school teachers. That concert
was In effect q rehearsal for last night q
performance. which was the first offered
to the general public OF this city.
Mr.. Cigars cantata was produced at the
Birmingham England festival Of 1900,
and was introduced on the Continent at the
Lower Rhcnish festival Of 1902. Both
performances were followed by choruses
Of praise. Musicians and critics We'd in
heaping laudations upon the man who had
done so much to honor English art. In
the face Of such outbursts Of approval II
might be supposed that America, on hearing
the work. would add It's chant Of glory as a
mere matter Of course. This. however,
does not at all follow. America always
judges for itself and never accepts a trans
atlantic verdict as final.
II is. therefore, all the more pleasant to
be able to place on record to-day the
unquestioned success Of Mr.. Cigars work.
1t was heard last night with the deepest and
most unfagging interest by an intelligent
audience and it drove home the conviction
that Mr.. Cigars music invested the dis
tinguished prelate's notable poem with a
tonal setting as profoundly religious and
as powerfully imaginative as itself 1t
seems as il England had at last produced
composer capable OF handling the entire
machinery Of modern composition, not
merely with the skill of master technician.
but with the boldness. freedom and security
OF an inventor.
A proper and careful review OF this new
cantata must be deferred till the day after
Tomorrow Let it be very briefly noted
now that Mr.. Cigars work Is full OF ideas,
that 1t Is saturated with the spirit Of the
poem, that 1t is a veritable mine Of con-
trapuntal riches, that its solo parts are
couched in musical language OF most
expressive beauty, without leaning too
heavily on either the theatrical or the stereo-
typed oratorio style; that the climaxes
are developed with consummate skill,
that the double chorus writing is lovely, and
that the orchestration Is simply superb.
This Is little enough to say about so notable |
a work on the morning after it's production, |
but the sugges, ions Of such a score are !
too numerous. the impressions too highly |
colored, to be set down at length in decency |
and order Immediately after the hearing.
Few words are best more anon.
The performance was an honor to the
Oratorio Society, which was aided by q
special chorus from the Musical Art Society,
and TO Frank Damrosch. the conductor.
How many rehearsals did that choral body
have? 1t ia not recorded, but there must
have been many Such chorus singing has
not been heard in this town in many weary
suns. There were beautiful quality OF
one, symmetry Of phrasing and positively
impressive nuancing in H. Elgar has written
usion OF vast solo voice. and 10! a wonder!
1 he Oratorio people sustained the illusion
surely they did not know they could sing
hat way.
The orchestra discharged it. duties
II was uncommony solid
md smooth in tone and it revealed to the
audience all the life and color Of one Of the
ichest and most full-blooded OF recent
coros Mr. Damrosch deserves large out
'ourings Of praise for his preparation
" VIC Wofh, anu LOT cofluuCtlnR OF ". !
he audience and the chouus paid we'll
armed tributf TO him at the close of the
lrst part.
The soloists were Ada Crossey. con-
ratio; Ellison Van Hose. tenor. and David
'ispham. barytone. Miss Crossley's sing
ng was characterized by honorable Inten-
ions and profound respect for the con-
enances. IL was eminently correct. e1-
ept in the high register and Il was accepted
nth becoming gravity. Mr.. Van Hcose
-
lilly. His voice suited the music and i'm
arted 10 II the necessary tenderness and
oignancy. His utterance OF the Take
fe Away" after the soul had been In the
reeence OF its Creator was touching MIR !
ispham sang much better than he did AZ
nv time In the cOnrse OF the RECENT nuera |