New-York tribune., 1903-03-22
d" THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS."
Egar Oratorio-Creer English Composer
Il Performance This Week.

The Dream Of Gerontius" an dRatorio by Ed
ward William EEar. will be performed for the
first time in New-York by the Oratorio Society
under the direction Of Mr.. Frank Damrosch next
Thursday evening. Practically this performance
will be the second public for on Tuesday even
ing the last full rehearsal Will be heard by an in
vtted audience of teachers IN the public schools OF
the city Monday evening the oratorio will he
brought forward in Chicago by the Apollo Club,
and tkis will be its first American performance.
No recent work Of English composer has at
tracted such wide attention this OratoriO Sui
Uvans Golden Legend won greater and quicker
popularity. hut Sullivan was the most famous of
English composers when h" produced IL, and II was
e work OF light and pleasing character Naturally
It soon made the rounds Of the oraIorio societies
Of Great Britain aGd the United States tontl-
mental Europe, however. would have nothing OF IL
and a Berlin production brought about. as such
things usually are. by royal favor left feeble i'm
preston the musical people Of the German cap
ital. Mr. EiCaT's OTataTIO i il very different
case It is a work Of the largest dimensions, most
serious purposes most individual character ana OF
great difficulty. only the most completely equipped
concert institutions can cope with il. and it VIII
have opportunity Win The superficial
favor achieved by Sir Arttlur's work Eut it has
made 4 profound impression OF the musical world
anu made even Germany believe that something
good musical out ot England It's per
f0rTnanCes I3TEnin CHAM Festival OF 1900 and
Lower Rheuish Festival at dusseldorf IL ls'2
promptly followed hy its announcement ~ the lists
OF Cologne and Aix-la-C!a1eI!e. called out LOUD
chorus OF critical approval which at once hfted q
comparatively obscure composer into place OF try
ing prominence. Before the birmingham perform
ance Mr ElEar's work and name were Scarceiy
known outside OF q little provincial spot II Eng
land 70 which he was pe-force compelled to re-
strict activities Now everything that he gives
out IS eagerly scanned and widely performed In
America Mi Thomas promptly gave him place
f. the reIertory Of the Chicago symphony O-ches-
t-a. and paved his variations (which have also
made their appearance In Germany. his marches
'Poup' a.l circumstance. his 't"okalG1e
overture and his Contrasts. NeW-York has heard
TIE overture concert os tho Boston Orctes-
ira. and contrasts popular Sunday night
concert q S..l Frarho's Boston has thus taT con
tented i;sef WIKI -CockaigEe': Cincinnati. an Or
c.aest-aI -surs-z. Co-l4" Originally f0r strings,
brass and orSa:.t: PI;ts3urg. "CockaigEe' and he
MARCHES ! make TO record Of the songs entitled
'S-a Iict.r.s.''
-Four yer ago London programmes scarcely
knew rs na:ne lie was provincial musician,
HE rad t,-ker p-.late violin lessons II lie
metropolis. 1ut lie .ld Tot studied at any OF me
I:-:r.s: schools - nsI- nor gore down To any %
~. gre. l:-ver-I1ez :or either scholastic or
,r-.s:-a. .see--es Na- had he been enrolled a
a-y os -he Co:.:,l--tal ea'.servat HT.s@ oily at
t.e festivals - Worcester. Iauley. i>e~as a:.i
F5e-sf-a AZ! r-.e lsi-- rs Diamond JUb."e C'lo-
r-t,:.S - * mad works q: LIS lee1 hard -'"T
le o:..y modest. ..'Tl 7"rki;s .1.usi-
can ~ a5 Il sl.t :..I..se.t a. e kEr" Ab"dt
the higher branches o. The art: WI coutl play tie
c-re- --,...-su--e ysa.ir and t:.->oo-. had
1-e@ral-srz cho-S;e-s o..~ bad made % q me
a-ten..-t.ts lunattc asylum: aad sat among
the second -ioI.-s ~ festivals wEi-a were after
ward . l.e proud 20 claim his works dixie Handel
E, The opera IL Hamburg. ha5 COMPOSED al man
TO- % -..a--s even sriri rifles negro nl!DStTe!
songs a:l :or sol- years had been orga'.ist q St
Georges Roman Catholic Church Il N"FesSttT'
where his father had wen orgarist for thrty-seEen
years et I stretch Al the tlme while thus labor
ing Re vas struggling far recognition IL London,
where crCa after IS -r.a-c - -NeE. ne Went 20
,t.7- hut -e:.he- - or rs -Tos!tIoIs could get
too:h0I5 ana lie tssk himself and his household
gods of 20 Malvern. :3ve miles from railway sta
ZION. where he writes II g1!et. willie LONDON
s-.o.- q IN. W.. ;r.- a.: re-o-rs AT le has
a .as- 1=e-l discovered
n E.Ear L-vCl- Roman Catholic. WIN e
T.. .e-.-y - mysticism. which would scarcely b-
E,=se .-grl tle --Gsf- O his rhat has -. 2. :-e>Td
-. LIT n- -aes OF strong !. hS r~.-..-io II
t-@-.= = KAY. hen r2ct rs..-'c.E MI turned
mind toward .--rEs-.i New.--,.'s m as i
e.s.. f5~ musical setting Tc.-.y = G"-~ie before
go orator., l.s3 rs I-o-ustioD a. birmingham.
Tn. poem. from .c-.-a-E ro-"t of W" lo"FS
,r.-a Ire a T-oE--; = he Middle Ages than one
30 t,.s-aa-.-t. c.--t-.ry- L : wholly eX71s'-
.-- +-,-r-3 70 - ,sa---.rse % ptrgatoCE - t~
- IRE t-arl.c .-.r.-c. witch the author FTes' 80
f. series O. dramatic ci yrica. episodes some
s yr-}-s. z-e q sar-e poetic beauty I : sad
-s-- ,-.:-- Ner--s.l AIMS = believed i adapted
--s;ra5 treatment a,.G discussed st-le subject
v--7 no ,ess 2 rlrleI~i1:. than Or DT"rah. Wlo.
,-.y.ea- re+ I'd not letrg sll:t.r''Ttly ora
rn--. - E.- sry2e. Many "tlI.r composers have