New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-01
EXPOSITION MUSIC.
4 Hymn of the West" by Mr..
.Stedman and Professor Paine.

II has not yet come TO pass that e worlds exhibit
ton has brought distinctly large and valuable
contribution 70 the art OF music though the inter-
national character Of such affairs has always held
out a temptation TO composers as well as poets
Ferloz wrote his Imperial" cantata for concert
~ be given IN the Palas de PIndustrie IN 1855 on
the day that the prizes were TO be distributed oy
the Emperor. II altogether stupenoous
enterprise, with twelve hundred performers anu
T3erlloz himself who conducted. controlling the
,oovennents Of five deputy conductors by means OF
an electric metronome constructed for him by an
engineer from Brussels: but half way through his
grand musical hrework." as Berlioz called H. ne
was interrupted because the music was TOO long ana
Prince Napoleon wanted to make speech Inc
work was performed under more favorable cohoi-
tions later while the exposition was IN prosres-
hut then II dropped into oblivion. from which MI
Theodore Thomas Is going 70 try TO rescue II az
ebs siyteenth biennial music festival 10 % helo
81 Cincinnati IN a fortnight from now For the
Trrv.r~al Exhibition held in London in $780, Verdi
wrote an limo dele Nazoni" CHymn OF the
Nations which also had pitiful lot -Four great
composers had been selected to represent tneE
regpective countries musicaly at the inauguration
OF the exhibiton-Auber for France Meyeroeer IoF
germany Verdi for Italy and Sterndale Bennett
FOR England What fate befell the works OF the
others cannot recall. but Verdi put forth an
honest effort and came lamentably 70 grleI. FOF
some reason or another gossip had II that II was
because OF the I'll VIII and jealousy OF Sir Mcnael
,-os4a1 the HYMN was not performed at the exhio-
4ion II was then announced at the Covent GaFoen
Theatre with Tamberlik the solo singer; out
this project also failed. At the end OF the 4tanan
opera season ct Her Majesty's it was at length
performed at a benefit concert on May "a Ihe
HYMN comprised an introduction. chorus SOLO
Eventually sung by Nile. Tetjen0 and an insTu-
mental finale in which the English, French ana
Italian national hymns were simultaneously oeVel-
oped Have YOU ever found yourself al a reFle"
between two or three military bands playing olf-
he English correspondent OF
lie Nord" newspaper. IN chronicling the event
thst is the effect OF the finale OF the limo oeile
Nazioni,' or something very Ike II"
For the Centennial Exposition at PnllaoelphlA II
1876 Professor John X. Paire made rausical set
ting OF Whittier's Centennial Hymn Duoley
Buck composed The Centennial Meditation OF Co
lurnbia," by Sidney Lanier, and Richard wagner
wrote down what somebody ccnsloereo s-uo''
worth OF commonplace phrases, which have since
been remembered when remembered at ALL as
che centennial Marchr-the weakest OF all the
masters extaut orchestral compositions BY virtue
Of his position as the dean Of American composers
and the head Of the musical department OF ha[NI
University. Professor Paine also cohulpu1eo tie
ofscial bvrnn for the Columbian Exposition at chi
caeo for which George ". Chadwick wrote an
ode ana Mrs. H. H. A. Beach Jubiate' the last
FOR the dedication Of the WOmans Building FOR
this fair too Alexandra Glazounow. one OF the
best Of contemporary Russian composers, wrote
.arriunphal March' for grand orchestra, with cho-
rus ad libitum. -Four years ago II was my privilege
TO attend in an official capacity the hrst OF the
Official concerts at the Paris Exposition For this
Armand sylvestre had written q poem which
Camille saint-saens had set to music. II was per-
formed once at the Palace OF the Trocadero' under
the direction Of the composer, with the hne orches-
ira OF the Conservatoire about one hundred ano
twenty-five strong), trained chorus OF about es
many voices an organ, actor who detained
some OF the lines and some solo singers. headed By
Nine Aino Ackte. then Of the Grand Opera, re-
Gently Of the Metropolitan forces in Nsw-YorE
The title Of the work was lie Ecu Celeste" and
as may be imagined, il was a goTihcation OF cleo
tricity Despite the theme there was not single
magnetic thrill IN n. Saint-Saens's music. which
was as uninspired as occasional music IL pro-
verbally said 10 BE- have never heard the cantata
even alluded 70 since.
Il is not necessary TO go any deeper into the his
tory OF official fair music 10 learn the truth OF
what was remarked at the outset OF this writing.
namely. that much ambitious striving has yielde9
lasting results OF value Poems OF merit have
gone into the books TO recall their origin to later
generations. but the current repertoTies of choral
societies have not been enriched To expect that
would, perhaps. be expecting too much. for the
choral field Is OF necessity restricted. and hymn
Of occasion would have 10 boast extra ordinary
puisssnce successfully 70 invade It To come down
70 the latest instance Of such composition, how
ever It may be said that the hymn written for the
opening Of the St Louis Fair which took place
yestEsday, richly deserves a wider hearing than Il
Is lksiy to receive the fair even Il as Is prom
issd It is produced hereafter In the form ana under
the conditions contemplated by the authors Yes
terdsy II was set down for an open air perform
ance with a military band taking the place Of the
Orohssrai but It is not to the performance but to
the hymn Itself that this article is devoted.
The words OF the hymn were written by Ed
mund Clarence stedmani the music by John
Knowles Paine. professor Of music az Harvard
University. Robert Allen Reid purchased proprie-
tGTy rights IN the work secured them by COPY
right and put the publication OF words and music
a TIA hands of the Thiebes-s6erIin Music Com
pany. Of St Louis TO whom and all the other per
sons Officially interested as well as tbs authors
The Tribune is indebted for the privileges which
main this study possible. Both words ana music
were written last February, and II Is doubtless
largely due TO the fact that poet and composer
came INTO accord IN the early formative period
ehAt TIE me spirit Of harmony and homoFeneity
which mHrhB the hymn Is largely due. Mr. sted-
man telt desire 70 employ a stanZaio form which
ne admired, and submitted Il 70 Professor Paine
Professor Paine found it admirably adapted 10
tnulicsI treatment. Both wanted hymn suited to
Sns Occaaon-populsr In the large and high sense
ear Ming. heart hning, mind filing go az least
should Judge from the outcome OF their colIabora-
uou)-a hymn that could be sung as well an non
esreo. and that would cause every heartbeat 10
keep step with the buoyant, brisk and energetic
su7oe OF the people who have accomplished the
Wonders OF The exhibition and are glory1 !: In their
pto"essi peoples hymn celebrating q peopIes
opportunities and q peoples deed, high and pure
n standard, simple yet elevated; lofty but NOT an,
OF the popular reach Mr. stedman had act bIs
heart On a form OF which the finest example A.
round N the lyric which occurs IN James shirleys
or.LnA' The Contention OF Ajax and Ulysses
written IN lsss. which tells OF the anal ana ,,-i.
sal conquest achieved by Death:
ne glerios OF our blood ana rat.
to- ~ Ss. - not substantial thinEEi
DsStb is S 1i ~ against fatsi
sospsr siS sh 5ss e hand On king
Must tumble down.