The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-14

4 1sEANto VI AIE A ~ AA"'AtAA G~
tore. with his splendid Italian band, will
return to this city for afternoon and even
ing concerts on the following day.
The presentation of the great Handel
masterpiece should draw an immense audi
ence, not only on account OF the grandeur
of the work, but because, in undertaking
such a difficult task, the Flower Mission,
a most praiseworthy institution, should
have the support of all Indianapoltans,
whether they be music lovers or not. The
great chorus Of local singers has been re-
hearsing faithfully for the last two months
under the able direction Of Edward l.. Tay-
Tor, and it is understood that the $50 mixed
voices now bring out the full beauty of the
inspiring music. The orchestra, composed
of thirty-hve Indianapolis musicians, has
been we'll trained in the Instrumentation
of the work. and a very fine Interpretation
of the oratorio is promised.
The solo singers, who will be brought here
from Chicago, are all familiar with their
respective parts in the great composition.
Helen Buckley, the soprano, has sung in
"The Messiah" many times in different
parts Of this country and in England, and
Marie White-Longman, the contralto, John
B.. Miller, the tenor. and Albert Boeruff,
the basso, are also o~ratOrio soloists of ex-
perience, each having appeared at impor-
tant May festivals and on the concert plat
form.
The history of The Messiah" is most
interesting. Although Handel lived for
many years in England, gained great fame
there and died rich in honors and in this
worlds goods, his most famous oratorio was
first presented In Dublin, Ireland. This
wonderful work was written in September,
1741, just when the composers fortunes ap-
peared to be at their lowest ebb and he was
preparing to leave England. The hospitable
Irish asked him to come to their country
to give a performance of his new work
for a charitable purpose. He did go to the
Irish city, where he was received will
every evidence Of sincere good will and
esteem. He arrived in Dublin on Nov. Is,
1741, and on the 18th of the following April
The Messiah was first performed. I'm
mediately thereafter his fortunes seemed to
mend and when he journeyed back to Eng
land ne found himself welcome, whereas
he had departed with a few TO mourn.
Thereafter it became Handels habit to
present The Messiah once every year
during Lent, usually for the benefit of some
foundlingS' home.
OF all the choral works ever written,
The Messiah" is probably the most pOpu-
lar. 1t has been given thirty-three times
by the Apollo Club in it's thirty-two years
of existence, and usually at the holiday
season. Four years ago the oratorio was
given for the first time on Christmas night,
and now the custom has become well estab-
lished. So successful was the Christmas
night concert last year that the oratorio
had to be repeated on the Sunday night
following the holiday and the same Gus
tom will be followed this year. Accord
ing 10 Secretary Louis Evans, Of the club,
The Messiah" has proved the most sue
cessful and profitable of all the works given
by the Apollos. Next In popular favor is
the ~oratorio Elijah" by MendelssOhn, and
then Haydn's Creation" follows in the
public estimation.
George Frederick Handel must ever be
reckOned among the greatest of musicians.
He was born at Halle on the Saale Feb. %,
1855, the same year as Sebastian Bach. that
other musical landmark AT eleven he was
a composer, and for three years he wrote a
church cantata for every Sunday in the
year. In ITO he made his first visit to Eng
land, on whose musical activities he was
to exercise so important an influence. He
wrote operas by the score, he wrote can
tatas, masses, anthems and oratorios. OF
the latter he wrote at least twenty, includ-
ing such marvellous ones as The Messiah"
SAUL" "Alexander's Feast Judas Mac
cabeus," "Jephthah" and 'The Triumph of
Time and Truth" During the last few
years of his life he was blind. He died April
IA. 1853, and was buried in
Abbey.
movements were clumsy, but his features
were animated and dignified. He was easily
moved to anger, 1t being recorded that once
upon a time the Italian prima donna, Fran
/ CpSCa CnZZOOi- refusing TO sing an aria in his
opera, "Ottone," he seized her and threat
ened to throw her out Of the window, which
made her tractable, and forever after his
devoted friend. His ordinary expression
was somewhat stern, but when he smiled
it was like the sun breaking through a
cloud. He was strongly independent, sin
cerely devout, had a singular fidelity to his
friends and a high sense of honor.
All members OF the Flower Mission have
tickets to sell for the o%ratoriO. and the reg
ular reserved seat sale will open at Huder's
drug store Tuesday morning. Boxes, seat
ing six people, will be sold at S2 each, and
the chairs In the main floor and in the
according to location.
7 Z
Signor Giuseppe Creatore made such a
favorable impression in this city when he
and his admirable Italian band gave three
concerts here in November that all local
music lovers will be DESTROYS of again being
treated to the music Of this interesting
bandmaster. The CreatOre band will be at
Tomlinson Hall for a matinee and an even
ing concert next Saturday. and the pro-
grammes will be made up of the most at
~tractive numbers in the extensive roper
toiTe of the organization.
Creatore and his band have now been
heard in nearly every important city of
America, and the music critics everywhere
have acknowledged the unique personality
of the Italian leader, and his remarkable
musical powers. He is but thirty-twO years
old. and is probably the youngest of the
great bandmaSters of the world. His inter
pretations and readings are indeed soul
inspiring. and although he is the most ener-
getic director ever seen on a concert plat
form. his mannerisms seem so much a part
of him that, after attending his concerts,
one Is willing TO admit that his rather ex-
~traVagant methods of conducting are quite
pardOnable on account of the wonderful
effects which he draws from his musicians.
This eccentric musician has furnished the
newspaper and magazine rhymesters with
many Inspirations, and all sorts of poems
some of them serious. but most of them in
n humorous vein-have been published dur
ing the last year. The latest one is by
Richard Casper Dillmore. IL recently APP