New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-10
MUSIC.
DR.. Elgar's Nee Oratorio.

- t-sar's latest oratorio COR. 20 be specific
- n, n as has been given 10 the world, was
so,-,.s under the direction CT Mr.. Frank Dam
- In many respects the occasion was e1-
t.-s,n,-v. The work has had nut a single pub
tn-.,r and that ct tho English festival for
&c - a. ,vns composed. The score Is stiIl in the
". :, ~. printers. Mr.. Damrosch having pro
Dc &c work and directed Il lr0m proof sheets
- he nearly fortnight before II will have
s-r- repetition IN England at Birmingham.
-, a. was performed October u LAST, and
80, z-tu not hear & for some weeks 20 come.
-. 30. within the contemplated schemes OF Er.
,,--ossh and the organizations concerned In the
-sorYuanoe at the beginning OF The season, though
= !. no, improbable that these schemes viii be
- "a admit OF a repetition. The OratOrio So
-. ana a choir from the Musical Art Society
-, ,,,.,n themselves the task OF learning the
~ "a that the city History Club might benefit by
= -.s-formanoe They accomplished a la-1Se labor.
"a tsft another OF hercUlean dimensions TO the
-sewers for the newspaper press.
:, Is Ike s6ventuIing into strange country TO
-. q discussion Of this work: even the points
- ,be compass must first be sought out II IS an
a observation that a musical work OF magnitude
81 serious contents is not 20 be appreciated with
single hearing. Dr. Cigars new oratorio is not
=. no ever unprecedented in any Of its elements at a
..,sls hearing. to say nothing OF being compre-
800 and appreciated. A mere hearing without
.,-s-aJing and thoughtful study OF the printed
-, must leave the listener in state OF per
.,.xf., and bewideTment Z is muCh more remote
=. s..rr and mode OF utterance from the conven
.S,,sl orztorio than The Dream OF GerOntius."
$50 gave pentifuI food fo- reflection last season.
:. v,o,f6 30 gratifying solution o. an embarrass-
,,v n-otlen coalG one accept such renoteness os a
- Of greatness and indefectibility, but TO do this
=. :, -,ake OF music = mystery and Of the composer
=, s,snred seer arnenabie TO nc p-ccept OF reason
~ canon Of taste. This is schoolgirls method
n contemplating genius ard its products.
:. Is necessary that ar attempt be made 70 tel
.,+ r)- Elear has done thus 10 irrtote the rehec-
,,ys faculties Wherein is his new oratorio so
,ovsi 50 strange. 50 remote from other compost
lions of its kind? We offer only a hasty an0
necessarily Imperfect description. BY his owa con
ssssjon. The Apostles" have IL. is a por-
tlop parts and I'D OF a work in which he hopes
a eu,bodv the election q Christs Apostles. their
.,hoolinr and their mission in the establishment
q. he Church among the Gentiles." He has con-
,tructed the textual framework as well as the
musical setting OF this work The books OF ora
,orios especially those made by compiling pas
sares OF Holy Writ, are generally good and IN
telisibe as literature. even when they serve a
COMPOSERS purpose IN or indihereutly. There are
many such. the most perfect examples probably
being Handlers Messiah and Mendelssohn's
'Fiish"-the former epical the iatte~ largely ORA
matte Dr. Elgar has also gone 70 the Bible for his
text but as no went before. He has con-
str7icted a dozen or more scenes IN tie lie or
Christ bearing on the election snd preparation 81
HIS Apostlos and FOR words descriptive Of incl
dents reflective. explanatory, coutemPative or
dramatically expressive On the manner OF diaiogne
he has searched the Scriptures from beginning 10
end not forgetting the uncanonical books. he has
taken q line from place. verse from another.
a phrase from another. a word from another; he
has culed from psalm and prophecy and Gospel
enc placed the compages Of words into the mouths
81 dramatic characters. terrestrial and celestial
chors. individuals and unndividualized multitudes
lie has knit all this together by music which Is
Itself a multi-coiored. muti-styled fabric, woven
out OF fourscore or more Of figures. motifs themes,
slhrases and periods. The manner OF musical con-
rtruct,on is that OF Wagner but the most intricate
page in Der Ring des Nibe4mgen' is simplicity
itself N thought and execution compared with
some OF the pages in The Apostles There are
as many musical symbols IN The score OF this ora
ror4o as there are In the whole Of Wagners tet-al-
ogy. and the largest Instrumental apparatus en-
rloyed by Wagner IS but the foundation upon
which Dr. Elgar has piled newcomers IN the or
chastral community. His singular commngling OF
dramatic elements is paired with equally singU-
lar commingliag Of musical elements He cultivates
local color 10 the extent OF introducing the ram s
horn trumpet and its lturgioal calls. which have
rescanded IN TIE temples and syna gogues OF the
sevs FOR centuries IL not milleuniums. into his
tcore; also be echoes a traditional psalm and
decks 81 out with exotic instrumental adornments.
lie pursues descriptive realism 10 the extent Of
combining and confusing the sounds OF piccolos.
flutes, oboes, bassoons, harps, organ pipes, Gym
halls. triangle and bells, 10 mimic the sound made
when the thirty pieces Of silver, which were the
price o. Chrst's blood were counted out 70 Judas
md again when they were cast by the traitor upon
she fo0r q the Temple. Gregorfan torres and ancient
ecclesiastical modes supply him with melodies and
tadences 10 which the hearor Is expected "a apply
fynbolical meanings resting upon ancient associa-
uous n the liturgy % the Catholic Church.
70 make some o. these things more clear let Us
rr~ "a SIS, -,-t~ -f~~~-
has cast his oratorf0 O. these was sufficiently
described in this journal week ago last Sunday.
when the introduction Of the shofar and its char
scte-isuc music into the orat1rio was studied. TO
what was said then nothing need be added save
n NorG OF praise Tor The extraordinary success
o. tie experiment Elemental rudeness and un-
routiness mark the OF the shofsr in the Jewish
liturgy to-day, IN Uncouthness that proclairns the
marvellous force OF traditional sauctity and yene-
ration DR.. I1lgar takes the rude sounds and COM
Dimes them with others in a piece OF music that
6o"s with color and excites the Fancy as would.
countless. The sight OF the pageantry the Temple
"iich once stood IN Jerusalem Itself Il is
wonderful achievement. but only one OF many e.
winch simpler ana more conventional agencies are
usta' There Is an echo OF she music OF the dawn
a. the beginning Of the section devoted 20 the IN
cent OF the resurrection and here there comes an
eodea e1altation through the addition OF celestial
eHelules Blended with the greeting OF the tor
-eAt'.a Morning. There is stin another scene IN
N.sch suggestion OF the Jewish liturgy enters
= t'ag stand as an example Of the skill and
independence with which DIP Flrar creates ,,,s
~,Aaue pictures. Previous sections IN the second
-. - NNaeh THIS scene occurs have told Of
- uef~Sal Seizure. trial. condemnation and
-. osnal oi hH Master Now comes a scene
,-o,,,S - ger and also more effective. dramatic
i-ou'o OF conceived purely bv the fancy az ,be
Sc ~na Without scr.ptural sanction or even
- g . JUDAS, disappointed az the outcome
~. .-s.- eso1 c1r Egar takes the view OF
rs chafecie. not unfamiliar 20 literature that
- s.1 Hot wish 10 compass ;he death OF crlrist
- 70 compel Him 10 exert HE superhuuan
power to hasten the estsbllsb.ent % "a. ,,-1bI,
eoIalnlonl. has nesrcl he - L. -. ,.hl..