New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-15
MUSIC.
The Oratorio Society.

Il NO OfNtOttO OOOeNS0'
It is old story that choral societies through
out America. probably throughout the Enghsh
speaking world, court financial disaster whenever
they incorporate new work into their reperfories.
They live on Handel's Messiah" and the amiaoie
sentiment which calls for its annual performances
in the Christmastide. 1t would be churilsh TO
quarrel with the old oratorto, which is doubly mer-
torious in inspiring perennial admiration for itself
and providing the funds which make ether chola'
works possible In these other works conductors
and choirs can pursue their idealsuc AIMS IN
projecting the last concert of the Oratorio society,"
which took place in Carnegie Hail last night, Dr
Frank Damrosch gave a striking illustration OF
the principle. Such a concert would have been i'm
possible had it been obliged to depend on Its own
popular attractiveness Under normal conditions
a choral concert is a costly affair. and this con-
cert was IN every way eXtraordinary--not only
there two works to the oratorlo
Society's list, but one OF them called for so
stupendous an instrumental apparatus that IL must
alone have consumed nearly al the receipts rms
composition Richard Strausss choral oauao
"Taillefer" wherein the voices were consorted with
less than lO2 Instruments A century or so ago
the proportion of three hundred or more voices ana
oHe-thrd as many instruments would not nave
seemed anomalous; but then orchestral accompanl-
ments were not independently assertive as they
now. and in 'Tailefer' Strauss has carried the
modern notion to the last extremity. Twice the
number of voices would not have held their own
against the orchestral din which Strauss mas
thought it necessary to create in order to describe
the battle at Hastings and the victory of William
the ConQueror. But OF this may be said
presently.
Besides "raiefer," Dvorak's ''Stabat Mater was
performed. To all intents and purposes It was new
to the audience that listened TO 1t last night Many
years had passed since it was heard In New-York
the masterpiece of the man whose greatness hAo
just received recognition. Very pleasant were the
memories which were awakened in the minds OF
those who heard it when Mr.. Thomas and the New
York Chorus Society gave it twice IN April ana
November of 1854 Then. as now. 1t seemed the
voice of an ingenious musician more concerned
with the desire to create beautiful music than &c
make that music vehicle OF dramatic expression
For the very large number Of persons who are con-
tent 10 look upon the musical setting OF any text
as absolute musIc-music pure and simple-there Is
mucn that is delightful and fascinating in the
Bohemian composers setting of the famous
old hymn for others, who wish always 10 Ihu @,io
essence of the music in the underlying words the
pleasure which t.ls score affords has It's aioy' 40
the great ingenuity displayed in the treatment OIL
the forces employed especially to the warm ana
glowing color contributed by the instrumental parl
remain deaf. The collaboration Oh OF
chestra and voices is mastery. and so superior u
every other similar setting of the "Stabat that
there is no field for comparison. In melody and
harmony, too it is indisputablY beautiful but we
say that there is enough largeness or fresh
of invention in these elements TO oHsel Tue
monotony of feeling which it proclaims, though
u
treness of the text makes avoidance of monotony
a difficult matter. Not every one can take SO
lghtheartej a view of the medieval cantlcle as
Rossini took when he turned it into ian opera
in ecclesiastical vestments." Yet there are IN
dications that Dvorak almost as INDIFFERENT
as his predecessor to the obligations placed upon
him by the text. He has abused the Latin IAN
guage unblushingy in order to make the woros
accommodate themselves to the rhythms OF MS
music. Offences against the rules OF prosody
of cOnlDOStiOn and some or
them fragrant as TO force themselves upon
the attention of even an infantie Latinlst. Yet
after these dement's have been pointed out the
work remains surprisingly beautiful piece OF
music whose every measure arrests attention
challenges admiration.
Considerable has already been said in this journal
about the textual material of strauss ballad
Uhlands poem affords fine opportunity to the
composer especially to the modern man fond OF
realistic description. Strauss has more than en-
hraced the opportunity. With all the wind instru-
ments multiplied that each choir can give
out the full fundamental harmony. with his
fecund fancy freed from every shackle with
his artistic conscience set at rest by
PREDATORY note to the effect that the
composition was intended for performances in
large hail. he opens the foodgates and turns loose
perfect deluge of sound. Yet TO the eye at least,
the score is a marvelously clear consistent and
closely knit piece of work. There Is a central
melody mo. v about which the entire ballad may
be said to revolve, and this. which makes its ap-
pearance with The picture Of Taillefer advancing
in front of the invading Normans. singing song
OF Roland, grows in breadth and pussance until
1t makes the swelling close of the work. 1t is a
fine sturdy simple diatonc melody of the folk
tune type. Besides this theme there are few
others which are interviewer from beginning to end
OF the piece and to which it is easily possible to
attach significance in the Wagnerian manner. One
of the most important Of these appears at the
very outset, follows:
Selr lebhaft.