The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-01
ONE NIGHT
Of MUSIC
Successful Concert in
Aid Of St. Andrews
Organ Fund.


musical success. The audience con-
tanned an unusually large number of
residents of the outer districts. In
spite of the request to come early which
portion of the audience appeared at
the doors after the first number had
commenced. The arrangements requir-
ed the late corners to remain standing
the twenty minutes required to present
what many people consider Brahms's
master piece, The Song of Fate"
This choral was the most important
number of the evening, and the rem
dering is an event in Honolulu's musical
history. The original scoring of the
author was preserved by Conductor
Barton. This required twenty-six
voices in chorus, with the very unusual
accompaniment of piano. harmonium
and two tympani.
The following short synopsis by Mr.
Barton gives an excellent idea of the
central themes:
In this composition the Storm the
stress the bitter anguish of earthly
mortals is thrown into sharp and vivid
contrast with the NirVana-the perfect
peace of the gods. Brahms has chosen
E fiat as his key. After beautiful
instrumental prelude of IS bars in slow
A time, the alto voices enter, pianis-
simo, singing I'VE dwell on pathways
of light, through fields eternal. Spirits
beyond the Skies The full chorus
takes up the same phrase, still pianis-
simo. Passages of rpassing-aImost
unearthly-beauty succeed one another;
while throughout, an impersonality,
sense of aloofness pervades. The first
part of the work ends in noble har-
monies with the words, And their
vision celestial gazes serene on light
everlasting
Suddenly and absolutely the music
changes its mood. In an instant it be-
comes warm, palpitating, human
Plunging into a rapid 3-4 rhythm, the
voices enter in ugly, crooked, yet
oddly fascinating phrase, singing ITO
Us tbs not given to find repose here on
earth" a sense of bitter hopeIessness
prevails. An immensely striking syn
cope is introduced on the words, Like
ing Again the crooked theme is
heard, wrought into a short fTgato
passage; again it recurs in its origi-
nal form. Gradually the cry of anguish
diminishes, and on the words, Ito doubt
and darkness below with supreme
pathos. it subsidies utterly. A few more
bars of fiuttering agitation-gra-dually
! growing fainter and fainter-and the
struggle is over. 1t is death.
All at once, almost imperceptibly
without forewarning. the original
phrase of the entire work comes steal
ing deIiciousIy on the ear; this time
in the key of c. The surge of strug-
Cling humanity has spent itself-mer-
cifuI death has interviewed. The hu-
man has achieved Nirvana. This final
instrumental coda brings Brahms's very
beautiful and interesting work to an
exquisite end.-Gerard Barton.
Brahms's life and development are
as interesting as any story in musical
biography. AS a young man he piung-
ed into composition entirely romantic
in style and had he followed this be-
ginning he would have been now class
ed with Chopin.
a
he forsook his first inclination and fol-
lowing Beethoven and Bach, became
a cIassicist. His romanticism was thus
forced into their mould and gave him
a unique place in music. The critics
charge that in the later period he lost
sight of the real music in his anxiety
to express purely intellectual ideas.
THE Song of Fate is a production of
the later period of his life. The open
ing movement is the musical expression
of lofty exultation, uncolored by pas
sion. The following movement is al
most repelIant, so closely does the au-
thor cling to his expression of the con-
dition of him who is not to find repose
on earth The Coda returns to the sub
lime emotions of the opening movement
By spreading his harmonies the com
poser carries to the audience a concep-
ton of the immenity of space
A most enthusiastic applause was
given the effort, and as response the
chorus sang "CIoe Sings" After
Brahms, this piece was considered a
decided return to earth
Mr. Isenberg sang two English songs,
"A Song of Thanksgiving, by Allitsen,
and stars" by Leoni- The audience
manifested a prolonged desire for an
other song by the same singer, but he
could not be prevailed upon
Mrs. Bruce Mackal sang a soprano
aria from the oratorio of Sampson and
Della" which was given with taste
and feeling. She responded to hearty
encore with a short English ballad
The violin and piano duet. Opus. )
by Greig. was beautifully rendered by
Mr. ingalls, and Mrs. Barton Three
movements of this sonata We're played
and though the performance of each
movement required some time for its
production the audience was not salts
fed To let the performers off without
an encore. The response was very
dainty movement from the same au-
thor This was a veritable tone gem.
The return to the stage of Mrs. Mack