New-York tribune., 1906-10-04
WORCESTER FEST1T1L
Tho Forts%'s'nth Opens Auspiciously
IN Boy State City.
rEy Telegraph 20 Tia 1S,n,,.,


Worcester. XsSa, Oct a-wish denyht.,, ..S
and the most encouraging sale Of tickets for rnanv
years the torty-ninsh festival Of the wo-cesrs,
County Musical Association had It's beginning thss
evening This Is the view o. the profsss,onel ~
server from afar, for to the den,zs,. :. - -.
the festival has already been n progress Gov .S-s
days worcester, as has been remarked rnanv
tines taxes us music In one week-long rulp and
thoush ohly hVe concerts are scheduled, there are
six rehearssls. 70 which the public Is ad,,t+.a a,s
ar which the attendance is occasionaIl,, s ,,,..-
GUS as et the concerts. So that instead n. Az.
meetings there are eleven, and the visitor -ro-n
-. -, . Aept IN state OF wonderuaent a.
sne local capacity OF musical Appreciation
But the reheersais are an esssnt,aI - :. A.
nnaneial scheme. At them the solo perror-,s-.
s' @uu Caougn the festival managenent has
os years tried TO make the choral feature the cen
~ say' he people still persist In worshippins
81 the Shrine OF the Individual and IN conseousncs
the old story wiz be repeated
4. - etse tickets are gone for Friday night which
0IAsrs nisht"-for the visitor from Boston and
-osH ne foolishest night OF the meeting, for
-"csA patron, the altogether loyelv Tha
FESTIVAL this year nevertheless marks a fa,T oh-
LO3n ancient precedent. Il Is given a week later
-1 mas oeen the rule heretofore ana may for thar
r Denens somewhat from the presence OF those
Ta". summer vacations last through September
S'eioay' too the afternoon rehearsal was not a
rehearsal but choral concert given by the pupils
oI me high schools, between three and four hundred
n number
1tI-S was ID & way the taking OF a leaf from the
Dook or the Cincinnati festival which .nlistss .ba
children OF the public schools ar the arzt two fa.
tiN4Ls generation ago then dropped the plan as
inconsistent with Theodore Thomas's rather too
topIorty notions. only 10 revive It last Nav with
triumphant success under the influence OF Mr. Van
der Stucker
AS an agency OF culture which music festivals
0usht 10 be- the plan is admirable one and IL IS
ESQ commended by its financial aspect The effort
lls year was plainly tentative and IL is not easy
ha rHf1F
come regular feature OF the festival scherne II
Wouio surely make for artistic good by stimulating
IoVe tor choral music and turning the popular mind
sway from the worship Of the solo singer
judging from the sale Of tickets. to-ught's con-
cert was the least attractive OF the series yet
there was hne audience. fine IN numbers IN ap-
peareace and in behavior. Wildly enthusiastic II
was not. for the concert not adapted for indi-
Floual display. Handers thrice noble oratorio
israel In Egypt" was sung. not in its entirety
but with half q dozen excisions which NAV be
called judicious, from conductors point Of view
II was en- evening or lofty choral music every
moment uplifting. every moment proclaiming with
e1oquence the stupendous power OF the greatest
OF ell choral composers the force and grandeur of
the English language q musical vehicle and
EGndel's coDs1rnEIate skill IN welding together a
great subject, noble text and expressive music.
II IS sign Of the times which is full OF encour-
egement for the lovers of art which Is beautiful
that while instrumental music Is wandering Of into
devious paths, lured away by notions that have lit
tie or nothing do with the expression OF
the beautiful, choral music is revert1ng and
the old standards. England is no longer
the exclusive home OF the Handel cult Germany
has taken it UP. and Berlin is this moment
echoing 10 the strains OF Israel IN Egypt one
feature OF Handel festival
The eight-part choruses OF the massive work
conpeIled a division OF the festival choir and
there seemed 70 be IN consequence OF this tonight
come uncertainty OF attack end less weghtiness
Of tone than have characterized the singing OF
the choir n former festivals Because Of this and
because also OF the loss Of understanding OF Han
dean tradition In the reading OF the solos and OF
the attendant technical Skill and OF lack OF
energy, vitality and declanatory eloquence IN the
singing, the performance the whole Hstless-
Creditably though. the printed page was read
Never were the listeners made 10 feel the power
OF the grandiose work The hailstone chorus
awakened some enthusiasm. but nothing compared
with the delight with which the duet for sopranos
The Lord Is Ny Strength" and the duet for
basses The Lord Is Man OF War" were re-
cetved, though they were Enthusiastically sung. and
are weak. weak. weak in comparison with ne
great choruses that are like the sound OF many
waters and mighty thunde-tngs. The solos were
sung by Mrs. Margaret c. Rabold and Mrs Viola
waterhouse, sopranos: Mss Grace Munson.
singer g1rted with a beautiful voice. contralto;
Paul Dufault. the most capable artist OF the
pany, tenor and Frederick Martin and Tom Daniel
basses
Wallace Goodrich conducted. and seemed content
70 accomplish q literal reading OF the He
did not bring 10 the public realization OF the
infinite freshness forcefulness. grandeur and over
whelming beauty Of Handels musical evangeL
But perhaps he wise not attempt too much
4 2. K