The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-07-11
MESSIAH SEASONS
FIRST ORAT0RlO
At OCEAN GROVE
Leader Morgan Promises Chorus
of 700 Voices for Initial
Performance.
HIS GREAT POPULARITY
EARNED IN TEN YEARS
of Big Feature of Re-
sorts Summer Program Due
to DamrOsch's Successor.
Especial to the Evening start

years ago oratorio was an experiment
feature of the summer program, de-
manded by lovers of the great COM
posers' masterpieces. Fifteen years ago
1t was necessary to nave Damrosch and
an imported orchestra to give an IRA
torio here. and weeks of preparation and
drilling were required for the produc-
ton. Today Tall Esen Morgan is pre-
pared to put on any oratorio that can
be named at a weeks notice, and there
by hangs a tale.
Morgan was walking down Broadway,
New York, one day ten years ago, when
he was espied by Damrosch. I'D like
to have you go down to Ocean Grove
and drill a children's chorus for me-"
said the latter to Morgan.
where's Ocean Grover" inquired
Morgan.
Down on the Jersey coast, next door
to Asbury Park" was the reply. "They
have a children's concert there every
year In connection with oratorio, and
I'm looking for somebody to drill the
children"
Game; Saw Conquered.
Morgan was willing. He came. he
saw, he conquered. So successful with
the children vas he that Damrosch en-
gagged him to drill the adult chorus the
following year. hat was the entering
wedge for Morgan. If he was success
full with the children he was doubly so
with the grown-ups. His chorus was
perfection; Damrosch himself said so.
And then came the climax.
Morgan became so popular as a
leader with the members of the chorus
that they did not relish the idea of
singing under the baton of another
leader at a public performance. They
said so. the members of the chorus
said so out loud, so that it reached the
ears of DR.. ]. Embury Price. who in
the early days was dean of the Summer
School of Theology in Ocean Grove and
responsible for the introduction of the
oratorios. Flatly, one day, the chorus
declared itself. Either Morgan as a
leader or no chorus! That was the
ultimatum. The idea of one man pa
tiently drilling the chorus and then for
another man to come along and reap all
the glory. even IL that n was Dam
rosch, was more than the chorus pro-
posed to stand. Well. that was all there
was to it. 1t was Morgan himself who
D6ISuduCo tho nv be ~
mind and sing under Damrosch-once
more. That was all. Thereafter Nor
gan became the leader of the oratorio
as he had been leader Of the children's
concert. and no one ever has had rea-
son to complain of the change.
Some years ago it was practically de-
cided to eliminate the oratorios from
the summer program. 1t was believed
that with yearly repetition the people
were surfeited with the heavy music
and thai the trend was toward the
lighter brand. When announcement
was made to this effect there went up a
protest loud and deep. Governor
Stokes was among those who petitioned
for a continuance. of oratorio, and now
come what may, the masterpieces OF
Handel and Mendelssohn, as well as
those of the modern composers VINO
have tried their hands in this line, Will
find places on Ocean Groves summer
program.
The first oratorio of the season is II
he given this evening. And for the In
, itiaI performance Handels Messiah
possibly the most popular Of any work
, of its kind ever produced here, has been
; selected. Mr.. Morgan promises a cnorus
; of seven hundred voices, composed OF
| the New York Festival Chorus. the
Brooklyn Baptist Temple Choir and the
l Ocean Grove Festival Chorus. The
nrincipals are Alice Merritt Cochrane'
: soprano; Mary Byrne Ivy. contralto;
Frank Ormsby, tenor and DR.. Car
I Duff, basso.
A special express train over the Gen.
g tral railroad will bring h choruses
. down from the city. Preparations v
been made to entertain a large audience
sermons at the Auditorium tomorrow
: morning and evening will be delivered
bv the Rev. DR.. George K. Morris, OF
cleveland. and the Rev. DIR. Roland
Dwight Grant, of California. All the
religious services of the full summer
d program will also be in force; Dr
John Daulby Peake, Of Elmira, N. Z.
: is to come Monday to begin a serie'
of recitals on the new organ. taking
the place of Mark Andrew, OF Mont
calir. who has been giving recital
daily since the instrument was In placo