New-York tribune., 1908-04-17
MUSIC.
THE ST. MATTHEW PASSION.

In choosing the evening of Maundy Thursday for
its revival of Bachs Passion According to st
Matthew" the Oratorio Society not only empha-
sized the nobIy religious spirit OF this masterwork
bat met with popular response last night, COM
parable only to that annually vouchsafed TO the
society's performances of Handefs Messiah
Doubtless many OF the auditors came for reasons
not primarily musical. But whether their impulse
had been to listen to one of the worlds supreme
utterances in terms Of music, or to take part
(abeit passive one) in lofty type OF deVotional
exercise mattered at all, for the Carnegie Han
was filled with attentive and reverent throng,
whose presence may well have been an inspiration
to DR.. Frank Damrosch and his forces. To keep
the mood of text and music intact. the audience
was requested refrain from applause except at
the end of each of the two main DIVISIONS or the
work. This request complied with. except that
after the short but tremendous chorus, "Ye light
nings ye thunders,' there spontaneous out
burst. which unconsciously helped to justify the
English Cathedral custom Of making this chorus
the ending. as 1t is the climax Of Part l. The
effect this eght-voiced voley is overwhelming
that it is a pity to slow II down by following it
with even so fine choral episode as 20 man. be-
wall thy sin great" Much must necessarily be
omitted from a score so long the "St. Matthew
Passion and to have excised this would nave
avoided anti-climax.
Looked at il: its larger aspects. last night
presentation of the "St. Matthew Passion" by the
Oratorio Society nightly impressive The
work itself had had hearing at this organiza-
haps added to the freshness and zest with which
the task was accompished-there was nothing to
hint at routine, and the chorus has rarely put TO
its credit a more fervent skilful achievement
notwithstanding its division into two independent
groups Of four voices EACH the societys chorus
sang with bodness and endurance. the body OF
tone now shaping clarifying itself 10 conmuni-
cate the ineffable beauty Of such a choraIe as
Here will stay beside Thee and now becoming
taut ard tense in the proclamation Of such incsVe
phases as "Barabbas' and Let Him be cruclned
Especially massive and imposing was the opening
double chorus with the uplifting element added py
the rpieno choir Of boy sopranos, brought In from
Christ Church. .
So far as was conveniently possible. the condl-
tions of Bach's time were reproduced last night
The orchestra was subdvided into two complete
groups, and the obbligato flutes and oooes were
suppIen1ented by the oboe damore and the OBOE OIL
caccia Tor, rather its equivalent, the Enshsh
hornl. There was further contrast obtained oy ac-
con1panying the dry recitatives with harpsichord
PLAYED by Mr.. Kurt SCHNEIDER OF the solo singers
the men were the successful, though the lever
was we'll maintained throughout the group Special
praise must be given to Mr.. Beddoe for his d1ctlon
in the recitatves, to Mr.. Evans for his sympa-
thetic tone quality In vocing the Saviour's words
and TO Mr. Cunningham for the energy and thrust
Of his utterance. Miss Caroline Hudson and Miss
Janet Spencer were the soprano and contralto' re-
spectvely DR. Damrosch conducted with author
itv and his forces worked together with happy and
sometimes memorable results.