New-York tribune., 1908-05-07
RACH'S PASSION" MUSIC
4 NOBLE PERFORMANCE.
Cincinnati Sets High Standard for
Great Com poser's Worh'.
rBy Telegraph to The Tribune.

retitioned by the choral faTors last night the
t.ezens have refused to be propitious: a dismal
air marred the second day Of the eighteenth BIZ
nnisl Nav music festival, swamping the hopes of
,be management touching a phenomenal attend
.,re dsarranging the plans of hundreds who had
,o and their dinners and get back to the music
hsu within TWO hours. despite the embarrassments
,~r, IN the way Of traffic by the untoward weather
end rrrnplng the pretty plumage which festival
audience likes to don IL the suggestion goes
out as il did this occasion. that sober Lenten
r,-b VAS the proper fnvestitlre for a concert de-
voted to Bsch's setting of the Passion According
.o 81 Matthew But external things could
,a- the artistic features the occasion. and be
fore any description or critical discussion of the
.-fo-nance is entered upon there must be re-
corded an utteranee Of enthusiastic praise for the
achievement of Mr. Van der Stucken and the fes-
,,vsI forces. Performances of Bachs great work,
even in complete form. not such
rsaees as Cincinnatisns have been fond1y led
hsleve (ss will appear presently) but ] do not
hesitate 70 say that believe to-day's performance
W. rne most beautiful that American audience
hiss YET heaTd-the most beautiful, perhaps not
the most effective and impressive for the appeal
which IL makes rests upon other things than a
lovely rendering Of ifs musical factors. Much de-
pends upon the surroundings. and very much in
decd uron the mood Of the listeners In respect Of
these there is a precious memory in the minds and
hearts OF the musical pilgrims who once or twice
z,nt 10 Bethlehem, Penn. and entered the old
Moravian Church in spirit of devotion which was
raised something akin 10 religious fervor by
ne-forTnalCe ruGer IN material QUdnfN but more
dserly Geyout in spirit
Yet there great preachment in to-days
ne-forrnsrce II such came nearer
rhsu anything 1 can recall in an experience with
the festivals which back TO the first held
thrty-fve years ago to realization of the true
ideal Of such gathering L free from fum-
merry and sffectation II wes a tribute TO art. not
10 fad and fashion There parade OF
operatie stars whom the people out to
snd whose performances accepted revela-
lions Of art no matter how much they maltreated
tha music There was no Patti abusing the music
o. The Messiah Silssen making mawkish the
sentirnentalities OF Gounods Redemption no
Schumann- -Heink houndeTine through Bachs
minor Mass. But there were excellent singers
Mrs Rider Kelsey. Mrs. Chapman Good, Miss Janet
Spencer, Daniel Beddoe Edward Johnson, Herbert
KItherspoon, Dalton BAKER. Tom Daniel and some
lesser iehts-who were filled with wish TO do rev
erence to a monumental art work, and who knew
what 10 90 and how do il. 1t also a truly
superb choir whose members the printed page
had its terrors because of long and patient and
sacrificing study. whose voice vast loveliness
and could sing with wondrous tenderness one mo-
ment and strike like thunderholt The next. Then
there fine body Of instrumentalists. quickly
and sensitively responsive, and conductor who
had set for himself lovely and noble goal and
for il zeaIously, patiently, lovingly, wisely
and successfully II ought TO be praise enough Of
their accomplishment TO say that they made the
concert. not what local audiences have always
truth an artistic manifestation entitled TO the ad-
mrstion Of all the music lovers in the land.
There several features Of the performance
which invite special discussion IT was, perhaps.
little unfortunate that the spirit OF Vainglory
enerer absent when the Cincinnati festival man
agernent makes advance proclamation OF its pur-
posese should have prompted some Of the state
ments which put forward in order to create
interest in this production OF the Passion X
be the first time in the history Of the United
Ssafzs that he u-oTk IN he pf,r n n
ti,ety end there more than intimation
that il also TO be the first time In our coun-
iTy which the purposes ot the composer were to
be closely followed in respect OF the forces en-
poyed and their disposition. Proper respect for
the verities demands that all the claims put for
ward for special consideration be enphaticaliy con-
usdicted- II not the first time that the work
performed without abbrevtation in the United
States and there have been performances here
which have adhered closer 10 the letter and also
the spirit Of Bachs score.
This can be said without in any way depreciat-
ing to-dsv's performance The Handel and Haydn
Society of Boston performed the Passion COM
piete Good Friday Of 1879. and again IN l5s- 1t
given without the omission Of single sig
nihcsnt number by the Bach Choir, Of Bethlehem
Penn. at its festival in 1ss. and last year the
Bach Choir Of Montclsir. y J. at Its third an
nual festival SERVICE performed every note or IL
On each Of rhes. four occasions the music was
sung Two meetings-one in the afternoon and
one in the evening. as was the case to-oaN'
TIE obvious reason for this being the great
length Of the work. The people of to-day cannot
take their artistic en3opments as seriously and
PATIENTLY as did those of Bachs day even in Ger
many. when they listened 10 this musical recital or
the tragedy Of Calvary for four hours and Tor rest
listened 70 sermon in the middle To-day We en-
I9ye5 1termission Of two hours between the
tFo parts Of the work and dined off something
more than spiritual mamma meanwhile SO old the
good people Of Boston Bethlehem and Montclair
OF the occasions which ] have mentioned The
reverend gentleman who suggested the composition
Of the music for the Passion 10 Bach provided
rest for his people in q different way: he asked
The composer 10 relieve the congregation OF tne
strain of listening a intervals by introducing ap-
proprate hymns of the Reformed Church which
the sorshippers colid sing They thus became ac-
tTe participants in the service, and found at once
spiritual physical refreshment in the exercise
q the Office apart for them Boston, rernen1-
Der, on least one occasion sought TO emulate the
practice which has grown into an established Gus
tom in Germany hut there is only one chorale in
hachs work familiar 10 American Protestants 90
Sacred Head How wounde5'D and. am sorry 20
sE from personal observation that congregational
singing IS what it might be in Boston; the ex-
PERTINENT woful failure. There was no dlrl-
Guilty IN Bethlehem where the German hymns are
honseh9ld words 10 the Moravian community and
ne book % words supplied all the help that was
n-edfd. The effect was tremendously uplifting
sao the purpose had in view by Bach's pastor, INC
heE Solomon Deyling. completely attained
In Montclair last year MIR. Frank Taft, in his
efforts 30 give the performance truly deSotional
Character, the trouble OF training his audi
eaee as well IS his chorus. Out OF communicants
!" the First CONGREGATIONAL Church and others he
~ssaized = participating congregation that oc-
eapied portion OF the audience room set apart
Joy Their For the use Of these the choral-s were
flniei IN separate pamphlet tas they were also
~ The service book Of the festival for the benefit
y an. and preliminary meetings we're held at
& shich the chorsies rehearsed Independently
'a' Taft IS an organist. and naturally makes much
!. ne old German hymns Taking hint from the
Aofsyian custorIi Re has OF them played By