The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-09
CAST FOR ORATORIO
Soloists Who Will Assist in Elgar's Dream of
 Gerontius."
LARGE ORCHESTRA CHOSEN
Lenten Concert by Big Chorus Inter- ests Entire State-Great Mod-
 ern Cantata.

All the state Is interested in the coming production by the New Haven Oratorio society of Sir Edward Elgar's musical setting of Cardinal Newman's poem ''The Dream of Gerontius,' the date for which is now definitely set as March 19. This peculiarly interesting sacred work has never been sung in Connecticut before although 1t has lproduced in most places where there i is a chorus of sufficient inexperience to sing it, and where an adequate or chestra has been available. Already orders for seats have come from near | by towns for the work is to be sung here under peculiarly interesting con ditions and the musical ones through out. the state know this.
 Dr. Parker himself a composer who has gained an international fame 1 through his choral writings, writings ] for voices and orchestra, heard Ger ontius" at a great festival in England when Elgar conducted. The next night ! Dr. Parkers own St. Christopher was sung at the same festival. by the same chorus when he conducted. The two musicians are regarded the greatest living composers of this kind of writ ing. so the conductor of the Oratorio society has every requisite for splen did interpretation of this great sacred cantata. He is in sympathy with the composer of "Gerontius" for the two men are most congenial musically oai,,nJ thair far mo through this kind of music making, both are attracted by the same sub jects, lofty, broad subjects either heroic, religious or mythical. Both composers are scholarly, polished typ ical of the modern musician, and the works of both are characterized by re- markable orchestration
 New Haven win hear a remarkable orchestra indeed gathered on the stage of Woolsey hall. when "Gerontus' is sung. "The score in this work, says Dr. Jaeger, "is altogether perhaps, the fullest and most complicated in, Eng fish music. Aside from the strings, which are frequently divided into fif- teen or even twenty parts the orches- tratfm calls for two harps. three flutes. two obpes, English horn, two clarinets, lbass clarinet, two bassoons, double bassoon, three trumpets. four horns, three trornbones, bass tuba, great or gan. three tympani, gong, schellen (belIs), drums, cymbals. triangle and glockenspiel (chimes).
 The cast which is to assist in the production is as follows:
 erontius-Nicholas Douty (tenor).
 Angel-Gertrude Sten-Bailey mezzo soprano).
 Angel of the Agony-Frederick Mar tin tbass).
 Assistants-Semi chorus of twenty voices
 Demons, Angelicals and Souls Chorus of 250 voices
 A very large percentage of the solo work falls to the tenor in "Gerontius," so 1t was necessary to secure singer who had made his reputation in just such interpretations.
 MT. Douty sang here three years ago in the St. Christopher production by this society and once before then in a perforInance of the Messiah. He was also engaged to sing here in the Bach Passion production but a few days before the concert word came that he was very i'll, and il will be remembered, William Rieger sang in his stead.
 MT. Martin, the basso, assisted in this societv's performance of Bruch's Arminius the first time it was sung here, which is recommendation indeed for any singers ability. The second time the Bruch work was given, in Woolsey hall, Campanari sang the title part.