The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-20
GERONYIUS IS GOOD
Sir Edward Elgar's Master piece Has Many High
 Virtues.
ORCHESTRATI0N IS SUPERB
Splendid Rendition Was That Given by New Haven Oratorio Society
 Last Night.

An audience altogether too small considering the importance of the oc- casion, greeted the Oratorio society at Woolsey hall last night. where Sir Ed ward Elgars Dream of Gerontius" was given its first presentation in New Ha- ven. As a composition it is q radical departure from the old established lines of oratorio, but it possesses great vir- tues of its own, nevertheless, although it is doubtful whether 1t will ever prove as souI-stirring as some of those we have heard from childhood Great thoughts in simple symbols, in music as well as speech, have always been the most powerful in moving the hu- man heart and we do not hesitate to say that it will ever remain so
 The orehestration is superb; 1t shows the genius Of the composer better than anything else in the whole compost tion, and the orchestra played with the incest discrimination, particularly in the opening number, which may De considered one of the rarest bits of playing that the orchestra has ever done Elgar's composition was In the care of loving hands.
 The soloists for the performance were Mrs. Gertrude stein Bailey, mezzo so- prano, MT. Michael Douty, tenor; MT Frederick Martin. bass.
 Mrs. Gertrude Stein Bailey has a beautiful voice, and she uses it like d true artist. Her musical interpretation of the text is exceedingly satisfying. She possesses that which no amount of study and application will give, soul yearning for expression. Good voices are found much more frequently than good singers Very often when tho voice has been developed to it's limit and may be a very good voice, the sing CT. or at least tho audience, finds out that he or she has nothing to lmpart. Those become the counterfeits of the concert stage and they are so numerous that it becomes great privilege to lis ten to a Gertrude Stein Bailey type.
 MT Nicholas Douty has strong voice, a flexible voice. voice that never tires. but 1t is not pleasing. A voice with such pronounced vlbrato can new CT lend itself to artistic singing It is exceedingly annoying to listen to q voice that constantly reminds you of q seismographic record of an earthquake, Interpretation of tho text must mean very little to him; he sang his notes, but he did not elucldate the text, except in the lines:
 Sanetus foris, sanctus Deus.
 De profundls orc te.
 Miserere. Iudex meus,
 Farce mini, Domino.
 Those were sung with fine feeling.
 Mir. Martin is a singer with a good voice, conscientious student of his part and has artistic ability of high order
 The finest evidence of his artistic treatment of song was given In his part as Angel of the Agony: "Jesu. by that shuddering dread which fell on Thee" It Is a song that on account oa its many repetltlons of a text of praa- tically the same sentiments would prove fatal to singer of less sterling qualities. Mir. Martin acquitted him- self nobly,
 The chorus, considering the great difficulties of the work and the short time given for its preparation did It's work very well. Ii the Dream of Ge- rontius" is ever given again, which we certainly hope 1t will be, we know they will do their part still better It E a source of great joy 10 know that so many mon and women of New Ha- ven labor so conscientiously from year to year in order that New Haven shall have oratoro performances of first quality; we have talent. plenty Of 1t. both instrumental and vocal, and thanks to the ,intiring zeal of Professor Parker and his astonishing ability to produce artistic triumphs In such small allot- ments of time, we, as city. stand ahead of any other city of our size Tn America o-day. IPSE.