The sun., 1909-12-02
BEETHoVEES SOLEMN MASS


b
hu, Vas Nevertheless isspecs5Iye.
Beethovens great mass In D vas given
by the Oratorio Society last night In
Carnegie Hall Il was the second per-
formsnce Of the composition by this
organization; the nTst took place In 1905.
The reasons Tor tho infreQuent attempts
70 set this stupendous masterpiece before
the music loving public have already been
discussed at some length In this place
At least one Of them. the appalling diffi-
Guilty OF the music. must have forced itself
upon the notice OF the hearers last evening.
Perhaps no one has described the>vocal
demands Of this MAS better than Richard
Wagner. a great admirer and profound
student of Beethoven's works. He says:
In his Missa Solemnis he gave q strictly
symphonic work OF the tSuest Beeth-
ovenian spirit. Here Tho vocal parts are
handled quite in that sense Of human in
struments which Schopen hAuer very
rightly wiahes to see alone assigned to
them; whom presented a. q musical art
work the text 10 which thess great church
compositions are set is never seized by Us
according to the letts-. but simply serves
as material for the singing. and il has no
disturbing effect on our musical impress
sions. for the simple reason that IL starts
no train Of inductive thought but Affects
us solely through well known symbolic
formulP Of faith. a. indeed is conditioned
by its churchly character
Moreover. the experience that piece
of music loses nothing Of it's character
even when the most diverse texts are
laid beneath 1t shows the relation OF DO
70 70, ~ gh
il transpires that in vocal music it Ia not
the poetic thought that one selves which
in choral singing in particular one does
not even get inteliigibly articulsted--
but at most the mood that thought aroused
IN the musician when il moved him to
music"
Setting aside the debatable point as
to whether one does not find in vocal
music at times a perfect organic union
OF speech and song. as is indubitably the
case often In Wagner's own music. these
comments bear with peculiar pertinence
upon Beethoven's mass. That this music
is the product OF an Imagination fred
by the tremendous pictures suggested
rather than bodied in the text OF the Roma
ritual cannot be questioned. and that
Beethoven In composing il demanded
Of the voices. as he did in his choral sym
phony. purely musical results. planned
not as particulars thrown out in high
relief but - details falling into their
polyphonio places as parts Of a majestic
whole. is assuredly true.
The solo voices, for example. arc
written a. solo parts In q great instru-
mental score would be. and without the
object OF attaining effects through the
psraonal communication Of tho solo
singers. Tho choral voices are equally
PLANNED in the instrumental ycin. The
sopranos soar and float In the upper
rsgions Of their scale. whs-o only violins
could remain without evidence OF labor.
That technical imperfections will in
wade q performance OF the macs Ia to
be expected. But tho justneSs OF Bec-
thoven's method 10 demonstrated by tho
achievement OF his ovc-powe-ing re--
suits IN tbs face OF Shortcomings The
critical mind recognizes the exorbitant
demands Of tho -et vitam yentori.' but
the ina gin ltio1 swimS In tbs So. Of
delineation created by the music
kThe revelation OF the depth OF Bee-
thoven's pious emotions Ia like the opon-
ing Of tho very heavens. One cannot
regard this score merely as the work OF
q master musician nor yet alone as the
communication Of an intellectual giant
II comes rather with tho prostrsting
eloqucnce Of . prophet. the utterance
Of tremendous soul moved by the con-
temptation of things unseen except by
the eye Of faith.
If then last nights presentation Of tho
mass had defects which arc never absent
from performance and some which arc
not infrequontly overcome. the message
Of the music itself was certainly not lost
nor even greatly obscurod. On the other
hand In some passages the proclamation
Of Boethovcn's thought was very beauti-
full; and since we are compelled by our
daily habit OF thought In tho concert room
10 take note Of morits and shortcomings.
let us rejoice that so much that was donc
was done we'll and to tho glory of the
mighty master who in this creation
ascended into tho clouds
II is a pity that all was not 20 well done
that one could forget the technical means
in the moving splendor OF the thing per
formed. The orchestra was not always
practise In Its delivery OF its measures
the strain Of the sustained high passages
J1St oS wan 70 Oc oAPcCtcu. COhnc ot tno
lovely contrasts Of hight and shade and
the especial significance of their relation
IA the text were injured by such imper-
fections in the performance.
Laura Combs. Who sang the soprano
solo part. did not display the necessary
body of clear. high tone required by the
music while Reed Miller. the solo tenor.
though singing vcll. slso showed marked
limitations in the quality Of his voice. !
lilly Koenen. the Dutch contralto. sang !
rather ponderously the passages in which |
her voice was placed In tha foreground. |
but Mr.. Withe-spoon delivered the bass !
music generally With good style.
This mass ought 10 bs sung oftener.
The musical public b not suficientiy 40 !
quainted With It. The fact that Il sel-
dom prompts TO dbmcustrstions OF pub
he satisfaction by the use Of the custom
ary audible signs 10 IN itseH trying TO an
audience. for audioncos like opporturi-
ties 70 applaud But II thoso who wer.
away from last nights concert disap-
FoIr cd in regard to this matter do net
carry with them impressions which win
grow into treasured memories 1t will be
T. ~ Z