New-York tribune., 1911-04-30

the tender sisters Of the viola, was SIM
plified version of the subordinate voice
PARTS Of the frottoa. And perchance there
were even other instruments. an embryonic
orchestra" And now We have an inquiry
into the instrumental music OF the Middle
Ages, with only one definite conclusion be-
sides that Orpheus played bowed Tyre,
namely. that Aristaus in the drama may
have played upon a soprano schalmei
(shawm), a primitive type Of the modern
oboe.
After the artistic msdrieal had been de-
veloped came the madrigal dramas. when
were ovarthrown by the reforms introduced
by the F1orentine "camerata," whose eN-
periments in musico-dramatic defamation,
as we have hinted. led 10 the invention OF
Italian opera. which may fairly be said TO
have been anticipated by the Ballet
Conlique do Ia Refine" of the Italian
Balthazarini. produced in Paris in 1871,
which certainly contained vocal solos. EA-
tremely valuable arc Mr.. 1Ienderson's re-
marks on the growth Of recitativc and
fiorid song. OF which he gives some inter
esting examples. Everything is lucidly set
forth and with admirable literary finish.
The remainder Of the story OF operate de
,elopment being terra cognita. he leaves it,
having made "A contribution 10 musical lit
| crature of which all members Of the crit
ical guild should be proud.
There have been intimations Of criti-
cal condition i'm the affairs Of tho Oratorio
Society of New York, tho outcome OF which
is not Yet in sight Though nobody seems
willing 10 say so. it would appear as If the
! crisis was not wholly dissociated from a
general eonoition Of indifference To ora
torio music which is general throughout
| those countries i'm which choral music has
been cultivated. The public seems to be
going further and further in us desire to
have something hot i the mouth when
il comes 10 entertainments of all sorts.
. We arc nov 10 have variety performances
which. though they adopt Partisan name,
are frankly advertised to out-Paris Paris.
Some years ago societies devoted 10 choral
music of the better sort began 10 drop
oratorios and cantatas and take UP operas.
But even operas in concert form no longer
seem attractive. couple of months ago
the Stern 81 he Gesang Nerein, which shared
the choral gories Of Berlin with the
famous Sngakademie, which Is looked up
on as the progenitor Of ali amateur sing
ing societies of its class, gave up the ghost.
In England, the home of oratorio, as
well as i'm America there has been n tre-
mendous falling off in the purchase OF
choral music within the last five or ten
years. Lovers of this form of art refuse
to be comforted by the fact that there
seems to he a corresponding increase In
the sale Of orchestral music, and in this
there ought TO be no cause for wonder.
The real test Of the musical taste and its
sincerity in a community the world over
is to be looked for i'm its cultivation of
choral music. II is deplorable, therefore, that
the Oratorio Society seems to have come
upon evil days, and it is a large prob
lem with which the members and directors
of the society are now dealing, the 1ues-
ton being whether or not the number of
concerts shall he cut down in order TO
make the performances better-more time
and money TO be spent on rehearsais and
less attention to the society's traditions.
Meanwhile as If TO contradict all the in
controvertibe facts about the general decay
Of choral music, the Sheffield Choir Of Eng