Omaha daily bee., 1911-05-14


- OF the Death Of Minnehaha"
presentation for tomorrow monday even
ing) when II will be given by the Men
delssohn Choir, the Theodore Thomas or.
chestra and Miss Perclval Allen and Mr.
Clarence whitehin.
The whole cycle consists Of three sec
tons, Hawathas Departure" being the
last one: this has not yet been done in
Omaha, and It Is possible that the Men
deissohn Choir will present It next season
ct their April concerts with the Theodore
Thomas Orchestra.
The Death Of Mlnnehaha" is a much
more powerful work than the "Hiawatha's
Wedding Feast" II is full Of the most
Fascinating effects OF Instrumentation
against voices, in wondrous contrast and
establishment The use Of the orchestra
by Mr.. Coleridge-Taylor as a painting Of
musical picture Is inspiring. II
seems as though he were abso-
luteiy versed in the ancient Indian
lore and the actual feelings Of the
participants in the dramatic scenes of this
work. And yet what ia her His father
was Sierra Leone African negro who
came to London to study medicine In
England he met the English girl who was
TO become the mother Of this remarkable
composer who has set the whole choral
world singing his works. and kept choris-
tiers busy watching his incessant changes OF
rhythm. Coleridge-Taylor has probably
caused more interest in the muscal world
OF choirs and choralists than any com
poser Of modern times His Hiawatha
cycle Of three works mentioned above, has
made him one OF the foremost musical
figures in the world today.
When one speaks OF the Elijah" Of Men
delssohn, II he has really studied the work
carefully and deeply, It is difficult to speak
OF Il in terms of moderation. It stands
today as marvellous mount Of dramatic
music Approach It more nearly and the
greater II grows. From its opening chords
to the finale Of its closing fugue, there is
not moment that It is not repIete with
interest. The Mendelssohn Choir and the
Theodore Thomas Orchestra will be as
sisted. in the presentation of this master
piece, by Miss Perceval Allen soprano;
Miss Janet Spencer, contralto; Mr.. Reed
Miller. tenor, and Mr.. Clarence Whitehiil,
baritone.
The work Is divided into scenes as II
were and they are as follows. First there
Is the short opening prologue by the bari
tone In which Elijah declares that "As
God the Lord OF Israel liveth, before whom
i stand, there shall not be dew nor rain
these years, but according to my word"
This Is what Mendelssohn called the
"Curse"
The long overture follows, based on a
theme of despair and dependency. This
theme is announced through part after
part and I'm such rich surroundings of con-
Tasting tones and chords and rhythms,
that 1t is sometimes almost impossible to
trace It, but II is there. After full an
nouncement 1t Is inverted, turned upside
down. and announced by part Of the or
chestra in perfect Kaleidoscope OF sounds
ana colors, when the original theme ia
again taken up and carried 10 a climax
with difference in rhythm, the accents
being placed on the second ana fourth
beats instead Of the first and third, as in
the beginning. This leads directly without
pause into the opening chorus Of Help,
Lord"
The first scene is Israel. hungry, :.airsty
and in prayer. Obadiah tells the people 10
return to God and quit their Baal wor-
ship but people say that God has cursed
them and will not be satisfied until
ne destroys them. As usual. As someone
fas said When men prosper, they are
sef-made meni when they fail, It is a judg-
ment OF God" When they succeed. It is
tneir WORK; when they fail, God is to
blame.
The next scene is the raising OF the son
OF the widow by Elijah. She first accuses
Elijah Of wanting to sIay her son, she
thinks that he has come there for that
purpose. Elijah, however. restores her son
to her. and the scene closes with the
words, BLESSED are the men that fear
him."
the next scene occurs three years after
the opening prologue Elijah says that
the three years are now passed or fulfilled
and he will show himself unto Ahab. Ahab
was queen-pecked king IL there ever
was one, and he was completely under the
thumb Of JeEebel. who was about as bad
a proposition as could be imagined She
Kept the school OF the priests of Baal,
and they ate and drank and fed and
Toasted at her table $50 OF them daily,
Ahab has the insanity to ask Elijah this
question art thou he that troubleth Is
raei?' Think Of It! The idea OF one man,
Elijah, troubling Israel. What about those
$50 lazy and luxurtant priests OF Baai. who
dined At Jezebel's table? Were they not
living off the fat OF the land while the
people were starVingI
So Elijah challenges Ahab and hurts
back his insult, telling him very plainly
that It is he, Ahab. and all his household
who are causing the trouble. The priests
are assembled and told TO prepare an Of
fering on the altar and see whose God is
the Lord; The God who by fire shall
answer let him be God" The public an
proves this course. And the fire dsseends
from Heaven in answer TO Elijah's prayer,
after vain praying on the part OF the
household Clergy OF Queen Jezebel. The
prophets OF Baai are then slain effectively
and fatally and people are all happy and
God is the Lord. Chat is, for a whitley
Then comes another scene. The Rain"
scene. People are praying with Elijah
that rain may come and give them relief
youth is sent to look for signs
or the coming showers In the interval,
between the prayers, the youth replies in
answer to Ehjah's questions, three differen
times There is nothing" but at Length
the answer Is changed: "a little clous
ariseth now from the waters; il is like ,
mans hand! The heavens are black with
clouds and with rain; the storm rushetl
louder and louder" A jubhant HYMN o
tremendous power in the spirit Of thanks
giving closes this scene and with n IA