New-York tribune., 1911-12-20
AA(JS|l,
THE MUSICAL ART SOCIETY
A Concert of Christmas Songs,
Old and New.

Olu anu NC"'
The annual performance Of Handel
Messiah" has been an established func-
,io, in the Christmastde for more than
generation I'm New York, and has lost little
If any. Of It's beauty and impressivcness be
cause Of that fact. Nor should 1t. As a
matter of fact IL serves a higher artistic
purpose now than IL did when ii was in
troduced by predecessor Of the Oratorio
, Society, which now perpetuates the old
tradition. Yet from one point Of view the
first of the two concerts which the Musical
Art Society gives every year has larger
significance and conveys an artistic evanscl
Of greater amplitude. At this concert there
IS always a fundamental tone OF rejoicing
I'm contemplation of the Nativity, just as In
the later concert there is voicing Of the
pcnitcntial scatimert OF the Lentcn sea
son These the two moods of the affairs,
which are equally uplifting because OF their
artistic proclamatlons i'm a department of
music which no other choir cultiyates and
which shine refulgent amidst the multitu-
dinous musical doings of the metropolis.
The Musical Art Society began its nine
teenth season with the customary concert
In Carnegie Hall last night The pro-
gramme which Dr. Frank Damrosch had
arranged for tho occasion was about
equally divided between compositions new
and Old 10 the society's lists. In the former
category were Palestrinas motet. "Salve
Regina" Nittorias marvellous 20 Magnum
Mysterium the old French carol arranged
by Gevaert under the title "Chanson JOY
cusc dc Noal" Horzogenberg's "Comest
Thou. Light of Gladness." and Cornelius's
/ "Thron der Liebo": in the latter, q motet
for four high voices by Pslestrina, begin
ming '7nnocentes pro Christie" a secular
madrigsl hy the same composer ("Soave IA
| Il n1orir" in the original Italian. but sung
70 English words by DR.. Damrosch 20
Gentle Death'D. an old Latin hymn 10 ST
Cecilia hsrmonized hv the late NJ Guilnnart,
2 setting by Othegravan (whose name has
figured on programmes of the Musical Art
Society. but nowhere else in New York;. of
2 quaint German lullaby 10 the Christ
child. the words Of which date hack 10 the
seventeenth century, two Of Schumanns
part-songs for mixed voices C'Der Schmied"
and John Anderson. Ny Jo'O the "Bene-
dictus" from LISTS Wisso Chorolis another
old French carol. "Nosl Pastoral ar
ranged by Gevaert and Brahmss quartet.
Heimath."
Here was a remarkable scheme and II
would he = pleasure to discuss it I'm detail.
but for that there is neither time nor
space now or here The patrons Of the
society. z gracious and refined folk. knew
we'll tho beauties of the familiar pieces and
were quick to appreciate the charms of the
new-whether they demanded raised imasi-
nation and cultured taste. Ike the motet
and madrigal hy Palestrina, and under
standing of Lists purposes I'm trying TO
adapt modern methods 70 old ideals Niszt
believed himself called to reform tho mu-
sic of the Catholic Church so soon as he
put on the garb Of sanctity. wherefore We
have such strange things In musical litera-
turc as his oratorio "Christus' and his
| Hungarian Coronation Mass or an in
Genuous receptivitv like the French carols.
the "Christkindleins Wiegenied' and the
Hymn To ST. Cecilia No doubt con
siderable disappointment was felt because
Purns's teuCor old song John Anderson.
Nv Jo." as composed by Schumann, was
sung in the German translation instead OF
the original text. But Schumann composed
his music for the German words, and quite
as much violence would be done to the
music by forcing IL into the Spanish boots
OF the dialect text as has been done when
some operas, which might be named, have
been sung i'm a language not contemplated
/ by tho composer. Strange as the words
sounded. however, the music was as tender
as the sentiments of Burns's poem and the
song was one OF the evenings finest de-
lights The unfamiliar French noel though
much in the spirit OF its companion, lacked
| its charm and the Joyous song warmed
! the audience into the heartiest enthusiasm
disclosed in the evening. The choir was
Disappointing at the outset, a somewhat
/ strident quality in the soprano and tenor
voices coupled with lack of the homo
geneity in timbre which used to be 50 de-
/ ] ghtful to the ear marTing the general
effect TO say nothing OF an equivocal in
| t,uatior which seemed to be the result Of
. mistaken desire for more volume than
tho number of voices justified But by the
/ time that NittoriaS motct was reached
one Of the gems Of the society's rcpertory
ii much finer euphony had been attained,
fnd thereafter there were moments Of great
/ beauty. especially in the Palestrina mad
rieal John Anderson. My Jo." and the
/ third stduza of COrnciius's thrice wonder
/ ful hymn. "Tnron der Lio1c.' y large
/ and refined audience enjoyed TN" concert
II. L.. *