The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-07

iBy JAY II. DONOHUE.)

Civic pride, reviewing the remark.
able progress Of Richmond during the
past few years, Is prone to be dazzled
by the immense growth of it's material
prosperity into a disregard of those
cultural forces which are SO essential
to the permanent growth and stabil-
ity of community.
Foremost among those local organ
izations that have grasped this fact
and have ardently battled and sue
cessfully accomplished their aim. is
the Wednesday club. The early his
tory of the organization is too well
recent growth and efficiency under
the energetic leadership of j. G. Cor
ley has been sufficiently evidenced in
the artistic triumphs OF the recent
spring festivals.
notwithstanding the universal con-
graduation on It's past achievements,
the Wednesday club desires to be-
come even more progressive, and in
addition to its usual annual features
is planning a grand production of
Handel's Messiah"
Should these plans materialize the
Richmond public will have the oppor-
tuntty OF Witnessing one of the great
est OF oratorios, rendered upon an
unusually grand scale.
II is proposed to double the num-
Der of the chorus which appeared
In the last festival. enlist the assist
ance Of the Philharmonic orchestra.
and to employ local talent in the per-
formance. thus enabling the produce
ton to be given at popular prices.
Composer of The Messiah"
George Frederick Handel was born
at Halle, in the year 1886, At the
age Of eighteen he had become recog-
nized as an accomplished contrapun-
list. organist and violinist. His tastes
inclined toward the Italian school of
composition. and his earlier efforts
were confined almost entirely to the
Italian form of opera. lie left Italy
and took up permanent residence
in London in 1712.
The Transforming OF Handel's at
tention from the opera to the oratoro
was very gradual process, During
| Lent. the public performance of
operas was prohibited IN London;
! and, DESTROYS of keeping musical at
tention occupied during this season.
Handel conceived the idea of pro-
iducing concerts of a somewhat relig-
ious character
I The programs were varied, though
occasionally complete choral was
performed These "oratorios" found
| immediate favor with the public and
he rel!nquished his operate efforts
for the more successful form of the
oratorio. -
Development of Oratorio.
The widely prev ailing conception
of the oratorio as form of church
music is an erroneous one. Its origin
was not liturgic, nor WAS 1t concerned
in any way with church worship. De-
veloped under the influence of Italian
opera, 1t is essentially species OF
dramatic music. and Handel. fully
realizing this fact, at first produced
his works with the aid OF costume,
action and scenery; but was finally
forced TO abandon these because of
clerical objection.
or the nineteen English oratorios
TO his credit the Messiah" probably
stan dis as his greatest achievement.
1T belongs among his later creations
and is unsurpassed in the lyric pathos
OF its arias and the dignity and
grandeur OF it's majestic choruses.
While the plans entertained by the
Wednesday club for producing the
Messiah" in Richmond are nothing
more than suggestions as yet, 1t is
sincerely hoped that these sugges-
tons may prove capable OF realiza-