New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-04
EVER POPULAR "ELUAH'
The Work Opens Fortieth Sea-
son of the Oratorio Society.

There is probably no lover OF choral
music living in New York who can re-
member the first performance here OF
Mendelssohn's Elijah" and II is. as GER
tain as anything can be in connection
with things depending on popular taste
that nobody alive will hear the last. Az
ter Handers Messiah it is the most
admired of oratorios in England and
America. II is easy to tell why other
works in the field ought to crowd these
works out because OF their greater artis-
tic value, but the arguments, quite suffi-
cient for the critics who advance them,
omit from their equation the religious
element of Handers work and the COM
bined religious and dramatic, or human
interest of the other. These elements
consorted with their unquestioned musi-
cal beauty have made them the staple of
choral societies among English-speaking
peoples for generations Sometimes CHOIR
listers get tired Of singing them and con-
ductors conceive ambitions TO do some
thing I'm the field more modern; but when
they follow their new inclinations the box
office promptly tells them that they are
imagining vain things and that they
they want TO continue their existence.
And so 1.-THE Messiah is always with us
In the Chrlstmastide and "Elljah" as Of
ten In other periods as is consistent with
artistic dignity.
The Orat0rio Society founded by DR..
Leopold Damrosch and directed for
thirty-nine years by him and his two
sons, Walter and Frank, celebrated tina
entrance on It's fortieth season last night
at Carnegie Hall by a performance Of
Elijah" under new conductor. Mr..
Louis Koemmench. There were most
agreeable signs OF a freshened interest in
the singing Of the chorus, more par
ticularly in the augmentation OF the malo
portion. and the occasion invited quite an
| unusual satisfaction with the solo quar-
tet, composed OF Miss Florence Hlnkle,
Miss Margaret Keyes, Mr.. Clarence
| Whitehill (bass-he is for an obvious rea-
son mentioned out OF the usual order)
| and Mr.. Paul Althouse, but Of the loudly
heralded revelations OF new things there
were none. The choir sang the old choruses
| admirably. so admirably indeed that had
the dramatic spirit been developed the
been thrice as thrilling as II was. But
OF the dramatic notions which were In
Mendelssohn's mind during all the years
in which It harbored the plan OF the ora
torlo and which. without particular blame
to anybody, have lately taken the form or
theatrical representation. there were few
in evidence last night. II was like a cold
douche to have Mr.. Koemmenich quietly
put down his baton after the prophets
proclamation OF the drouth which was
TO come upon Israel and walt I'll late
corners had found their seats before pro
ceedlng with the instrumental description
OF the results Of the prophecy. And II
was a colder douche upon the Imagination
when he waited for applause after the
vain appeal OF the priests OF Baal, before
permitting the Prophet 10 begin his inVo-
cation TO the God OF Abraham. Isaac and
Israel
But there are dramatic Ideals against
which even Mr.. Whitehill, who sang with
great beauty all evening. slnned when no
forgot Mendelssohn's injunction that Ell
iah should always be "borne a on Angels
wings" and worked UP petty rage
against the priests Of Baal when IL was
for hin, 70 preserve that dignifed attitude
~ r.nose which even a Hebrew prophet
must have felt In the presence OF conn
dent triumph. But always Mr.. Nhltehi' >
vo,ce and defamation were "A benson ana
Misc uinkles and Miss Keyes's de-
ugbt There was much pleasure for the
II. l.. X.