New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-13
S>OQ:~

edition wants TO see introduced Ia con-
trary TO the sacred story and contrary 20
the spirit OF the music. the omission OF
the directions In tho Dublin scores throws
q great deal OF Tight on the point" Pro-
fessor .Prout TO the contrary notwfth-
standing. Mozart elided the tr,mpets;
DR.. Prout restored them. but changed
their utterance and marked the beginning
Of the voices mezzo plano. Why not
piano, so as 10 give the angels chance
10 turn a corner or two in their approach
TO the place where the misguided mar
rator or the story OF the nativity said
they had made their advent suddenly?
Handel supplies tho answer. The FIRST
expression mark In the autograph score
is a great big. bold Plan" over the ex-
aulsite lnterlude which follows the phrase
and peace on earth" with its descriptive
drop OF an octave in the BASES on the
last two words. After that comes the
forte in tho tenth bar" II ought TO be
plain as @ pikestaff that Handel wanted
tho bright, silvery tone OF the old slide
trunpots mixed with his angelic voices
but did not want suggestion Oh the
martial noise with which the trumpet
especially the modern instrument, Is as
sociated. Because all this Is plain and
swestly reasonable; because 10 sing II
as the new score asks 10 have II sung
would be TO rob the chorus OF nine-tenths
OF its effectiveness; because II would Dc
a degradation Of Handel; because the
proposed reading is an undisnifed catch
penny device and piece OF realistic SEN
sationalism of the sort that might appeal
10 some conductors who will follow Mr..
Smoker In discovering this ancient mares
nest, we protest against this reading. IL
is TO be hoped that HANDLES oratorio VIII
DO spared the indignity recommended In
the new vocal score.
The English editor OF the new edition,
Or. Noble, has followed Professor Prout
In marking the beginning OF the chorus
mezzo piano, but he has Indicated
crescendo on the concluding words OF the
preceding recitative for the obvious pur-
pose OF preparing q brilliant entrance OF
the chorus, an effect which would be
lame indeed II the increase In sound
should be only that Indicated from
growth from piano up to mezzo plano.
II might be well, II only for the sake OF
the pedants, II comparison we're MADE
Of all the scores, manuscript and printed.
10 determine what musicians have thought
OF the proper opening from Handefs day
10 this. What did DR.. John Clarke. who
afterward called himself Clarke-Wmtfeld
mot Whitfeld- Clarke. as Mr.. spicker
seems TO think. think In 1907 what
did the editor of the earlier score Q7eDf
What Vincent Novello? What Macfar-
REM What the Germans, Mozart. Chrys-
ander, Franz and others? The earliest
published utterance OH a performances OF
the piece with which We are acquainted
is that of DR.. Burney IN his account OF
the Handel Commemoration OF i7H. ana
that contributes but the epithet mag
nificent," though Mr.. Cusins seems to
have drawn come support for his notion
from the learned Doctors report for he
quotes It ina footnote. Here II IL:
And the magnificent chorus, GLORY (be)
10 God in the highest, and peace on
earth, goodwill towards menF' IN which
the pianos and fortes were admirably
marked and observed, never had SO great
IN effect before, In any performance
within my knowledge. There is more
claire obscure in this short chorus than,
perhaps, had ever been attempted at the
time IL was composed.
The claire obscure IN the number does
not depend on nor 10 It helped by the taw-
dry Turkish Patrol" effect. II lies In the
structure OF the music--the use OF high
yoices-sopranos. altos and tenors-in close
harmony In the FIRST proclamation, the
unsons and octave drop for mems voices
on the Peace on earth" the tranquil ana
shimmering instrumental interiude ex-
pressive of peace which follows and the
strong, vibrant. confident promise OF
good will in the fugal passage; finally In
the exquisite instrumental close. No
doubt Handel here intended to depict the
denarture of the celestial choir; but II
does not follow that because they de-
parted thus gradually they must have
also so arrived. The testimony OF Cusins,
prout and Spicker is not TO be accepted
aa against that OF the evangelist Luke.
who averred that the angels came, sub
ito" (yulgate), ''alsobald' Uuther), sud
denly" (King James's trsnslstors and
Queen yictoria's revisers).