New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-18
NEW MUSIC FOR VOICES
A Too Ambitious Effort by the
SCh0Ia Cantorum.

There was woful illustration of vault
ing ambition overlapping itself and falling
on the other side in consequence at the
second concert this season Of what used
to be the Mcdowell Chorus. but now calls
itself the Mcdowell Chorus Of the Schola
Cantorum. The concert took place in Car
negie Hall under the direction Of Kurt
SCHNEIDER. 1t was originally set down for
March IL, but Mr.. SCHNEIDER took III and
the rehearsals were interrupted. Had an
other month been given to the study OF the
music II would have been time we'll spent
so far as the chorus In concerned. Mr.
SCHNEIDER has set mission for the choir
which is thoroughly laudable. He wants
| To give music which is not In the province
Of the other choral organizations OF the
| city. He did not succeed last night II
! avoiding the field cultivated by the MI
| steal Art Society, for five Of the numbers
on his list have figured on the programmes
/ Of that organization, and one, Richard
STRAUSS Der Abend," had been an
nounced for the second concert this
season, but was courteousy withdrawn
by DR.. Damrosch when he learned that
Mr. SCHNEIDER had announced 1t earlier
than he and was eager TO have the honor
of giving the first performance in Amer
lea That music-lovers who are patrons
of both societies were spared the afiiio-
ton of two performances OF the work is
a cause for gratitude The pieces which
were heard for she second time last night
were Verdis AVE Maria" and "Laudl
ALA Vergine Maria" and the three NJ
teenth cetury French chansons by
Charles dOrlesns written we believe
while he was a prisoner in England set
TO music of singularly haunting charm
by Debussy
Also 1t Is Mr. Schindler's aim to per-
form music Of the most modern type
Such in last nights scheme was the six
teen-part chorus by Strauss, and q por-
ton of Granville Bantock's Choral sym
phony for unaccompanied voices" the
text OF which is taken from the odes IN
Swinburnes tragedy "Atalanta In Caiy-
DON" That the entire work was nor
sung Is q circumstance with which last
nights audience was not MADE &C
ouainted. A pianoforte was used last
night to keep the choir up to pitch ana
in tune. an inexcusable proceeding from
an artistic point OF view, but one which
all were willing to pardon after the sac
work made by the choir OF the strauss
and Verdi pieces. The Scala eng
mstica" on which the Ave Maria Is
based was enigmatical indeed, not one OF
the voices giving ii out with correct
information. All this music, as Wen d.
that of Mr. Bantock, Is OF stupehoous
difficulty and nothing more ll-aoViseo
than to set such a task for a choir Vi
amateur choristers can be imagined
The struggle of the singers with the
Strauss niece awakened q wish that ike
that expressed in his characteristic iasn-
ion by DR. Johnson when somebody asked
his admiration for feat because IL was
difficult Would to God, sir" said the
disguised photographer, would to God'
sir IL were impossible!" Some years ago
the Musical Art Society sang the com
panion piece to II, "Jakob, dein verlorner
Sohn." and that ought TO have sufficed
the present generation Of concert-goers
This music is not vocal music at all.
Why words have been put under the
notes is anything but obvious. II the poems
were really the agencies Of inspiration
|
10 some extent also, the moods which
the music attempts to delineate-they
would serve their purpose quite as well II
they had been printed on the programme
and the singers been permitted TO use
mere vowel sounds. Vocal music without
words seems like an absurdity, but De-
busy has used 1t in one Of the SYM
phonic sketches ("Les Sirenes," We be
lieve). and one of the most satisfying
features Of last nights concert was an
Irish folk song without words. arranged
by Percy Aldrich Granger. This song
and the same composers arrangement Of
an English folk song, I'm Seventeen
Come Sunday" were the most refreshing
things in this too ambitious entertain
ment And they were the best sung.
Rutland Boughton's choral variations
upon an English folk song, which
textually and musically looks and sounds
like tumble of king Arthur Was
Goodly King" and I'm Good Old Colony
Times" can scarcely be said 10 have
proved edifying. The concert began with
two anthems of the Russian Church, COM
posed by Rachmaninow and Gretchani-
now. which failed of their characteristic
effect by the substitution Of womens
voices for boys and the absence OF the
deep bass to be found only among Slavic
peoples.
It is a pity that the opportunity to get
acquainted with Mr. Bantock's compost
tion was so unsatisfactory. The work
which not only attempts to use the SYM
phonic form and style. in way,sout also
seeks TO initiate instruments oy grouping
the voices for color effects, is certainly
most interesting; and much else on 'ne
programme might we'll have been sacri-
feed to il. H. H. ~