New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-15
Christmas Carolling at
Concert of Musical
Art Society.
CATHEDRAL SINGERS
SHARE IN PRAISE
Secular and Religious Music
Pleasantly Blended al
Carnegie Hall.
By H. E. KREHBIEL.

There has been a reorganization Of
the Musical Art Society for business
purposes, and ii seemed last night,
when the usual Christmastide concert
was given in Carnegie Hall, as if g
new spirit had also been infused into
the singers.
Outwardly all was ike it has been
for years-the beautiful picture on the
stage so we'll calculated to set the
pegs Of expectation high and invite
gladstone appreciation of the musical
offering provided by Dr. Frank Dam
rosch and his choice band of profess
sional singers. An added factor was
the participation of the choristers Of
the Cathedral OF ST. John the Divine,
which, singing in the distant gallery,
gave e particular charm to the antiph-
onal music of Pedestrians Gloria
Patrla," and helped the composition Of
a modern master with fine ideals to a
full publication of It's interesting and
lovely character.
To this work Karg- Elert's setting
of the Christmas hymn which Martin
Luther wrote for his children consid-
cradle attention was given by The
Tribune last Sunday week. Realiza-
ton surpassed expectation, however,
and. in spite of its archaic flavor, exN
cept so far as its denomination was
concerned, and the fact that il was
consorted with some peculiarly beau
ti.ul secular part-songs by SchumanI.
Cesar Cui and Brahms and three de-
lightful French Noels, of which one
figures for the first time on Musical
Art Society's programme, II marked
the climax Of the evenings interest.
There was less Of the old a capella
music of the medievsl school than
usual-only a short "Adorsmus tc
Christi" and the Gloria .Patri" for
two choirs by Palestrina, Swcelinck's
"Gaudete omnes" and a couple Of set
tings of German Christmas hymns Gall
but a single number familiar 20 the
society's patrons), but there WAS no
dearth OF novelties for all that. A
"Salve Regina composed by Franz
Xaver Arens for the society years ago
was revived and was practically new;
there was a short antiphon "Tota
pulchrs es Maria by Bruckner, the
Karg-El piece which the composer
somewhat enigmatically calls a Can
zone and 70 conclude the Brahms's
second set of Love Song Waltzes for
voices and pianoforte, four hands
Part songs which had been heard be
fore were Schumann's Der Schnled,"
John Anderson, My 10" and "Schon
Rothraut.' and CUTS THE Two
Roses" and Spring Delight"
II was long list, but nearly all the
pieces were short, and no one could
complain of want Of variety. The new
French Noel was, like its companions.
an arrangement made for small chorus
by F. A. Gevaert, the Belgian musical
scholar 1t was called Les Voisins, y
and. in the nsive spirit of all old
Christmas songs. brought intelligence
Of the nativity in the shape of gossip
among neighbors. Il was a pity not 70
see some Of the old English carols on
the programme, for in melodic beauty
and textual interest they are unsur-
passed in folksong literature; but they
have not yet been treated with the har-
monte or polyphonic skill with which
old masters and new have enriched the
old French and German songs, and 30
have not been brought into the service
of the Musical Art Society. There may
be time for that hereafter.
In the Brahms waltzes the society
had the help Of Herbert Fryer and
James Friskin, pianofortes, and in the
Karg-Elert cantata Of David Names
violin, and Mr.. Lefebvre, organ, besides
the choir already mentioned and their
master. Mr.. Miles Farrow
The concert began, according 70 Gus
tom now established, with the unan-
nounced singing of the old German
Christmas song, "Stille Nacht," as set
by DR. Damrosch, which keyed the
audience to fine spirit Of enjoyment
that rose with the higher delights Of
the evening. The GLORIA Patri" was
redensnded and the French carols
were received with enthusiasm, espe-
cially the last, the "Chanson Joyeuse
de Noel" certainly the gem Of the set.