davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
Anton RubinStein'S
Biblical Operas
Inspiration Caught from French Ballet ncongrues OF
the Modern Oratorio-The Composer Scheme tor
Religious Theatre-Sage Directions and
Scenery-"Moses and "Christus.
By H. E. KREHBlEL
copyr,sht Isis-rhe Tribune Assn IN. Y TriDunc).


HAVE strong belief in the essential excellence OF biblical
subjects for the purposes OF the lyric damaat least from an
historical point OF reason against but many
reasons in favor the stage OF the patriacha ana
heroic figures Of the people who more potent power III e
world TO-DAY despite their dispersal and loss OF national UNITY
than they were in days OF their political grandeur and glory
throughout greater part OF his creative career Anton ko
cn was the champion similar idea OF the twenty WORKS
which he wrote Tor the theatre including bae SIX were on BID
c subjects and promote propaganda which began with the
entered the literary field but made personal appeal Tor practical
assistance in both Old World and the New HIS however
was RELIGIOUS point of view the historical or political 1t IS
very likely that racial prediction had much to do with his att
d on the subject his effort to BRING religion INTO the ser
vice of the stage he more Jew than CHRISTIAN W
stories to which he applied his greatest energies were those OF
Moses and Christ. ,,:.
Much against inclination have been compelled to believe
flor Rubnsten came my intellectual life under ccun
stances and conditions which made him the strongest personal
influence in music | have et that there were
other reasons besides which he gave for his championship
Of Biblical opera Smaller than he, WagnerS DEATH
have written troge and dreamed OF theatres and festivals de-
voted to performances their works Little wonder Rubin
stein believed he had created could create KIND OF art
work which should take place by the side OF Der King des
Nbelungen and special home like Bayeuth and 1t may
have been that his project would excite the Sypahec
zeal and pOus Christian alike as nuch as ms
lack Of the capacity sefcritcm which led hm Ike Will
ohesp along the path which led into the boys OF failure and
disappointment
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL EXCURSIONS IN OPERA-LAND

scenes and an epilogue. The hrst
scene shows the temptation OF Cnrist
in the wilderness, where the dcVii
"shewed unto him all the Kingdoms OF
the world in a moment Of time" ms
disclosure is made by series OF
scenes. each opening for a short time
in the ackground--castles, palaces,
gardens, mountains of gold and massive
heaps of earth's treasures. In the sec
ond scene John the Baptist is seen and
heard preaching on the banks OF the
Jordan, In whose waters he baptizes
Jesus. This scene at the Bremen rep
reservations. was painted. from sketches
made by Herr Handrich in Palestine,
as was also that of the Sermon on the
Mount" and 1.-THE Miracle Of the Loaves
and Fishes" which form the subject Of
the next part. The fourth tableau
shows the expulsion Of the money
changers from the Temple; the fifth
the last supper, with the Garden OF
Gethsemane as a background; the sixth
the trial and the last the crucifixion.
Here, as if barking back to his Tower
Of Babel" Rubinstein brings in pict-
ures Of heaven and hell, with angels
and devils contemplating the catastro-
phe. The proclamation Of the Gospel
to the Gentiles by st. Paul is the sub
ject Of the epilogue.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
The Worcester
Music Festival

The fifty-ninth Worcester Music Fes-
tival this year will be held in Me-
chanics' Hall, September 1923. The
choral work selected for repetition is
"The Children's Crusade" Pierne, that
was given last year, and which intro
duced a splendid chorus Of school chill
dren. Other choral works will be Ros-
sini's "Stabat Mater" and Florent
Schmitt's "47th Psalm" The festival
will be conducted by DR.. Arthur Mees,
with Gustav Strube as associate con-
ductor The orchestra will be COM
posed of sixty players from the Boston
Symphony Orchestra.
President Arthur j. Bassett has en-
gagged the following artists: Nine.
Alma Gluck, soprano; Nine. Marie Sun
delius, soprano; Miss Florence Hinkle,
soprano; Miss Marcella Craft, soprano;
Miss Henriette Wakefield, contralto;
Percy Granger, pianist; Theo Karl,
tenor; Lambert Murphy, tenor; Wilfrcd
Glenn, bass, and Marion Green, bass.
There will be five concerts in all.
The first will be given on Wednesday
evening, September q, when 1.-THE Chill
dren's Crusade" will be given. The
second concert will be Thursday after
noon, and will be given by the Boston
Symphony Orchestra and Percy Grain
ger, pianist. Thursday evening, Sep
TENDER %, the "Stabat Mater" and
"47th Psalm" will be given. The fourth
concert, on Friday afternoon, will be
by the orchestra and Miss Craft. The
fifth and last concert will be Friday
evening, September 30, when the art
lists night programme will be given
by Nine. Gluck, Mr.. Karl and Miss
Wakefield, and the orchestra and
chorus. September rs and 26 will be
devoted to rehearsals.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
A Generous Quarterly
and a Wise Treatise
Contents of Mr. Sonneck's Magazine-Ihe KALEIDOSCOPE
Crainger-A Suggestive Book on Singing

are vulgarities in his music at TIM,
and why he frequently chooses ro,,,
for songs which make his f.r,i.
singers blush. But this is not det.,,
In fact, Mr.. Granger has only "a.
fault which Mr.. Cyril Scott doe, "a,
seem disposed to forgive-he likes v,
Cyril SCOTS music.
Oscar Die and Edgar Istil writ. !,
1.-THE Quarterly" respectively, ca
melody" and "The 0thello Of y.,s
and Shakespeare" DR.. Baker transla..
ing their words. Carl van veeh,,,
takes modern theatres, including u,
Metropolitan Opera House, to task e,
not realizing Wagner's ideals in resp.r
Of the stage settings Of his dranu.
Frank Lester, Of st. Louis, write,
fantastic sketch, with 2 little drive 4,
the programmes Of pianists, entitled
"Kluckhuhn's Chord; Helen Ware Il.
scribes some Magyar-Americsn fox.
poetry in South Bend, Ind Percy A
Scholes, of London, contributes bio.
graphical sketch OF Henry Purcell;
Clement Antrobus Harris, Of Criss
Scotland, gossips about the manner IA
which music has been treated By r..
erary folk, and Ernest Brueken, 0,
Washington, discusses "The Philosophy
of Copyright" Mr.. Sonneck is certain.
ly an extensive cleaner and a liberal.
minded editor.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
"The Tower of Babel"

paradise Lost" the text para
nhraseG from portions OF Millions
epic, is an oratorio pure and simple
1t deals with the creation of the world
according to the Mosaic Cor as Hux-
lev would have said, Miltonic) theory
and the medium of expression is an
alienation of recitatives and choruses.
the latter having some dramatic life
and Characteristic accompaniment
II is wholly contemplative; there is
rothing like action in it. "The Tower
Of Babel" has action in the restricted
sense in which it enters into Mendels-
sohn's oratorios, and scenic effects
which would tax the utmost powers
Ct the modern stage-machinist VINO
might attempt to carry them out. A
mimic tower of Babel is more pre-
rosterous than a mimic Temple OF
Dagon; yet. unless Rubinstein's stage
directions are to be taken in PICK
wickian sense, we ought to listen to
this music while looking at stage
set more colossal than any ever con-
templated by dramatist before. we
should see a wide stretch OF the
Plain of Shinar; in the foreground
tower so tall as to give color OF
FEASIBILITY to a speech which prates
of an early piercing. Of heaven and
so large as to provide room for
sleeping multitude on its scaffoidings'
Brick kilns, derricks and all the ap-
paratus and machinery of building
should be on all hands, and from the
summit of a mound should grow a
giant tree, against whose trunk should
hang a brazen shield to be used as
signal gong. We should see in the
progress of the opera the busting
activity of the workmen, the roaring
flames and rolling smoke of the brick
kilns, and witness the miraculous spec
tacle Of a man thrown into the fire and
walking thence unframed. We should
see Gin dissolving views the dispersion
of the races and behold the unfolding
OF a rainbow in the sky. And, finally,
we should get a glimpse OF an open
heaven and the Almighty on his
throne, and yawning hell, with Satan
and his angels exercising their dread
dominion. Can such scenes be MINI
licked successfully enough to preserve
a serious frame Of mind in the OBJ
server? Hardly. Yet, the music seems
obviously 20 have been written in the
expectation that sight shall aid hear
ing to quicken the fancy and emotion
and excite the faculties to an apprecia-
finn of the work
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
Operas from the New Dis
pensation.

IL is scarcely to be wondered at that
the subjects which opera composers
have found adaptable to their uses in
the New Testament are very few COM
pared with those offered by the Old.
The books written by the evangelists
story of all time set forth little or
nothing outside of the birth, childhood,
teachings, miracles, death and resur-
rection of Jesus of Nazareth which
could by any literary ingenuity be
turned into stage play except the
parallels with which Christ enforced
and illustrated His sermons. The sub
lime language and imagery of the
Apocalypse have furnished forth the
textual body of many oratorios, but it
still transcends the capacity of mortal
dramatist.
In the parable Of the Prodigal Son
there is no parsonage whose presenta-
tion in dramatic garb could be looked
upon as a proclamation of the Scriptures.
1t is this fact. probably. coupled with
its profoundly beautiful reflection of
human nature, which has made it a
popular subject with opera writer's.
There was an Italian "Figliuolo Pro-
digo" as early as 1904, composed by
one Bifi; French melodrama, "L'En-
FAINT Prologue" by Morange about 1910;
German piece of similar character
by Joseph Drechsler in Vienna in 1920.
Pierre Gaveaux, who composed Leo
more. GU PAmour Conjugal." which
provided Beethoven with his "Fidelio."
brought out a comic opera on the sub
ject of the Prodigal Son in 1911, and
Berton, who had also dipped into Old
Testament story in an oratorio, en-
titled "Absalon," illustrated the para
bile in a ballet. The most recent set
tings of the theme are also the most
significant: Auber's five-act opera
"LEnfant Prologue" brought out in
Paris in 1850, and Ponchielli's al FL
gliuolo Prodigo," in four acts. which
had its first representation at La Scala
in 1880.
The medieval mysteries were fire.
quently interpreted with choral songs,
for which the liturgy of the Church
provided material. II We choose to
look upon them as incipient operas or
precursors of that art-form we must
yet observe that their monkish authors,
willing enough TO trick out the story of
the Nativity with legendary matter
drawn from the Apocryphal New Tesla
ment, which discloses anything but a
reverential attitude toward the sublime
tragedy, nevertheless stood in such
awe before the spectacle of Calvary
that they deemed il wise to leave its
dramatic treatment 70 the church SER
vice in the Passion Tide. In that SER
vice there was something approaching
10 characterization in the manner Of
the reading by the three deacons APP
pointed to deliver, respectively, the
narrative, the words of Christ and the
utterances of the Apostles and people;
and it may be that this and the litur-
gical solemnities of Holy Week were
reverently thought sufficient by them
and the authors Of the frst sacred
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
A Large Chapter of Mosaic
History.

"The Tower of Babel" has been per-
formed upon the stage; how | cannot
even guess. Knowing, probably, that
the work would be given in concert
form oftener than in dramatic, Rubin
stein tries TO stimulate the fancy OF
those who must be only listeners by
profuse stage directions which are
printed in the score as well as the book
of words. "Moses" is in the same case.
By the time that Rubinstein had COM
pleted it he evidently realized that its
hybrid character as we'll as its stupen-
dous scope would stand in the way Of
performances of any kind. Before it
had received performance of any
kind, before even portion of its music
had been heard in public, he wrote in a
letter to a friend: at is too theatrical
for the concert room and too much like
an oratorio for the theatre. 1t is, in
fact, the perfect type of the sacred
opera that have dreamed of for years.
What will come of it do not know; |
do not think it can be performed en-
tire. AS it contains eight distinct
parts one or two may from time to
time be given either in a concert or on
the stage"
America was the first country to act
on the suggestion of fragmentary
performance. The first scene was
brought forward by Walter Damrosch
at public rehearsal and concert of the
Symphony Society (the 0ratorio Soci-
ETY. assisting) on January IS and 10,
1889. The third scene was performed
by the German Liederkranz Of New
York, under Reinhold L. Herman, on
January q of the same year. The
third and fourth scenes were in the
scheme of the Cincinnati Music Festi-
val, Theodore Thomas, conductor, on
May 25, 1894.
Each of the eight scenes into which
the work is divided deals with an cpl
sode in the life of Israels lawgiver.
In the first scene we have the incl
dent of the finding of the child in the
bulrushes; in the second occurs the
oppression Of the Isrdelites by the
Egyptian taskmasters, the Staying of
one of the overseers by Moses. who,
till then regarded as the kings son.
now proclaims himself one of the OPP
pressed race. The third scene dis
closes Moses protecting ZiDpOrdh,
daughter of Jethro, Midianitish
priest, from band of marsuding
Edomites, his acceptance of Jethro's
hospitality and the scene of the burn
ing bush and the proclamation of his
mission. Scene ~ deals with the
plaques, those of blood, hail, locusts,
frogs and vermin being delineated in
the instrumental introduction TO the
part, the action beginning while the
land is shrouded in the "thick dark
ness that might be felt" The
Eouptians call upon Osiris TO
dispel the darkness, but are forced
at last to appeal to Moses. He dc.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
Civic Orchestral Concerts

handicap the thousands have turned oa'
and the concerts have had a satisfying
swing and color that has been ample
compensation. Mr.. Rothwell, the con-
ductor, is to be congratulated on DIS
selection of programmes.
The heat of last Tuesday evening nA'
a noticeable effect on the size oil 'h'
audience The soloist was Antoine &C
Vally, tenor, and Miss Maynard eA.
pressed a hope that he could be hea''
again later in the season, on eools'
evening when the audience woula !"
larger Monster de Vally, a Be!s''A
formerly director-general Of the Der
gian Red Cross, has been in this eoun'
try only two months, and he made h'
first appearance here as a solois' "
Tuesday evening.
The programme follows:
Weber. Overture 20 Der Frelschas
Smetana. ...... symphonic Poem s.f-if.sl
(The River Mo.s-iis
Reyer. from 'siS~e
VI. De Naliy. ...,,,as
Wagner ...............F From "Lohsns''
a Prelude 70 first act
b. Introduction 20 third act 49,. SAT-,
a. siayonic Folk Melody wifh yar.,'9,S5,,
b. Festival Dance, and Wat4 Z"
Hours.
c. NOcturne. v.nk
d Music Of the Marionettes. and Wa
e. Czsrdas' ,,,.,. ,,,,,, ..r,nu hGBser'
Friday evenings soloist was ~"
Mary Galley, violinist. Her only n'-
Der was Bruch's Concerto in u m'H''
The programme follows:
Mendelssohn Overture "Fingals 40 q
("The Hehrides "
Beethoven Andante from symptom va ;.
Dukas Tie S0rcerer's ApPfeHt q
(Scherzo for orchestra after d uaH'-
Goethe LA
Bruch ..... Concerto IN q minor TOT
Miss Galley. .t,<es
Hellneshcrger .............. H.igg.,,sfsI'
strauss ............,...Nd itA
Paolo Calico, pianist, will De ~
soloist next Tuesday evening. ana
Mary Jordan, contraltc, on Friday s'
in2s
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13

Half of the series of twenty concerts
being offered this summer TO the New
York public by the Civic Orchestral So
ciety have been given. The results
have been satisfactory and encouraging
in so far as both society and public are
concerned. The people show a desire to
have more, the society desire to give
more. The one handicap has been the
large number of uncomfortably warm
Tuesday and Friday evenings: Induce
ments must be mighty TO persuade from
four to eight thousand individuals to
gather on hot night in lighted hall,
even in so eadurable place as Madison
Square Garden. But in spite Of this
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13

is no startling innovation; we meet
the same alienation Of chorus. recita-
tive, aria and ensemble that we have
known since the oratorio style was per-
fected. A change. however, has come
over the spirit of the expression and
the forms have all relaxed some Of
their rigidity. In the orstorios OF
Handel and Haydn there are instances
not few of musical delineation In the
instrumental as we'll as the vocal parts;
but nothing in them can be thought
Of, so far at least as the ambition OF
the design extends, as a companion
piece to the scene in the opera which
pictures the destruction of the Tower
Of Babel. This is as far beyond the
horizon of the fancy of the old masters
as it is beyond the instrumental forces
which they controlled.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
Music News
and Notes

The opening concert of the soloists
of the Sistine Chapel Choir will be
given in Carnegie Hall September 81.
Their stay in America will be limited,
owing to the necessity of their attend
ance at the special services to be held
this year at Christmas in the Vatican
by Pope Benedict XIV. The soloists
will leave Italy early next month. Sig
nor Cametti, one of the precentors OF
the choir, will accompany them, and 1t
is possible that the Able Perosi, the
organist of st. Peters, will come on
later and give recital of some of his
compositions and oratorios.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
YACHTING PARTY AT SOUND BEACH

James Thomson, who is at the Kath-
mere Inn, Sound Beach. Conn, enter
tanned a party aboard his 4Ofoot yawl
Jeanette Saturday, August 5, when he
made a trip to Huntington, L. |. Among
his guests were Mr.. and Mrs. w. II.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
America

On August 81, at the orchestra con-
certs to be given at Wildwood, n. j.,
Melanie Kurt, the dramatic soprano of
the Metropolitan Opera Company, will
appear as the soloist, singing some Of
the arias in which she has become
popular
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13

Johannes Sembach, tenor of the Met
ropolitan Opera Company, will be the
soloist at the orchestral concert to be
held to-day at Wildwood, N. J.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13

II. S. Kirkland has written a It'll,
book, very lucid in the main, as well
wise and helpful, which he calls 81
preston in Singing" and which has
been published by Richard G. Badge,
in Boston. IL is not a method" and
the expression "old Italian Del canto'
does not appear once in its 100 pages
two facts which alone justify soE,
words of comment. It is designed to
make a singer or student Of singing
think about his art, TO realize its pur.
pose, which is something more thar
to give merely sensuous pleasure, ard
to that end to use something more
than merely technical means. Il aims
to lift singing above mere voeaiza,ion
He does not believe that a pure
and beautiful tone is in itself SUI.
fcient to express feelings Of both
pleasure and pain. Tone should BE
in the service OF thought; methods O!
voice production should not be an end
but a means. All this, II may be said,
is somewhat obvious and not new. Per-
haps it is too often forgotten that /.
was quite as much something more
thar mere beauty of voice and tel.
meal skill, something more than rls,
and volubility of uttersnce, someth.,
more than a marvelously perfect pres
entation of the composers melodie pas
tern which made the success OF %,
singer in the days of Porpora and ID,
great cdstrdti. The emotions Of the
hearers and of the singers themselves
could not have been so moved as story
says they were by beauty that vas
merely sensuous. But Mr.. kirkland
does not content himself with discuss.
ing such truisms. He presupposes soun!
technical training and puts fors
thoughts about a higher musical
education. For this he lays a POUNDS
tion in the study of psychology; the
action of the mind in thinking, feeling
and willing; the quality, intensity, vsri-
ETY., activity and completely Of the emo
tions aroused by thought expressed IN
words; also as expressed in the musi-
cal setting of the words, its contrasts
of mode, major and minor, its rhythms
and modulations. He inquiries into the
means of communicating a conception
of song and the reaction on speech
and singing of emotional conditions Is
disclosed in pitch, timbre and dynsnle''
There is some obscurity in his chapter
on vocal color, but on the whole his
little book invites to thought which
cannot be pursued without oeneat 70
the student.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13

The programme of the concert to be
given on the Central Park Mall this
evening by Franz Kaltenborn and his
orchestra is as follows:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13

Pasquale Amato, who is spending his
summer at Lake Placid, would like
some one TO write an opera for him IN
which the chief character will be the
Italian poet Dante. The strong, aqui-
line features of the BARITONE, accord
ing to Gastaldon, the Italian composer,
are suited to the impersonation Of
Dante Amato has already impersonat-
ed this character at the Teatro Adriano.
in Rome, where he sang the Dante
serenade written by Gastaldon.
The birthday of Ernest Schelling,
pianist, was celebrated at his estate,
Krag Mgr, at Bar Harbor, Me-, by a
surprise party arranged for him by
Mrs. Schelling, at which about forty
four guests were present, among whom
were Fritz Kreisler, Josef Hofmann,
Harold Bauer, Leopold Godowsky, Leo
pold Stokowski, Olga Samarotf, Karl
Friedberg, Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Harold
Randolph, Arthur Whiting, Francis
Rogers, Walter Damrosch and Warsis7
Nijinsky.