New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-15
BOY SINGERS AID
A MATURE CHOIR
Old Music and New at a
Concert of Musical
Art Society.
By II. f. KREHBlEL.

The concerts Of the Musical Art So
ciety have been among the artistic al
fairs that registered high water IN me
local seasons for two decades past, but
that Of last night in Carnegie Hall was
made particularly interesting and ei-
fective by the cooperation OF the choir
of the Cathedral Of St. John the Divine,
as well as the orchestra of the Sym
phony Society The high character Of
the programme, in which the Lenten
spirit was not permitted TO become op-
pressive, was paired with an equally
high character of performance, and
the new music introduced was of a kind
20 stimulate the mind as well as TO
charm the ear and warm the emotions.
An innovation marked the beginning
of that part of the concert which was
somewhat in the nature OF religious
service.
The first number on the printed list
was Sweelinck's setting Of the Frencs
paraphrase of Psalm 1874, beginning
"Or sus Serviteurs du Seigneur,' IN
which the composer employs the old
melody TO which. for more than two
centuries, English Protestants have
sung the metrical version Of the hum
dredth psalm, and since the time OF
Bishop Ken, the fam'lia. doxoiogy.
Praise God from whom all blessings
flow" This doxology, sung by the
Cathedral chorlsters, came floating
down from the topmost gallery last
night all unannounced, like grace be-
fore meat, and prepared the listeners
for the motel which followed, setting
the pitch for listeners as well as for
the choir upon the stage. II served the
purpose of a gloss or rubric and gave
out not only its own solemn proclama-
ton, but also opened the way to an
appreciation Of Sweelnck's fine old
composition. Unity Of feeling between
doxology and motel was established by
a new harmonization Of the former In
the medieval manner made by Dr.
Frank Damrosch, conductor Of the Mu-
steal Art Society.
After Victoria's "Tenebre facta
sunt," the a capilla gem of the even
ing's list, and an ingenious medieval
German hymn, "Als Christrs n der
Garten ging," had been sung, the joy
ful spirit of the Eastertide found ex-
preston in LISTS setting OF 80 Fill
ct flia" for women's voices and organ
from the oratorio "Christus") and
Bach's colossal motel for double chorus,
blessing, Glory and Wisdom" In this
the Cathedral choristers, now on the
platform. sang the music or the sec
ond chorus. enabling the audience not
only 10 Judge of the admirable skill
of the singers. which We'd with that OF
DR.. Damrosch's band Of professionals,
but also 20 enjoy the contrast in color
due 70 the voices of the boys. The
trebles and altos in Bach's Leipsic choir
were boys. but the emotional quality
Of his music finds truest expression IN
mature voices. The art of the old
Italian composers, that OF Palastrina
and his school, is Roman, not Teutonic;
in il we hear the vira Of the church,
speaking with divine authority. The
spirit OF restfulness and celestial calm,
OF supernatural revelation and super
nal beauty broods over IT, Bach's music
is Gothic-ru rugged, massive, upward
striving, human. II is the voice OF
men rather than of an ecclesiastical
institution, the voice of individual wor-
shippers.
For such music the passionless voices
Of boys are not so well adapted as
those Of women; but the contrast be-
tween the choirs brought forth beauti-
ful effects and the blending Of the
trebles in the concluding chorale re
suited in a rich and lovely quality OF
tones. It was all in all thrilling
performance.
The help Of the orchestra was first
enlisted in Brahms's exquisitely beau
tiful threnody, "Nanie," the perform
ance OF which by the society was
notable achievement. and, after some
unaccompanied English part-songs
lWilbye's Sweet. Honey-sucking
Bees" Battishilrs amidst the Myr-