New-York tribune., 1919-09-19
Music
Large Audience at Carnerie
Hall for the First Concert
of Vatican Choirs
By Grenville Vernon

Inc postponed American dchut NJ
the Vatican Choirs, which arrived m
monday to begin a nationwide tonr
took place last night at Carneric uo,l
Inc hackers Of the choir surely had
no reason to complain, for the nud;-
e"ce IN size and somewhat in COMPOST
lion rcsembled those of the Ros+or
symphony concerts of others davs An
the lovers Of music were there. and
inc Catholic Church was generouclv
laity. ~ ana lts
But, best of nl, the choir and ;+s
conductor. Monsignor. Eafraile C;si'
.a .niro Caslmlri, speedily proved tba+
III ~ were worthy OF their reception.
:; me coming OF the Vatican Choirs
an event of real interest to the
Ias+ ,0' r;"n ri"i' music world, and its concert
is no. hisn' pin showed that modern Italv
IL not AZ worship at the ,1ammor ~
opera. Within the Church 81 ,,'''I.. laaa, - !
mere are those who still cjino - 0%s ~ =
a.,ils'ocratlc tradition, who keen ali,.o
.ne sacred flame bequeathed bv pSlas~
Ca: '"n. Monslgnor Rafraele Casimiro
NaSlmlrl IS one Of these. and his on
;mus'ashl ; Tor The classic lines he has
impaired to the men and ho,'s ,.'tas .'t'S
sang inS9 under him last night. ""o
Inc Vatican Choirs is an orcan:..
eion CHOSEN from the basilicas Of Rom'a
| :'nd trained by Monsignor Casimir; v'e VIZ
u. IS well known in Italy as the dirsc+or rnr
u music IN the Chapel of St. John
-r,.-,., -.s... eiah. .loAsignor Casimiri is n
.l.u ne'.ao, in".'c'aA and conductor OF i'm
e. ,as1e ana marked authorize
y 10 y
e;sS mas sting more boautifully or n,ora
sincerely than the one last nirbt anS
.eW concerts have been given n ,',h;nI ';,,
eiIc music sung was Of such sus4ainad
elevated nature. The choir is in cn,,, '.,o,u
position eXGuisi itely balanced. The hn,.
lVplraHoS and altos are especiallv of :,
high degree of merit. and tbonoi, q
aii;ndng si;g the 1ormcr there wes at times a
s4tsn0 Shrillness OF timbre. on tha
Gs Hso'e the tone was firm and musical
''e men tne tenors were altoueiI1er
cellent "el3 also eH-
As all the singing was u,sccon,
panied, special praise T. dnn M - u'theeom- "a" CON-
rcctness of intonation: fhere ,',a4o w..
rare 'N' '"e! were
- Pa,lestrina is not easy to sing. vet
OF the ten numbers on the orr oTicinaI . ~
programme six we're of Italy's greatest
musicians, and the choir's sinoinr of
ehe noted 20 quantus luctus hominun"
ana OF "EXulte sumseI formosa" -ras
instinct with the best in the art o.
song. Superbly given, too. was 1bs
heSpoNsorlo OF Ludiyco Ga Vjtto~in
~, &llgaVerrtnt ocuIi mea t1atu meo
ne only modern work on the r~o.
g:ahlme was Ionsignor Casimiri's own
NcMl. SaNcti Spiritus.
throughout the Choir showed . oa,-
ticuiar mastery in tonal nuance. ana
'hfCu2nouo Ns conductor displayed an
eNqulslte sense Cor line and prooort;or
90 long has Italian music been under
the spell Of the opera, aud all honor 70
the Church taEt t. realizes the -act.-
tloU9 nature oi This appeal. Such con-
certS as are being given by the Vatican
cholrs are what are needed TO co!n0a,
the supremacy Of She theatre, and last
nights large audience gave spontnne-
Gus evidence Of It's interest IN the ut-
tempt.
During tho intermission Mayor IIy-
Ian presented .Ionsignor Casirairi with
the Hag of the city and ne conductor
responded IN Italian, after which the
choir saug to the ,Iayor Monsignor
Casimiri's own "Hymn q Praise TO
america, The Whole proceeding COM
ing 20 climax When the tiniest OF the
choir boys stepped forward and raised
the nas 20 his lips