The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-09-20
VATICAN cHoIRs HERE
First Concert Is Given in Carnegie
Hall, New York


New York, Sept 19.-Before an
audience of distinction in the civic,
ecclesiastical, social and musical life
of New York, the city being represent
ed by Mayor Hylan, who spoke from
the stage, and the Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of New York by Arch
bishop HAYES, who arrived from Al
bany after 10 o'clock, the Vatican
Choirs gave their first concert in
America last evening "a Carnegie
Hall, which was all but fl led al grand
opera rates. The start had been de
layed in part by the serious illness of
a singer and later for the special
guests. The music itself occupying
some two hours in performance, was
from the old masters of the church,
the Roman Palestrina, the Spanish
Vittoria, the Venetian Viadana, and a
single modern composition by the
choirs' conductor, Mgr. Casimiri, di
rector in the Lateran and the POntifi-
cal school Of Higher Sacred Music at
Rome.
The Archbishops entrance, during
one OF the later pauses of the pro
gramme was greeted by rising au
dience, and by the choristers in a
brief stanza of Salutation" composed
/ by Mgr. Casimiri on the voyage to this
country. Archbishop Hayes had hop
ed to bring Cardinal MERCER, with
whom he had journeyed to Albany to
cal on the Governor earlier in the day
| the central box reserved for them was
draped with the flag of the archdiocese
while the stage of the hall was framed
/ in dozens of American flags, several
/ groups of brilliant banners of Italy,
and two Papal flags of yellow and
white, white field bearing golden EN-
blems of the triple mitre and keys.
Mayor Hylan appeared in the stage
midway in the evening, with an Off
cia' party of dozen or more, and pre-
scented 10 the Italian leader a large
silk flag Of the city.
/ we are signally honored this even
ing" the Mayer said Il wish to ex-
press a word of appreciation, which is
/ clearly set forth in the program, and
with your PERMISSION ] will read;
ITO His Holiness, Pope Benedict
XIV, our most revential thanks are
due Only through the Pontih's bene-
violent good will and unprecedented
special pcrmis sion was it possible for
this combined choir of notable singers
to come to the United States and Cana
da.
This visit breaks new ground in
history. 1t is striking reparture
from precedent and tradition Never
previously since the establishment of
the Pontifcal school of sacred singing
IN the fourth century have its mem
bers sung outside of Rome or the
Pontiff's presence
During the last $50 years the Sis
tine or Papal Choir has appeared no
where but in the Vatican's Sistine
Chapel, one of the art miracles of the
world. Not since the present stupen.
dous church OF Christs Vicar on earth
was completed in 1926 has the Choir of
st. Peters been heard save within its
walls
The Mayor then cCncluded
Il take great pleasure on behalf of
the City of New York Mgr Casimiri
and members of the Choir in present
ing to you the flag of the City Of New
York"
Mgr. Casimiri responded in Italian.
speaking in a clear ringing voice, and
turning to his choristers. he led them
three times over in the "Salutation,
an "Evviva" in rearty Italian
The singers, having landed from
their long voyage only two days since
We're not fully acclimated and one of
the name OF Fanelli became so i'll
after reaching the hall that an am
bulance was called and he was taken
to st Vincents hospital The choris-
ters showed their discipline when they
marched out on the stage just before
O'Clock, after the gallery had thrice
applauded for the concert to begin
and their first greeting from an Amer
can crowd soon put them at ease.
In two groups before the conductors
stand were the trebles and contraltos,
eighteen tiny boys and nine men. rang
ing upward from the S-year-old Renato
Gregorno to a veteran male soprano
OF 20 years, Tommaso Mort, said to
dte from the old regime, Behind. in
two long rows, were as many more
choristers tenors, baritones and bass
es. They wore the long black casscck
and plain linen surplice, while Mgr.
, Casmri appeared in red serge cas-
sock and a surpice Of linen and lace.
, The leader had chosen program OF
, the highest order no fewer than six
examples of Palestrina, whose "Lau.
date Dominum"" gave instant proof
of the volume of voices at command
from the fifty four boys and men Two
of his settings of the "Canticles" were
!, CT great beauty, especially the later
4 "Nigra Sum sed Formosa, Filiae Jeru
= salem" The offertory "Bonum Est
Confiteri," was also for five voice parts
as was the motel "EXultate Dec" and
another motel, 20 Quantus Luctus," fol-
four
Though Palestrina wrote even for
tive ve-part chorus, these lesser pieces