New-York tribune., 1919-10-06
Music
thousands Hear Vatican Choirs
Concert of Church Music at
the Hippodrome
By H. E. Krehbiel

Many conflicting reflections were
ava f.p akened by the concert of the Vatican
Choirs n the Hippodrome last night.
ne extraordinary manifestation of in
terest or curiosity exemplified By the
substitution Of hundreds for every ten
persons whose appreciation of classical
church music has been awakened by
twenty-five years of endeavor on the
part OF Dr Frank Damrosch and the
W uslcal Art Society was a fair cause
Of surprise. The phenomenon had an
explanation, of course, but no iudicious
observer of musical affairs in New
Y orA or anywhere else is likely to seek
1t IN sudden conversion of the multi
tude to a taste and understanding for
the most elevated, refined and exclusive
form of choral music. However. that
aoes not signify. 1t is thing of
loftIer concern that thousands Of peo-
pie, no matter what their promptings.
dld hear the choir, and that many of
them if they did not comprehend at
least felt the beauty of the artistic
manifestation.
The concert was one of great dignity
and loveliness. To those who have been
initiated more or less by such meet
ings or services as have been vouch-
safed us by the Musical Art Society
and the choirs Of the Russian cathedral
and the Cathedral of St. John the Di-
vine, 1t afforded new insight into the
methods which have made the singing
OF the choirs in the Sistine Chapel and
the ancient Roman basilicas a thing
set apart Maestro Casimiri and his
choristers have taught us something
about the traditions which have come
down FROM the old Scholn Cantorum.
They have demonstrated that the mu-
sic OF Pales trina and his contempo-
rarles does not live on the printed
page. II lives in the experiences and
feelings of the singers. No conceivable
could make d choir sing as do these
chorlsters unless the traditions had
been kept alive through the centuries
and the singers trained in them until
their expression is become so easy and
natural 5 to seem unvolitional.
Inere IS no mystery about some OF
the devices employed gradual
introduction OF voices when q thrilling
crescendo is developing, the reversion
Of the process in diminuendos, and the
changes OF timbre between a crashing
tortlssimo and a murmuring piano.
But even after the devices have been
discovered the power and the charm
stu leave the listener wondering
probation and admiration for the old
music. What miracles of delineation
are employed by the masters in the
classic ecclesiastical style, In res
ponsorium by Ingegneri hymning the
incidents attending the crucifxion of
Christ an effect Of contrast was heard
last night before which some Of the
most striking devices of modern in
strumentalists and operate composers
wound sound puny.
The words Of the renitent thief,
"Momento mel, Domino" OF inetfable
pathos and tenderness, were followed
by 4 tonal thunde erbolt when the high
sopranos and tenors shrieked out the
words "Petrn sclssa' The rocks we're
rent indeed. And this was but one in
stance OF many in the motets BY Pal
estrina and Marenzio which were sung.
It is magnificent body of singers,
marvellously trained, and the potency
Of Roman traditions is wonderfully
proved by the fact that though they
sing with such wonderful precision in
all respects, they are yet composite
body, collection Of singers from va
rous churches. Lovers Of pure eccle-
s.astlcal music cannot aTord to miss
bearing Maestro Casimiri's boys and