The Washington times., 1919-12-10
ORATORIO SOCIETY WILL
PRESENT THE MESSIAH
Large Chorus With Noted Soloists
and Quartet to Offer
Xmas Festival.

Washington will have a Christmas
FESTIVAL rendition of Handefs great
oratorio, "The Messiah" presented by
solo quartet, that includes the emil
nent English bass-baritone, j. Camp
bell-McInnes. OF London. and the
massive chorus OF the Washington
Oratorio Society, $50 voices, under the
direction Of Sydney Lloyd Wrightson,
as free gift to the community on
next Wednesday evening, December
II. at 8:15, In Central High School
Auditorium.
Cards OF admission will be re-
quired. to prevent the massing OF
great crowds who in the past have
assembled and been unable to obtain
entrance. These cards may now be
mad upon application to the Chapel OF
the Church of the Covenant, entrance
on N street; from any member Of the
chorus, or from the director, Mr..
Wrightson, at his studio.
In other cities, in New York for
instance, with the Oratorio Society
under Walter Damrosch at Carnegie
Hail, the annual rendition Of '"The
| Messiah" Is given with q charge OF 81.
Free WIN Onerins.
Tho Washington Oratorio Society
will make an appeal for "free-will"
onering. through the words Of the
Rev. James Shera Montgomery. Of CAL
pose Of further extending this work
and for meeting the expenses Of the
present performance.
Mr.. Wrightson hopes the results
will warrant the engaging Of an or
chestra for next seasons production,
SO that this oratorio can be given as
was intended by the composer. '1To-
ward this end" he writes, "after pay
! ing all expenses Of last years per.
formance, ] was able to put in the
treasury S34317. But after, purchas-
ing 300 copies of "The Messiah"
which in the past we have always
rented. our small balance has been
| reduced to $203.17. ask for you to
be most generous and help us to swell
the fund 1t is impossible to portray.
without orchestral accompaniment.
the dramatic and historical conception
of oratorio, which aims at the noble,
the heroic. and the sublime"
The director gives his labors for
this work. He says: "For fifteen
years have endeavored to give to the
music lovers Of Washington at least
one performance of ,oratorio q year.
My laborsI both musically and execu-
lively, have been given cheerfully and
gratuitously at all times. The task Of
organizing and holding together such
large chorus Is not an easy one. and
| taxes the strength and personality of
the conductor to the utmost Our
hope is to give to you, in return for
your generosity, never-to-be for.
gotten rendition of this, the most won
derful of all oratorios, next season.
Quartet Of Distinetisn.
L.
| sing in this, the sixteenth annual rem
dition of "The Messiah" to be given.
and the tenth to be given without
charge to the public.
The securing of J. Campbell-Mc-
Innes as bass soloist will make this
occasion doubly significant, for Mr..
McInnes is ranked as foremost among
| oratorio singers Of England. He is
called in Europe a remarkable singer.
"a singer who reaches heights beyond
the heights" "You are," said Sir
Charles Santley, "the only singer I
have heard who sings Elijah as IL
| ought to be sung"
This, too, will be Mr.. McInnes' first
appearance in oratorio in America.
He sings in the great Toronto festival
in January.
The other soloists need no introduce
tion to the city. Meta Craig, soprano.
combines pure beauty and spirituality
in her voice, with the taste of the
sincere artist. Richard Backing,
tenor, brings the added meaning Of
sympathy and feeling into his lyric
7inging of this great music; and In
Nary Beisser, contralto, a newcomer
n oratorio, will be heard, although
this young singer is well known in
church music here. Harvey Murray
will be at the organ and Claude Robe
son at the plano.
According to the composer, "The
Messiah" was written mot to please
people but to make them better" II
Is recognized as quite fitting that Han.
iefs masterpiece should be presented
not only as a musical performance
but also as an act Of worship on the
part Of chorus and audience.