New-York tribune., 1919-04-19
Music
Choral Concert Is Presented bv
Metropolitan Opera Com
pany Singers
BY H. E. Krehbiel

Among the extraordinary things to
be recorded concerning the musical
season Of 191S-19I9 perhaps the most
extraordinary is the fact that the two
finest choral concerts were given by
the forces Of the Metropolitan Opera
Company. On last Sunday week Verdi's
"Requiem' received a performance
finer by far than has been vouchsafed
1t for years, except by the singers of
our opera. Yesterday afternoon even
this achievement was surpassed when
programme appropriate TO the solemn
religious holiday was performed unde r
the direction of Mr. Setti, who has
done fine things for the opera, but
nothing which placed his skill and his
serousness Of purpose in so bright
Light as did the production of
Gounod's Biblical elegy "Gallia,' Pale
strina's Missa Brevis and Rossinis
'Stabet Mater" which was the works
that mare up the scheme of The con-
cert.
The music was appropriate to the
lem day. though if it had been a
religious function instead of an artis-
TIC the inclusion of the mass would
have had to Be omitted. for the Roman
Church does not celebate the sacrilcial
rite on Good Friday It was the mass
however, which demonstrated most
forcbly the artistic sincerity of the
chorus master and tie ability of his
people,
This mass had been prepared by a
small choir selected from the opera
chorus, for concert OF the Society Of
the Friends of Music, some weeks ago
but Mr.. Setti evidently thought that
music of such transcendan beauty
ought to be heard by larger and
different audience than one gathered
into hotel ballroom on q Sunday
afternoon. So he made of it the oc-
casion for bit of propaganda fol
higher and better things than those
usually offered at Metropolitan Opers
concerts. 1t was a noble purpose anc
it was beautifully realized. The ole
music was sung with exquisite fnisf
and the audience, being as different
gathering as the music was different
from that given at the Sunday nigh
concerts, gave it rapt and reverent at
tentlon and grateful appreciation
The "Crido' was omitted
Gounod's S "Gallia," composed for tn,
inauguration of the Royal Albert Hal
in London in 1871, when France wa
heWalllng defeat at the hands of Ger
many, is a lamentation, and much of it
text was drawn from the service pre-
scrbed by the Church for the culmi
mating day of Holy Week 1t was SUM
with solemn loveliness by the cho
and Miss Sundelius. This sterlin,
young artist also sang the sopran
solos in the "Stabat Mater With tn
small opportunities offered during tn
opera season she had raised hersel
high in the admiration Of the judiciou
lovers OF singing. but in this concer
work her voice and art were both e.
quisite and justified her felowshi
with such excellent artists as Nm,
Matzenauer, Mr.. Hackett and Mr.. Maj
dones The enthusiasm of the aud
once was stirred to its highest pitc
by Nine. Matzenauer's Fac l
portem," in which the radiant glory {
her voice had full display. Mr. Hacke
sang the "Cujus Amman" with raj
taste and intelligence, but because +
did not make clarion call to battl
as most operate tenors have been wor
to do in the past, Mr.. Setti permittt
the brass contingent of the orchestl
to overwhelm him at times 1t was ii
only defect in Z memorable perform
ance.