New-York tribune., 1920-01-30
Choir of 81. Johns
Cathedral Reveals
Diversified Talent
y ork of School UnderDirec.
ton of MIR. Farrow Shown
in Recital Devoted Four
Glasses of Sacred Music
By II. f. krehbiel

ne monotony OF pianoforte and
song recitals by fedglings ambitious TO
get Metropolitan hearing was varied
at Aeolian Hall yesterday afternoon by
an hour and Il nalf OF sacred music
sung by the choir Of the Cathedral Of
st. John the Divine. under the direction
Of Miles Farrow organist and master
% the chorlSters. The concert belonged
TO class OF musica affairs 10 which
tne term entertainment in its ordinary
acceptatlon can scarcely be applied
with pertlnency, and having lofty
purpose, while lacking the adventltious
help and the interest of curiosity effec-
lively invoked i'm behalf Of the Vatican
Chorlsters, who visited Us earlier in the
season. j, was not largely attended
but tNat does not matter. The audi
ence was one Of refinement and serious
.nclination, and the purpose of NJ.
farrow 20 disclose what is accomplish
ing a the Cathedral Choir School wa :
beautifully achieved
The list Of pieces embraced selec-
uons from four schools Of eccesiastica
composition. Inc Roman reurcsAuted by
Palestrlna ltne "Missa brevls" and
two motets, Come Holy Ghost" and
i will magnify Thee'l. the English by
q motet, "Justorum anime by Byrd.
and Magnlncat' by Orlando
Gibbons; the Dutch by canticle.
Born to day BY Sweelinck. ard the
modern Russian by Tschaikowsky' 5
How blest are They, Arkangerisl1y's s
Upon the Day Of Judgment" and
Gretc han noff's "ts the Waves of the
sea The choir was composed Of
'Wenty-nlne mon and thilty or thirty
i've boys OF the Cathedral SchooA
me most admirable features Of the
singing we're lis precision and distinct
ness OF cnunclaton, the latter particu-
iarly commenaable ia the mass and the
beautiful motet 10y Byrd. which wer.
sung in Latin. Admirable always wa
the quality o.. the tenor and bass
volces, which, like the trehles, were
also firm. even and steady in tone The
altos, probably because Of the infusion
ol ADULT voices ibarytones singing fal-
Setto) mad less homogeneity. and were al
times unpleasantly wavering. not to
say "wabbly."
The Palestrina pieces were wanting
IN the variety Of color. nuance and
tempo, which came to us like a revels.
tlon from je Vatican Choristers with
centuries OF tradition back OF them
NNh0ut these clements, which heip te
"'' - NflN9Slft ulleltNCt OF the text
there IS always danger of this beautiful
old music sounding monotonous.
Mr. farrow showed liner apprecia-
'!on OF the delineative capacity OF
ecclesiastical music in the Russian
pieces, and also IN the Dutch carol. II
men the sonorities We're produced
with thrilling, almost electrifving, eff
fect The motif by Byrd was also ex
qulsitely sung but the Gibbons Mag
A!1icat' wa reeled off in ar unvaryine
tempo and a disregard of possibilitie.
Ell defamation which was almost de
pressing. 1t would have been inter
estlng to hear what the singers from
Rome would have done in the way OF
contrast between such passages a,
'lIis mercy is on them that fear Him
and He hath showed strength witt
tis arm. He hath put down tn,
nightly from their seat As it was
Gibbons sounded almost inane com
pared with the lovelness of Byrd ane
the rugged jubNancy Of Swcehnck k
These pieces We're the gems Of the
AFTERNOON