New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-11
Festival Hears
Ir0mbonists of
Bethlel,em,P Pa.
Ancient Institution of Mo-
ravian Colony Brought
to Armory Battlements
by the Oratorio Society
Call Unheard Above Noise
Three BIS Fill Program i'll
Afternoon; sDamnation of
Faust Offered at Night
BY II. E. Krchbiel

ny III. Z. NIcNOlcl
The Oratorio Societys festival of
music at the list Regiment Armory
produced two concerts yesterday. In
that OF the afternoon the Oratorio So
ciety took no part, unless it was among
the listeners. The music was confined
to compositions by DR.. Won Bulow's
trinity of BIS Bach, Beethoven and
Brahms-and APT alterations artful
aud had further illustration in the as
Segment OF the choral portion OF the
meeting to Bethlehem's Bach choir and
Bethlehem's town trombonists.
The visitors provided the only dis
tinctive feature Of the solemn festivity,
for Beethoven's C minor symphony and
Brahmss concert for violin and vioon-
cello. the latter played by Messrs.
Heitetz and Casals, under the circum-
stances made appea! only TO the curl
oslty of the unmusical multitude and
tic spirit aroused by the sensational
element in the affair.
Tie participation of the trombone
choir seemed to attract no attention.
The players blew their hymn tunes
p ically unheard from The armory
batt!ements, while the multitude hur-
ried into the building, unheedful of
music and musicians, as, indeed, it had
to be- for the portals of the huge
building were not designed to afford
either in.-ess or egress to thousands
within the minutes which audiences
usually allow themselves to get into
theaters and concert rooms. There was
neither time nor inclination to give
heed TO the ancient institution which
the Moravian pioneers brought with
them to the little settlement now
TUNED into a bristling, thriving city
by IT'S steel industries. Yet the coming
OF the trombonists to New York de-
serves at least an historical note One
OF the intereating features of the
bethlehem Bach festivals, when they
attracted the attention of music lovers
IRON the principal musical centers Of
me country, was the trombone music,
which almost every day fioated down
from the belfry of the old Moravian
church. The custom came from Ger-
many, where it still survives, though
1T Is no longer so general as it used to
be. 10 the strangers in Bethlehem it
was, and is. only a curious thing, but
TO the members of the Moravian Unity
the tone of the trombone is what the
call Of the muezzin is to the pious a.
hometan in the Orient
Part of Ancient Ceremony
That and more. 1t greets the sun
at Easter, buoys up the solemn can't
cie IN the house Of worship Cor at least
dld SO say twenty years ago, when we
irst made its acquaintance), proclaims
the death of members Of the commu
nifty (even telling of their age, sex and
domestic state) and accompanies them
TO their graves. Since 1745, when the
first quartet of trombones was brought
together at Bethlehem, every festal
day has been for the Moravians "a
memorial Of the blowing of trumpets,
holy convocaton," like Yom Terusn
to the ancient Israelites Trombones
were played in Bethlei..m in 1854 to
celebrate the birth of George II and
in December, 1899, to commemorate the
death Of the first President of the
United States. Possibly intelligence
of facts like these might have strnu-
lated interest in the significant Gle
ments Of the festive soemnity, but the
dissemination of intelligence does not
seem to be thought essential by the
festival management. If the listeners
want . know what music is perform
ing they must buy a program book;
with the vocal texts in part. Ordinary
programs there are none
In one instance yesterday the pos
session of a book Of words would have
served only to bewildcr. The Bach
choir sang a chorus from the church
car VA Side With Us" (Bleif bel
Uns"), composed for the second day of
Ia s'r 'lt5 -. This is followed by
chorale with orchestra from the same
canlata wien orchestral accompaniment.
Then came four unaccompanied
choraes, the hymns Of the Lutheran
Church, VIZ: Wake My Heart" from
tn Ode of Morning"; one from the
Christmas canta.a, "How Brightly
Shines the Morning Star; another,
Glory Now 10 Thee Be Given" from
the cantata "Sleepers Wake, Voice Is
Calling" and "W orld, Farewell" from
20 Teach Me- AL Of these pieces, ex-
cept the last, were sung effectively,
though III the sentimental manner
which seems TO Us destructive OF their
spirit as hymns and suDversivc OF the
character of Bach's style The last
was not sung at all, but humnlcd with
langlish.ng diminuendos and ritayd-
andes. We might conceive Of such a
performance as an accompaniment for
4 love scene III Il picture play never
as the worshipful utterauce Of pious
congre CATION.
h4c'.. "itn all his divine tenderness.
the stoutest, sturdiest, sincerest, most
rugged man IN German music, pretty-
heo and WolleheG by catchpenny dvra
mic and other effects. is that which
long ago discouraged host OF ,au
sicians VINO hoped that Bethlehem
m1ght become center from which love
and understanding for BacA's music
would radiate. AS it is, even the Iofty
enjoyment afforded BY the cAoir's tech
nicai proficiency was marred Yesterday
by evidences Of the desire to catch the
ears o. the groundlings, by uncalied
lof stress LAID upon harmony voices
mere were times in the hymn from
How Brightly Shines the Worn 'p,,
Star when the melody was scarceiS