Evening star., 1953-12-28
News Of Music
By Doy Thorpe

Dy 10y Inorpe
The Messiah, by Handel. presented
Choral Societies. Paul Callaway, con-
soprano; David Lloyd. sne tenor: n; Eunice
:Alberts, contralto; Chester Watson.
bass; Ralph Kirkpatrick, .harpsichord;
trumpet. Orchestra composed of play
ers from the National Symphony.
Given at the Washington Cathedral.
Although the w Washingto n
Cathedral has what is probably
the largest and most catholic
active repertoire Of church music
Of any institution in the United
States, there is no record of the
Messiah having been given there
until yesterday. The omission can
perhaps be explained by saying
that the availability of the
organization and necessary
forces for any church music
whatever has inclined the
Cathedral to present less popular
works, and to leave the Messiah
to the champions it has never
lacked.
Certainly yesterdays perform
ance was one to enrapture the
faithful and convince the doubt
ers. The large building was
filled to the limit with an audi
ence for which, apparently. the
uncut three-hour score of the
masterpiece was none too long.
for if the interest of the listen
ers tagged. the fact was not sig
nif1ed by lack Of attention or by
leaving.
characteristics of the per-
formance which set it apart from
the usual Messiah are several. It
was uncut; that is, it was given
in the form Handel may have
presented any one of the per-
formances he supervised during
his lifetime. The orchestra was
divided into two sections, the
smaller group reserved in general
for accompaniment of the solos.
and the tutti used for the
choruses. Harpsichord was used
as a continue instrum n t
throughout. Joined in the
choruses by the organ. Many of
the solos were highly ornamented
after the manner taken for
granted by most composers OF
Handel's time-a novelty that
certainly was a surprise to any
hearers who thought that such
license was reserved for a hot
New Orleans jazz band.
Only instruments specified by
Handel were used in the orcheS-
tra-oboes, baSsoonS, trumpetS,
drums and strings. Some of the
modern adaptations of the score
for modern orchestra are very
effective, but all tend to blur the
line of Handel's music by accent
ing color where the composer
was interested in design. Lastly.
the program causes confusion by
the clumsy title "The Washing
ton and Cathedral Choral Socie-
ties" The separate identity Of
the two groups is entirely legal
fiction. The performance was by
a single chorus, trained as a unit.
These last two paragraphs de-
fine the performance, but what
words can describe it? How
evoke the great choruses. the
savage cynicism of "He trusted
in God" the controlled confusion
of "All we like sheep" the devout
splendour of Surely he hath
borne our griefs"? Mr.. Gala
way drives his fast choruses
hard; he does not want lyricism
at the expense Of energy, but he
knows that vigorous music loses
its excitement when it loses its
clarity.
Mr.. Lloyd is master OF vocal
technique in the sense that Ale
kline was a master Of chess, and
he also is a singer of high mu-
sical sensibility and perception
These qualities allow him the
freedom and ease to make OF
each recitative or aria not the
presentation of a copy. but
new and alive musical creation
He is not only a singer but ar
actor, and his delivery of the
words "All they that see him
laugh him to Scorn: they shoot
out their lips, and shake their
heads :" was the essence OF
the dramatic.
Accuracy and moving warmth
combine to make the singing
of Miss Addison a memorable
experience, and it is not hard
to understand the great popu-
larity she enjoys. The air HE
Shall Feed His Flock" shared
by the contralto and soprano.
was a study in tone-color. The
melody. given out in the quiet,
pulsating, redolent tones OF
Miss Alberts is taken over by
Miss Addison'S thinner and
more ethereal voice. It was very
beautiful indeed.
Mr.. Watson has the deep rich
bass necessary for the everpop-
ular ariaS why do the Nations
:" and "The Trumpet Shall
Sound" Mr.. Geisler's solo in the
latter aria, played on a tiny
trumpet in D, was of a bril-
lance, Elasticity, and express