Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-24

nor any other piece Of music
Is inherently and intrinsically
q religious work, it certainly
can be said to become one
when it is performed in o
cathedral under the aegis Of q
church.
As for the other major
point of controversy about the
work-that it Is not well writ
ten for voices-it Is true that
the vocal parts are extremely
dificult. Also, the voice often
does not seem to be the inev-
table medium for the music,
as Beethoven himself knew
when he doubled in the or.
chestra every choral voice In
the more difficult parts.
Music that is suitable for
voice but for no instrument IL
reasonably rare.
Bach in his arias makes lit
tie distinction between his
singer and an obbligato violin,
oboe or flute; some Of the
greatest music Of the late poly
phonic school was written for
performance either by voices
or instruments.
At any rate, even those who
complain of the awkwardness
and difficulties Of the vocal
writing in the Missa Solemnis
usually admit that it could not
be improved by change, for the
voices are the key to the mu-
sizes sublime effects Of gran.
deur and power.
Popularity at Zenith
The popularity Of the Missa
Solemnis in this country has
never been greater than it is
now, when it is a rival OF the
Choral Symphony in its fas-
cination for the public. The
many performances Of Tos-
canini are no doubt respon-
sible for the reincarnation sof
a work that could be respect
ed in books but could only
be loved in life.
Beethoven's imagination was
never at q whittier heat than
here. After a Kyrie Of the
greatest poignancy and ten
derness, there comes the
Gloria with its extreme con-
trasts between the most ex-
allied jubilation and the pro-
foundest humility. After q
big fugue 1t winds up with q
coda that is one Of Beetho-
ven's most violently syncopat-
ed outbursts in which chorus
and orchestra each try to
shout down the other. with
the chorus, If luck Is with 1t,
winning.
In the Credo, Beethoven
takes the greatest care in
painting the meaning Of each
phrase of the text until he
comes to "confiteor," where
the technique changes to that
Of a tremendous symphonic
development eliminating in
two fugues on let vitan1 VEN
turf" This movement is GER
tainly one Of the marvels Of
musical art, for despite the
formal structures of the text,
and the almost infinite moods
of the music, the whole is knit
together with the seams either
invisible or else left exposed
to show the most exquisite
miniature handicrafting. The
Introductory measures Of the
two final fugues are good ex-
amples; another Is the de-
cisive and emphatic way In
which the chorus rejects the
idea that Christ was made
rather than begotten.
Sums Up Whole Mystery
The Sanctus is notable for
its remarkable violin solo. &C
companied conspicuously BY
mems voices and trombones,
and introduced by q long pre-
Jude in which only a few In
struments are heard in a static
and fathomless sermon that
sums up the whole mystery Of
holiness. Werner Lywen, con-
certmaster of the National
Symphony. will be the soloist
In this movement.
That Beethoven's concep-
ton of the symphonic mass
was strongly Influenced by the
half dozen examples with
which Haydn closed his career
is nowhere more clearly in evi-
dence than in his use Of trum-
pets and drums as point for
the plea "Give us peace!" in
the Agnus Del. Also the inter-
polation Of a vigorous third
period orchestral fugue into
the finale, the words of which
allow no climax even though
the kind Of work Beethoven
has constructed demands one,