Year: 1872

A Jubilee Rehearsal-Four


Thousand Voices in Chorus.


A Boston correspondent of the New
York Post says:


On the night of the Jubilee, armed
with a card from Mr.. Tourjee, Super
intendent of the Peace Jubilee Chorus,
we went TO the Music Hall to attend i
rehearsal of the great chorus. or rather
that part of it known as the Boston
Chorus" We found the immense hall
packed to suffOcation. Floor, aisles
doorways, balconies and stage swarmed
with gentlemen and ladies, each with a
small green music book in hand. We
pushed through the crowd and found a
place to stand on the stage, under the
shadow of the organ, where we could
see the whole house. 1t was 4 novel
sight, presenting many points of inter-
est and humor, and curious in both 4
musical and Il social way. The two
balconies on the right were occupied
by the tenors. The basses extended
from the stage along both of the oppo-
site balconies, and filled the end crowd
ing close upon the tenOrs. The stage
and one-half the floor extending far
back TO the rear, and all the doorways,
were filled by the sopranos, while the
altos occupied all the available space
left. BY count there were one thousand
singers in each part, four thousand in
the whole choir.


On the edge of the platform stood one
of Boston's institutions Carl Zerrahn.
Next to Mr.. Gilmore, the success of
the Jubilee rests more upon his shoul-
ders than on that OF any other man.
He seems equal TO the occasion. Tall,
finely formed, with great arms that
seem able to swing baton to conduct
a nation with an intense enthusiasm and
energy, it is no wonder that choir under
him sing in spite of themselves. If there
is anything in timid little alto to be
brought out it will come at his bidding.
No matter how insignificant the singer,
nor how far removed, each seems to
think that the gesture of command is
meant for her in particular, and when
it comes sing she must.


There was general buzz Of talk and
murmur of confusion in the great
company as we came in. a gentle rap
on the music stand and an expectant
hush filled the hail. With a pleasing
German accent, in Il voice that could
be heard to the furthest reach of the
place, the conductor announced the
page, and said i'm his usual quiet fashion
''Tenors begin. Look at me, gentlman 4;
watch my sign"
MENDLESsOHN's ST. PAUL - MUSICAL


RoARs.


We examined the book and found it |
was chorus from Mendelssohn's "St. |
Paul." beautiful but exceedingly diff
cult. With an absorbed attention al
most amusing,the four thousand pairs Of
eyes were fixed on the conductor-onel
bar from the piano, and in a subdued
musical roar, from thousand tongues
came the opening theme:
"See what love hath the Father


The baton waved over the altos, and
like one voice, they began:


''See what love hath the Father.''


A wide sweep of the baton round the |
hall, and the other parts came in softly |
in sort Of suppressed thunder:
"See what love hath the Father bestowed on |
US in his goodness" |


We could feel the carved case of the |
organ tremble, but could not hear it.
Now each part alone, now in duet and
trio, rising, ,falling,sw out abrupt
ly, and sinking into powerful piano,
if you can imagine such thing, smooth
ly and correctly they sang it through |
to the end. OF course, in such place
the musical effect was not good. There
was not space for the sound to develop.
Where the whole hall is filled by the
performers there is no room for true
musical effect. At present this is of
little consequence. This is only a re-
hersal.


HANDEL-A PERILOUs EXPERIMENT.


When the next piece was announced |
We were alarmed. Handel's chorus,
"All we like sheep" This seemed pre-
posterous. The comfortable Boston as
surance seemed to have overstepped its |
ability. The idea of producing such an
elaborate fugue by choir of twenty
thousand! viii not the whole thing
fall to pieces out of sheer unwieldiness
We shall see. Here are four of the
twenty thousand. They managed to
keep together in the involved and per-
picking music.


The conductor commands attention,
and with one sweep of his baton the
many voiced choir breaks out into an
abrupt phrase:


"An we like Sheep


Lie WluUlilS TOllaucS lOilOW Will /
curious snap and ponderous accent,
sounding as if one very large man was
singing, and very much in earnest.
Zerrahn's long arms are flung from side
to side. At each movement of his SEEM
ingly magic wand the parts spring into
life, and twist into various blended runs
and roulades. The basses growlin pom
derous thunder:


1--WE have turned"


The sopranos fling it back in deafen-
ing shout. The tenOrs cry from the
balconies, ave have turned" and all
unite i'm one excited rush of music:
ave have turned every one to his own way"


Nervous tenOrs bob their heads to the
time. A thousand bonneted faces turn
up at us, and the basses lift up their
voices and "shake things" We exam
inc the roof and wonder if it is safe.
The organ peals and roars overhead,
and the unhappy being at the piano
bangs away all unknown and with
much perspiration. The only silent
person is the conductor, with outstretch- |
ed arm. 0uidin1 all and insDjrinu each |