Grand Musical Festival: 4th

Includes performers and program.

“The oratorio of the ‘Creation’ was performed last evening at Steinway Hall by the same chorus and orchestra as that employed for the production of the ‘Messiah,’ Madame Parepa-Rosa, Mr. George Simpson and Mr. J. R. Thomas being the soloists.  It is a most gratifying evidence of the popular demand for oratorio music that such an immense audience was drawn out to listen to this performance, in spite of the sultriness of the weather.  In view of the latter some more adequate arrangements for ventilation should have been provided, for the close atmosphere not only was extremely uncomfortable to the audience, but had a depressing effect on the performers.  Perhaps this may account for the lack of energy on the part of the chorus and orchestra, exhibited in many of the most stirring passages.  Madame Parepa-Rosa was not equal to herself, although her execution was, as usual, nearly faultless.  Mr. Simpson and Mr. Thomas sung the numbers assigned them very creditably.” 

“…[long opening on Haydn and this work] Obviously, the Creation  has had the best reception of any work produced during the present festival; and we have but to add that it has not been altogether surpassed as a performance. This is due only more to the superior delivery of Madame Parepa than to the zealous and careful chorusing of the Harmonic Society. The instrumentation of Chaos, the air, ‘With Verdure Clad,’ by Madame Parepa, and the chorus, ‘The Heavens are Telling,’ may be mentioned as the most successful numbers of the first part. Its successor was more thoroughly well done. Haydn’s inimitable trios, perhaps the choicest portions of his work, were most clearly given by Madame Parepa, and Messrs. Thomas and Simpson, and the chorus, ‘Achieved is the glorious work,’ was heartily sung by the Society. Mr. Simpson had opportunity to excel himself in the air, ‘In native worth,’ and it was accordingly praiseworthy in expression.”

“Last night Haydn’s Creation was given before the largest audience ever assembled in Steinway Hall since its opening. The Creation may not be, in a strictly musical point of view, as great a work as the Messiah or Samson, but there is no doubt of its popularity. There is something so dramatic and intelligible, at least to our modern ideas of music about every member of this sublime Creation, that it is far more appreciable than anything we can speak of in oratorio. The soloists were Madame Rosa, soprano; Mr. Simpson, tenor, and J. R. Thomas, baritone. The orchestra and chorus, under Mr. Ritter, was [sic] superb and far surpassed their previous attempts at oratorio. The performance was without exception the best we have heard this season in the metropolis.”

“Last evening was the Creation, which supremely beautiful work I have not heard for years.  It was excellently well brought out.  I saw the power and beauty and healthiness of it all--even of Adam and Eve’s colloquies, which I used to think [illeg.] and weak.  Some of the choruses, especially ‘The Heavens are telling,’ and ‘A New Created World,’ were executed with the utmost accuracy and force.”

“…The performances on Wednesday evening comprised “The Creation”—that marvelous sheaf of melodious grain which Haydn was such a long time gathering, because, as he said, he “meant it should last a long time,”—an intention which posterity is likely to carry out for the composer. The music of ‘The Creation,’ while it partakes of the grandeur which makes ‘The Messiah’ almost a sublime revelation, has still less of the supernatural and more of the reasonable than Handel’s masterpiece. Its sublime choruses vibrate in every fibre, but they do not astonish nor surprise the senses; Haydn’s music, indeed, may be said to be sublimated to reason, and they need no musical education to comprehend their meaning. Sung as they were the other evening, a savage might have understood them.  The Harmonic Society certainly did itself great credit, and Mr. Ritter conducted the conscientious body faithfully and spiritedly through its duty.  To praise Mme. Parepa Rosa for the delivery of those vibrating threads of melody “With Verdure Clad” “On Mighty Wings,” and in her share of the delicious terzetto—“Most Beautiful Appear”—would be as conventional as it certainly would be reasonable, but, at the same time, unnecessary.  Mr. J. R. Thomas and Mr. Simpson were not below their reputation, either, in such portion of the solos as belonged to them.”    

(…) Despite the unbearable heat outside, or possibly even because of it, a large audience flocked into the auditorium for Haydn’s “Creation”. The work was received much warmer and more enthusiastically by the audience than the works at the other concerts. This occurred not only because of the excellent execution, but also because this work is easy on the ear, even for lay people, with its “light, fresh, and gay melodies and youthful, fiery harmonies.” [Quote] (…)

“an immense audience assembled to hear ‘The Creation,’ which was well-rendered throughout.  Mme. Rosa’s efforts were almost beyond herself in this most beautiful oratorio.”