Messiah

“On Thursday evening, May 6th, we are to have the ‘Messiah’ given by the Harmonic Society under the direction of F. L. Ritter; the solos will be taken by Mme. Parepa, Miss C.V. Hutchings, Mr. Simpson and Mr. Whitney (of your city) [Boston].”

“Handel’s ‘Messiah’ is usually performed in this city on Christmas night, when a great many lovers of this class of music are engaged in the social and family gatherings peculiar to the season. All these, and many more, too, can, however, hear the noblest of oratorios to-morrow (Friday) evening, at Steinway Hall, where it will be given in good style by the Harmonic Society, with Parepa-Rosa, Miss C. V. Hutchings, Mr. Simpson and Mr. Whitney, the latter a Boston basso of considerable local reputation. There will be orchestral and organ accompaniments. We might add that this performance is undertaken by Madame Rosa in place of one of her customary miscellaneous concerts.”

“Madame Parepa-Rosa will sing to-morrow evening at Steinway Hall in ‘The Messiah,’ assisted by Miss Hutchins, Messrs. Simpson and Whitney, and the chorus of the New-York Harmonic Society.”

"This king of oratorios is ever the strongest magnet in music for the New York public. There is a large number of musical and religious people in this city, a number large enough to fill both halls of Messrs. Steinway, who think it a sacred duty to attend ‘The Messiah.’ Other oratorios may be favorites, and certainly some of them are less exacting on the attention and comprehension of the hearer, but none can compare in popularity with Handel’s giant work. Around the dread mystery of the Redemption he has built pillars of harmony as imperishable as the pyramids or the eternal peaks of the Western mountains. The New York Harmonic Society have grown up into musical manhood, nurtured almost solely by this strengthening food, which every musician will at once acknowledge as the best which any managerial caterer can place before a discerning public. We have never heard the society give the sublime choruses with more spirit, unanimity and power than they did last night. The Hallelujah chorus, in particular, was a choral gem in the rendering. Madame Parepa-Rosa is too closely identified with ‘The Messiah’ in this city to need any detailed description of her rendering of the trying soprano role. ‘I Know that my Redeemer liveth’ was an example of perfect vocalization and phrasing, religious fervor and intense expression. Her grand voice came out in all its fullness and richness, and every note and word fell on the ears of the audience with the utmost distinctness. Mr. Whitney, of Boston, sang the bass solos and proved himself a thorough artist. He has a fine voice, of rare power and cultivation, and in each solo he fully entered into the spirit of the sublime composer. Miss Hutchings and Mr. Simpson made also a very favorable impression, and Mr. Ritter’s tempi were this time entirely satisfactory. We have never heard before in Europe or America a more enjoyable performance of this great oratorio, and the frequent applause of the immense audience testified to the spirit which pervaded the artists, who took part in the work.”

“That Handel, as interpreted by Parepa, has still a hold on the affections of our musical public was evidenced last night by the fact that Steinway Halls—both the larger and the smaller—were crowded with attentive auditors, at the performance of the ‘Messiah.’ Such a large and interested audience is almost certain to insure a spirited rendering of the music. It was so last night. The choruses were correct and effective, as far as it was possible to be with the unusually slow tempo allowed by the conductor. The soloists all did well; Parepa Rosa is acknowledged to be without a peer in this country in her stately and admirable rendering of oratorio music, and her singing last night was equal to her reputation. Miss Hutchings was well received, and sang with taste and judgment. Mr. Simpson also gave satisfaction. The new basso, Mr. Whitney, revealed the possession of a rich musical voice, fairly but not thoroughly cultivated, and susceptible to the effects of nervousness. In the latter portions of the oratorio he was particularly acceptable, and his singing ot ‘The trumpet shall sound’ elicited considerable applause. He will be a welcome addition to our list of oratorio singers, and will probably be heard soon again in New York.”

“‘The Messiah’ was, last evening, performed at this hall, Mme. Parepa Rosa, Miss Hutchings, Mr. Simpson and Mr. M. W. Whitney, a new bass, sustaining the solo parts. The audience was probably the largest of the season. It was certainly one of the most attentive and enthusiastic. Mme. Parepa’s reputation in this oratorio is too well established to render it necessary for us to say more of her singing than that it was distinguished by all her customary intelligence, refinement and brilliancy. Mr. Whitney, who comes with strong credentials from Boston, has a full and resonant voice, ample in power and apparently of extensive compass. Of its quality it is difficult to speak, as the gentleman appeared to suffer, especially toward the close of the evening, from serious hoarseness. His facility of execution is not sufficient to master all the laborious and wearying floridity of Handel’s bass solos, the demands of which are indeed too exhausting for most voices. We shall doubtless have other and more favorable opportunities for judging of Mr. Whitney’s merits. The choruses were supplied by the New-York Harmonic Society, and were, almost without exception, taken at a slower time than either tradition or their obvious requirements could warrant. As is usual, the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus produced the greatest effect. According to a custom which has prevailed for a century, in spite of every reasonable protest, and in compliance with the formal requisition of the programme, the audience rose and remained standing during its performance, greatly to their own inconvenience, and to the irritation of every person who would have preferred to listen to the music, undisturbed by the rustling of dresses and shuffling of feet. There never was, from the beginning, the least meaning attached to this habit, and its repetition at this day is simply a piece of folly. The attempt, moreover, to enforce it by printed requests upon programmes, is a downright impertinence.”

“Though it is so late in the season, and the nights are so warm for crowded concert-rooms, Steinway Hall was packed full last evening, when Madame Parepa-Rosa gave us ‘The Messiah,’ with the usual chorus and orchestra, and, perhaps, with rather more than the usual success. She herself was in excellent voice, singing the ‘Come unto Him,’ we thought, better than we ever heard it sung before. Miss Charlotte V. Hutchings took the contralto part. In this she is always enjoyable, for she has made apparently a special study of it. She fully appreciates the sentiment of the music, and she possesses that natural pathos of voice which is required to give such airs as ‘He shall feed His Flock’ and ‘He was despised’ their proper effect. Mr. George Simpson sang the tenor with the neatness and sweetness with which we are so familiar, and for the bass we had Mr. M. W. Whitney, a gentleman from Boston, of whom the local critics had given us flattering accounts. We cannot say that their encomiums were fully justified by his performance last night, although he made an agreeable impression. His voice is a very pleasant one, lacking mellowness, however, in the upper register and not thoroughly trained. The chorus of the Harmonic Society, under Mr. Ritter, was generally pretty fair, and once or twice very good.”

“Messiah at Steinway Hall. Parepa-Rosa, Miss Hutchings, Simpson & Whitney. Rather a rough performance.  he chorus seemed apathetic and without the slightest ‘attack.’ Listening to Dr. Pech=s thorough masterly drilling has made me critical.”

“An enthusiastic audience filled Steinway Hall on the 14th ult. to listen to ‘The Messiah.’ Mdme. Parepa-Ross, Miss Hutchings, Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Whitney were the soloists—the choruses being sustained by the Harmonic Society under conduct of Mr. Ritter, a veteran student of Handel’s music.”