Church Music Association Public Rehearsal

“C. M. A. rehearsal (orchestral) at Steinway, 4 p. m.

At the rehearsal we had the brilliant & pretty overture to Masaniello—the Niedermeyer Mass, & parts of the Midsummer Night’s Dream music. I was anxious to hear Niedermeyer’s orchestration, & everybody was well pleased with it. The Mass is a noble work. Kyrie not among its strong points, but effective. Introduction very telling—little points of deep color by the trombones artistically introduced & not overdone. The outburst of the Gloria, with the upward rush of the strings & clangor of the trumpets is fine, but the subject is rather commonplace—the ‘Et in terra pax’ (for the soli) agreeable and fresh. The choral work that follows is not specially striking. Then comes Leggat’s most lovely solo (Gratias agnus) followed by quartette & choral passages, on the same beautiful phrase, and of great power. Then the strong & impassioned ‘Qui tollis’—the ‘Quoniam’—a reproduction of the Gloria—the long dry fugue ‘Cum sancto spiritu.’ The Credo opens with a grand virile phrase, chorus & orchestra fortissimo, and proceeds vigorously to the ‘Qui propter nos homines,’ which is assigned to the soli, and then the unaccompanied chorus delivers the ‘Et incarnatus’—which is emotionless & scientific. The ‘Crucifixus,’ etc., embodies more expression & runs into the choral “Et resurrexit” which flows on with great force till the soli take on the ‘Cujus regni.’ Niedermeyer’s treatment of these words is fine, & (so far as I know) original. He dwells long on the ‘judicare vivos et mortuos,’ that he may give greater contrasted effect to this little bit of simple serene melody, which comes in like starlight after the storm. The Sanctus, etc., are good, & improve on acquaintance. Leggat’s solo (Offertorium), ‘O salutaris hostea,’ beautifully sung, but not worth a great deal. The Benedictus, for soli & chorus, intense—perhaps properly to be called luscious. Then the finale, the Agnus & Dona, which went even beyond my large expectations. This movement is certainly among the most effective in all church music. The rehearsal was well attended & the audience seemed unusually sympathetic.”