Messiah

“Steinway Hall was fairly jammed last night by an enthusiastic audience, drawn together by the unfailing attraction of that greatest of all musical works, ‘The Messiah,’ and the announcement of the appearance of the Casta Diva of America, Miss Clara Louise Kellogg. The chorus was selected from the Mendelssohn Union, with Mr. A. Rieff, Jr., as conductor. The mighty choruses of the work were given in admirable style, and even the small orchestra, with the exception of being occasionally out of tune as far as the strings were concerned, was better than what is generally heard in oratorio in this city. Much credit is due to the conductor for this gratifying result. Miss Kellogg proved herself as thorough and as accomplished an artist in oratorio as she is known in opera. She sang ‘Rejoice Greatly,’ ‘Come unto Him,’ ‘How beautiful are the feet,’ and ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth’ with a breadth of style, purity and earnestness of declamation and warmth of feeling which showed an intimate acquaintance with a department of music that surprised even those accustomed to her triumphs on the operatic stage. Her versatility in music is certainly remarkable, as she did not evince the slightest tendency towards operatic style in her singing last evening, but would have been regarded by a stranger as an artist who made oratorio her sole study in music. Next to Miss Kellogg, we have to record the grand success of Miss Sterling, whose noble contralto voice was never heard to better advantage. It would be difficult to point out another contralto in America who has reached such a high standard as a thorough artist, and the appearance of Miss Sterling in concert or oratorio must always be looked upon with profound interest. Both of these ladies, by their artistic rendering of Handel’s music, formed a pleasing contrast to their immediate predecessors in oratorio at the same hall. The success of the two gentlemen who undertook the tenor and bass solos, Romeyn and Remmertz, was in an inverse ratio to that of the artists we have just mentioned. More desirable exponents of oratorio could certainly be found in this city.”

“Last evening the Mendelssohn Union gave a timely Christmas performance of the ‘Messiah’ at Steinway Hall, before a full house. The choruses were generally well rendered by a large number of voices. The soloists were Miss Kellogg, Miss Sterling, Mr. Romeyne and Mr. Remmertz. The two latter sang acceptably, though evidently not accustomed to this class of music; Miss Sterling’s voice sounded to much advantage, her singing of ‘He shall feed his flock’ being deservedly encored. The gem of the evening, however, was Miss Kellogg’s interpretation of ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth’—an exquisite piece of vocalization into which she breathed a deep pathos and religious fervor. The lady should have acceded to the very earnest demand for its repetition.”

“A very numerous assemblage attended the oratorio performance at Steinway Hall last evening. The recital was of that uneven character to the seeming unavoidableness of which we have so often alluded. Passages of ‘The Messiah,’ which was the work interpreted yesterday, were satisfying and impressive, and portions of Handel’s noble composition had only scant justice done them. It need hardly be said that Miss Clara Louise Kellogg sang with undeviating accuracy of intonation and tastefulness of phrasing, and that all the pieces assigned to her were executed with exceeding finish of style. Nor will it be doubted that the superb contralto and broad delivery of Miss Antoinette Sterling were effective in no ordinary degree, and that they secured a very fair division of the honors. But Mr. Remmertz, though a gifted and accomplished singer, has not the fluent vocalization required to cope successfully with the recollection of Mr. Santley; and Mr. H. R. Romeyn, partially, perhaps, by reason of nervousness, was utterly inadequate to his share of the task. The chorus, though not very strong in numbers, was reasonably proficient; the orchestra was small, occasionally deficient in unanimity, and always devoid of tone. We shall never, we fear, enjoy a faultless rendering of oratorio in New-York. If local societies failed to supply the desideratum when the co-operation of soloists of the rank of Mr. Dolby’s artists was had, what can be looked for in the future?”

“Handel’s oratorio of ‘The Messiah’ was given on Christmas night at Steinway Hall. Notwithstanding the discouraging state of the weather the hall was well filled. The performance, aside from a few minor imperfections, was very satisfactory. Miss Kellogg’s purity of tone and excellent phrasing were rendered conspicuous by the exceptional difficulties of her part. The lateness of her entrance, which, by making a complete break between the pastoral symphony and her first number, ‘There were Shepherds,’ greatly injured the effect of that lovely sequence, we willingly believe to have been her misfortune, and not her fault. Miss Sterling’s solos were rendered with the breadth and noble simplicity which characterize her style. ‘He shall feed his flock,’ which she gave with admirable smoothness and tenderness, was re-demanded. Mr. Romeyn possesses a voice of considerable power and pleasing quality, but his delivery was frequently marred by unmistakable signs of the nervousness incidental to a first appearance in oratorio. Mr. Remmertz acquitted himself creditably, although he failed to sing the music as well as his antecedents had disposed us to believe that he would. The choruses were attacked with spirit, and well sustained throughout, and the audience was not slow to express its appreciation of the degree of excellence to which the Mendelssohn Union has attained in the rendering of Handel’s difficult music.”