Samson

Forthcoming first performance of the new organization.   

“The concert last night at Steinway Hall gave the new Oratorio Society its first opportunity to be heard in a work of real magnitude and difficulty. The hall was crowded, and, in spite of the oppressive atmosphere, the audience followed the performance with every indication of interest and satisfaction. Handel’s ‘Samson’ was in some respects a very happy choice for what we may call the debut of the Society. It is almost a novelty in New-York. More than six years have passed since it was presented here, and it was then cut so freely that its dramatic meaning was greatly marred, and only its skeleton, so to speak, was left. It abounds in choruses and airs whose titles are almost household words—for instance, ‘Total Eclipse,’ ‘Then round about the Starry Throne,’ ‘Honor and Arms,’ ‘Fixed in His everlasting Seat’—but it may fairly be said that not a note of the oratorio is heard in our concert rooms except ‘Let the bright Seraphim.’ ‘Samson’ in any shape therefore would have been new to a New-York audience; but Dr. Damrosch added to its freshness by restoring many parts which it has long been customary to omit, and revising some of the usual arrangements of the airs and choruses according to the careful and authentic text of the German Handel Society. ‘Samson’ must always stand among the greatest of Handel’s works, and it is said that the composer himself was in doubt whether to give the preference to ‘Samson’ or ‘The Messiah.’ Posterity has made its choice without much difficulty; but there has never been a question about the grandeur of ‘Samson,’ the sustained elevation of its ideas, and the dramatic character of its music. From the pathetic plaint of the captive hero, with which it opens, to the impressive closing scene, with that astonishing climax in which one almost hears the triumphant shouting of the celestial hosts, the whole work is marvelously vivid. It was begun only eight days after the completion of ‘The Messiah,’ and was completed in five weeks. A large proportion of the score is given to solo voices, and hence for its due effect it requires an army of artists not easily assembled for an oratorio performance. The Samson of Mr. Simpson last night was excellent, the tenor being in admirable voice and singing with much more than his usual animation. Mr. Remmertz did very well indeed with the part of Harapha, and also took the solos of Manoah in place of Mr. Sohst, who was indisposed. The female characters were represented by Misses Simon, Mendes, and Henne, and in these there was something to desire, though their efforts were earnest, intelligent, and creditable.

The chief interest of the evening attached, of course, to the chorus. This was superb. It was about [illegible] in number, composed of excellent material, and under excellent discipline. Dr. Damrosch has done wonders. He has taught his choir to open their mouths and sing boldly. They give us, consequently, a good, round, healthy, majestic tone, and in such grand numbers as the ‘Fixed in His Everlasting Seat’ they produced a magnificent effect which no oratorio chorus of this city has equaled during our experience. Here we have at last a body of lusty, full-blooded singers, capable of almost any sort of work. They have spirit, energy, feeling, ambition; and under the skillful direction of their accomplished leader we shall expect grand things of them. There can be no question as to Dr. Damrosch’s pre-eminent qualifications after last night; indeed, there was none before. It was evident that he held his chorus and his orchestra both under complete control. The playing of the band was very far ahead of the ordinary oratorio accompaniments, and in several notable passages was remarkably fine. It was supplemented by the organ played by Mr. S. P. Warren, and a piano upon which Mr. Cortada accompanied the recitativi seccos, besides taking part in most of the other pieces. We are not quite satisfied with this arrangement. Handel used to accompany his oratorios with the organ, and the imperfect orchestra scores of nearly all his works as we now possess them need filling out by some means or another. The custom in New-York has been to scrape a few thin chords on the violins and basses for the recitatives. The Handel and Haydn Society in Boston makes a great deal of effective use of the organ. The piano is better than the New-York string-scraping; but the Boston way is the best wherever it can be adopted.”

“The third concert of the Oratorio Society of New-York, which took place at Steinway Hall last evening, did infinite credit to that young and promising association. Handel’s ‘Samson’ was sung. We rarely hear so good a choral performance. Dr. Damrosch’s forces are well balanced, although the basses might with profit be a little heavier; the sopranos are particularly strong and rich, and the whole body has really attained a remarkable degree of proficiency. From present indications the society will replace to advantage the Church Music Association, and as the chorus and orchestra will be infinitely superior to those of the defunct organization, if the Oratorio Society only secure capable soloists it will achieve a rare financial as well as artistic success. The weak part of yesterday’s concert was the solos. If we except Mr. Simpson, who understands oratorio music, and, in addition to phrasing well, is always in tune, the general work was rather uneven. Misses Simon, Mendes, and Henne are ladies with voices of excellent quality, but the art of recitative is a sealed book to one and all. Mr. Remmertz, who declaims with some dignity and clearness, makes light of correct intonation too frequently to be acceptable. The honors of the night were, therefore, reserved for Mr. Simpson and the chorus. The tenor sang finely the air, ‘Why does the God of Israel sleep?’ and, indeed, his whole task was performed with that apparent knowledge of its requirements which compels respect even when it does not move to enthusiasm. The familiar choruses, ‘Then, round about the Starry Throne,’ and ‘Fixed in His Everlasing Seat,’ were, as usual, conspicuous numbers of the choral business of the concert. The orchestra, under Dr. Damrosch, to whom is due the composition and discipline of the singing hosts of the society, was spirited and precise in an uncommon degree. A brilliant audience filled the hall, and was very liberal in its plaudits.”

“The lately organized society under the direction of Dr. Leopold Damrosch gave last evening at Steinway Hall its first public performance of oratorio. The result was such as to reflect the very highest credit upon the society and its excellent conductor. In point of numbers the chorus is not a large one, but such is the individual ability of its members that it has the force of an ordinary chorus of double its number. There is every reason to look forward to a brilliant future for this organization. Already it displays the characteristics of a well-trained chorus. Its singing is marked by promptness and certainty in the attack of the numbers, admirable time even in six and eight-part choruses full of broken rhythm and complex counterpoint. Its intonation is true and firm and pays [illegible] regard to expression, and has the rare capacity of singing pianissimo when the occasion requires.

The performance of ‘Samson’ was one of sustained power and excellence from beginning to end, nor was there any passage in it where the chorus seemed at all shaky, or suggested that the work overtaxed its powers. Evidently care has been taken to let into the ranks any good sight-readers. Let this rule be jealously sustained, and Dr. Damrosch will soon lead a chorus of which New York will be proud, and which will make for itself a name.

It is high time that this result was reached in this great city, which too long has played a [missing word? Very difficult to read] oratorio singing. Now that the kid-gloved Church Music Association has substantially come to an end, it is an excellent opportunity for this society—which does its work, so to speak, without gloves to recruit its ranks and take a leading position in the splendid field of sacred music not yet half gleaned. The solos were in part at least admirably sung. We have no disposition to criticize such portions as were weak. It is sufficient that the solos were sung, as a rule, with intelligence and ability. The orchestra was admirably conducted and played with a discretion very rare where so little rehearsing has been done. Dr. Damrosch evidently infused his own zest into the forces under his control, and has a very clear way in his manner of conducting by indicating the exact expression that he desires should be given. We congratulate both him and his chorus on the auspicious beginning of the public life of the society.” 

“The only oratorio performance of this season took place at Steinway Hall last night. It was given by the members of Dr. Damrosch’s Society, an organization which has been in existence for only a few months, but which, judging from the performance of last night, is the oratorio society of the future as far as this city is concerned. The number of vocalists it contains is not very great. It makes no such display as did the late Church Music Society, but in vocal strength it is certainly well worthy of note. The sopranos are exceptionally fine; the altos excellent in quality, but scarcely sufficient in quantity; the tenors good, and the basses highly efficient. We believe that at the preliminary rehearsals the latter class of voice was the most difficult to bring into perfect harmony, but at last night’s concert the result of the drilling was most successful.

The society chose for its début before the public Handel’s noble oratorio of ‘Samson,’the one which perhaps is his master-piece, always excepting the immortal ‘Messiah.’ It is replete with rich and melodious choruses, while the fugue-writing, though not as remarkable as that in ‘The Messiah’ or ‘Israel in Egypt,’ is certainly highly interesting. Several of these choruses, like ‘Round about the starry throne,’ and ‘Let their celestial concerts all unite,’ are widely popular. Of all the solos, ‘Total Eclipse’ for tenor, the lament of Manoah over Samson for baritone, and ‘Let the bright seraphim’ for soprano, are the most noticeable.

‘Samson’ found an excellent interpretation last night as far as the means of Dr. Damrosch’s Society went. He has not a colossal chorus, but he has one full of spirit, energy and ability. The ‘attack’ was splendid, the quality of voice rich and pleasant. Orchestra and organ rendered good support, though the accompaniments of Handel seemed exceedingly thin after the elaborate instrumentation with which modern composers have familiarized us.

We have spoken of the chorus first, for in an Handelian oratorio the choruses are and ever should be of the first importance. Of the soloists of last night, Mr. Remmertz, who sang the music both of Manoah and Harapha, was the favorite with the audience. Mr. Simpson gave a very finished rendering of ‘Total Eclipse’ and of the other passages allotted to Samson. Miss Henne sang well the rather uninteresting music of Micah. Miss Simon has a lovely, sympathetic voice, but neither its style nor its training befit it for the stately music of Handel; yet in all points where pathos and delicacy only were required Miss Simon sang most sweetly. Miss Mendes rendered good aid in a small part.

Dr. Damrosch’s style of leading is rather excitable, but its freedom from indecision is certainly a great help to the singers. He has certainly ability in drilling and developing voices, and from his initial venture we may hope for really notable achievements next season.” 

“Steinway Hall was crowded on Tuesday evening, on occasion of the performance of Handel by the New York Oratorio Society, which has had but a year’s existence. The want of such a society has been sorely felt in this city, since the demise of the Harmonic Society and the Mendelssohn Union, and wonder was expressed and complaints were made that the city which, above all others, was generous to a degree in its appreciation of music should be deprived of the opportunity of hearing every season the immortal works representing the very highest plane of the divine art. Such a void in the musical world of the metropolis Dr. Damrosch proposes to fill, and, to judge from his first attempt, on Tuesday night, there is every reason to entertain sanguine hopes of his society. The captivity and death of the strong limbed savior of Israel forms the subject of one of Handel’s most characteristic works—characteristic not so much in grandeur as in elegance of style. It was probably the best and easiest Handelian medium to introduce the nascent society to the general public, for the first two concerts, being given in obscure pieces, can hardly be called public. It does not tax the resources of the chorus like the other works of the composer, such as ‘The Messiah,’ ‘Israel in Egypt,’ ‘Solomon,’ &c., and it is eminently dramatic from the first lament of the blinded giant before his prison gates to the paens of triumph that greet his victory in death, the fall of the temple of Dagon.

The chorus was admirable, and showed long and careful training under an experienced and conscientious director. Especially in the two great choruses, ‘There Round About the Starry Throne’ and ‘Fixed in His Everlasting Seat,’ the freshness of the voices, the equal balance of the parts and the precision and promptness of attack showed a superiority in the choral department over any of their predecessors. The numbers were small in comparison to some of the societies that fill the entire stage and bubble over on a temporary platform, but the matériel was admirable. The objectionable dummies that occupy seats in many of the concerts which have been given for some years past at Steinway Hall, where a chorus was engaged, seem to have been entirely dispensed with by Dr. Damrosch, for all his chorus individually contributed to the success of the oratorio. Of the soloists, Mr. George Simpson, the tenor, deserves hearty praise for his magnificent rendering of the touching air, ‘Total Eclipse,’ that in its gloomy grandeur so fitly portrays the despair of a Titan. Mr. Remmertz sang the barytone [sic] airs with intelligence and expression, and Miss Antonia Henne went through the trying contralto solos with the ease, finish and effect of a true oratorio artist. The one single mistake she made in an enharmonic change in the air, ‘Return, O Lord of Hosts!’ can hardly be counted against the general excellence of her singing. Miss Simon, albeit a good artist in other respects, is entirely unsuited for oratorio, and in no instance throughout the work did she give satisfaction. “Let the Bright Seraphim,’ consequently, was anything but a success. In the earlier part of the oratorio the conductor, Dr. Damrosch, probably fearing the first essays of his chorus, took the tempo of two of the choruses slow enough to destroy their spirit; but, finding that his matériel was entirely competent for all oratorio intents and purposes, he gave the subsequent movements in the tempi they demanded. Mr. S. P. Warren played the organ part with the skill and taste for which he is distinguished. We trust that the Oratorio Society of New York will continue in the good work they have undertaken and give to the metropolis a choral organization worthy of it.”