Church Music Association Public Concert: 1st

Complimentary concert to the conductor. Public rehearsal on Wednesday, 3 pm.

“Mr. Charles Edward Horsley, the conductor of the Church Music Association, gave his concert last night, at Steinway Hall, before a very good audience and with the most flattering results. The programme consisted entirely of his own compositions, interpreted by the Church Music Association and an orchestra of 49 or 50 pieces, and, though the performance was somewhat imperfect, we cannot but be thankful to the ladies and gentlemen who gave us an opportunity of becoming acquainted with music of such decided merit. The principal part of the evening was devoted to Mr. Horsley’s cantata of ‘Comus,’ composed to an abridgment of Milton’s masque. It is not only a work of ripe and sound scholarship, but it is also a work of great freshness and beauty. It will satisfy the scientific musician, and it will charm all persons of taste and refined feeling. It is graceful in style, cheerful in spirit, and pleasantly varied; and though we can trace in it the influence of older musicians—and notably of Mendelssohn under whom Mr. Horsley studied—it is a truly original work, not a copy of other men’s ideas. The cantata opens with a vigorous overture in the bright open key of C major, following which is a short prelude leading by an ingenious modulation into a chorus in the key of F. The second part of this chorus, ‘Yet some there be that by due steps aspire,’ with its charming violin accompaniment, is one of the happiest passages of the work. The chorus ends with a repetition of the prelude in part, and an effective tenor solo is taken up immediately in the related key of D minor. A striking Bacchio chorus succeeds in the same key, the use of the minor scale in connection with the hilarious and emphatic measure giving to the number a singularly uncanny but appropriate character. An excellent bass song for Comus introduces the chorus of the mystic crewe, in the second part of which is another delightful conceit, an allegretto movement, with pizzicato accompaniment on the words,

‘Come, knit hands, and beat the ground,

In a light fantastic round.”

This was encored, and it well deserved the compliment. ‘The Measure’ which follows is an interlude for the orchestra in minuet time—a fascinating dance movement which could only have been written by a devout student of J. S. Bach. The principal theme recurs and is interrupted several times, and at each réprise is taken faster than before. The introduction of The Lady is prefaced by a beautiful little ‘Symphony,’ a sort of romanza for the strings with reed accompaniment, an andante con moto in A major; and the soprano then has an elaborate scena, with the ‘Echo Song,’ a little gem of melody enriched by an accompaniment of singular delicacy and airy fancy; and differing widely from most echo songs in being entirely free from clap-trap. Of the subsequent numbers we marked for special praise the duet between The Lady and Comus; the song of the Attendant Spirit, ‘Sabrina fair,’ an allegretto grazioso in common time, wherein a curious and very agreeable effect is produced by throwing the musical accent on the second beat of the measure; the song for Sabrina, and the last song of the Attendant Spirit. The solo parts were taken by Mrs. Gulager, Mr. Leggat, Mr. Remmertz, and a young lady who replaced Miss Antonia Henne, and whose name was not given.

The second part of the programme consisted of an excellent overture from Mr. Horsley’s cantata, ‘Euterpe;’ a Madrigal, ‘Sing Lulllaby;’ and a short selection from ‘The Bridal,’ a wedding cantata dedicated to Miss Nellie Grant and Mr. Sartoris.” [Reprinted Dwight’s Journal of Music, 05/21/74, p. 219-20]

“A concert complimentary to Mr. Horsley, musical director of the Church Music Association, took place at Steinway Hall last night. The programme consisted of selections from Mr. Horsley’s works, and was recited by an orchestra and by the choral forces of the Church Musical Association. The cantata of ‘Comus,’ which, according to the bill, ‘owes its origin to the admiration of the composer for the poem,’ occupied about two-thirds of the evening, while an overture, a madrigal and some excerpts from another cantata, called ‘The Bridal,’ filled out the performance. The music rendered showed Mr. Horsley to be a thoroughly good musician and a devout student of Mendelssohn, whose symmetrical phrases and suave instrumentation he emulates quite happily; but no portion of his achievements denoted the writer’s possession of the creative faculty, and the choicest of language is a worthless gift if one has nothing to say or worth saying. Mr. Horsley’s overture to a third cantata (‘Euterpe’) pleased us most. It is decidedly Weberian in form, and is worked up very effectively. The composer’s band and chorus were tolerably proficient; his soloists, as usual, were Mrs. Gulager, Miss Henne, and Messrs. Leggatt and Remmertz.”

“The Church Music Association gave last evening at Steinway Hall a complimentary concert to their conductor, Mr. Charles E. Horsley. The programme was made up entirely of works of that composer, and consisted of his cantata entitled Comus, an overture, a madrigal, and a short bridal cantata dedicated to Miss Nellie Grant and Mr. Sartoris. The soloists were [see above].

Mr. Horsley wisely omitted in his setting of Milton’s poem much of the didactic portion that was unsuited to musical purposes, and has given a fine, picturesque, spirited, and consistent setting of the remainder.

Unfortunately the poem afforded no opportunity for concerted music other than the choruses, and with the exception of one brief duet, consists of solo and chorus, with an overture march and symphonic interlude for orchestra.

Mr. Horsley was the pupil of Mendelssohn, and this work naturally shows strong traces of the animating spirit of that great master. The individual thought is Mr. Horsley’s, but the melodic forms and the general mode in which the subjects are treated and worked out bear strong resemblance to those of Mendelssohn. This we do not mention in detriment to the merit of the composition, for it is given to but few men to break away from precedent and example, and to find new and acceptable forms. That indeed is the province of genius.

The work of Mr. Horsley shows everywhere the hand of a musician trained in the best schools and of marked talent. The orchestration of the work displays a fertile fancy in fine harmony with the sense of the words that are to be illustrated, and giving appropriate expression and color to the poet’s thought. The work is scored, not meagrely, but with elaboration, and with great variety of instrumentation, the characteristics of the different instruments being kept always in mind, and predominance given to one or the other, as the sentiment of the words require. This gives to the score life and spirit, and contributes greatly to the enjoyment of the work.

The concert was largely attended, and the compositions were received by the audience with much enthusiasm.”

“A very large audience attended last evening the complimentary concert given by the Church Music Association to their conductor, Mr. C. E. Horsley. There were four popular artists—Mrs. Gulager, Miss Hennie [sic] and Messrs. Leggat and Remmertz—and quite a goodly array in the line of chorus and orchestra. The programme consisted entirely of Mr. Horsley’s works, comprising a cantata founded on Milton’s ‘Comus,’ overture ‘Euterpe’ and a bridal cantata. The first was the most ambitious of the three. The style is rather trivial for such an inspiring subject, and reminiscences of other composers are thick as leaves in Vallambrosa. Yet Mr. Horsley evidences, at least, study of and acquaintance with the divine art in which he has cast his lot, and, although his ideas are not always original, and do not tend to inspire confidence as a composer, yet his musical education seems sufficient to enable him to steer his course clear of absolute mistakes. This is an important point in his favor. The chorus showed to better advantage than at the regular concerts of the association, but the orchestra was in a sad state of demoralization.”

Unannounced demise of the Church Music Association; its failure a reproach to society.

[Reprinted from the Graphic]

“An extra concert of the Church Music Association was given at Steinway Hall last night. The occasion was complimentary to Mr. Charles E. Horsley, the conductor of the association and several of his works were performed before an audience composed rather of musicians and those immediately interested in the art than members of the fashionable world. The first part of the programme was devoted to the recital of Mr. Horsley’s canata of ‘Comus,’and it was found that the music with which he had clothed Milton’s poem was distinguished by graceful melodies and well-balanced instrumentation.The preponderance of recitative detracts considerably from the excellent effect wrought by other portions of the work, but the spirit of the poem is worked out with broad comprehension and delicate, intuitive power, if not with stirring originality. ‘The Measure’ (orchestral dance) is quaint and graceful, and the symphony which follows almost immediately was most effectively sustained by the violins, the unity of the bowing being admirable. An echo song, ‘Sweet Echo,’ is delicate in gradation and the prayerful invocation which concludes the succeeding recitative reminds one in shape, if not in melody, pf the prayer in ‘Der Freischütz.’ The song for tenor, ‘Sabrina Fair,’ is full of melody, and the ‘To the ocean now I fly’ was equally light and fanciful. Sabrina’s song, ‘By the rush-fringed bank,’ is sparkling and beautifully varied. The scoring is effective throughout, and it is impossible not to be struck with the decided Mendelssohnian tendencies of the composer. ‘Comus’ would be effective set with scenery and performed with costumes. Its presentation last night, however, was so excellent as to scarcely require accessories. Mrs. Gulager sang the soprano solos with taste and discrimination, her voice answering all requirements. Miss Barron was heard with pleasure in the contralto passages; and Mr. Leggat, despite a somewhat exaggerated use of falsetto, was pleasing in the tenor airs. Mr. Remmertz’s noble voice awoke applause in the bass solos, but he scarcely gave the words that fine shading and significance which would have been desired. The orchestra was under perfect control, and showd the effects of thorough drill. The second part of the programme consisted of Mr. Horsley’s overture to a cantata called ‘Euterpe,’ in which two themes are skillfully unfolded; of a madrigal, ‘Sing Lullaby,’ for voices alone, which was sung with great evidence of cultivation; and a selection from ‘The Bridal,’ a wedding cantata. The last was announced as dedicated by special permission to Miss Nellie Grant and Mr. Algernon Sartoris. It consisted of a graceful and flowing chorus, a well defined march, and an expressive prayer.”