Verdi's Requiem

“Proceeds for the poor of the parish.”

“Verdi’s ‘Requiem’ Mass, written to honor the memory of Alessandro Manzoni, and performed under the composer’s direction in the Church of St. Mark, in Milan, six months ago, was last evening sung at St. Ann’s Church, in East Twelfth street, the recital being for the benefit of a local charity. The church was crowded in every part, and the interpretation of Verdi’s music afforded, seemingly, considerable pleasure. We do not propose to express an opinion of the mass from the rendering, however praiseworthy, of the vocal score to an organ accompaniment. The greatest of Italy’s living composers wrote the ‘Requiem’ for the orchestra of La Scala, 110 strong, and for a choral force of 120—not to mention the soloists whom he had in view while engaged in his task, and who are possessed of the finest voices to be heard in these days of degenerate tenors and hybrid contraltos;--and we should as little think of judging of an achievement only to be made public under the conditions indicated, and now brought forth with a passable quartet, a chorus of twenty, and an organist, as we should of describing in advance the effect of the instrumental score by a reading of its reduction for piano. We have not the slightest desire to disparage the sentiment which prompted yesterday’s performance, which, no doubt, was agreeable to many of the listeners, but we should be sorry to believe that anybody retired with the conviction that he had heard the ‘Messe da Requiem.’ A quartet might as well, with the aid of an accompanist, attempt ‘The Huguenots;’ better, perhaps, for there are passages in Meyerbeer’s opera so melodious and dramatic as to be impressive, be the circumstances what they may, while Verdi’s tribute to Manzoni, without orchestra and choral masses, is comparatively nil. We shall not, therefore, speculate upon the eloquence of the mass from last night’s experience; we did not do so from the partition, which was in our hands in July. Those spectators who had not already looked into it were in a dim manner made aware, on the occasion we write of, that it includes some numbers of exceeding beauty as to melody and merit as to development; and some choruses, the color and vigor of which must be exceptional when executed by the host of singers called for by Signor Verdi. Mr. Strakosch, who bought the music of the mass direct from its composer, will produce it, in accordance with the composer’s intent, in a week or so. Only then will it be possible to form an idea of the merits of the work—a purely theatric one, it should be understood from the present. Last night, the artists were [lists performers] and Mr. Dachauer, a capital musician and a gentleman of taste, led the performance, to which he had previously devoted much time and trouble, with an ambition, which, in this instance, we are bound to say, o’erleaped itself.”

“The mass which was written by the most distinguished of modern Italian composers in memory of his compatriot, Alessandro Manzoni, and which created such a marked impression in Italy and Paris, was heard for the first time in America last night at St. Ann’s church, in Twelfth street. The soloists were [lists performers]. The chorus consisted of forty well selected voices. Although a work of such magnitude and one so singularly constructed cannot be judged as to its full effect without hearing it interpreted by a very large chorus and a full orchestra, yet so excellent were the materials, generally speaking, last night, that a very definite idea was given of it. The representative requiems, which have long been regarded as the highest standards of such a style of musical composition, are those of Mozart and Cherubini. The massive grandeur of the former and the dramatic character of the latter, fit illustrations of the sublime ritual that portrays the service of the dead in the Catholic Church, amply supply all that is required of music to explain the dread hereafter and its uncertainties. The magnificent poem of the ‘Dies Irae,’ which paints the terrible scenes of the last day, the final judgment, the summons of the Archangel’s trump, the eternal division of the human race, the rending asunder of the graves of all mankind, the deluge of fire in which everything earthly passes away, the awful majesty of the King of Kings, and the thrilling scenes of the drama in the Valley of  Jehoshaphat, with more than Michael Angelo power, is also a wail of intense earnestness for mercy and pardon. No more noble theme could be selected for the display of the genius of a great composer. Mozart, Cherubini, Donizetti, Ambroise Thomas and other renowned writers have essayed it, and the latest aspirant for fame in this direction is the Maestro Verdi. He has given full reins to his dramatic imagination in the treatment of the mass, and in no other work of his will be found such overpowering and vivid effects. When this opinion is the result of hearing the work with a limited chorus and an organ accompaniment, it must certainly be confirmed when the mass is produced on a complete scale. The orchestration is said to be wonderful in its strong coloring and, of course, such an essential element must add considerably to the effect. The opening, ‘Requiem Aeternam Dona Eis, Domine,’ in A minor, is grave and subdued, a very solemn effect being produced by the soprani in the syncopated form in which the ‘Dona Eis’ is written. ‘Te decet Hymnus’ is then given by the chorus, without accompaniment, and is in strict ecclesiastical style.

The movement becomes more animated as it glides into the ‘Kyrie,’ which is commenced by the tenor and then taken up by the bass, soprano and contralto in succession. The chorus next steps in and in the singular modulations and harmonies the progressive spirit of the composer may be recognized. An allegro agitato, a regular whirlwind of sound, ushers in the ‘Dies Irae.’ The opening is very stormy, and very dramatic, but savors too much of the footlights for such a theme. The succeeding phrases, ‘Quando Judex Est Venturus,’ are exceedingly effective in their expression of the dread anticipations of the coming of the Almighty. Then follows the summons of the archangels, which requires the orchestra to do it justice, as the repeated calls of the trumpets, which in Italy were distributed in different parts of the theatre, cannot be imitated on the organ with due effect. The basses thunder out the words ‘Tuba mirum’ with immense effect. The dramatic interest reaches a climax in the superb setting of the lines, ‘Mors stupebit,’ the basses muttering, as if in fear and trembling, the word ‘Mors.’ The first of the three fugues in the mass then follows in the ‘Liber Scriptus,’ and is a well conceived and admirably constructed specimen of that species of composition.

The first trio was the plaintive ‘Quid Nunc Miser,’ the opening theme being rendered with deep feeling and in a devotional spirit by Mlle. Gomien. The tenor and soprano next took up the theme, and the plaintive character of the trio became more intensified as it drew to a close. Very impressive was the outburst of the basses in ‘Rex Tremendae Majestatis,’ and nothing could be more thrilling than the effect of the ‘Salve Me’ in its passage from key to key, constantly increasing in anguished expression, with the thunders of the judgment delineated by the basses in the most startling manner. A very beautiful duet, ‘Recordare Jesu Pie,’ for soprano and contralto, and was interpreted by Mlles. Corradi and Gomien in that finished manner that betokens well trained artists. The duet is decidedly operatic in character. The tenor solo, ‘Qui Mariam Abolvisti,’ has a tinge of ‘Aida’ in its theme, as may also be said of the bass solo, ‘Oro Supplex et Acclinis, very admirably sung by Mr. Blum. A charming quartet in B flat minor, ‘Lacrymosa,’ afterward repeated with the chorus, formed one of the most attractive numbers in the ‘Dies Irae.’

Passing over the ‘Offertorium,’ a quartet of rare merit, a review of which we must defer until another time, we come to the ‘Sanctus,’ a fugue for double chorus, a colossal number that imperatively demands a very large body of well trained singers for its due interpretation. The most beautiful number in the mass, in every sense of the word, is the ‘Agnus Dei,’ commenced by the soprano and contralto in unison, and then given by the chorus. The effect of this number is very charming, and created a more decided impression than any other portion of the work. A trio for contralto, tenor and bass, ‘Lux Aeterna,’ a cheval de bataille in difficulty, was followed by the concluding number,

Libera Me, Domine’ soprano solo, chorus and fugue. The finished school of singing and dramatic expression of Mlle. Corradi tended to place the declamatory passages of this fine number in the strongest light. We do not remember anything more intensely pathetic than the few measures, ‘Libera Me, Domine, de Morte Aeterna in Die Illa Tremenda,’ that bring this great work to an end.

It would be unfair and not in accordance with the spirit of true criticism, to pronounce a final verdict upon the merits of such a composition after a single hearing, and that without an orchestral setting. The word effective, may be applied to it in the extreme sense of the word. In some of the numbers the composer has risen far above even his operatic standard. The rendering was generally very commendable, the soloists leaving nothing to be desired, and the chorus, although entirely too small in numbers for such a work, singing correctly and in time, save a slip or two in one of the fugues. M. Dachauer conducted admirably, and brought the performance to a close without a palpable mishap. The interest of the musical public must be now directed toward the next performance of Verdi’s mass, when all the elements of greatness in it will be brought into requisition.”

“Verdi’s Requiem Mass was performed at St. Ann’s Church on Sunday evening in the presence of a great concourse of people, who listened with every appearance of interest. The solos were given by Miss Corradi, Mr. Fritsch, Mr. Blum, and Mr. Weinlich, with a good chorus and an organ accompaniment, the whole under the direction of Mr. Louis Dachauer. Of course an adequate representation of this great work is impossible without the orchestra, for Verdi has assigned to the instruments a much more important function than that of furnishing a mere accompaniment to the voices. The execution, however, was spirited and intelligent; many passages were extremely effective; and Mr. Dachauer deserves the highest credit not only for his zeal and enterprise in bringing out such an important composition, but for the gratifying success which crowned his efforts. Of the Mass itself we must speak in exalted terms. In some particulars it is far in advance of anything else that Verdi has written, and its rich and imposing strains are tempered by a religious spirit which we were not prepared for.”