THE BEETHOVEN FESTIVAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10599, 20 February 1896, Page 2

THE BEETHOVEN FESTIVAL.

BEETHOVEN'S 125 th BIRTHDAY.

COMMEMORATION IN LONDON.

(By Oun Special Correspondent.)

London, December 20.

This has been a remarkable year for musical festivals in London. First we had the :Baoti festival in April, then thero was the Puree!! festival in November, and now we have<-ji)st. enjoyed the Beethoven festival, held in celebration of the 125 th anniversary of the birth of the greatest of all musical composers that th. world has ever seen. x .

Some regret..is felt that, as in the case of the Bach festival, there was no combined effort on the part of all musical England to present on the most imposing scale aad in the most inipres-.. sive manner the masterpieces of Beethoven, and that the efforts were simply those of individual conductors and choirs. No doubt at some future time we shall see a combination suoh as thab which trionnially glorifies Handel at Sydenham, to do the like for Beethoven either there or in the Albert Hall. Meanwhile, one may well be thankful for what wo have enjoyed, while yet aspiring to bigger thing 3.

Practically, the corumedioration. performances were two in number—one at the Crystal Palace under the veteran August Manns ; the other at St. James's Hall under George Heuechcl —that many-sided geniu3 who is alike admi--able as conductor, composer, vocalist, and accompanist. As accompanist, indeed, I may remark in passing, that he is absolutely incomparable. I shall never forget his accompaniment bo Edward Lloyd's singing of Beethoven's " Adelaide.."

Manns put forth almost varied and attractive schame. It included the„masfcer's greatest overture (." Leonora," No. 3), his greatest pianoforte concerto (" The Emperor," Op. SC, in E flat), his greatest song, the soprano »CMia " Ah, pei-fido," and appropriately his " Heroic" symphony, which contains that' remarkable dirge iii memory of a hero, the beautiful and Mozart-like slow movement from his " First Symphony," the charming prelude to the " Prometheus" ballet music, and two of his lightf-r songs—tha "May" and ''Garland" lieder ;so there was variety in abundance.

Perhaps the salient feature of'the concert was the magnificent presentation of the sublime "Broica" symphony, which has seldom, if ever, been more finely played tbat on this occasion by Mr Manna's renowned Crystal Palace orchestra. But even to tbe most enthusiastic musician—or, indeed, especially to him—there is au intellectual strain involved in closely following so great a work for nearly an hour cbntiuuomly. I timed it carefully by chronograph, just to settle the oft-disputed point of the " l_roi_a'_" duration, and it was exactly 48 minutes'—four-fifths of an hour. To the non-muiical listener, if any such were present, it must bave. offered a very fair musical representation of eternity.

And yet one coald not have spared a note of all tbat glorious work. It was a privilege long to be remembered to have listened to au entirely worthy interpretation of such a masterpiece.

No less perfect and delightful were the presentations of the " Prometheus" and " Leouora " overtures, aud of the movement from the "First Symphony," so familiar to New Zealand audiences. liligs Fillunger sang tbo two lieder very nicely, but was somewhat overweighted in the great soena, "Ab, perfido," which h-.ua been sung so admirably iv New Zealand by the charming Christchurcr. vocalist Miss laa Spensluy. Iwell vecollec. bearing her sing that exacting - song at the New Zealand Musical Festival of 1883, and c.\u honestly say that its interpretation at the Ciystal Palace last, Saturday was by no means comparable to that by the colonial singer.

Bub a special success of this memorable codcerb was the masterly playing by M. Siloti of Beethoven's "Emperor" concerto. Nov/ Siloti is not of the modern " crash-bang" school of sensational pianism, pr, if he be, he judiciously restrains himself when he is interpreting classical masterpieces. His style is more that of tbe late Sir Charles Halle, whose dignified and scholarly interpretations I for .one always enjoyed, though he may bav_ 'seemed "cold" or "severe" beside the frantic thumpings and capers of frizzy-haired moderns.

Siloti gave us a most appropriate reading of the greatest of all pianoforte concertos, and he ■was supported to perfection by Mr Manns'a orchestra. Tha exquisite—almost unequalled— adagio, a genuine Cymn of the angels, was so splendidly and expressively played that we all would gladiy have heard if over again had time permitted. But seeing that the concerto occupied 35 minutes, the symphony 4-8, and thai there were part of another symphony, two overtures, and other things as well, there was no possibility oE 'encores unless we were prepared to Stay all night.

?i But it was a taost memorable experience. 'Minna's splendid orchestra had never been heard in such grand form, and,evidently strove their utmost to support their famous chief in doing due aud special honour to' the memory of the great master.

■ Then came what was still more emphatically the feature—the olimax—of the whole celebration. Beethoven's Grand Solemn Mass in D, the ■ noblcstj most magnificent, and most exacting work .in the entire range of sacred music, having only Bach's colossal Mass in B minor' aB a worthy associate —is indeed most rarely heard iv London or elsewhere, owing to the inordinate difficulties with wbich tbe. score fairly bristles, especially in the caoral parts, and above all in the Soprano section. It is next door to impossible .to get it sung at all—quite ioipoEsible to obtain a really perfect performance. When soprano voices have to sustain and repeat tho B in olfc for bars and birs together, and to start off fugal leads with that note several times reiterated, they must shriek : tbey have to ! And ro ib is rare that all are in absolutely true intonation. How can they ba? Ordinary human voices were not meant for such a strain.

It has been said that tho adoption of the lowered French pitch—the diapason normal — would get over the whole 'trouble. Not a bit of. it Henschel did use tbat pitch, and yet the music seemed as arduous as ever. But of course it is not all so. There are portions in abundance where the compass is quite reasonable and every note ia perfectly beautiful and absolutely sublime.

By the courteous invitation of Herr Henschel I had the privilege of being present at the final rehearsal as well as at the public performance Pf tbe mighty mass, and it was a privilege indeed. Henschel's marvellous iusight iuto the inner meanings of the great work, lucidly explained by him as they wete to his faithful forces, often feeomed to throw quite a now aud clear light upon passages which had seemed obscure.

At the conclusion of the rehearsal Henschel came up to me and shook bands heartily, his eyes and his whole face lighted up with enthusiasm—the. appreciative und sympathetic enthusiasm of kindred, if lesser, genius. "Is it not most wonderful, moit beautiful ?" he cried. " And was bs not a most wonderful, most marvellous man ? Picture to yourself that elderly deaf mau, with a soured temper and hating mankind, sitting alone in his shabby room and pouring forth such sublime, such immortal music as this, which he could only imagine and never -hear! Was there ever anything so strange, so extraordinary as tbis ?" Of the performance itself I may fairly say that, considering the overwhelming difficulty of the music, ib was most excellent. Tbe orchestra carried off chief honours, bub the choir achieved wonders, and the soloists, as a rule, acquitted themselves satisfactorily. Miss Fillunger again was somewhat overweighted, and has an aggravating way of often starting ,fUt and then sliding up into tune. The others were perhaps more succes .ful—viz., Agnes Janspn (contralto), Hirwin Jone< ftenor), and Ffrauggon Davies (bass). As a matter of course, the ethere&lly lovely "Bsnedictus" afforded the soloists tbeir best chance and also gave them tbeir most exacting work ; but it was unquestionably their best effort, and.-the-.playing of the exquisite " Prelude " was something to be ever remembered. . .

As to the execution of tbe stupendoufl choral fugues—the " Christe Eleison," the " In Gloria Dei," the " Et Vitain," and others, —I can only say that it wan marvellous grappling with enormous difficulties, a trumphant surmounting of tremendous obstacles. The "In Gloria " especially was splendidly sung, and the magnificent "Credo," with its deeply solemn " Crucifixus," its vividly descriptive " Aseendit in Ccelum," and brilliantly original " Amen " ; the profoundly religious "Sanctus" and "Agnus Dei" all were presented with most powerful and impressive effect.

Perhaps it was an error of judgment not to have allowed a short interval after the "Gloria" or f Credo," for the choralists were perceptibly fagged towards the end of their intense and unremitting exertions during the twohours' continuous singing of the most difficult music ever given to human voices. But what defects there were were wholly subordinate to tbe general standard of merit in this notable performance.

It is hoped that a repetition will be feasible during the coming spring br summer. In that case, as 1 U ar it may be long ere you have a chance of hearing this gigantic work in • New Zealand, musical visitors from your colony may have an opportunity of listening in London to Beethoven's immortal masterpiece..

The two sides of the human face are never alike. In two out of four the eyes are out of 'line; in seven people out of fen oue eye is stronger than the other; the right ear is almost always higher . than ithe left; but, owing to perfect maohinery, "The Trump" Waterbury Watch is always the same reliable timekeeper— a marvel of cheapness. Obtainable everywhere.