按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
at they may well have left their mark upon the works of both composers。 But especially it would seem that there is some real； though very general resemblance between this colloquial chorus； 〃Behold；〃 etc。； and some choruses in 〃St。 Paul；〃 as； for example Nos。 29 and 36…38。 In the same way the scene in the high…priest's hall might distantly suggest either of these passages； or others in 〃Elijah；〃 These resemblances； however； are very superficial； pertaining not to the musical but to the dramatic treatment of situations which are generically similar in so far； and only in so far； as they represent conversational passages between an apostle or prophet and an ignorant multitude； whether amazed or hostile； under the sway of violent excitement。 As regards the musical elaboration of these terse and striking alternations of chorus and recitative； its originality can be questioned only after we have decided to refer all originality on such matters to Bach； or； indeed； even behind him； into the Middle Ages。
After the preaching of Peter； and the sweet contralto aria； 〃As for man； his days are as grass；〃 the culmination of this scene comes in the D…major chorus； 〃This is the witness of God。〃 What follows； beginning with the choral； 〃Praise to the Father；〃 is to be regarded as an epilogue or peroration to the whole work。 It is in accordance with a sound tradition that the grand sacred drama of an oratorio should conclude with a lyric outburst of thanksgiving； a psalm of praise to the Giver of every good and perfect gift。 Thus； after Peter's labours are ended in the aria； 〃Now as ye were redeemed；〃 in which the twelve disciples and the full chorus join； a duet for tenor and soprano； 〃Sing unto God；〃 brings us to the grand final chorus in C major； 〃Great and marvellous are thy works； Lord God Almighty。〃
The cadence of this concluding chorus reminds us that one of the noteworthy points in the oratorio is the character of its cadences。 The cadence prepared by the 6/4 chord； now become so hackneyed from its perpetual and wearisome repetition in popular church music； seems to be especially disliked by Mr。 Paine； as it occurs but once or twice in the course of the work。 In the great choruses the cadence is usually reached either by a pedal on the tonic； as in the chorus； 〃Awake； thou that sleepest；〃 or by a pedal on the dominant culminating in a chord of the major ninth； as in the final chorus； or there is a plagal cadence； as in the first chorus of the second part； or； if the 6/4 chord is introduced； as it is in the chorus； 〃He that overcometh；〃 its ordinary effect is covered and obscured by the movement of the divided sopranos。 We do not remember noticing anywhere such a decided use of the 6/4 chord as is made； for example； by Mendelssohn； in 〃Thanks be to God；〃 or in the final chorus of 〃St。 Paul。〃 Perhaps if we were to confess our lingering fondness for the cadence prepared by the 6/4 chord； when not too frequently introduced； it might only show that we retain a liking for New England 〃psalm…tunes〃； but it does seem to us that a sense of final repose； of entire cessation of movement； is more effectually secured by this cadence than by any other。 Yet while the 6/4 cadence most completely expresses finality and rest； it would seem that the plagal and other cadences above enumerated as preferred by Mr。 Paine have a certain sort of superiority by reason of the very incompleteness with which they express finality。 There is no sense of finality whatever about the Phrygian cadence； it leaves the mind occupied with the feeling of a boundless region beyond； into which one would fain penetrate； and for this reason it has； in sacred music； a great value。 Something of the same feeling； too； attaches to those cadences in which an unexpected major third usurps the place of the minor which the ear was expecting； as in the 〃Incarnatus〃 of Mozart's 〃Twelfth Mass；〃 or in Bach's sublime 〃Prelude；〃 Part I。； No。 22 of the 〃Well…tempered Clavichord。〃 In a less degree； an analogous effect was produced upon us by the cadence with a pedal on the tonic in the choruses； 〃The Church is built；〃 and 〃Awake； thou that sleepest。〃 On these considerations it may become intelligible that to some hearers Mr。 Paine's cadences have seemed unsatisfactory； their ears having missed the positive categorical assertion of finality which the 6/4 cadence alone can give。 To go further into this subject would take us far beyond our limits。
The pleasant little town of Portland has reason to congratulate itself； first； on being the birthplace of such a composer as Mr。 Paine； secondly； on having been the place where the first great work of America in the domain of music was brought out； and thirdly； on possessing what is probably the most thoroughly disciplined choral society in this country。 Our New York friends； after their recent experiences； will perhaps be slow to believe us when we say that the Portland choir sang this new work even better； in many respects； than the Handel and Haydn Society sing the old and familiar 〃Elijah〃； but it is true。 In their command of the pianissimo and the gradual crescendo； and in the precision of their attack； the Portland singers can easily teach the Handel and Haydn a quarter's lessons。 And； besides all this； they know how to preserve their equanimity under the gravest persecutions of the orchestra； keeping the even tenour of their way where a less disciplined choir； incited by the excessive blare of the trombones and the undue scraping of the second violins； would be likely to lose its presence of mind and break out into an untimely fortissimo。
No doubt it is easier to achieve perfect chorus…singing with a choir of one hundred and twenty…five voices than with a choir of six hundred。 But this diminutive size； which was an advantage so far as concerned the technical excellence of the Portland choir； was decidedly a disadvantage so far as concerned the proper rendering of the more massive choruses in 〃St。 Peter。〃 All the greatest chorusessuch as Nos。 1； 8； 19； 20； 28； 35； and 39were seriously impaired in the rendering by the lack of massiveness in the voices。 For example； the grand chorus； 〃Awake； thou that sleepest；〃 begins with a rapid crescendo of strings； introducing the full chorus on the word 〃Awake；〃 upon the dominant triad of D major； and after a couple of beats the voices are reinforced by the trombones； producing the most tremendous effect possible in such a crescendo。 Unfortunately； however； the brass asserted itself at this point so much more emphatically than the voices that the effect was almost to disjoin the latter portion of the chord from its beginning； and thus to dwarf the utterance of the word 〃Awake。〃 To us this effect was very disagreeable； and it was obviously contrary to the effect intended by the composer。 But with a weight of four or five hundred voices； the effect would be entirely different。 Instead of entering upon the scene as intruders； the mighty trombones would only serve to swell and enrich the ponderous chord which opens this noble chorus。 Given greater weight only； and the performance of the admirable Portland choir would have left nothing to be desired。
We cannot speak with so much satisfaction of the perfor