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2? 8 The National Music of America.
it; it is the wonder of the nation," exclaimed one reviewer; here is an extract from the Columbian Centinel of Dec. 27, 1815:
" We have not language to do justice to the feelings experienced in attending to the inimitable execution of a most judicious selection of Pieces from the Fathers of Sacred Song. We can say that those who were judges of the performances were unanimous in the declaration of their superiority to any ever before given in this town. Some of the parts electrified the whole auditory, and notwithstanding the sanctity of the place and day, the excitements to loud applause were frequently irresistible. We shall not particularise, but some of the solos merited every praise."
In 1818 the Handel and Haydn Society-gave the first complete performance of an oratorio that had ever taken place on American soil,1 presenting the "Messiah," which it has since sung about one hundred times. In 1819 it gave a complete performance of
1 Ritter's statement ("Music in America," p. 135) regarding a performance of the " Messiah " in New York, at Trinity Church, in 1770, is not exact; a partial performance was given. Dr. Ritter contradicts his own statement on page 229 of the same work. |
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