Scan 19
Musical Courier 1893-04-12: Vol 26 Iss 684, 1893
132 lines. Read by computer on 25 September 2026. Printed page 20. See the scan on archive.org.
1son" for gold, but she betrayed him through religious fanaticism. She is then the sister of "Judith."
3* * *
5In the tragedy by Ippolito d'Aste made known to us by the elder Salvini, "Delilah" loves "Samson." Before she met him she could say:
7Within the arms
8Of many, in the heart of none; 'mid loves
9Unbridled, loving overmuch, I never
10Loved any truly.
12She revolted at the idea of betraying a strong man:
13I will not ope his tomb; he shall not'taste
14Death in my kiss.
16She calls on the night to hide her after the betrayal. She tells blinded "Samson" that she was the sport of fate. She clings to his breast in the temple scene.
18* * *
20We know nothing about this woman's beauty, whether it was of common type or of that excellence praised by Bacon, that hath some strangeness in the proportion. Milton fancies her "bedeck'd, ornate and gay; an amber scent of odorous perfume her harbinger; a rich, Philistine matron." According to the Miltonic version she was a woman of stilted tragedy, who must have seduced solemnly and in accordance with approved traditions, that she might be
22Nam'd among the famousest
23Of women, sung at solemn festivals,
24Living and dead recorded, who, to save
25Her country from a fierce destroyer, chose
26Above the faith of wedlock bands.
28Yet the poet admits, through the chorus, that she had "outward ornament," which was the means of shearing "the fatal harvest" of "Samson's" head. But he reviles her throughout the poem, so that we wonder at "Samson's" infatuation, and say with the chorus:
30God of our fathers, what is man!
32* * *
34Was it just, however, for the mighty poet to thus wreak eternal vengeance on his wife, Mary, the daughter of Mr. Powell?
36* * *
38No. "Delilah" was no tragedy queen, with stilted tread and strident voice. "Samson" in double darkness oft remembered her, as Pierre de Boscosel de Chastelard sighed for his loose love when he could not sleep in prison. He thought of the
40Heavy scents of hair
41And fire of subtle amorous eyes, and lips
42More hot than wine, full of sweet, wicked words
43Babbled against mine own lips, and long hands
44Spread out, and pale bright throat and pale bright breasts,
45Fit to make all men mad.
47* * *
49And what became of her? Did she secretly love the Lion-Killer to her death, and drink daily to his memory in deep draughts of the strong, heady wine of Sorek? What Philistine, what wandering stranger could ever fill the place of the departed?
51* * *
53Her name is not found in Thomas Heywood's "Nine Books of Women." Restif de la Bretonne does not include it in the list of celebrated women in alphabetical order at the end of "Les Gynographes." Defoe does mention her in "The Political History of the Devil," but he calls her naughty names.
55* * *
57Josephus, like an experienced man of the world, thus moralizes: "As for Samson being ensnared by a woman, that is to be ascribed to human nature, which is too weak to resist sins." Richard Rogers, of Weathersfield, in Essex, preached many, many sermons on the Book of Judges one Lenten season, and he plumed himself thereon, so that the sermons were published in 1615. He was a stern, ungallant man, and yet in his invectives he occasionally smacks his lips. Listen to the words of the preacher: "Samson was drunk with the sottish and inordinate love of her—then he saw too late with Adam that God was gone from him and that he had lost all the great strength which God had given him." The preacher then probably addressed a prominent member of his congregation: "It delighted the old ribald to see and hear, and regret the pageants, stories and practices of uncleanness which he remembereth he hath wrought." Did Samson think of the consequences? No, according to the Rev. Richard Rogers, for "Delilah's lap and armes was no fit nor likely place or occasion of such thoughts or meditations." Samson was "blindfolded with her beauty."
59* * *
61Poor Samson! Like Huayna Capac, the Peruvian ruler, "he could never refuse a woman, of whatever age or degree she might be, any favor that she asked of him."
63* * *
65How was Samson blinded by the Philistines? With lances, red hot needles or red hot oil? For these were the usual means in those days.
67* * *
69The commentators and the myth hunters have made sport with Samson. A Roman Catholic legend represents him as a physician. La Mothe le Vayer finds that the actions of the hero portray the Sceptical Philosopher. Sir Richard Burton, in "The Book of the Sword," is sure that Samson is the Hebrew type of Hercules, the strong man, slayer of monsters and the Sun-god, and he quotes Wilkinson and Jablonski; but Renan laughs and claims that pure mythology was not to the taste of the ancient Hebrews.
71* * *
73More extraordinary still is the comment made by the celebrated Mr. Bayle on the Philistines compelling Samson to grind at the mill. This is a prudish age, and I must not copy the ingenious speculation recorded and amplified by Bayle. Do you remember the Scythians who spared the lives of males captured in battle, but put out their eyes? Herodotus tells the story in his artless way. At the same time, Bayle thinks they are in the right "who cannot persuade themselves that the Philistines were so good natured as to punish in so agreeable a manner a man who had been a scourge to them, and whom they hated as a pest."
75* * *
77You know the argument, and the text, wrenched by Newburgh Hamilton from Milton's tragedy for Händel's oratorio. The men of the eighteenth century saw a blind man; they imagined a conjugal squabble; they indulged in acid reflections on matrimony; they delighted in Harapha and boasting and counter boasting; and they introduced an aria with trumpet obbligato. Saint-Saëns ponders the story of Samson and Delilah: What appeals irresistibly to him as a man of our own day? The temptation, to be sure, and, whether there enter into the subtle minded questions of treachery for patriotism or religion, the hearer recognizes at once a passionate duet.
79* * *
81The performance of Händel's oratorio was creditable to the society so far as the choral work was concerned, but the oratorio itself might well be left on the shelf, with the exception of a few airs and a few choruses. Händel's "Samson," even when it is cut to the quick, is a weariness to the flesh.
83Mr. Plunket Greene displayed a command of the breath, and his enunciation was delightfully distinct. He sang his numbers with the tones heavily detached, and the accentuation of roulade passages was much exaggerated. He showed a tendency to force his lower tones. I believe that be will be more effective in his song recitals of the immediate future.
85* * *
87The Lillian Russell company gave "The Mountebanks" at the Boston Theatre, April 3. It was the first performance of the operetta in this city. Cellier's music shows the physical and mental weakness of the late composer; it is neither tuneful nor interesting. Gilbert's libretto is not one of his best, in spite of excellent lines. The action drags, and the second act is dreary in the exposition of the effects of the potion. The company is worthy of a better piece.
89* * *
91Mr. Carl Baermann gave his fourth and last chamber concert, April 4. He was assisted by Messrs. C. M. Loeffler, Kunz, H. Heindl and Schulz. The program included Mozart's piano quartet, E flat major; Beethoven's sonata, op. 27, No. 2; Beethoven's variations and fugue, op. 35, and Rheinberger's piano quintet, op. 114. This concert gave much pleasure, on account of the excellence of the ensemble and the thoughtful, impersonal and unexaggerated performance of the solo numbers. Mr. Baermann and his associates were loudly applauded.
93* * *
95The program of the twenty-first Symphony concert was as follows:
96Dramatic overture (MS.)………………………………….Miss Lang
97Aria from "Faust"…………………………………………..Spohr
98Symphony, C minor, No. 9 (B. and H.)…………………Haydn
99"Gruppe aus dem Tartarus"……………………………….Schubert
100"Die Allmacht"……………………………………………..Schubert
101Theme and variations………………………………………Mr. Heinrich
102Perpetuum Mobile…………………………………………..Moszkowski
103Scherzo Capriccioso………………………………………….Dvorák
105Miss Lang's overture is perhaps a creditable work for a young student. Whether it deserved a place in a Symphony concert is another question. Although Miss Lang in certain songs has shown in the past a pretty melody, the themes of the overture are not of marked originality or striking effect. There are ingenious passages in the detail, but there is a general lack of definite purpose in the conception and in the carrying out. The composer seems to be pricked by the desire of extracting ideas from the orchestral instruments in turn. As a result there is occasional piquancy, and there are pleasing measures, but this dramatic overture is a promise rather than a fulfillment. It is as though the composer deliberately set about to see what she could do in this line; there was nothing musical within that forced its way irresistibly and assumed orchestral shape and color.
107Mr. Heinrich is more at home in music that calls for gusts of emotion or dramatic interpretation than in the saccharine strains of Spohr. Although in the aria he often showed fine phrasing and a full command of his resources, I preferred him in the songs of Schubert. It would be easy to quarrel with this singer of pronounced individuality if he were viewed solely from the standpoint of bel canto; but Mr. Heinrich has the great faculty of creating apparently at will a fitting atmosphere that enwraps the hearer as well as the singer. He is intellectual in his delivery, and his intellectuality is quickened by emotion. His numbers were followed by spontaneous and long continued applause. Indeed, after the songs by Schubert he was recalled again and again.
109The symphony gave much pleasure, and Mr. Schulz was called out for his performance of the 'cello solo in the minuet. The numbers by Moszkowski and Dvorák were brilliantly given, and in the flute variation from the suite Mr. Molé exhibited his skill to the evident delight of the audience.
111PHILIP HALE.
113Last Arion Concert.
115A T the third and last of this year's concerts on April 16 the Arion Society will produce a number of works by Peter Benoît, the foremost composer of the Flemish school.
117Though the fame of Benoît is well known in the musical world few of his compositions have been performed outside of Holland and Belgium. At former concerts Mr. Van der Stucken brought out the overture and interlude of "Charlotte Corday" and a choral scene from "The Pacification of Ghent," and the remarkable success obtained by these bold and original works induced the Arions to devote the greater part of their next concert to give the music lovers and critics of this city an opportunity to appreciate more thoroughly the Flemish master's style.
119Besides above named works an excerpt "Lorelei" from the oratorio, "The Rhine;" a folks scene from "The Pacification," and the second part of the oratorio, "The Scheldt," will be performed with the assistance of Mrs. Carl Alves, Messrs. William Rieger, Albert Thies, Perry Averill, Franz Remmertz, Conrad Behrens, Hermann Hovemann, the male chorus of the society, and a large orchestra. In "The Scheldt," which is written for a double male chorus, the Arions of Newark will also participate.
121The Largest Organ.—The town of Sidney in New South Wales boasts the largest organ in the world. It possesses 128 stops. Next to it in size come the Cathedral, Riga, 124; Saint-Sulpice, Paris, 118; Albert Hall, London, 114; Notre-Dame, Paris, 110; Auditorium, Chicago, 109; Saint George's Hall, Liverpool, 100; Doncaster, 94; Town Hall, Leeds, 93; Antwerp Cathedral, 90; Alexandra Palace, London, 88; Armley, Leeds, 70; Crystal Palace, London, 68.
123Warnots — A Correction.—Henry Warnots, as Mr. Arthur Pongin correctly states in the supplement to Fétis, was born not at Saint Trond, but at Brussels, and was not in his sixty-fourth, but sixtieth year.
125Covent Garden, London.—The management announces the following engagements: Tenors, Jean de Reszké, Max Alvary, Vignas, De Lucia, Salvatina, Gianinni, Lieban and Bonnard; baritones and bassos, Ancona, Pignolosa, Ghasne, Dufriche, Bispham, Ed. de Reszké, Plançon, Wiegan, Castelmary and Mesdames Melba, Calvé, Nordica, de Lussan, Palliser, Moran-Olden, Arnoldson, Gherlson, Dagmar, Ravogli, Faure, Meisslinger. German choruses and orchestra will not be engaged; "Tristan," "Die Walküre" and "Siegfried" will be given in German, but "Tannhäuser," "Lohengrin" and "The Meistersingers" in Italian. Ed. de Reszké is to be "Hans Sach," and "Mephistopheles" in the scenic version of Berlioz' "Damnation of Faust." The novelties announced are "I Rantzau" and "I Pagliacci," while promises are made of an entirely new work, "Jehan de Saintré," by Frederic Erlanger.
127Schumann's Works.—The new volume of Schumann's works, edited by Brahms, comprises the following unpublished pieces: (1) Andante and variations, for two pianos,two 'cellos and a horn; (2) "An Anna" song, with piano accompaniment; (3) "Im Herbst," song, and accompaniment; (5) symphonic etudes, supplementary to op. 13; (6) scherzo e presto appassionato, for piano, supplementary to op. 14 and op. 22; (7) theme in B minor, for piano. Schumann's contributions to the sonata, written in 1853 in honor of Joachim, are omitted. They are an intermezzo in F, the finale in A minor and A major.
129VOCALIST WANTS POSITION.—A contralto, cultivated voice, well-known New York church and concert singer, desires a position in a concert company. Address T.T., care of THE MUSICAL COURIER, 19 Union square.
131PRIVATE SALE OF THE VON DER HOYA COLLECTION OF Violins, Violas and 'Cellos, 81 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.