THE ORATORIO "ELI.”

We have to chronicle another oratorio per formance in Christchurch, and in doing so, we must congratulate its musical public on the now frequent opportunities they have of hearing those great works which can only be performed by combinations of amateur musical talent, such as are but seldom known in places so small, and where so many difficulties have to be encountered in organis ing performances of the kind under review. , We venture to assume that Eli” is an oratorio which has been hitherto unknown to most of the Christchurch public. Accus tomed as we have been to the great works of Handel and Haydn, the works of the more modern masters have, for various reasons, been more or less unknown. The per formance of Mendelssohn’s “ Athalie ” a ehort time since was, we believe, the first complete performance of a great modern work. That of “ Eli ” last night was a second, and both are representative works. But we do not wish to blame the Christchurch Musical Society when we say that, after Rearing much that was pleasing, and much that was good also, we feel disappointed in the work as an oratorio. Composed by a man who is the greatest of all oichestral conductors, and of vast experience in directing the works of the greatest masters in oratorio and opera, we are hound to say that “ Eli ” is somewhat of a compromise between the two, and as such •does not satisfy us. As might be expected, the orchestration of the work is very beauti ful, and much of the vocal writing is graceful and pleasing, as well as scholarly; butene cannot help noticing that several of the effects .are simply ad captandum, and that many little snatches of the. work are familiar to os in other forms. Noticeably we would remark the striking resemblance of the leading subject of the Hosannah chorus to that of Handel’s grand old air “ Rejoice greatly.” It is when ,we compare the oratorio with the simple gran deur of Handel or the widely different but wondrOus sublimity of Mendelsshon that we become dissatisfied with it. However, it is, after all, a great work —a work such as few, very few, living composers could produce, and as such we are thankful for having heard it performed. 