New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-11
PHILHARMONIC sOCIETYs CONCERT.

The symphony of Beethoven in it, perhaps the
| most popular of all his works. Beethoven, the
| darrhGa-verborum critics to the contrary notwith-
| standing, is in his symphonies always clear. The
word-spinners have made tissue of ncomprehensibes
| as to what Beethoven designed in his symphonies
The poor man. if he were alive would raise his hands
| and ask what the deuse the fellows mean by linking
out Puck grde-lke lengths of argon-to which Brah
mnical REVERE Egyptian kings transcendeHtaly
worshiping their enras their inside second selves,
is clear. sort of angelic gymnastics is attrib-
uted to Beethoven. He, according to them, propels
the unduatng flows Of the serene Municipalities the
muscular throbs Of the observation-disclosures IL
tanc shoulder hitters something of the kind Now,
he does nothing of the kind. He takes simply certain
notes recognizable under melOdc FORM clear and dis
tinct and with this primary motive or theme or
tune and second in conjunction, he musical
piece of CLOTH Varieties of Instrumentation, accent,
harmony, conjunctions and apposons, constitute his
stock in trade. He is generally very particular about
his Progressons and cimaxesreserving his highest
and lOdest notes for the closes of his divisions es
| pecially his last Sometimes he is tranquil, some
| times sOmber, sometimes gay, sometimes mpet
uous but always transparent, and always the lege of
| FORM Tie symphony is composed of four movements
that is fashion, nothing more, and we have spoken
| of them-meanlg those belonging to the first move
ment or the principal one. The other movements
diversely formed but always in Beethoovens hands
! are clear and plan-spoken.
The Fingal Care Overture of MendessOhn-which
| may be supposed to convey the storm and sunshine
reyeres of the compOser-is an elegant piece OF pant
| ing The only bit of very distinct melody in 1t il
trait identical with the final peasant chorus in Fra
Di0rolo where the Davos is caught in his own trap
and has capital primevaly countrifed air about
IL
it. Mendelssohn, without being methodist in the full
sense of the term, an extraordinary artist lie
avoids the hackneyed he does not create the new in
the absolute sense His genius is essentially for the
For the higher sphere of writing an opera
with TINT proOnndest and most subtle achievement OF
n compo Observation-Disclosures in Shakesperan sense
coupled with the technical ability to write for the
voice so as to cary the audience captive and keep the
manager ont of dstrcss-this he wanted but still he
had high walk and Las left an enduring name
| Mad Grayer.Jolnson is admirable panist-the
best feminine performer we have had among Us. She
| appeared, however, to great disadvantage In the
first place the Academy is gigantically and oppress-
| ingy big for one poor little piano. Next she per-
| formed one of the illogical abortions--a concerto
| accompanied by the orchestra-which some fool de-
yised and others unthinkingly initiated. Fifst, we
have a tremendous Of near hundred instruments
for some two minutes while the execuant sits resigned
| on the stool of repentance. When the trumpets and
trombones have blown themselves dry, the hurricane
stops and then comes the piano mewing out its little
plants like cat in procession of elephants par
turent montes business. The piece Mad. Gr@ver-
johnson played was cassc-except that where the
orchestra did not spoil the piano the piano spoiled the
| orchestra.
Among the pieces sung was well executed ar Of
Mozats. by Labocetta-the particular merit OF which
| beyond characteristic smoohness and clearness we
| could not detect
The audience was reduced to salt the times but was
very well pleased. 1t gained in quality what it wanted
| in nuaptity