New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-05-25
MUSIC.
THE FESTIVAL AT sTEINwAY HALL-CLosING
PERFORMANCES.

| THE FESTIVAL AT SIElNNAl HALL NLO0A-'U
PERFORMANCES.
The festival week at Steinway Hall closed
with supplementary concert" last night On satur-
dav there were two performances aud at both, notwth
standing the violent Storm there good attendance
| The programmes were rather weak being composed
principally Of what managers call popular music meant
for the untutored Of the miscellaneous puDc ana
only Unsuitable because unfortunately there are people
who like IT, Yet in the wilderness Of trash there were
| several compositions Of real artistic value on
| Saturday afternoon, for example, we had the two
charming movements of !Schuberts unfinished postum
nous symphony in minor which has only been playeu
twice in NewYork and both times under the direction OF
| Mr. Theodore Thomas. We have expressed our adlhha
ton of this exquisite relic heretofore and have only 10
record its repetition another Of the many evidences OF
good sense aud enterprise for which Mr. Thomas IS non
ored Mr. g. W. Morgan brought out his overture 10 inc
oratOrO of asst John the Baptist for the seconu o
| IL embraces powerful effects, Dut aDouus ~ i'
minscences Of better works. and It's strainngs aioi
climax are more ambitious than successful Madame
| Rosa contributed several songs; MT "ehIel hoPta
played Memberships minor concerto for the violin
very well and a fantasia of Paganni's tolerably; Mr.
Pease and Mr. Colby executed Grande Duehesse duet
on two pianos bald and trfling arrangement by the
former gentleman; and there some altogether I'M
pardonable singing by Mr. Bartlett Counting encores
eleven OF twelve pieces performed and only Two
them-the symphony and the cOncertOwere goou pu INC
others we are bound to say heartily appauded ana
no doubt 1t was judcous management to gvetheh III 'o
evening we had again halfpennyworth OF Drean 10 al
ntolerabe deal Of sack The orchestra opened WIN inc
Introduction the Third Act OF CheruDinis Meuea'
another beautiful classical work. for the knowledge OF
which we are indebted the taste and industry OF DIT
Theodore Thomas It was played for the first time in
NewYork at one Of his Symphony soirees last Autumn
Simple and severe in style and thought 1t admirably re-
veas the depth and majesty Of the great composers con-
ceptiOns and the nObeness and chastity OF MS treatment
and would have redeemed amuch worse programme than
the one which followed IL. Beethovens Battle OF VII
tora" Symphony produced at this festival for the hst
time I'm America was welcome q curiosity but II Is
more interesting from its history and the ingenious man
ner in which the approach OF hostile armies the depoy
ing OF the lines the rattle OF musketry tho booming OF
cannon the charge the victory the retreat the triumph
and the alienation and commingng OF the French ana
English national airs wrought up into an effective pat
epece than from any intrinsic grandeur OF the music
IT does not rank as one Of BeethOvens great works. but
written as Il was TO celebrate WelngOns famous victory
over Joseph BOnapare in SPAIN and at the same tme
10 convey the composers protest against the imperial
usurpation Of Napoleon 1t must have produced when II
was originally brought out much more lively impress
sion than IT can produce now The orchestra Of 90 or 100
pieces forms speak the musical background OF the
work. and the military effects well rendered on Sat
urday by Grafullas eth Regiment band stationed at
the doors on either side OF the platform, the
pipers Of the Caledonian Club, and Graham's drum
corps on the starways back Of the stage The
most genuine Of the evening was Mr. Pattisons
playing OF Henselts panoorte concerto In minor opus
&c. the same II we are not mistaken which he played at
the festival last year. The composition combines in a
rare degree the grace and ceaness OF melody demanded
by the popular ear with the scientific value appreciated
only by musicians. The rhythm throughout is marked
with admirable disnctness and the orchestration, es
pecially the third movement aHegro dgttdol II eH
cellent. Though the work is rather long for msce
II ula we'll
that we believe few tired oft great deal Of inter
est attached 10 the performance Of new Symphony in
major by Mr.. f. l.. Ritter, conductor Of the
New-York Harmonic Society, a gentleman who is well
known excellent scientific musician and composer
Of some experience. The first movement begins with
m ghetto broad in conception and well treated, and quick
ems gradual allegro Spirt0 in which we en-
counter several happy melodc phrases and particularly
fine handling Of the volins. The second move
ment andante is characterized by good strong melody
for the strings with very pretty accompaniment STAG
cato. for the reeds The third movement lively mnue
is the most taking Of the four; It repeated. The
Symphony concludes with noisy allegro motto rirdee
The compoaition undoubtedly contains several er
cellent passages and Is not without meodc lpspnaton
but IL Is coarse In texture and lacks concentration The
playing entirely too strong. We dare say piano was
sometimes marked the score but IL never appeared In
the execution. The only variation was from forte to Jor
dssinO. The rest OF the programme was made up OF
number OF vocal pieces by Mrs. Kempton,
Mrs. Marie Abbott, and br. W. j. Ill.,
and the overture to I" Semirdmide and
selections from Robert" by Grafullas band This band
was provided with a full SGT OF the newly -mproyed
brass nsrumens designed by Mr. Louis Schneider, the
we'll known oornet player. We have heard great deal
recently about their merits and they certainly produced
on this occasion an admirable effect their tones being
peculiarly rich and round and blending far better than
those Of the old style Of Instruments result which isdue
principally TO their novel shape. In their construction
angles are carefully avoided and the bell Is turned up
ward 80 that not only the vibration and brlancy
improved but the sound is at once united and difused
instead Of being driven different directions according
to the position Of the instrument.
The programme for last evening much richer than
either OF the two preceding ones II commenced with
schumann's lovely Symphony in ID minor, No. A. COM
position Astounding characteristic graces and variety
Madame Rosa sang Beethovens noble aria, Al erdo'
which is not only excellent itself but welsuited 10 dis
play the best qualities OF her voice and style,
in the Introductory sccna the intensity TO which she is
capable OF rising and in the pathetic air proper the eI
duse delicacy Of her vocazaton Superb as this per-
Torrance was regret to that IL was not received
with half applause that wasted upon her render
ing of Hulahs The Storm" later in the eyenng-a song
which Is much better adapted 10 bass than soprano
voice. Being recalled after this, she gave. in the
most charming manner, Gounods Cradle Song,
ACCOMPANIED by her husband the violin and Mr. Colby
ON the piano Mr.. Carl Rosa played spohr's violin con
oerto In G. major No g. good specimen OF the broad and
vigorous German school OF which spohr was the founder
and piece in which Mr. Rosa's feeling touch
ana conscientousness are always keenly reshed. Mr.
Morgan followed with an organ solo, an arrange
ment lof Benedicts wellknown air, "By the Sad Sea
Waves and then we had for the first time in America
Reinecke's overture TO "Kng Manfred" medtatiye
and intensely poeoa work, containing some fine melo
dy and distinguished by splendid broad treatment OF
the Instruments which reminded us at times OF Cheru