New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-29
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
MUSIC.
FIRST PHILHARMONIC CONCERT.

g. The music to I" A Midsummer Nights Dream Men
delssohn Mrs. SeottSiddons reading the pay
This is. to some extent departure from INC hiar
monte presidents tits introduction OF anew element
to vary the monOtOny Of overture and symphony tna
has existed in the Society for the years
1t has lived 1t Is sometimes well that ola u"ui'on'
should be broken down. Dr. Doremus, who ls' We sup
nose tho nnoyator made the experiment last year WIN
Byrons Manfred" read by Mr. Booth, and accompanied
with schumann's descriptive music AS that resu'eu
happily he has pushed experiment further ana given
us shakespeares lovely play with MendeissohhS Illus
tratye accompaniment e
1t certainly was great Satisfaction W nc"l 'no wv
together The Midsummer Nights Dream music we are
all accustomed to hear in detached fragments-at one
time the overture at another the nOcurne, at all times
the Wedding March But they are like bits OF mosaic
beautiful in themselves that need to BIO Joined to-
geher TO make the perfect picture and no one Knows
how immensely the music gains III beauty ana slghh'
canoe till he 1t in It's proper connection with the
play That delicious opening phrase OF the overture,
where tho remuous theme is given to the yions, Is
beautiful in ITSELF but moro beautiful when IL users
IN Oberon prince Of fairy land and his train The clowns
dance is groesque but not half so clumsy and awkward
when ounce the carpenter, Snug the JOINER
and Bottom the weaver, caperng about to its fantastic
measures The nOcturne is ever gentle, Tranquil and
soothing but never rich in meaning as when II us 10
sleep Lysander and Hernia Demerius and Helena in the
enchanted wood The Wedding March, too, comes IN
apty at the conclusion OF the cOneuy
the nuptia OF lovers Beside these familiar pas
sages there much other fragmentary music that is
never beard except in connection with the play such
for instance as the flying chords which accompany all
Pucks movements tho searching plantiye musl2 lla!
follows Hernia In her search for her lost Lysander and
calls his name, while echo only answers In fact tho
music and the play cast upon each other glow OF re-
ectcd beauty each illuminating and enrchng and Illus.
| tratng the other.
n milf leo
seusveness and this lovely creation Of shakespearos
was in perfect accord with the romantic side Of his
nature. 1t kinded his feryent Imagination. lie felt
unsteady everything that Shakespeare had conceived
intellectually His delicate and somewhat feminine
nature found in this Ipay exactly the material that It
delighted n lie perfectly understood what Shakespeare
meant. and entered with such entire sympathy into the
subject that reproduced in tone all the subtle magin
ngs OF the poet and about the work exquisite
arabesque Of melody that forms s most fitting accom-
paniment and is work of kindred If not OF equal liz
| spiratlon with that OF the poet
The choral music to this play IS for female voices, and
is seldom heard but sung last evening by chorus
from the Italian opera that Mr. Mosenthal had drilled
most effectively aud conducted with the greatest skill
Mrs scottsiddons read the play she certainly never
looked beautiful more quceny than as she sat
hroned on raised das just in front of the orchestra
and crowned with tho same golden l1et that
| the great slddons wore when Sir Joshua Bey-
great talent on the one hand and her great
lack Of discipline on the other conspcu
Gus than I'm her reading OF this comedy The simple mar
ratve and didactc parts delivered with much OK
aggeraton OF accent. and her voice. which Is high In
pitch and limited in register does not enable her to
give the variety Of ntOnaOn requisite TO Initiate or sur
ncenty suggest the different voices Of the actors On
the other hand she read the grotesque parts Of the com
edy with fine OF their ludcrous points, and In her
lie IA and
lovely play and Mendeso n's dainty and pirue music
The Mozart symphony a smooth, quiet, and very
lovely work. written before the time when Beethoven
had taught the world how orchestra might be treated
II appeals the and not 20 the deeper emotions
The Mnuet very spirited movement, is wcllknown to
planss through Schulors excellent arrangement. The
final movement bit OF hearty orchestral
laugh I'm which the unmistakable Ha Ha Is constantly
occurring. and which written by Mozart after his
Leporeo aud undoubtedly meant as bit of pure
fun
Finally Miss Aide Topp played the List Concerto with
q manly grasp and power. Her strength is something
beyond what any female pianist has shown. Miss Topp
was brought up the LsZt school and finds It's methods
most congenial herself She plays the music OF this
composer only better than she does that OF auy other
but perhaps better than any other pianist We have
among us. Happily this Concerto Is free from some
Of this composers disagreeable characteristics. IL is
tone painting throughout and written probably up
on some distinct theme or story that he had In mind and
to which we have not the key The closing movement,
In form OF Hungarian march, has rather melodio
than he Is wont To vouchsafe TO bis compositions
and less OF that dramatic abruptness with which he
often oends the On the whole the concert was
very interesting one, and are encouraged to hope
that at some future day other OF these great works
that the composers have illustrated may DO given. For
instance Mendelssohn has written most neble music for
male voices and orchestra TO the AntgOne OF sophoces
and II such reader Mr. Booth would recite the
tragedy and society like the Aron the Lederkranz
undertake the vocal parts the result would doubtless BIO
one that would reflect the greatest credit upon the per
formers and give unusual degree OF pleasure to the
public
MUSICAL NOTES.
The first oratorio performance of the season
Is advertised for morrow, when the Harmonic Society
10 be taken by Madame Gertrude Hess Miss " Hutch
ings. Mr.. George simpson, and Mr. j. H. Thomas.
civilian Tell" was announced for the last
positively the last time Then we suppose it will really
DO laid aside for u would be cruelty TO sgnor Lerano to
that afford to use them up ina single season.
The Rchings English Opera Company makes
the extraordinary Of an English version OF
The H9guenos" to be produced we believe some time
Africaine," besides Rhelngod," "Tannhatser" and
the "Jewess are Immediately to follow, We nave not
heman Girl" keeps the stage for two nights longer
A curious entertainment is promised Mt Stein
way Hall this evening where company or seventeen
Russian artists announced TO appear In gorgeous
tonaI costumes aud give some their music 1t
Is the first time we believe that Russian troupe has
ever sung NewYOk Their style OF singing IA said
be different from anything we are accustomed to, and
not without hope that II may be not merely pecu
liar but good. The Russians as people have strong
and talent for music and some Of their national airs
are highly effective.
The new hall OF the Young Mems Christian
Association Twenty hird.st Will DO formally opened
with concert tomorrow evening The principal vocal
ists will be Miss Kellogg and Miss Nette Sterling Miss
Sterling has been In Europe for year two studying
her art and singing very successfully In England where
che made concert tour Ia company with Miss Elizabeth
Philip, the composer This win be her first appearance
since her return She has "A charming cOntralo voice,