New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-15
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
MUSIC.
NEw-roRK PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

took place Friday afternoon, az the Academy OF
Music The attendance not quite large as usual.
and the preparations for the winters hrtatons being
apparently incomplete the performances were listened
to with toerable degree Of attention Mr. Carl Berg
mann Is again the conductor Of this fine body OF must
Clans On the whole, he the best man for the position
that have among u.s. and there sufficient
reasons for believing that proper opportunities
afforded him, he would speedily bring his orchestra
to degree Of perfection approaching, II not fully
equaling, that of the best in the principal European
capitals. Under the present system upon which the.
affairs Of the Philharmonic Society conducted such
result can hardly be expected We told that the prac
tice OF giving public rehearsals is essential to the nan-
cia stability Of the Association That fact grantedand
we have no right to dispute tit should also
be understood that its necessity involves the sur
render of the highest artistic purposes Absolute
petene8 OF detail, and thorough unity OF execution.
never be attained under the embarrassing conditions
OF crowded audiences preliminary rehearsas The
conductor Is too often restrained from compelling the
necessary repetons, and he the autOcratc but
sautary prerogative Of properly matchmaking recall
citrant subordinates time Of need In almost every
way he is hampered and trammeled. Proofs OF this
were not wanting Friday, although the pro-
gramme was a comparatively simple one, and
posed OF selections which must be known almost by
heart to every musician. The Mozart symphony
in fiat for example, presents hardly single deulty
yet suspect that for the presence Of the congeg
ton of associate members" in the body Of the house.
there would nave been much Sharper WIN
movement. The music Of "a Midsummer Nights
Dream" too, passed before anything like the
proper and decacy, Of first rehearsal
displayed In the overture especially the gossamer
dantiness Of the rapid violin passages sadly dis
turbed and although Mr.. Bergman here showed him
self OF disciplinarIan than at any
other time during the afternoon. his efforts
were insufficient to the needed precision and
l.ghtness. The familiar overture to Oberon," which
could hardly 90 otherwise than smoothly, was the only
performance in which positive inaccuracies were per-
ceptble although IN this, an oversight. Of which
we shall presently speak, destroyed the effect Of the
slow movement 1t is not purpose of course to re-
view performance OF this sort with the critical close
ness which a regular concert would warrant, but
we cannot avoid speaking Of those errors which
the custom of allowing the public to assist
at the PREDATORY drilling" renders inevitable. We
that three rehearsas only allowed for each
cert during the season or these-and they are GER
tainly few enough--oue at least should be strictly
private 1t is in the power Of no conductor however
skifu to break in" large force as that under Mr.
Bergmann's control when surrounded by multitude
whose demand is for sustained and unbroken flow OF
sound, and which becomes impatient when anything IN
the way Of solid work is undertaken.
The formation OF the orchestra and the distribution OF
the various instruments appears to be generally good
The violas weak Friday but that we presume.
was accident of the day. and will be remeded here
after In the midst Of 80 40 volins first and
secOnOl, Is OF IA Ddnses, as
of yioas is certainly insufficient We overlook num-
Der OF slight confusing which occurred for
the reason that they OF kind which future
rehearsas almost sure TO dispose OF
satisfactorily. One two mistakes, however.
should be looked to at once. In the andante
OF the "OberOn" overture, the yiolins should all DO
muted In the Midsummer Nights Dream" overture
trombone should be used instead Of the more modern
instrument employed These things not trihes There
Is no more exquisite effect in Instrumentation than that
produced by large body OF muted yiolns playing In
unison II half the bridges are left uncovered the com
posers intention is destroyed With regard 70 the from
BONE 1t should remembered that its raucous low tones
are designed TO suggest the coors Of the pOem
and that the eener instrument fails 10 convey the de-
sired impression IL the braying leap OF the ninth
which with the violns is thoroughly characteristic Of
Bottoms translated state were given to the reeds ior
example the effect would not be more absolutely lost
The programme Friday rehearsed which is undoubt
eddy intended for the opening concert is pleasantly
enough chosen Mozarts T. hat symphony is work OF
neyer-dying beauty, and the combination OF "Ober6n
and a Midsummer Nights Dream" affords the oppor
unity OF Immediately comparing the opposite spirit In
which kindred subject is treated by two eminent COM
posers, Mrs Charles Mouton. Of whose per
Torrance at recent amateur concert we
have had occasion 20 speak, has consented 10
sing an air from "Fgaro's Marriage" and
sohubert's "ErlKng" Mrs Moulton appeared on FRI
day afternoon, and enthusiastically received. we
take IL granted that sle is now ulspOstu U
herself to the same estimate that by which PROBES
sopa artists are iudged-a test which believe she
perfectly capable OF meeting. Her voice on Friday
showed admirable qualities Of richness and purity Her
manner OF singing open 10 grave objection Molarts
"Yoi che sapete" should be left entirely free
from such frivolous adornments those with which
she endeavored to enllven IL precisely one OF the
melodies with which vocalist should presume to take
a liberty In the Fri King" she appeared to better adj
vantage her quick dramatic instinct and fine feeling
greatly assisting its effect All things considered II the
first step the Philharmonic not so firm and assured
as we could have wished undoubtedly in the rghs
direction apart from the slight devatons we have men
toned and there is good to hope 1t will be fol-
lowed by a straightforward march Of Improvement
BROOKLYN PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY
Last Saturday evening the first concert this
season OF the Brooklyn Philharmonic Society was gwen
before an audience which filed the spacious Academy in
every part The programme presented but single nov
eItva performance OF LISTS panoforte concerto with
orchestral accompaniment, in fiat, by Miss Aide Topp
Az the work will probably be repeated nearer home IN
the course Of few weeks under somewhat more favor
ing circumstances, defer speaking more particularly
OF its character than to say that represents in as good
light as could be desired the authors theories aad meth
DDS of composition and exhibits skill uniting the two
utterly antagonistc elements Of the panoore and the
orchestra which earlier writers have either been unable
10 command or unwilling TO attempt. At the best,
the combination Is esthetcally Illogical, and can only
be expaned-t hardly he iusthed-by the desire OF
pianiss who are composers large scale to mag
Nifty the dignity their works by surrounding them with
an amplitude Of orchestral effect and TO personally par
tcipate In their public Interpretation In musleai
strife OF this Sort the weaker which 10 the pahooe'
must almost inevitably go 10 the wall. Lszt has sue
ceeded in preserving better balance than his predeces-
sors which, however is saying little We may ada that
the concerto is exceenty proportioned, and that the
unity is maintained by avoiding the conventional
practce of dividing into three four distinct parts.