New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-04-04
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA
MUSIC.
THE PHILHARMONIC coycyp.

THE PHILHARMONIC CONCERT
The fifth concert OF the philharmonic soc;o,,
was given Saturday evening. with the folowIas ~
gramme
Symphony to Dantes Dirina Conp,edta ....... rI,,.
Overture, "Coriolanus'. ................. .Rs.,,,
Madame Pareps Rosa. ''a
Concerto Mlitoir, for the violin Ost movement In.,,
Mr.. Carl Rosa.
Overture to Euryanthe". wsa.,
The List symphony had been awaited with the rr.a,
est interest by critics and for is actao
lodged TO be one Of the masters grandest and mo-,
highly finished productions remarkable not 80 much "a,
bold effects and broad treatment Of unusual combn.
TONS for scientific study and the solution ~
the grayest difficulties OF counterpart To the ss.,
few who can delight In tho unravelnz Of ma.
cal tangles and appreciate q composers tn
umph over obstacles OF his own creating u.
Symphony - an engrossIng subject OF contemplation
nay IL Is impressive and In some places an Inspiring
poem To the less highly educated oyerio % lt IA
however comparatively unatractive, and, Of all L1t,
orchestral works that VIC have heard 1t Is the leastkey
to please q miscellaneous audience Two parts only
Dante's poem have been taken for iustraton-the n.
fernO and the PurgqtOro. The objection VIII at once O.
cur TO most minds neither OF these Is good ubse
for treatment and in particular that the tomea o,
He'll are essentially incapable OF musical expression u
is the absence OF every element OF music which mabas
He'll Beauty the soul Of music and 1t Is Therefore
more possible TO describe suggest with mu,ea
tones state OF existence with which tho aintes taes
the beautiful are utterly inconsistent than III for a
with any combination OF gay coors TO paint the Nses
ness and horrible void Of eternal night Dante and Nj
ton were too consciousf the Limitation OF human poy
ers to attempt description Of Hell in ts reality. II,
Uells OF the Dirina Comneda aud the Paradise Loa
are merely the stages upon which the poets dramas are
enacted and II they differ entirely from our insne,,
conventions Of what Hell must be. are not shocked
the inconsistency because, rst We feel that the roay
ia something beyond human expression and seconty.
our concern is with the personages Of tho poem rather
than tho place. with the musician. however the care
different He cannot tell the story OF the suffering sous
or reproduce the sad professions which Dante saw wind
ing through the lurid gloom OK the soy,na
circles The limits OF his art contne bin u
tho general description Of state OF torture euor AMI
horror Music is indeed capable Of expressing sensations
and emotions for which words have no power OF utter
apee: but the difficulty Is that II It could express h
depryation OF harmony which constitutes Hell It would
cease To be music. Hell and music are contradictory
terms LisZt has endeavored TO escape this dilemma By
filing the lower world not with the shreks OF Genoa
and the curses Of the damned but the wall OF the sun
ing His Inferno Is not the black pit out OF which ns
only the frightfu cries Of the inpeniten but gouJ
region tossing with pillows Of unrest and Resonant with
nenaces above which echoes the sorrow'u plant ID.
soul which in misery looks back upon the happier tine
So after the blarc OF trumpes has pealed out the ever
lasting curse Leave hope behind, all ye WHO enhi
here and short allegro renatico has indicated ia
tempest and frenzy Of despair the composer taxes Up w
| poets exquisitely pathetic lines,
of5rs