The New York herald., 1870-03-26
MU s rs.

SYMPHONY.-At last the eccentric Able has found
subject worthy Of his crazy aspirations Dante's
sublime "Divina Comeda." We heard it for the
first time yesterday, and although first rehearsal
cannot be expected to develop all the extraordi-
nary features Of such work, yet definite opinion
can be given generally OF 1t. 1t Is In three move
ments-alleJro Jf'enetfc0, dndante anaoroso and
nadestoso Beethovens ch oral symphony furnishes
numerous points for the working up OF
some OF the main features. especially when the
voices are introduced. The opening recitauve
OF trombones, followed by tremolo OF the
strings and the terrible curse-LaSciate oOnl spe-
rama, voi CHI entrate-glven by trumpets
and horns, with the widest discords OF
strings, reeds and brasses that afflicted human
cars all snow power and intimate acquaintance with
all the resources OF the orchestra but It Is power
uncontrolled by judgment or taste. No matter how
chaotic the subject may be there should be poetry IN
lts musical Interpretation. No man ever brought
out richer treasures from the orchestra than BeethO
ven or Weber. anc yet they never overs5epped the
bounds which divide true music from chaos. What
can be more effective than the incantatlon scene of
"Der Freischutz" in which Weber deals with
from; yet it is musc-true, melodious. sodreaohing
music.-Ihrougnouti What can attain the empyreai
regions Of sunllmity into which Beethoven scars in
the Choral Symphony and yet he never dvests
IS akin to snphmity IN other things beside music;
but never so much as In the divine art. High
sounding phrases do not constitute greatness in
literature neither do extraordinary musical phrases
In the sister art. True greatness must be spontane
Gus; Liszt Is never so. Therefore We take excep-
tion despite It's sensational character to musical
description Of uyerno. There Is neither harmony
nor melody in it, and those essential character
stlcs OF music. The dadGfste has some very pretty
passages, or rather fragments OF them, bur the
want OF unity OF idea In The movement neutralzes
the pleasure that Its component parts otherwise
would give. We care not for any musical checker
board or Mosaic groundwork In which no two ideas
assimilaJe. In this work one see that Liszt is
more successful with the WIND and percussion nstru
ments than with the strings. The latter form the
principal part OF every musical structure erected by
Beethoven and Weoer. Llszt Is constant bunger
with them. They seem In his hands to be tangled
skeins, Gordlan knot, which he cuts by hurling on
1t all the power Of the brasses. The themes III the
1ndGnte are Enthusiastically Italian IN origin and
some quaint dialogues between the clarioner oboe
and cor A,qtais occur. After this episode palpa.
bic "reminiscences OF the choral symphony comes In
the working up and gathering together, so to
speak, OF the entire strength OF The orchestra
to grand climax. II has not, however, the
graduated power and sublime genius OF Beethoven
In the one is like mighty biliOw, wall or water
sweeping towards the shore TO break thereon with
resstless force; in the other II Is but succession OF
smaller breakers following IN tue wake Of their
from nddle TO dinner gong is introduced, is an
instructive lesson 10 all Christians to lead good lives
and not endure such t0rment5 as the damned must
suffer II ever this symphony is played for them.
The next part .'Purgatory," IS more toerable. It
opens quietly and a feeling OF sadness peryades It,
sort Of fragmentary chorae, in which the oboe and
cor An0lats are prominent, is followed by beau
tiful theme given by the first viollns. fugue with
III uHfutefcSuuR buUJcCb tHo VOICES (Lue
vocal part at this point was omitted on Yesterday
and works them up INTO grand cnorus. The resolu-
non OF the subject 80 @ INTO more JOYOUS and triumph.
chorus OF boys another reminiscence OF Beethoven
We doubt boys voices are alone sufficient to give
adequate expression to the hymn OF triumph especi-
ally with such an orchestra to overwelgh them
Again. II would be better to place the boys more in
'front.' ana not osana the percussion IN
OF opinion that much valuable time and talent have
been wasted upon It, and that It only be interest
most appropriate name that can be given to 1t.
What relief from 1t were Beetnoven's C0riolanus
never tiresome overture "Euryanthen the bright.
est, freshest most mel0dious and most varied ever
Ltszt's "Inrernon