New-York tribune., 1870-12-15
MUSIC.
TIE BROOKLYN PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

TIE BROOKLYN PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.
II will strike COnnOsseurs as rather strange
that while all the world, from Vienna and Newfork To
New Haven and Milwaukee Is celebrating to the best OF
its ability the centenary Of the greatest composer who
ever lived a society with aims and pretensions 80 high
as the Philharmonic Society OF Brooklyn should not only
suffer the anniversary pass unrecognized but as by
way Of emphasizing It's ncgecU give concert In tho
very midst Of the sacred days whereat OF seven pieces
on the prO,a only two were BeethoVens, ana one
OF those n fragment We had no hOpe-after the shame
full occurrences Of last June-that there would be
any organized series Of centennial commemoratons by
New-York and Brooklyn musicians but the various So
ciees In this city had arranged their separate ceebra
tons so judciousy that with the successive perform
ances Of the Beethoven MdnnerchOr. the NewYork Phil
harmonic and the Lederranz. were promised three
DAYS Of Beethoven, and trusted that Brooklyn would
give us fourth. How sublimely that association, how
ever has ignored is opportunities may be Judged from
the programme the second which to he given
tomorrow and rehearsed for the last time yesterday
afternoon
Prayer from La Juye .Hae'y
Concerto in minor Ust movement; Beethoven
Overture to The Magic Flute Mozart
Barcaroe, from the lG Piano Concerto Bennett
Mr.. Richard Hoffman, Adam.
'1"''''' Mr.. Lc Frame
Music for 'The Midsummer Nights Dream" Mendessohn
as inferior to the other seven but think unjust
y unless the ground that when they were writ
ten Beethoven, having net entirely freed himself from
the traditions Of older composers, still showed traces OF
the STYLE mot the deas OF the best OF his predecessors
But the originality OF thought the depth OF feeling and
tho wonderful fertility OF expression in which no master
has ever approached him. all dscernibe In these
earlier works. as much in the fth the SIXTH and the
seventh The second especially Is delightfully."- fresh and
melodlOus The arghetO Is one OF the most charming
and universally reshed of all Beethovens conceptions,
and the final allegro fairly sparkles with the fire of
genius The one movement OF the minor concerto
which Mr. Hoffman has selected for this occasion Is in
Beethoyen's sweetest and most tuneful mood-an eK-
auise gem Of melody which only the most delicate and
refined Of pianists should dare to touch Mr. Hoffman
Is a pianist OF this SORT He understands Beethoven
as few players do in this part OF the world and We
always listen his interpretations 0f the master with
unaoyed satisfaction The barcaroo OF sterndale Ben
netts ia graceful and very charming movement, much
in the spirit OF Mendelssohn as all Mr. Bennetts music
is and this also Mr.. Hoffman plays admirably. The
PRAYER from La Juye" hardly good enough for the
company in which it Is placed and does not allow Mr..
M Franc TO display the high chest notes upon which he
"a too fond OF relyng but In the "NOGl cantcle he
produces the customary enthusiasm. More than that,
he sings It with good and feeling; but the lower
notes beyond his reach.
The performance OF the orchestra yesterday was not
perect and Mr. Bergman would have done well to dis
play little OF his usual strctness The truth IL,
the musicians in hurry TO get away though the
rehearsal lasted only two hours There was FREQUENT
looking at watches and the NOcturnc omitted from
"The Midsummer Nights Dream"-to the great indg-
nation of the female portion OF the audence-and alto
eether there was much scrambing and carelessness