The Portland daily press., 1870-10-20

TIE lovers Of the great master Of the ''classi-
cal period of music were out in full force last
evening, making quite display in our large
City Hall although, numerically considered,
they were not SO strong as in the larger cities
in this country. Still there must have been
from eight hundred TO thousand present,
which is dong excellently well for Portland
and vicinity, and it is gratifying to notice that
each year there is an evident increase of their
number The concert last evening was given
in honor of Beethoven, this being the centen-
NAL year of the maes.ro's birth, which occurred
on Dec. IL, ITO, at Bonn on the Rhine
The opening performance consisted OF the
Fifth Symphony in c. minor, acknowledged 10
be Beethoven's most perfect work and conse-
quently the finest symphony ever written 1t
is tragedy in music, and we subioin the de-
scription given by Hoffman, the best one
known 10 critics. He says, GLOW this Won
drous composition carries the Imagination with
ever increasing mystery and grandeur into the
unknown spirit world! Nothing can be sim
pier than the leading idea of the Allegro which
consists merely of two bars and begins with a
uuisonal phrase. 1t would seem as if some
one were fearing dire catastrophe and vent
ing their anguish in sharp cries, but soon
bright image appears and llluminates the gloom
(tbe exquisite theme in G. major first indcat-
ed by the horn in E fiat major) Simple as is
the theme most exquisitely do the secondary
and intermediate subjects unite with it devel-
oping the idea of the composer. The rhrases
are short. continually changing from wind in
struments to stringed. The proportions are
md fbo Al.
moto introduced by the violas and violin soo)
sound like sweet voice from the spirit fand-
But even here the dread shadow which doomed
in the Alleqro burst from the storm clouds dis
pelling the beautiful forms that hover around
us. Mark the singular modulations of the
Scherzo, the concluding choruses in the domi
nant maior-which the bass repeats in the
minor key-and then notice how the glorious
theme breaks in like bright sunbeam amongst
the iublant concord of instruments in the con-
Guiding move ment. To many the whole may
appear nothing but a splendid rhapsody, but
the more intelligent listener will not at once
awaken to the consciousness that he is no
longer in the unseen spirit region even after
the magic sounds cease to fall upon his ear."-
Goethe hearing this symphony played on the
piano-forte by Mendelssohn, said, sit is very
grand, and what must it be with an orchestral
If the Goethe could have heard the Thomas
orchestra play it last night and listened to that
heavenly daddnte and the triumphal march at
the finale he would have thought it grand in
deed
The Concerto No. 4, g., for piano, by Miss
Mehlig, closed the first part of the programme
r 10 a<,ff tn \ LIZ
auctions of the great composer, and especi-
ally calculated to display the unsurpassed
technique and poetic instinct of the performer
to the best advantage The more we hear of
Miss Mehlig the more we like her for her play.'
ing shows the evidences of the hardest study
and is thoroughly honest work with no charla-
tanry from beginning to end. Not a little of
the effect of her performance was due to the
superb Instrumentation of the orchestra whose
accompaniment was like the valuable setting
to the diamond.
Part second opened with the celebrated over
ture to "Egmont." This opera is the second
work of Importance that Beethoven composed
and is considered the best work of the kind
ever written. The orchestra's rendering of the
overture was mastery, the triumphal sym.
phony which forms its conclusion proving
most delightful treat to the audenc The
sweetest flower of the musical bouquet offered,
fundamentally considered, was the celebrated
sepette, opus 20, written originally for seven
instruments, but on this occasion all the
stringed instruments were employed besides
those for which it was especially composed. 1t
exhibited the perfection of training to which
the orchestra had been brought, the uniformity
of bowling being really rem arkable, while it
was delightfully."- melodious.
The evenings entertainment closed with tn
Choral Fantasia for piano, chorus and orches-
ira, truly sublime masterpiece, joyous ia its
style and fascinating the listener 1t opens
with a piano-forte fantasia, exquisitely played
by Miss Mehlig (whose trills alone were worth
going miles to hear) to which succeed delicious
variations for the several instruments which
apparently dispute possession of the theme
Again the piano forte ia kes up the theme fol-
lowed by the solo, male and female and alter.
ward by the whole chorus of two hundred
voices of the Haydn Association, till at the
close, chorus, piano forte and orchestra unite
in grand pean of praise and thanksgiving.
T. say that the Haydns rendered their mu-
sic splendidly, feeling their leaders power and
keeping perfect time, is but their just due,
while the solos were as magnifcently deliver
ed 1t was a most fitting conclusion to the
magnificent programme the like of which we
may not hear again, at least nutil next Janu-
airy when we have the promise of another
visit, anil we must thank Mr.. Kotzschmar for
his efforts in helping to make it a success. We
therefore do not say good bye to this splendid
orchestra and to its leader Mr. Thomas, we
m erely bid them an re0oir.