The New York herald., 1871-09-07
b EE + n Owe N.
The German Centenary Cele-
bratiOn at Bonn.
Performance of the Master Works
Of the Great Composer.

During the four days allotted to the celebration the
master works Of the great musician have been per-
formed IN style which viii over be q bright recol.
lection 10 the amateurs Hho braved The hea Of
midsummer TO enjoy the rare artistic treat Com.
pared with such colossal AFFAIRS as the Handel fes.
tiyss In Lonoon or the Boston Peace Jubilee the
demonstration was not imposing from Its extent,
hut the company present included many celebrities
In the musical world and he verdict as regards tho
performance was one OF almost unanimous approval
from perhaps the most cultured musical audience
ever assembled In ono place. The arrangements
were excellent ana the entire programme was car.
rled out with regularity and ec,at.
Last year the committee appointed TO take the
matter In hand erected q commodious
BEETHOVEN HALL
In one OF the few wide streets OF Bonn, and caused
Il to be constructed IN SO substantial manner that
1t Is evIcent they intended it for a permanent
concert room. Il will seat perhaps as many as
Steinway Hall, though 1t is by no means 30 hand
some building Indeed. to those who expected
really great national observance of the centenary of
Germ any's greatest composer II Is rather dsap.
pointment than otherwise; but 1t should be remem.
bered that the artistic Teuton. like John GipiD,
"tnougn on pleasure bent, Is OF u frugal mind."
The hall Is approached through triumphal arch
OF simple design, bearing on Its front suitable
inscription In German, ana is provided with Wide
galleries and fitted up with comfortable chairs. At
the platform end Is q higher gallery, sup.
porting the organ, which was used only
during the performance Of the mass In D, and
the platform itself occupies about onethird OF the
hall. this large space being required for the s73
chorus singers ana the Ill orchestral players who
took part in the celebration. The programmes con-
dned exclusively to Beethoven's works, were well
adapted to show the vast range OF ms genius, aud
were practically doubled by the daily rehearsals,
which were nearly as good as the formal concerts
themselves, ana TO which the public were admitted
on the payment OF q small fee. The fete began on
Friday, the 18th OF August, with rehearsas and sat-
urday was also devoted 10 the same work, the first
concert taking place Sunday afternoon and even.
Ing. beginning at six P. NJ. BY sunlight aud closing
about ten by gaslght The ding was crowded,
au
TIE LADIES APPEARING IN FULL DRESS
and presenting both on the platform and In the au.
aitorium sight which In New York Is only to be
witnessed at the concerts Of the Church Music AS.
socauon.
The task Of conducting this notable musical per.
lormance was entrusted to Ferdinand Hiler of 90.
logne, conductor who Is considered perhaps the
foremost OF the old school IN Germany. There are
those who prefer wagner, with his marvellous mag.
nec influence over an orchestra, Liszt. with his
hery impetuosity; but these two men belong to the
terest In concerts where their own works are not
performed. Certain 1t is that they did not take
enough interest in this Beethoven festival TO honor
1t with their presence
Hitler, who Is plump, comfortabie-looklng ind-
vldua, was assisted by wasieiewski, favorite rest.
dent conductor Of Bonn, and thin, nervous, dark
haired man Of the physical type which is popularity
supposed TO appertain TO geniuses. They both con-
Quoted well, but there was an earnestness about
second in command did not seem TO possess.
Great care had been taken in the selection or
soiOists. The list including Madame Otto-Alvseben,
prIms donna from the Royal opera OF Dresden;
Madame Joachim, the coniralso, and wife Of the
great vioinist; Herr Vogl the favorIte tenor OF
Munich, singer VINO has preserved his vocal
powers well, despite his struggles with the un.
grateful music OF Wagner and Herr Adolphe
schuiZe, or Hamburg, who is tall, bearded like
pard wears spectacles. and sings better than any
oas so to-day In America. There were two solo
vionsts Louis Straus, OF London. and the peerless
Joachim. Charles Halle came from London to play
on a BroadwOod piano, Franz Weber from Cologne
10 add ;he lew organ accompanlments, and herr
Grutzmacher irom Dresden TO contribute solo on
me yioloncelo. Behind these sOloists was the
magnificent pnalanx OF orchestral Players who
represented nearly every city OF North Germany,
and the superb body OF vocalists, most OF whom
nailed from Bonn. Cologne, Cobientz, Dusseldorf
and other towns along the Rhine.
n
wreahs occupied q prominent position a., the front
of the organ gallery but otherwise the hail was with
cty. Tie inhabitants nad taken pains to f,,ng cut
rom their windows the German coors, almost
SsTy aSsynS ns the Ss
Prussian eagle was displayed, with large variety
GOWN the RHINE could esss tell thai un n.
usual was going on at Bonn. The music sellers had
he ssp windows % sysrs g 70 gse
graph lthograph, steel engraving, medallion, bust
and statuette must have become Thoroughly famil.
near the Cathedral had been adorned with ever.
greens. and around three SIDES OF t were ranged
tell masts, bearing streamers and banners.
H. TIE FIRST cONcERr.
To revert 10 the opening concert. twas IN every
way striking success though the selections--the
Missa sole MS and The Fiijh Symrhony-wcre such
- 10 make the succeeding concerts an anti crhax
or Beethoven has never written anything grander
than these two works and certainly he could never
wished Tor them more effective rendering. Tie
chorus sang so well that II received even warmer
praise than the seoists, who were rather thrown
nto the shade by the magnificent precision with
which the good men OF Ehineland, their buxom
wives and pretty daughters TOOK up the different
paNs one OF the most dlfcult vocal compositions
ever written. Most OF the audience were provided
with the music and followed the performance
closely. never betraying the slightest weariness.
But the appreciation awarded 10 the symphony was
sven greater Every note seemed familiar, and the
smiles OF recognition as IL they were indeed old
friends: while AZ the close there arose deafening
roar OF applause. Hitler was called out several
times 10 receive the accamations oi his delighted
admirers. lie was himself equally pleased with he
performance, and he Compllmented the musicians
highly by telling them thai IN his loIg career 40
musical c. nductor lie had never beard such perfect
orchestral PLAYING a. that he mad Just had The honor
% conduct.
THB SECOND CoSCEKT
After the oe1tciOi pTOJ~, public rehearsal, the
aext morning, most of the dislins usned musical
:cieb iiies In town dined al one OF the leading
hotels ana then sroed in the gardens
overlooking the Rhine. Before six O'clock
however, they were all la their places at The
Beethoven Hall. prepared to listen atienvely
fnlIn fnU 4lIllue ~ on M II
lore, No. 3; marsch uDd cnor aus den "kuDen
Won 'At1en" concert fir die violine pbantasle ftr
pianoiorte, cbor ana orchestcr snfonm ercics.
Her conducted all save the second and third
NUMBERS. Tue "Leonora'' overture, so iamiiar 10
music lovers III New York, AS wei as In al other
parts OF the civilized world was given WIN ai The
vim ana dash arising from perlect familiarity with
ne WORK; but whether The performance was really
inferior 10 that of The first day, or whether the
novelty OF the affair was already somewhat faded,
cannot tell, yet certain ~ is that tendancy towards
criticism now began Va manifest Itself The render
ing Of the march ana chorus from the "Rups OF