, 1872-12-08

f0EmaDces when Grew the ATst GOOD audlence OF
the week, and this fact suggests an interesting
question namely, whether the smallness Of at
tendance during the week has been due to lack
Of musical taste in the city or to the scale of ad
mission prices adopted by the management. OF
one thing there can be no doubt. The concerts
have been the best ever given here Of their kind,
and, considered with regard to concerts in gen
era1, there have been none at all comparable
With them except the Thomas orchestral con-
certs. It is rather remarkable coincidence
that the weak spot in each has been the
vocal adjuncts. No such pianist IS
Rubinstein, no such vio1inist as Wieniawski, has
ever appeared here. These two artists stand at
the head OF their profession, and one Of them,
Rubinstein, is among the first Of living CON-
posere, and man who may yet be destined
to accomplish revolution in music as marked
rs that which is already beginning to result from
Wasners innovations. The music which they
have furnished has been of the highest order,
and much Of it new to concert-goers, as it has
embraced selections from Bach, Handel, Mozart,
Mendelesohn, and other composers, which ara
rarely performed, owing to their numerous
difficulties and exacting demands upon
players. In addition to this, Rubinstein
has given US glimpses Of the sclayonian
music, in one sonata and minor works
Of his own composition, which nre
thoroughly original and possess none OF tho
characteristics Of modern European music.
-. ~ ;4ro1f far oh
every musician will be profoundly thankful It
is the germ, perhaps, Of q great school OF music
in the future, which will 10 rich not only in
new musical ideas but new forms Of expressing
them. Lastly, both Rubinetein and Wieniawski
have done great work for lesser players, both
in setting before them the true conceptions Of
the spirit of the great composers works, and the
proper artistic manner Of reading them. In
al these respects, there is no room left for
| fault~fnding with the manager. He has fur
| nished all and more than he announced, and
| in so doing has given concert-goers q
genuine surprise, as this s not the usual practice
! OF musical managers. Notwithstanding all
this, the audiences have been small, and, how
ever gratifying it may be to the artists to feel
that the major part Of their audience appreci-
| ates them two artists like Rubinstein and Wien
iaweki, who have always lived in musical at
uaosphere and have been accustomed to play to
crowded houses in the musical capitals Of Eu-
rope, where q person was fortunate who applied
weeks in advance and securod q ticket, must
have been chngrined to find themselves playing
to an audience night after night, which filed
two-thirds, perhaps, Of q small theatre, one por-
ton Of which was composed Of eager
and appreciative listeners, another of Indifferent
auditors, and the remainder Of Doors, who
seemed to take q special delight in annoying
| both artists and auditors with their rudeness
and noise, The principal reason for this small
ness Of attendance is undoubtedly due to the
mistake Of the manager in fixing tho prices too
| high. The same mistake was made recently in
the Patti-aario concerts, where the prices we're
the same, although the latter furnished only
! musica1 swash compared with these. Two
dollars and two and half however, is an ez-
treme1y high price for any entertainment in
these stringent times. If the gallery had been
placed at one dollar, which would have
kept out many Of the Doors, and
the reBt of the house at one dollar and half and
two dollars, the attendance would undoubtedly
have been very large, and wouEd have paid the
managers handsome profit. The European
standard Of admission to a Rubinstein concert,
where Rubinstsn plays alone, is four dollars !;
but it is utterly useless to base prices here on
this standard. The conntryi is flooded with ana
teur charity, church, and other homo concerts,
which present irresistible claims upon the pub
lie, and from which Europe is happily free. Peo-
pie in the capitals Of Europe go to hear music for
the sake Of music, and pay for it. Here the
pocket-book is taxed for all sorts of barnacles
fastened upon music. In Europe, the con.
cert-going class is o wealthy Glass; The
poorer people have music at 8
price which they can afford to pay and get gooc
article for their money. The poorer class here
has no such opportunities. The wealthy class is
not wealthy enough to pay European prices, o.
even prices based upon them, especially in these
days Of high taxes and constant demands upor
the PURSE. There are some happy, philosophical
people among concert-goers, however, whe
manage to surmount the difficulty by skipping
all minor entertainments, thereby skipping more
OF less of annoyance, andattending only the ver5
best performances, thereby making their anuse
ment expenses no larger for the sea
son, while they have received more
, satisfaction than those people wht
; waste their money on every show that comes
I along, because the prices are cheap, and ii
: reality spend more money in season, and have
less to ahow for it, than those who, for instance
the Thomas concerts, the Rubinstein concerts
+ and the Lucca opera season, and have resolved
, | to spend no money On other entertainments