New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-09-18
MUSIC AND THE ! DRAMA.
MUSIC.
AN EVENING or WAGNER.

MIR. Theodore Thomas gave last night at tho
Central Park Garden performance devoted excluslycy
TO the works OF Richard Wagner IL partly tribute
10 composer OF whom Mr.. Thomas Ia the best American
interpreter and OF tho most intelligent and apprec
two of Students and partly the prelude OF the forauon
OF Wagner Veren which waso be celebrated later 'n
the evening" at a banquet given 10 Mr. Thomas ana h's
companions by q few Of his personal and professional
friends The concert however not only fuinied tncs0
purposes, but proved the occasion OF some"ha' TO
rnarkabIe musical demonstration. An immense con
course OF people crowded the ball and garden CONTRARY
TO tho Summer custom they came early ana sat queuJ
In their seats TIL the ond They drank little or no beer
They neither nirted nor promenaded. They listened
faithfully 10 tho music Missed down the few who tried
to talk suppressed the rafting OF spoons ana irowned
upon the flower girl great number OF our best resI
dent artists and nearly all our foremost connosSeurs,
we're present such audience. In short, M any
musician might delight in The programme consisted
of tho following selection from Wsgner's works:
1. Kaiser Marsch
2. VOrspie. Lohcngrin"
s. Fine Fast Overture.
PART
L. Vorspie ......." Die Meistersanger Won hurnberg
s. Vorspie schlusssatz. Tristan und Isolde"
6. Ritz der wakiireD :::.::.'..."D ie Waikuren
T. Overture Tannbaiser"
Q. Hudigungs- Marsch
No praise we'll be too strong TO describe this ex-
traordlnary performance We have scores Of times
corded admiration of tho finish the yigor aud tho
magnificent breadth OF expression which the Thomas
Orchestra has attained but last night It surpassed all
our previous experience. During the Summer tho i'm
provement in the band has been wonderful The yolins
especially have attained degree OF perfection entirely
without parallel in American concert rooms, playing al
If inspired by Que soul and touched by single
hand, yet with truly masculine hrmness
and freedom. In this gorgeous programme there was
full opportunity TO display the best accomplishments Oh
strings reeds, and brass alike well as tho inmitaoe
crescendO which Mr Thomas has now brought TO such
remarkable finish. The finer qualities Of the orchesus
were most conspicuous perhaps to tho unsc'enuho
listener I'm the Introduction TO "Lohengrin," tho
Faust" Overture, and the superb Introduction
and Finale from Christian una Isolde pu.
with the EakIren RiH came surprise thas
electrified tho house 1t has never Deeh P'ASo"
here before. Taken from Part Second OF Wagners
great unfinished Trogy it depicts the ride OF the val
kvrias through the air marking with their spearpOints
the heroes who are TO fall in battle The wild nerce
spirit of the German legend has been embodied IN one OF
the strangest and most fascinating movements ever
scored 1t is more rhythmcal than Wagner commonly
allows his music TO be- yet t Is fantastic and waywaru
in tho last degree At its close the people literally rose
to their feet and shouted. less for delight II
the music than for admiration at ITS extraordinary
performance, and it was repeated amid almost
equal enthusiasm. Such emphatic CONGRATULATIONS
are rare in Summer Concert Garden; Dut
Indeed last night exceptional OCCASION III
was shown then that the number OF Wagners admirers
in NewYork increasing rapidly and has now become
formidable; and it shown also that Mr. Thomas mas
at last educated an audience to comprehend the mos'
abstruse forms Of musical composition TO relish what
year ago would have thought beyond the capacity
Of any but the scientific few and to appreciate what
really grand conception and in the strict sense OF the
word artistic 1t will be strange after tns
IL, when he returns this Winter for his montnV
Symphony soirees he do not find the heartest "eooe
and the most brilliant assembly OF listeners