The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-28
THOMAS MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

day, on occasion OF the two last performances OF
the Thomas festival would give but faint idea OF
the attendance on those two memorable OCCASIONS
Memorable they are TO every lover OF art who was
present, and highly credtabe, not only to the cul-
tivated musician who directed them, but also to
the musical public ofNew York, who so largely pat
ronized them. The risk undertaken by Mr..
Thomas in this festival was one of great magni
tude, and the financial result has proved the truth
ofwhat have again and again asserted-it is only
necessary to give the New YORK public the
best in art, at any cost, to attain O pecunlary
success for the management The failure OF
musical enterprise here can only be attributed
to the poverty of the materials employed. 1t Is
the same story from MaliDran down to the festival
just closed, that musical genius viii ever find
prompt recognition here. The crowd in the even
ing thrOnged both balconies and extended tar back
into the smaller hall. In the afternoon 1t was
scarcely Of less dimensions. The matinee concert
commenced with one Of the overtures to "Fidelio,"
which was followed by the aria ~ Am Roamer,"
from Memberships 'Son and Stranger" The
orchestra have become perfectly familiarized
with the four Overtures which Beethoven wrote
for his opera that the performance Of any OF them
cannot help being finished and artistic. Mr.. Myrcn
w. whitney selected most trying air, and went
through the ordeal with success. The "Son and
stranger" is too little known in this city for a
work displaying all the fancllul imagery or thought
that is generally considered as the exclusive char
acteristic of midsummer Nights Dream" The
selection made by him requires voice of unusual
nexibility and high training to make It's
rendering at all ineligible. Its rapid mea-
sures call for finish and ease of execu-
ton not often attainable by bass singers. Mr..
Whitney is not addicted to ad cdptandane tricks
In his singing; but in everything he attempts he
gives evidence OF the honest, conscientious artist.
He narrowly escaped an encore. Wieniawski
played a most charming adagtO by Rubinstein and
an 6l6gie by Ernst, in both OF which his wonderful
cantaoile method was brought out in all its beauty.
He also rendered a poonaise OF his own, which had
the equivoca merit of Astounding In enormous
technical difficulties TO an extent that marred
the intenigibility OF some of the phrases, and
q descriptive piece called "The Russian Carn-
val,n another work from his fertile brain. But
the great feature OF the performance OF the
evening was M playing Of MS &C own at co H.
Tor neet-fngered pianists. He was in his
s best i possible sr%naer than
difficulties that thckly sown In the first and
last movements. The fingers that evoked thunder
from the noble instrument In the impetuous storm
of the iyadle became in the delightful Gnadaate
tender as the caressng touch OF o mother on her
infants brow. The work itself has all the mobility
OF style and variety oil treatment that one would
expect from the composer Of the "Ocean" SYM
phony. The colorlng OF some Of the phrases in the
second part OF the concert Rubinstein played the
three WORKS which have probably, with the general
his other selections. They are 'Tema con Vala-
Aoni," by Haydn; ''Erl King" Schubert and the
Iurkish march from .rne Ruins Of Athens" Beet.
hoven. To speak OF his rendering OF these works
would be but a twice told story. 1t was simply the
perlectIon OF piano playing; MRS. J. Houston West
without giving any particular interest TO the
hearer. Two movements OF RaY's bright pleasant
symphony I'm the Forest" were spendidly played
By the orchestra
Although the first part Of the evenings pro-
gramme was interesting from the presence Of
unfinished symphony in b minor, two movements
OF which were given, yet the attention OF the vast
the lion of the OCCASION the last and greatest work
ofBeethoven, the "Choral Symphony. The elements
brought together for the performance OF this work
were the best that America can afford, and rarely
have they been equaled for completeness and
ensemble In Europe. The fame OF the orchestra,
on this occasion increased to one hundred strong,
Is worldwlde; the Handel and Haydn Society
were In full force, and had the advantage OF
thorough rehearsals; and the solo quartet, Mrs.
H. NJ. Smith, Miss Cary, Mr.. Nelson varley and Mr..
Rudolphsen, whatever their shortcomings In other
works may have been, sung the difficult music
allotted to them in the last movement promptly
and correctly. The ninth symphony is rard artS
In public on account OF its SURPRISING difficulties.
conductor OF the highest order with all the neces
sary materials could only present IT IN proper shape
Such conductor took the baton on saturday
night, IN the person OF Theodore Thomas, and such
materials covered the immense stage from the
organ gallery to the edge OF the platform. The
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,
POGO mdestoso; scherzo, motto ptrace; ddagio
motto cdntdbiie-and the concluding "Recitative
and Chorus" have bodness and majesty that
lift them above all other creations Of the human
mind. According TO Richard Wagner's interpreta-
ton OF the ninth symphony the predominating
idea is the struggle of the soul after Joy and hap
piness. Nothing can be more vivid than the Illus
tration OF this struggle ut the very commence
ment OF the work. II is declamatory IN every
folding OF the colossal theme keeps ex-
pectaton up to the most eager point
m 10 thn
ceau in the world Of music, a down.
right carnival OF jollity, in which the orches-
ira OF Thomas fairly revealed. The brilliancy of
the march in d major which occurs in this move
ment forms delightful foil to the sportiveness of
the phrases by which 1t is introduced. The gem,
however, OF the symphony is the third movement
than which nothing can be imagined more touch
ingly beautiful. Its simplicity OF thought and the
easy and natural continuation of the motives can
never la to produce lasting impression the
The dnddnte OF the symphony IN A major lovely
movement, dddgto motto e cdntd6iJe, of the
ninth. The ingenious manner In which all the
tives of the three preceding movements are pre-.
sented IN bouquet fashion in the introduction of
the last movement is only eaualled by the unex-
pected outbnrst of the voices in Schiller's 'Hymn
basses and the overwhelming crescendos Of
all the instruments. When the bass deciaims
without accompaniment Friends, no more Of
these tones; let us sing together more pleasant
and joyous strainsn the effect on the nearer Is in
describabe. The STRAIN on the voices IS intense.
as all the parts are written up to the highest note
at ainable to soprano, Alto tenor or bass Although
the volume OF tone produced by the Handel and
haydn society was unduly small for their num-
bers-and here we may remark that the individual
quality OF the voices of this society is not common
surate with their high training in muslc-yet the
promptness and correctness with which every
choral phrase was taken up aud finished formed no
lnconsiderahle feature IN the performance OF the
WORK. me same may be said OF the solo quartet
VINO had an arduols task to perform. The applause
which greeted the talented young conductor be-
lore the performance OF the gigantic work, and the
presentation TO him OF a handsome basket OF
bowers, TESTIFIED to the appreciation OF the Ameri-
can public OF his single minded DISTINGUISHED ex-
q "A N mo rl.r