The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-17
PHILHARMONIC CONCERT.

l.iszt's "Dante Symphony"
Although the Abbate Lisxt has been often heard
In this city through the medium Of his orchestral
compositions, and although few of the musical
committee of the Philhar ahonc Society seem deter
mined to keep this crazy writer's lucubratons be.
fore the public, the popular verdict, wen that
OF every reasoning musician, is that such music
has decidedly an unhealthy tendency. The "Dante
symphony" has been played here before. far bet
ter too than was Saturday night but there can
be but one opinion about ii, and that is decidedly
unfavorable. There is an illustration of the I'm
ferno" from lie Divina Comedia." or course, one
must expect, quoting the words of the programme,
everlasting curses' with trumpets and horns,
"the frenzy Of despair and uproar of the evil
spritsn illustrated by violins screaming on the
string celi coming In ut intervals with ludicrous
figure, horns blowing out discords, reeds in the
agony of uncOuth modulatiOns. contra BASES d.
vided between the imitation Of an earthquake
and q political en,eute and instruments Of
percussion, Heaven knows where, and finale
worse than all the horrors just named. But
let the subject be what it may, It's Illustration in
music should be at least conformable with the
very fundamental principles of the divine art But
List reduces the orchestra to chaos and makes 1t
very unpleasant. Some OF his adnirers-not the
ultra Ones-clam for him at least wonderful
knowledge of instrumental effects. Granted; but
that il not enough TO constitute composer.
There Is mere strength and grandeur in half
dozen measures Of the "walpurgisnacht" OF Men,
delssohn or the incarnation scene Of Der
Freschutz" than one can find in the entire Dante
Symphony of Liszt. why, then, should the direc-
tors of the Philharmonic Society insist upon bring
ing forward again and again such works. 1t only
serves to superinduce a nightmare in the poor
musicians and WEAKNESS and disgust in the audi
ence. Still In this symphony there are positive
merits: but, alas for the disciples OF the Abbate
they are stolen. The choral symphony OF Beethoven
supplies some Ofthe ideas in the last movement, and
the choral for female voices there were number
they sung or not we cannot say. as nobody in the
audience heard them through the heavy fire OF
RON the last work of Beethoyen. In dne we snr.
gest to the audience compelled to listen to and the
musicians compelled to play the Dante symphony
the words "Ldsct0te ogni speranza (dello nsusicd)
che TOf entrate.'
The programme on Saturday night commenced in
the sunshine OF Haydn the charming 'Oxiord''
symphony, work OF beauty and genial spirit, and
ended in the shadow OF Liszt. Haydns work Is
like crystal in its clear pure character, but In the
preted it there were many queer spots init. These
were the only orchestral works in the programme.
pianist Mae corrSdi and Mr. Richard 'a Hom sn
The lady sang the wel-knOwn ABEL Raggio." one
OF the best specimens Of Rossinrs style that can
be found in any OF his works. Her execution ID
correct, II the want Of nexbility or her voice be
not taken into account, but she fails to show any
quality OF dramatic sentiment or real feeling She
sang much better than on the occasion OF the Mu-
steal Fund concert, when spoke Of her last but
the impression, as lar as expression Is concerned,
is Just the same.
Mr.. Holman was shipwrecked OF the rock on
which so many piansts have split. The Concert
a hundred can interpret. There is too much OF the
lazy style OF playing. that superficial nicely about
Mr.. Hoffman to enable him TO attack such
q composition. He has made success In
2 few works OF Mendelssohn, Mozart and
Beethoven, which have become with him
specialties but the "Concertstuckn 10 entirely be-
You'd his reach. Mere mechanism Is not enough
for those delicate passages which are woven into
the magnificent instrumentation OF Weber. Mr..
Hoffman Is the last victim In this piano Charybdis
Rubinstein was the only Ulysses We know OF here
that weathered it. The last concert takes place on
April 10.