, 1874-12-27


The principal event OF tue local musical world
during the past week has been the concert given
at Farwc1i Hall, on Thursday evening, for the
tcueGt Of tho Founlnogs' Homo. The pro-
gramme WAS made mp entirely OF music By AIr.
S G. Pratt, the pianist and teacher. and, az was
generally uuders stood, the concert was given for
the purpose OF Introducing his compositions and
giving them B. public hearing. They come,
therefore, within the legitimate limits OF criti-
csm, and deserve attention, since, With the ex-
ccpton of l1r. Goldbcck. A1r. Pratt is the only
one of our home musicians who has veutured
into tho field OF composition to any extent. We
may preface our remarks with the statement that
Mr. Pratt was very fortunate in having some OF
the best singers in the city attempt his music.
AIRS. Stacey, Mira. Jones, and Mrs. Hart taking
tile soprano solos; Miss White and Miss Kellner
the alto; Mr.. Schultz the tenor; Ar. Gill the
baritone; aud 1Ir. Goodwillo the bass solos.
In addition to these he mad mixed chorus
Of about fifty voices, a very effective or
chestra OF thirty-eight pieces, and Dir.
Balatka did u worry graceful act in leading
some Of the plumbers. With tho exception Of
somo slips in the tempos and some very bad
singing by the male voices on the simplest num-
ber of the programme, both players and singers
FAoeeubou sAo A!n~Ae 40 '' A~fSAA1'S " As<AA@ ''-'
could be wished. It therefore had 3 far and un-
prejudced performance.
Wh+ in t,,o roraic42 cnn1v That ,fr prat+
- .1.,a;.;. - .ota...
nas sio"n n'l,'se!l " oo uus'e4"a =, s11el'
ana PROMISE VINO has osefsnos the marx oy a1-
tempting works too severe and ambitious for
student whose ideas are still crude aud whose
fo~r,a ,1o ~ .r.tarn.t;c or axrnnatric,1 rh;a
- ...,,,,;.,1u s,,o,, =, +ha s,1rntonr r. +1o
10 Poeonni4s eno"A :" ."0 - 'A'
composer has meaning IN the first movement,
lo does not make it apparent to the Aearor.
Thu eacnnd roorement ia rot symphonic in form
.t ~ ~ .o.soar,-ttr ,,,,-as :, ,ooro ,o,r1a~
~ ~. ~''' a.u A! -. sto.;.1. slo r-a ea1s
impression, peeauso LIZ Aoa1ei'1is "eAo nuie
surely within bis grasp. The last movement ls tho
best constructed, but the work is not finished
and The w},o|a three movements yhilo thev are
\. t;nct rom oorh other have tlo same color
and are infused with q very morbid tone. Tae,e
nre several defects which force themselves upou
have spoken, which, characterzes all his work, the
symphony. the operate excerpts, aud his minor
works iienco it il rare to find beauty. fresh
ness. brightness. or brlliancy winch are SO much
needed for contrasts 2. Lack of harmony. Mr..
pratt's music ia difficnlt enough. It's intervals
and moduatious are severe enough, its con-
trasts aro etartliug enough. as witness the
clangeg from tie dissonant cords in the over
ture. which ore ns horrible as any Wagner has
ever written, to melody which is quite common
niace. But it seems to Us that in h;a efforts to
escane from tic beaten track. voru smooth bV
tic huudruu co,upose1s and musical machLists.
Mr.. Pratt has sacrificed harmony. 8. Tho true
c|maxes of music are not fairy reached. There is
an effort to do it, but the effort is painful
and falls short. Again, the rest of music is
want1nc. His music ,s d constant strife.
norer-enduc effort. He is a1vavs in unrest,
aud never master OF himself. This is the ineyi-
ta}1]a result of imuaturitY graphing With some-
thing unattaiuable.
These are the more notable defects of aIr,
Pra1t's nusit. considered as whole. In detail.
wo may sur that tho Heroic March is good. and
specially good, because It departs from the ordi-
nary tum-tnm and hackneyed chords OF marcues
Az regards the symphony, ne see little reason to
change the opinion expressed by us last winter
There are good points in it, but it is not always
clear, is not always well-placed on the instrt1-
ments, and its whole tone is morbid. There ia
enough ia it to warrant Mr.. Pratt in perseyeriug,
but not enough to warrant him in making Ills
symphonic works public until it is consistent,
harmonious, symmetrical. and finished. II b1r.
Pratt will follow our adyice, he will place bis
svmrhouy on the shelf, and not produce any
moro until he has perfected himself, and his
crndeneEs has given place to mature and finished
effort With regard to tho operatc selections,
it is more diilieuls to pronounce critical opinion,
as III the first paco they were 1earu in tue worst
possible locail{y for music, and, second, they
suffered in effect, through the absence Of all
dramatic surroundings aud accessories. The