New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-12

Bo5ToN, May 0.--At the Saturday afternoon
concert the following programme given:
l. Overture Magic Flute ............,.......,..H Mozart
. Shadow Song" Dnorsh .nsyesbsss
an u. N. Smith.
g. SYMPHONY. "Lsaors" .........................Rss
T. Overture GenoveVs Schnnsno
o. Ana All! qasl giorno" semr'mide. so-ia
Miss Annie Lou.e Cary
O. Ah, ia qse.ts tombs' Bes'hov.s
mr Myron w. Whitney
T. scharo. La RENE Msb"....'....'''''''''''B erno'
g. scenS "sosy sgh," Der Prei'chh,' .......'.Wsbet
Miss Edith Wynne.
Kaiser
Mr.. Theodore Thomas conducted numbers three, sir,
seven and nine. Mr. Zerrahn Ia much 10 be commended
for the moderate tempo ut which no took the quick
movement OF the Magic Flute oyerture-a movement
which conductors usually take at breakneck pace that
rivals tho prostissmo OF Berliozs "Qucen Nab" Mrs
Smiths fine flexible soprano showed 20 good advantage
in Meyerbeers graceful Shadow Song although
thought more OF warmth OF manner would have dono
the performance no harm. Rats Lenoro 8 mphony has
by this time pretty well worn of its novelty ana hs
real strengths and weaknesses OF the work are showing
themselves more and more plainly In their true light
great work it can hardly be called in spite Of ts
many beauties. Ine passionate love music OF
tho frat movement seems TO be by far the
best part. But the Symphony has never had
50 dpe performance here a: To-Day the decreased
OF strings giving power and energy to every
phrase The same may DO said Of the performance OF
Schumann's Genoyeva overture Mr.. Whitney was en-
cored in Beethoyens In questa tomba las sung, By
the way not least adapted 10 his voice. AID re
sponded with 81 am rover" from Memberships Son
and Stranger" This time, thank Heaven, with orches
trail accompaniment. Miss Wynne sang the Frei-
schtz" with much true expression and artsuo
appreciation OF the music that encore was Inevitable
Wagners Kaiser Narsch grandest OF marches brought
tho concert a happy close. The audience was tho
largest that has yet been brought together The large
hacked Overlooking into the corridors
at almost every doorway
In the evening Mr. John X. Paines new oratoro OF ST.
Peter was given for the first time in Boston work VI
this magnitude can hardly DO worthily judged at
single hearing Even after having. thought. MAIDS
thorough acquain with St. Peter bya careful study
OF the score and hearing Of the preliminary
hearsas with pianOforte accompaniment the effect Of
work when given with the orchestra wasso
totally different from what had expected, that wo
felt as II really hearing something "hoiy
strange and new Thus the second chorus, Wa
20 before the face of Lord" which we had proy-
ously given up in despair ncomprehensble was
new revelation when heard with the orchestra, aud
proved IN OF the most enjoyable choruses III
the whole work. Mr.. Paine's style has undergone
great and radical change since the composition OF his
Mass ia D. In In his Mass, Mr. Paine showed
himself firm and almost exclusive disciple of Bach
Everything in the Mass perfectly regular and
formaI-that is formal in good sense Hs beauty waa
the beauty ply scal grace and strength rather than
OF depth OF feeling sentiment, or passion III In some
places as in the Crucxus he showed that he possessed
some the sentiment and pathos OF his great model
Bach and in Others like the Sanctus he was able to
surround his music with that vague atmosphere OF re-
ngious my sticsm that find in Paaestrina and tho
older Italian masters, it without sacrificing
one jot OF the strict formal perfection OF tue mus
sic. At that period Mr. Paine showed him
self to be a man who instinctiyey and spontaneously
expressed his musical emotions In tho strcter contra
puntal forms. Since them he has gradually entered
upon the broader emotional field Of modern music No
two compositions could be widely different than
HIS Mass in and ST. Peter. or the old formal perfec-
ton little remained The musical form OF st. Peter
IN fact unaecustomed as that OF tue most
Independent the modern composers The same almost
rugged strength remains clothed with lar greater
brliancy-St Peter is much moro unequal WORKMAN
the Mass but it at times scars TO far higher level
may said that almost without exception the orato-
strikingly original. We find In 1t few hints OF the
influence any other composer. Some few passages do
indeed remind of Mendesso.n. who is the man Oh
all others with whom Mr. Paine has in general the least
in common
The srange ness and newness OF Mr.. Paine's mus,ca
forms seem rather 10 spring from incapaclty fof
commonplace ideas and commonplace expression, than
from horror OF what Is rite, or Wllifui
striving after the unprecedented. Unlike some other
modern composers (Godmark, for instance) whose
desire originality has led them often into most I'M
an unguarded moment they step down from their
plano Of strained originality and move naturally and
even gracefully in their natural sphere OF the COM
monplace, unlike these men. Mr.. Paino never
stoops to the commonplace. His originality
always impresses US as genuine and spontaneous
not something merely put for the moment or FAC
ttious We him at his best when he is bis high
attainabe plane, when he attempts little His
apparently unnatural tortured often spas
modic style strikes struggling after expression
rather than after idea. His weaker moments are per-
haps fat unineresting and colOess; but never senti'
mental merely driveling. We have rarely seen
work OF so great promise ST. Peter Great fault n
dubtaby has, but the dsheartening fault OF Inedi-
ocriy it has not 1t seems more like the first largo
work Of great composer full Of strength beauties and
great impertecuons, than like the work Of matured
mediocrity. The greatest passage in the oratorlo
Is the opening Of the second part IN tina
chorus "The Son Of Man was delivered into
the hands Of sinful men," Here the composer rises
to pitch OF tragic grandeur and power which We look
for in vain In many oratoros which would as whole
take much higher rank than ST. Peter The instrumental
Lament" after the Growing Of the cock has also many
passages OF great power and beauty. The final chorus
Of the first part Awake thou that sleepesi Wholly
fine and Is one OF the few choruses In the oraoro has
remind us Of Mr.. Paine's earlier style. The opening
chorus with its two contrasted themes, "The time "
fulfilled, the kingdom Of Heaven IS at hand ana re-
peut" is also strong THE chorus is Of the best as
well as one OF the most elaborate pieces OF writing III
the whole work. Among the queter choruses "o
notice Remember whence thou art auen, IN the nfs'
part, and IF 20 then be risen with Christ IN inc
second part. as peculiarly beautiful The solos arc ID
general the weakest part Of the work From TINS "s
would, however. emphacay except the scene between
Christ and Peter where Christ gives the injunction.
Feed my sheep" which is perfect gem Of senst-
bility and grace Very beautiful also. Is the qusrtes
"Foed the Flock Of God" whore the quiet. pastoral