The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-04-25
WHOLE NUMBER 1857

reuCy 10 CrOWn tne llNlIR DTOW VI oIl'
who has received the worlds acknowl
edgment of his greatness during hi
life time.
OF all his numerous orders and dec
orations the Able wore but one, q
small red silk button fastened on his
left breast. He seated himself, the
orchestra lifted their instruments, the
director raised his baton, and turned
to await the nod of Liszt before begin
ming. The director, Herbeck, stood so
as to face both Liszt and the orchestra,
and it was soon quite evident that he
directed only through Liszt, who was
the center, the soul and the ilspira-
ton of all. No trace of nervousness
was visible in his manner The piece
to be played was "The Wanderer Fan
tasie," for piano, by Schubert, ar
ranged by IIiszt for orchestra. The
silence which preceded the opening
chords was almost painful. The audi
ence seemed to hold their breath In ex-
pectatiOn; every eye was riveted on
the black-robed figure at the piano;
every ear was strained to catch the
opening notes. Liszt raised his hand,
gave nod to the director and the
music began. Those who were so for
tunate as to be able to see his
face, surely saw nothing else. Calm
and colorless, like on apparition from
some unknown world, he seemed to
think of nothing but the music. In
some delicate passage where the Or
chestra was silent, he would appear to
be IN ali ecstacy of delight. A sweet
smile played about the mouth and the
eyes, raised aloft, seemed to be looking
into another world. Liszt is sixty
three years old and styles himself an
invalid, saying that he cannot play
any more, but there was no evidence
of lack of force or fire or passion in his
touch. The long slender fingers have
n marvellous rapidity of execution and
the wrists wondrous power. The
pianos used were from the Rosendorfer
mandatory and were fine instruments,
but to me it seemed that they failed to
give adequate expression to the genius
that was playing upon them. wanted
to hear more fullness, more resonance,
more of the singing quality, but per-
haps the best piano ever made would
not have reen equal to the occasion.
AS the last tone died away the pent
up feelings of the audience broke forth
i'm peals Of applause, clapping of hands
and loud cries of acclamation. Again
and again did Liszt appear, bowling his
acknowledgements, and was at last
Obliged to refuse to appear in order to
have silence once more restored.
The second division of the pre-
gramme opened with "Festival En-
trance march and chorus" from the
opera of the "Queen ofSaaba," by Gold
mark. This opera belongs to the "new
school," and has never been performed
in public. 1t will, ofcourse, meet with
opposition from those who oppose the
''new school," and Liszt was only true
and protector of works of this kind,
when he requested that the selection
first placed upon the programme IN
this place should be removed, and this
"March and Chorus" substituted. He
knows very well how much the ap-
proval of Liszt will assist in making
the fortune of u new applicant for the
favor of the musical world. 1t is rela-
ted of him that while in Paris he made
the acquaintance of Berli0z, who was
vainly endeavoring to obtain q foot
hold in public opinion. He complained
somewhat to Liszt of the reception he
met with. The result was that List
attended the next concert at which
Berlioz performed and applauded his
playing almost frantically. All eyes
were attracted towards him; he was
recognized and Berlioz at once took a
position among the first musicians of
Paris.
Goldmark's "March. and Chorus"
though lacking the effect that its pro-
duction upon the stage, with all the
adjuncts of scenery and acting would
give it, was yet very effective, filled
with brilliant Instrumentation, rhyth-
mic, fresh and energetic. The COM
poser was called out twice, which was
high mark of commentator consid-
ering how all lesser lights paled in tue
glow and brilliancy of the great lumin-
ary, Liszt.
Mendelssohn's forty-third psalm, for
eight voices, followed by Fugue for
double chorus, orchestra and organ,
by Bach, came next in order, directed
by Brahms The first was most effec-
tually sung, and was well received but
the audience were too impatient for
the grand finale to appreciate Bach.
Tie last came at last-the great
Hungarian Rhapsodie," by Liszt,
which has tried the skill, the patience
and power of all the great modern
pianists, and which, under their
hands, has appeared rough and un-
musical, but which under the of its
creator blOomed in enchanting har-
mony. Through 1t sounded the wild,
wierd strains of the song of the Ligeu-
ners, those wild, wandering children
of Hungary, we heard the flute of the
Shepherd, the symbaps clang, mingled
with the quick strains of the violin
and the dancing feet of Gipsy maidens;
but through all we saw and heard
only Liszt, the greatest of Hungary's
musical children, the one of whom she
may well be proud, although he neith-
er speal-s or understands the Hungari-
an language. If the applause which
followed the Schubert Rhapsodie"
was enthusiastic, that which came at
ter the "Hungarian Rhapsodie" was
phrenzied The audience arose from
their seats, there was clapping of
hands, mingled with loud and enthu-
siastic cries in various languages, but
all full of the same meaning. The
members of the "Sing Verein" crowd
ed about him, and amid all the tumult
stood List, his face and figure con-
trasting SO strangely with the scene
about him.
1t was day and scene long to be re-
membered. Such an oration comes
seldom 10 men in their lifetime. There
were eyes moist with tears that looked
upon the gray head and expressive
face and there were hearts so touched
that TO have given expression to their
feelings there would have been no
medium but sobs.
Long after his last appearance the
audience waited vainly, hoping to
catch one more glimpse of him. Then
those who stood nearest began pluck
ing the wreaths and flowers from the
planes as precious mementoes. / re-
ceiyed a rosebud and few ivy leaves,
which are to me tangible tokens of one
of the greatest days of my life, the day
when l saw and heard List.
c. A.
WE greatly regret to see that, in con-