New-York tribune., 1874-05-18
their frat appearance in this o,y to =, ,o,oxoa h,
BOstonA Nv - io"V"oH W sno
MUSIC.
TIE GARDEN CONCERTS

The Garden Concerts have opened this sea-
son with uDusaly fine promise. The attendance been
excelent-even during tho hard storm OF Friday night
there was respectable gathering OF ladies and gen
tiemen-tho audiences seem TO be Of better quality
than ever, and the programmes arc certainly stronger
than they have been before or the pieces played on
Thursday and Friday evenings those that awakened
the heartest response from the public were tho
Andane from Beethoven's minor Symphony and the
selection from the first Act OF "Lohengrin" There vn
other arrangement from Wagner. namely, the re-
markable quintet, Die sege Morgentraum Deutyeise
from the third Act Of the MeisterslDgcr.' Mr.
Thomas played 1t last season in connection with
the Introduction finale, and other portions
Of tho same Act. Wagners operate music always
suffers by separation from its proper associations aud
the only satisfactory way OF arranging for concert
is to present. Mr.. Thomas usually does, compre-
hcnsiye synopsis Of entire Act II Interesting 10
compare with these rich and characteristic specimens Of
tho school three representative overtures by
posers exerted a powerful influence upon the de-
yeopment OF Wagners genius To Weber the author of
tho "Kuustwerk der ZIkunft" makes frequent and
grateful reference and 1t certainly IL not difficult TO
trace a certain similarity OF flavor between the roman
ticism of Lohengrin" and that OF Der Freischdz"
There Is less of this resemblance. however in the oyor
ture to Weber'S early operetta Of "Abu Iassan.'
which Mr.. Thomas produced for tho first
time Thursdy-a charming work which
ought not to be laid aside. II Weber was
the first TO mako deep impression upon Wagner's
youthful mind spontni Of the first to show
him the possibilities Of musical and dramatic combina-
tlons which nobody hitherto had dreamed OF. spontni
and Cherubni foremost among the immediate sue
OF Cluck IN that renovation OF the opera which
gave such peculiar glory to the French stage, and 1.
in the school OF which they were the leaders that
Wagner took his first practical lessons IN the musical
drama "Nurmahal" is not one OF SpOntinls master
pieces but the overture. played Thursday night Is
nadm
compact. aud clearthe work Of man who sure Of
his and master OF his art. In CheruDlns overture
"The Watercarrier played the next night, Il
recognize the same ipolshed school, but there per
haps little Stiffness in the master whom AdJphs
Adam absurdly enough called moderator sent into
the world to restrain the "eccentrctes" OF the dsc
pies OF Haydn. Mozart, and Beethoven. The Water
carrier howeyer oettor known by it, French title Lea
deux Journ6es Is universally recognized as one of tho
best productions OF composer who stands midway be-
tween ancient and modern musicians.
Hoffman,, whose "Tungarian Suite" we described
when 1t was first performed at Seinway Hall matinee
about month ago, Is Of the most modern OF the
modern IN his orchesraton which is rich aud effective
In tho Basng his Suite, as We should
judge Characteristic popular airs. he has gwen II
tunefu rhythmic movement which catches tho popular
ear, while its bright cOorng and sklful developments
OF themes will commend 1t TO more critical listeners IL
was played twice last week general applause An
other novelty pretty Scherzo entitled "A 'isoh'
by II. stienl: it has all the gentleness Of ReVery.
with much OF the vivacity that appertans 10 tho
tempo in which il IS written. G0urou's over
ture TO his comic opera lie Medecn magre lu," writ
ten in 1853. and played for the first time at these con-
certs on Friday pleasant combination Of the spirit
OF comedy with a certain oi-fash!oned Formally. An
overture by Mr. Dudley Buck OF Boston was played the
evening. 1t is taken from al unpublished and un
| performed cantata. Tho Legend OF Don Munio."
founded on OF Washington Iryngs Spanish stories.
Mr. Buck writes with grace and elegance. His melodies
pleasing, his scoring is excellent he attempts moth
ing for which he is not fully equipped, and the general
character of his overture is fresh and cheerful Among
the less familiar works produced last week we're
the whole Of Beethoven's beautiful and too mueh neg
| ected 81 SYMPHONY Bargel's "Tnree German
Dances" and that curious but delightful freak oil Men,
delssohns the from the Reformation Symphony