, 1874-08-09
THEODORE THOMAS.

large. beautiful object, instead Of a pillow tieG
in tue middle, with general air Of asphyxia-
THEODORE THOMAS.
A Night In the Central Park Garden.
Nes Io5k Core spondrcs Of f Worcester {Aass] spy
He who IL not utterly 9 barbarian, bang IN
New York, goes to hear Theodore Thomas or
chestra~ lie who has tasts goes often. 4 ride
OF almost mles by carr,age or hoTse-ear
place. It IL opposite the Seventh avenue gate
to the park. A. one aismounts he looxs up at a
white front, with sulmonnting row Of globe
ras-hshts, an d reads the usme = SCentra Park
Garlen," ia tarlng colossal letters. Tue build
ing is unprt 'tentious, at least on the outside.
painted cell ng aid he&r the thru0ming OF ths
musicians az they tune their Instruments Be-
fore entering: cast glance at the trees that
stretch iuto the park spd at the motley crowd
gathered OF, the open lots across The street;
These are they who have musical longings but
have not tle. disposition or tie cash to euter the
"Garden." The, therefore enjoy free concert
outside, acd. from the rocks which they are
perched ha re also very fair view OF the inside
Of the built ling.
But it il tive minutes to g. and people are
stresmiug in. The price Of admission is SO cents.
Purchasing . tcaet you ATE admitted into a
long gale ry, rllch, il you proceed directly.
leads to ,ln outdoor promenade, with chairs.
benches, I'D tables gravel walks, grass. foun-
taius, aud colored Lights. A pa:> is rooted, out
the rest lis open to the sky, and the evening
breeze con les iu with delicious frcshness Hero
you may 81 t IT pleasure, take your cream Fater-
ice, soda, 'or--be It said-beet, watch the stars.
listen to he music, aud talk the latest small
talk. all SIT once. But il, instead Of passing
through t]ae gallery spoken OF above, you turn to
tho right immediately after eutaaos, you como
into the paau hall aud copcert-soon- Here ara
many sun!l! tables, surrounded BY half-dozen
chaiTs; nd there are longer tables nnd settees,
aud near the orchestra are chairs with no tables,
but set in rows for the USE of those who Like
th.t. At ono eud that next the open garden d.
scribed before, IL the stand Tor the musicl2na.
rery roor2y and sFacious.
At the other and il gallery NTH boxes an
other acc omnodations for those who wish to bs
more private or moro conspicuous thau tie
general. The ceiling IL very high. sud the dec
orations are very gaudy. There are portraits Of
tie u1,ls ters OF music, drawn vito very free
hand and there are chcrubs, angels, cupids, Or
what E:t,l-:he artist doubtiess know-sporring
about in joviAl manner, climbing after grapes.
shootlna: Oft arrows, and very merry every way.
Large windows and doors a1e on every side
Of the b .a] leading to tue open air promenade.
Adjoiui ng the large ball. aud beyond it as Jon
bar-roo IN properly speakinR. There appears N
affinity between bee1-dr4nking aud 1nusic-loring,
and he 70 the union il seen IN ltd perfection
You dispose Of yourself al you choose. Il
alone, you vii! probably prefer 70 e, sit Oh the
see everybody aud study manners and dresses.
But il you have party you will cit around QUO
of tht, tables. AEd De as social aud untTammeleo
as po: :ssible. Occasionally waiter, with napkin
and ,:aoney in one hana, and. most probably,
glassGn Of bear IN the other, 1lts by you. What
ever you wish. call for, whether to eat or drink
II you have money you shall get 1t, .nd may
slowly consume it upon your table while the
music plays.
BET. the ball fills, and the orchestra is about to
begin. You count them; there are h1tv: The
leader has not come yet. His giided stand only
il bofo1e you. Soon stout man, not yet 4o,
with full face OF German cast, mustaehe OF
brown, and q general pleasing expression IN fea-
tures and form, comes to tue pla> Ihls 's
Taamas, Theodore" as hiB aimirera fondiY
call him. He is in lu1l dress. and tuning over
his music takes bis baton to begin. Except that
Of few yaudals, the conversation ceases, aud
all d5yete themselves to hearing. smoking. aud
drinking. Fur smoking ia allowed. smoking IL
necessity to our Teuton cousins, and it il they
who hsve made possible this garden, this orches-
tra. these magnificent nights OF harmony. VI
cour.se they will smoke, aud We Americans adopt
the custom.
Tile programme is in three parts. Each part
is atout half-hou1 long, aud usually Contains
fou1: pieces, an overture, q waltz, march.
ba!int unless, as often. sone romance or sym
pho mic poem replaces the march or ballet. Such
naaaes as Schubert Meyerbeer, Wagner, Beetho-
ver, Strauss, Liszt kossinr, appear i'll every
eye'ning'e selection. How shall l describe tue
plyiug, tho perfect harmony, the grace Of exrcu-
ton, tue rising md the faAng, the thunder and
tb 70 sunlight, the tales they tell Us. the dreams
th or inspire, the far-on conceptions. OF which, as
one listens. ne obtains glisnpse7 Il we're I'M
possible. Mu-ic. like moonlight can't be repro
duced. 1t has no limitations.
Last night was INTRODUCED selection from
Muchldorfer, illustrating scenes IN tho Merchant
Of Venice. First Was portrayed the delicious
babbling together Of Portia and Ne5issa in act l,
sceue ., wherein Nerissa names over her mis-
tress' suitors, while Porti2 levels at them &C
.:ording to their deserts" And after tue glee
aud jests OF this passage, came the moonlight
scene, in Portals park, with its deep reflection.
It's musings Of philosophy, and its notes OF lore
soft ~ doye's oooing. Scarcely bad the audi
eace regaued it, spLits,-"for we are never
merry when we bear sweet music. ."-betore the
wiud strains Of the ballet in Robert 10 Dlable,'
demopiac sud complaining, filled the air. After
each part, tho musicians leave the stage, and
thara IL general stir aud movement OF the au-
dience, The interniasou is twenty minutes
long; and il you have no disposition for creams,
iccn, punch, cobbIerH, Rhine vine. or beer. you
will at least wish to promenade through the ball
and garden. until the next part. 50 everybody
does, until roll Of the drum calls back players
aud hearers.
And thus through second and third part Z;
30 that it is past II when the entertainment
ends. Yon will ree tall sorts at these concerts,
and it is not necessary TO . diess." Few rude
pcrsons are found and yet tue more select people
70 less often than they would il there were not
the objectionable featurss Of smoking and
drinking. Sometimes persons arc fnund who
fol get themselves, aud talk aloud during the
music, disturbing all about them. But they are
likely to get lesson in manners from "1hao-
aore" During the selections from the 81 Mer~ |
chant OF Venice" last right, such an annoyance
occurred Thomas stopped the orchestra, and in
lead silence turned toward the takers, now quiet
enough, looked at them with a grim look for
some seconds, received the applause Of the |
house, and resumed the mueic 1T The beginning. |
At the close OF the piece the t1anagressors left
The hail. no doubt in bad temper.
Theodore Thomas Nas teacher Of music in
this CITY before the late var. In the war he
served, am told. as a band leader. K1B chArao-
teristic points are love Of the classic and deli
.acy in execution. There is music in every wave
II bis baton. His success in Cincinnati in =
great festival Of muec, and here, two years ago,
u Introducing the Handel and Haydn Society Of
Boston to New York audience, have mada his
n4:.s the synonym Of good taste and merit.
Dueljng in the German Array.
Tie German Emperor has issued general