New-York tribune., 1874-11-09
MUSIC.
FIRST SYMPHONY CONCERT.


phony Concerts has opened with the most brilliant
prospects, not only OF artistic interest Of popular
succcss Steinw II III was crowded on saturday
ing with an audience OF the best quality To those
who hayo carefully watched Mr. Thomass hoDorabIs
course ank who understand not ouly what he has
already pshed in the pOpuiariz ition OF the hga
forms OF musical art but what he Is ambitious OF nn
dertakng IN additou tae evidence Of puiie spprecla
ton ch the past week has aJrdci must be nexpres
siby gratifying Thom has sucreefed after ten years
OF almost heroic exsrtJn establishing the rst real
orchestra America has heard, Oor 1t Is only per-
maneDt band that deserves the OF orchestral
and whit reated almost revolution Ia public
taste. Thanks chiefly to his laborj COUNTY,
has row outstriDpei both Fame and England
In the cultivation. tho enjoyment AMI the comprchen
sion Of symphonic mnsc and 1t wOui soon rival even
Germany II the nImber OF orchestrls bore faii
the taste OF audiences Bat Tdomass friends
are well that h. has only tIkea the first steps
toward rea.z Itca OF scheme wGca II life. heath
and pubc favor continued TO him, viii make New
YORK OF the great mscdl ceners OF the world ana
the remarkable advance in popularity which the SYM
phonY Concerts have jast made ia especially vdluibis
because 1t bings nearer 10 the project for VINCE
Thomas has been 80 long working.
The programme OF the concert Saturday night was
one OF the most interesting presented IN Stenwdy HiD
for a long while, Tie folio ying were the selections
PART l..
Symphony. "IaTOld n Iaiy," o.. BerlO1
l. Harold in the Mountains. tSe'ncs OF MELANCHOLY
Happiness and Joy) 80. ,.,-.
q Mar,h ana Evening Prayer OF the Pilgrim
B. sereuade OF M0an'anc,r Of the AbT'zzl u hr
Beloved.
4. Orgies OF the Bugands
ObblIgIto by Mr.. Chas. Bietens. Harp Mr. A
Lockwood
Concerto Piano. Or. 1C, tnew) .EIvard Geg
MI. +. Boscoyiiz ana Orrhesra
PART H.
Symphony. No Eroca Beethoven
1. Allegro con Drio. 2 Marcia Funebie.
B. scheizI 4. Finale.
The Beriloz symphony. If VIC are not mistaken. had
been played only twice before in NswYOrk. NJ Thomis
produce for the first time In America ut OF his
annual concerts twelve before the
symphony S0rGes undertaken. He repeated II two
three years later On neither occasion was 1t appre
GATED The execution undoubtedly was far Inferior to
that OF last Saturday, and this is work which aoso
utely requires viruosO orchestra OF the highest
efficiency. But ten years ago New-York not pre-
pared to understand Harold" however we'll performed
and although a accomplished critics. like the late
William H. Fry OF The TRIBUNE, were prompt to
recognize its extraordinary beauties, TO the
great mass OF connosseurs Berlioz was as man who
before his time. In this work we had one OF the
earliest departures from the Journalism OF tho classical
symphony into the bOundless freedom Of the modern
school Of progress. II written long before tha
appearance OF Lszrs Symphonic Poems or Wagner's
"Einc Faust Symphonic" and although 1t Is no losger
ncompTehensible and barbaric to public which has
learned much familiarity with the Music OF the
Future have. tho ability to relish 1T Is still good
test OF the hearers tendencies towards the old and
perishing OF the and vigorous 1t has
been before tho world for forty years, and
we just beginning to listen to 1t. Well.
the greatest monuments OF Becthoyen's genius
stood still longer uncomprehended, and tho ro
mantcisIn OF Schumann is only hail
understood Tie triumph Of BerlI is undoubtedly
close hand and hdebouni critics, who saHd In the
way 70 frighten back, and protest that music has
been at a dead halt for half century AMI Is never
going forward more. cannot prevent IT, Tue Har-
old Symphony has been fully described Ia tho pro-
gramme-for 1t is a typical example OF that kind oi
music which cannot be enjoyed without an accompany
Ing verbal text-that we may spare our readers the
WEAKNESS Of fresh analysis. We fad in 1t not only
that wonderful command of the OF the orches
and surprising ingenuity IN the treatment of nstru
mens for which BcriOz has been admired By all
schools Of musicians, but also surprising wealth OF
beautiful and poetic fances. The nonody OF Harold
melodOus allegro the first movement, as well
as the scerzo and Of tho third OF the
brightest aud ceares tint. while the March aud Evening
Prayer the second never fail to entrance
tue whole audience learned and unlearned alike. In
the last movement "reminiscences Of all the preceding
themes woven into texture Of astonishing color
aud the symphony closes with finale OF dazzling
brightness and immense force. OF the impression OF the
work the audience We are in doubt what TO say
By q large number Of the most cultivated persons
present IL was received with delight; most OF the
others probably listened with interest and wonder. aud
wanted to hear it again. Ia Boston, where IL was
played last week, 1t to have caused conflict OF
cQues party denouncng 1t aud the other ciamor'
ing for its repetition. About tho excellence OF the per-
formance on Saturday there cannot be two intelligent
opinions. It was as perfection any we can hope
to hear.
The second piece the programme was hardly less
interesting than the rs Edward Grieg is young CON-
poser upon whom the eyes Of Europe have lately peen
tend with hopeful anticipation. He is 81 years OF age.
and was born In Bergen, Norway where his father was
Consul OF Great Britain. He was sent to the Leipsio
Conservatory by the advice of Ole Bull who discovered
his extraordinary fits when the boy Is old.
He studied under luptmann, Roneck,. Rietz Richter
and Paidy, and in 1867 settled at ChrlsaL, where he
still lives. He has published only about twenty COM
positions, including pianoforte pieces, songs and
choruses all OF them, 1t Is sad are distinctly original
and coored with the familiar national characteristics
The concero certainly Is charming It Is so fresh so
melodious brilliant and exquisitey constructed
that every musician will welcome 1t with enthusiasm as
precious addition to the pansts reperory 1t begins
with beautiful melody minor, an allegro
moderate striking both in theme AMI treatment which
is given out by wind instruments and repeated by
the plano with ingenious Celebrations. Ths second
theme equally charming and Is managed In substan
TALLY the same manner as the first The tremendously
elaborate cadenza furnished by the composer instead
of being left to the discretion Of the executant. Tho
second movement is delicious adagio in fat most
Of which Is given to the piano solo.
with an accompaniment Of muted strings, ana
it passes without pause the bold and passionate
finale which rushes on, gathering strength and fire. to
grand maestoso passage first delivered by the solo In
strument fortissmo and repeated with the whole force
of the band Mr.. Boscoviz interpreted the plano part
In this extremely difficult work with great taste and an
excellent technique, playing from memory
In the Heroic" symphony the orchestra gave sig