New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-23
MUSIC.
THE GARDEN CONCERTS.

THE GARDEN CONCERTS.
The cordiality with which Theodore Thomas
va received Tuesday evening. when he returned W
Nis post after short holiday. was gratifying hdcaoh
that connosseur Of music appreciate the value OF MS
yabors for Tie advnncement Of art. and understand
what an exceptional position he occupies among
the musicians of the country. The ADMINISTRATIONS "
welcome repeated on the subsequent evenings
with considerable emphasis Last night 'he'c "'a "a"
unusually large audience and programme OF particular
interest large proportion OF the pieces on wch were
either quite new ut least fresh MI Iho'HaS CON
Quoted.
Overture. hicestc i'%
Passacaglia
seIee toms ms rom the Sd Act Of the Mester
sHs' '--- FART H.
svmphony No l. IN f. Conservation Of Sounds spOhr
Rbapsodie oncroise No. I............-...-- List
Kohahk. ~, ~ ", Up f''-'.'-''' Mozart
The overture 10 Acesc" has not been played here by
the Thomas orchestra until within few days. ior
strange a. It may it is only year or
40 since New York began to learn something OF
the masterpieces Of the great composer and retormer
from whom Wagner traces bis artistic lineage. Al
cest IL one Of the nobcs though not the very foremost
OF his works and the overture shows all that 10 I'M ana
statuesaue macnihcence which S his most STRIKING
characteristic For Gucks music we imagine Thomas
mnst have peculiar fondnoss. The perfect drill OF the
orchestra counts for great deal in a work
whose best and broadest effects are attained py
a comparatively simple management OF sUlhS
harmones but besides this the eloquent
Interpretation shows unmi~takaby the influence OF
conductor in close sympathy only with thu cNe'utaiS
but the composer. still finer last night was the
Bach Pns.acagla" an arrangement for the or
chestra by IL. Esscr. Of which We can hardly speAh
too highly Here have the old master IN one OF MS
grand and stately moods and the art by when the or
chestra led by almost mpercoptbe gadaton' OF force
through crescendo which fairly takes the imagination
captive unequaled except by Bach himself This '"o
performed with the strictest ndehy ana Win eo'
trica spirit
The Hungarian Dances" by Hoffman, are new There
are two OF them both exceedingly brilliant ana daSnS
and both showing rather more of the Gypsy y"Fo hhu'
we should JUDGE of the real national spIit, than the
Hungarian dances by Brahms which have become 80
popnlar though merely music the Brahms dances are
the best The gorgeous Introduction Quintet and Finale
from tho third Act OF the Meistersnger brought the
first part Of the concert to an effective close
But for the length of the nermissons, the spor sym
phony would have had curious effect sandwiohed be-
tween Wagner and List A. it was, lis suaVe ana h
cious harmonies separated by such wide
intervals from the rest OF the programme that
not much OF its beauty was sacIllced Inc
adversarie Of the school set great store by Spo
vet here best and most popular orchestral Wolk
they have veriiable " programme music" which they
are accustomed 70 denounce as an outrage ana an
absurdty The symphony written to Illustrate
a poem by Carl Pfeifer on music ~ an
element Of natural beauty. The first movement
Largo and Acgro depicts the gloom OF chaos before
the creation sound contrastod with the brightness
which burst forth when the music OF nature began TO
breathe through the woods and echo along the shore
The composer fingers hut moment in the uncertainty OF
chaos he breaks fluent song after very few meas
ures and the uproar of the elements supposed 10
be Indicated by the closing part OF the movement
il but "a gentle and We'll conducted coinmotion
The second movement (And,ntno, Allegro, Andantinol
symbozes the music of love. and consists OF charming
cradle song short and merry dance, and beautiful
serenade given to a solo yOlOucellO Then for the trd
movement CTcmp0 di Marcia Andante MaestOsol, We
have a fine military march, mingled with tender strains
suppscd TO express the emotions OF waiting and anxious
wives and followed by choral hymn OF thanksgiving
after victory. The last movement tIarghettO Aegrett
comprises a drge which gives place 10 more grateful
vet still sad theme. entitled consolation IL grlef'
The work crowded with beauties Int IL has Spohrs
characteristic fault The soft chr0matic haTmonic-
soon coy the taste and the composers care 10 avoid
harshness has undoubtedly been carried too far Mercn
forms are strictly followed that even chaos ana battle
might almost he ohaucd and partly IN consequence OF
this eTsmimato sofnes-, partly perhaps IN consequence
of the nature OF the subject. the climax of interest Is
reached before The Last movement is begun