New-York tribune., 1875-02-22

MUSIC.
MUSIC.
NEW.YORK PHILHARMONIC society,".

Symphony NJ. o. IN minor} Op 70 tarst trnr) spobr
A5as@'s Acnlr1" grave ed Allegro earsGe,'c Es,s .,'.
Concerto for piano aud orchestra In A minor,
Up Mr. :. s. Nils. ''''""'"n
Overture Ruler Of tho Spirits Weber
PARr II.
sympn1gnc g pos Iasso Lamento fnonfo Ls1.
Mr. r. Bergner.
Fest Overture. Op. 81 Carst ume) Inssen
The symphony OF s2ohrs affords excellent eI-
ample OF the high attauments OF this admirable
musician, and also marks In very decided way ths
limits or bis power IL Is full OF the most graceful
FORMS the gentlest melodies. the SUGGESTIONS
soft aud luscious harmonics As we listen We tiDk OF
Gates and dainties" aud soft lights tinged with warm
and delicate hucs. But ono tires Of 80 much sensual
beauty, ard when the composer attempts more yigot
Gus cor example in the first half of the scherao
1T is easy TO that the luxurious nature
which would have tossed unsasy q cruupled
rose-leaf" lacks tie fire OF true gcn'us. Tfers
Is much enduring charm IN "eDer'
energetic and romantic overture. :" The Ruler OF
the Spirits" which Theodore Thonas revived
last Summer after 1t had been long neglected IL was
originally designed as the Introduction TO an opera on
the German popular legend Of Rubesa the sprite OF
the Rlesengebnrge a boyish undertaking OF Webers
which was never completed. Many years aitet"ard
the overture entirely remodeled. and puonsbod
under the title "Beherrseher der Geister III mas
OF Webers peculiarly beautiful melody than tbo
oyertures Der FrciscLjtz" and Oberon. but other
charoterstIcs of his style very disinc In It, Tho
composer himself placed high value upon H. ana tho
world has approved hs judsment. Both tue overture
aud the symphony well played. tho symphony as
we should predicted being much the better 0f Iho
two.
Lz.ts $50" was not altogether satisfactory. Mr
Bergman himself has all the acute perception OF tho
delicate shades Of which tho composer attempts
TO convey, and undoubtedly comprehends tho strong
contrasts and peculiaries OF tone and accent which
Lszt declares essential to the proper Interpretation Oh
his symphonic poems. He has also some remarkably
good performers in his orchestra-noably among tho
reed and lute playerssnd he ought to produce much
more picturesque effect with this class OF music than he
seems able to obtain There no passages on satr
day which c0ul complain Of as coarse OF lneorrect
but the general result was certainly little disappont
ing. Oae thing rightly complain OF as unworthy
this eminent Society," aud that is the omission
OF the bass clarinet The most charactenr
tic portion OF the "Tasso" ID the Lament
which Lszt borrowed from the venetian
gondolers AT its first introduction ALLEGRO meStO Is
gwen to the bass clarinet accompanied principally by
the harp Melodlc passages follow for the yions aud
then for the voloncelo and delightful effect pro
dcod By the succession Of these instruments so aeea
bly, contrastei and yet In respects so much alike
The composer does indeed allow three vioonceAos
muted to be substituted for the bass clarinet In case
the latter cannot be obtained and this tho
expedient 10 winch the Philharmonic Society resortea
on Saturday the serious injury, as we thDk OF the
which only fit for small provincial bands The bass
clarinet in the hands Of good player. like Mr. Boehm.
who held 1t when "TassO" performed by this Soci
ety four years ago, grand effect which no other in
strument can initiate.
The Festival Overture by L,ssen. living Danish com
poser. s founded upon welknowa German popular
song II is admirable piece Of work, the harmonies
being elaborate and the Instrumentation
very effective but the theme is too familiar The SOLO
performances were worthy OF all praise. Scdumanns
delicious pianoorte concerto received superb inter
pretatIon from Mr.. s. B. Mills who played with all his
and quick poetical perception and with tho
needed fire and majesty likewise; aud Mr.. Bergnet do
lIyered the tender aud emotional Adago by Bargisi
with the beautiful tone and sympath tio touch for
which he has long been presulnens among our Vloon
cellsts.
ABSOLUTE MUSIC AND PROGRAMME MUSIC.
Mr.. Richard Grant White says, in the March
number OF The GALAXY;
acrcism OF OF the recent Thomas concerts the
hon certainly showed himself to be an incel
gent and dlrcrimiuan musician 10 remarked OF 0ne
Lszts orchestral compositions that absolute MUSIC
t yory little vaue out that when considered tho
a7GnS- sfsnms ia, SS furnished L s: sssJgy
n'the orchestra began TO have some meaning wOu.
seem, tnen that Ia the mind OF this apoogst there 10
than kind of music We all know, indeed that
there various kinds or musietn certain sense
vocal aud lnstrune Dta siastcai secular lyric
ami dramatic choral, o,cnestrai. music grave gay.
lively Or severe. But the distinction In question was
not ut all this II recognized ference noe
the character OF musical compositions. but in their
actual musical quality. According TO this apprehension
musical quality erent and without relation To
with series of facts which It Is supposed p
ilus,ratc-or may be dependent for 10 quality ana
value upon the knowledge OF such facts by mo bearer
Briefly, it divides music into absolute MUSIC aud de-
pendent music II this distinction II VALID have Ia
IL revelation but not therefore necessarily false
IN the aesthetics OF the art. Mu-c, until now has been
supposed TO consist in melody and harmony; andnta
beauty has been REGARDED as being peculiarly seiide
pendent, or within ITSELF"
And Mr.. White adds that "musc Is the mere manifes
tatiou OF OF beauty winch s embodied In forta
of sound that springs up the composers mind" thas
the beauty and the consequent art yaueo the form
which hose sounds take is not dependent upon any
fact which the composer may may net have told,
which the hearer may may not have learned" Meb
ody beautiful iu itself and for ter Such" be con
tinues, "s music has been thus Tar revealed ts
aud accepted by mankind"
Tue distinction. however to which Mr.. White takes
exception is by new. Absolute Music" IL
the phrase used by Richard Wagner TO denote melody
which solely for the sake Of beauty and
has reference TO the manifestation Of feeling He In
ssts that the highest kind Of music ought To upos
the foundation OF some poetieal impulse. and that
the development OF mere beauty Of form shouid
be subordinate TO the expression OF emotion
But this theory did not originate with Wsr
ner Gluck set 1t forth hundred ago. 81
sought" this great master, to bring back the
music lot the operal 10 its true function. that
OF soeonding tho poetry In order to strengihes
the expression Of the sentiments aud the interest OF the
situations. without interrupDg the action by supernu
believed that the music ought TO be
TO the poem what the lights and shadows to cor
rect and we'll managed drawing. giving life to the ng
without altering the outlInea My music
tends only 10 strengthen the expression and gse
phasis the delivery of the poetry" His methods
different from Wagner, bur tho two composers
agree the of absolute melody must yield
10 the p1etical mpulse. Beethoven appIed ths sano