New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-10
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
MUSIC.
CURIOUS CoNTRAsTs-PROGREss AND CoSsERV-
ATISM.


tlc ,ooat recent COMPOSERS OF school which has already
reached It's period Of dccadence. and last night Hue
tra.cd for the gradual unfolding OF now pattern o.
ART which, according to its disciples, has probably not
yet attained It's full development Richard wagner u
he logical successos though not precisely the ougrowh
OF Franz Lszt and both derived invaluable aid from the
earlier innovations of Hector Beroz Hence there was
peculiar interest In the following programme, executed
Iast evening:
Overture lie Carneval Roman Rerioz
Symphony Harold IN Italy "...........:.; BeIioz
Obbisao VIOLA Mr.. Baetens Harp, Mr. LOCKWOOD
symphonic Poem, Les PTcudes .Iiszt
''0 '''''''' Mr. A. H. Bischod.
Mephsto Waltz, Lenau's" Faust. .L''z'
Introduction and Finale Tristan und Isolde" wasner
3eiymunds Loyo Song, lat Act "Walkire "....Wagnef
Mr. A. H. BschOf.
Kaiser March ."usb'A
Bo,icz did great hing for the French lyric stage ny
introducing romant,csm In opera mt q time when TIC
musical drama bound In the strctest bands OF classic
Journalism But he went further than Weber In Ger
many had gone before him, and he lacked that lhde-
Unable poetic beauty which makes Weber so dear 10
every sympathetic heart In the direction OF the sym
phony he did much more for he was virtually tDe III
vcntor Of programme music OF which VIC hnd III mar
old In Italy" oae OF the earliest and most successfni
examples. II it, mainly, however, as ref0rmcr OF inc
orchestra that he has influenced his age lie discovered
in It thousand which previous musicians had
rot sspcctcd lie devised uses for familiar instr
Iucns invented marvellous combinations ana inca
the boldcs eyIelimcnts ti the most Brilliant results
IN tie management Of instruments all later composers
without exception must acknowledge themselves MS ds
ciIlcs List, however, by the invention OF the SYM
phonic Poem, put this art to higher uses
tian BeIlioz understood, and 1t Is interest
ing TO observe how much more Freely tne
poetic impulse INDUCED in the spontaneous strains Oh
"Ls Preludes" than in the romantic and beautiful out
still somewhat labOrcd measures OF Harold LiSLt I'D
fact IL man Of much poetic nature than the French
composer and OF oltier purposes In Wa9ner the prh
cipes and discoveries both attain their ripe fruit he
learned something from both Le borrowed grand or
chesr fleets from Berli0z he caught Inspiration anu
management from List; the germs Of his art theory
moreover be traced back TO Gluck Mehu. Sponni'
aud Weber But, for all that the thoughts and metods
of Wagner practically original ard his Theory, instead
of being formed IN advance grew slowly out OF his works
as they took shape under his hands Nobody before hin
Lad dreamed OF giving free rein to the poetic Impulse In
olera as Lisz did IN the symphonic poem and Wagner
did 1t only when he FELT the mpossbity Of expressing
lis emotions Tic conventional forms OF aria, recita
tive, and ensemble This the kernel VI ns feioT" "no
il ia wholly his own
The selections from these three composers IAt
night were not only interesting in themselves but
ni.lly characteristic The "Roman Caravan
overture wb.ch forms tie introduction TO the second
Act OF Bcrlioz' opera OF "Benyenuto Ceilhi," Is
magnificent example OF the ingenious soaring OF the
treating melodies, aud it Las always been fsvorfe
piece with OicnestIas capable of overcoming It's di'u-
ties. Harold" has been played 40 much since Thomas
revived it year ago that IL needs no description ITO
"Preludes" ID the most popular and fluent OF Lszts
symphonic poems, and the MepistO Waltz " Is an Illus
traon Of those daring flights OF extravaganza WIN
which he SD often the enthusiasm OF his most tie
voted admirers and either puzzles or irritaes all the
rest Of the world. Yet there Is something more In THIS
than holiness extravaganza, and startling effects, Tor
the composition (which is rather long is close success
sion Of the most vivid and picturesque passages
specimen OF LISTS music which did not contain at
least ore Of his songs would give very Inadequate idea
OF this remarkable composer 1t Is in the song that ne
has carried the principle OF poetic freedom to the
greatest length He Is a poet" says Franz Huener'
aud nothing but poet His music, Iesrd WITHOUT
the Interpretation Of the words. would In most
cases seem incoherent sequence OF beautiful,
Inr lodons snaches interrupted by declamatory pas
sgcs and only connected by indcfnabe continuance
OF sentiment" This criticism applies but imperfecty TO
the Iorcley" which Mr. Blschof sang with Gu much
feeling and intelligence last night with the composers
own orchestral accompaniment; yet Lszt has sacrificed
everything here the meaning Of the poem, 80 that the
ordinary form OF the song has entirely disappeared
Il can hardly have escaped general notice last night
that when reached the third part Of the programme
we seemed to into q clearer aud more iDvgorang
atmosphere. Bcrlioz and Lszt sometimes puzzlng
and ndistnc; Wagner Is as open as MONDAY The diff
ference was especially percepble In the songthe won
dcriu love song which segmund breathes his passion
for Scgpde In the opening scene Of the Waliire-a
gem OF sustained melody ami pure feeling to which
we find no parallel In any OF tho earlier
writer's of the modern school,. This too was
admirably sung and had to be repeated. Tho other
Wagner selections familiar but they seemed moro
Interesting than last night when compared them
with previous pieces the programme and saw how far
Wagner surpass List in emotional expression and
cxrecd even Bcrlioz in the slcndor Of bis instrumental
combinations. The orchestra played with marvellous
nsiration and the audience unusuly enthusiastic,
especially after the "Love-song" and Les PNlndes"
The concert on Tuesday evening presented an aston
shng to this 1t devoted entirely to
the works OF modern English composers represented by
the following well CHOSEN programme:
PART
Overture "WoodDymphs;" Opus 20 Sterndale Bennett
Symphonic Poem, " Macbeth" Opus "a first nj,
Overture St john the Baptist. .Macfarren
Pant H.
Symphony in minor, Opus 4j first
T. Allegro moderate. 2 N nnetto 3. Romanza.
4. lntermezzo-RoIdO finale:
Harp solo. Welsh melody, The Ash Grove" j. Thomas
Mt. Adolphus Lockwood.
Dance Of Syinrhs and Reapeis{ pcst."....} sullivan
Overture al Bao.. sullivan
This very fair exhibition of what England
has done AMI is doing in the way OF music for the
orchestra. serndae Bennett, who holds the place Of
honor oh tine programme, Is probably the greatest ms
clan England has yet produced, il except Henry
Purcell and Purces fame, though he applied himself to
all species OF composition rests chiefly upon his writings
for the stage. Macfarren who succeeded Bennett few
months ago In the profcssorship OF music at Cambridge
IL one OF the distinguished of living musical scholars
and has won celebrity as harmOnst. Arthur Sullivan
Is ut the most accomplished, the most melodious
and the most interesting Of the younger generation OF
English musicians OF Picrson shall speaA presently
The three representative composers Bennett Macfacn
and Sullivan are seen here their best. The "Wood
nymphs" stands first among Bennetts oycrtures. Its
elegant fances, its fine and perfect texture, its