The Portland daily press., 1875-11-03
The Thomas Concert.

be counted on to draw,-a blister and the Theo-
dore Thomas troupe. The appearance of MI.
Thomas and his admirable orchestra has al
ways called out very large houses in Portland,
and that of last night was no exception. For
three years he was the chief attraction of the
Army and Navy course. The managers of the
Mercantile course were fortunate enough to Sc
cure him this season, and in so doing have pro
vided the Portland public with at least one
entertainment, superior in all respects and
calling only for warm praise. The Thomas or
chestra pleases both the educated and unedu-
Gated ear. Its perfect Instrumentation, and
admirable presentation of the noblest themes
of the great composers appeal to tho one, while
the briliancy and splendor of its execution
please the other. The audience last evening
was large and enthusiastic.
At eight o'clock Mr. Thomas stepped upon
the conductors stand and waved the magic
baton. The programme opened with SYM
phony of Beethoven in four numbers The
long drawn sweetness of the first, the ripping
melody of the second, the melodious fretfulness
of the third and the rapid rush of the fourth,
the notes almost tripping each other up in their
eagerness to be heard, combined to form a
brilliant, varied and yet harmonious work.
The unity of touch and perfection of phrasiug
and information with which the symphony was
given, left absolutely nothing to be desired.
The second selection on the programme gave
opportunity for the appearance of Madame
Madeline Shiller, supported by the orchestra,
10 concerted piece from Schumann, affording
scope FOR brilliant Instrumentation and varied
movement. Without assigning to Madame
Shiller position as one of the most distin
guished artistes of the day, high praise is GER
tainly due for her conscientious, accurate and
expressive playing. She interpreted the COM
poser with care and feeling, and showed an
easy and masterful touch; but she appeared to
be wanting in that contagious enthusiasm
which takes an audience with it and places the
nearer in full and rapturous sympathy with
both composer and executant.
The second part Of the concert opened with
LISTS Rhdpsodie Hongroise. an original an
powerful composition, brilliantly scored for the
instruments, which to appreciate calls for re
peated hearings, its solid merit being over
Swallowed on first rendition by the superb au-
dacity of orchestration.
Following the Rhapsodie came the gem Of
the concert, the exquisite "Chorus of Happy
Spirits in Elysium" and the ''Dauce of the Flu.
ries" from the "Orpheus'' of Gluck. These
afforded an admirable example of the strongly
contrasted dramatic treatment of Gluck's
operas. "Orpheus" was a transitional work Of
the composer; its production in 1852 marked
the beginning of theories Of lyric drama that
with various notifications, are the foundation
of all later theories, even those that seem prac.
t'cally opposed. Guck aimed at trath and
proportion in his work, and succeeded to an
important degree in freeing opera from the
eumbrous caprices of the virtuosi Mr.. Theo-
dore Thomas. who recognizes the relation of
the past and present of musical art, and to
whose presentation the modern theorists owe
their fair hearing in America,l naturally is in
terested to include in the repertoire of his or.
chestra this eminently characteristic number
from an opera as revolutionary in its day as
Lohengrin or Die Walkure in ours, though its
cation to be entirely beneficial. The chorus OF
blessed ghosts, is chorus led by the flute, tt
which was given the obligato part for a soprano
voice. There is soft splendor, an eterna
bloom in the theme Of this chorus. light as OF
fields of asphodel, an enduring eladness, unhas.
tened by any limit set to it, The simplicity
and flowing melody Of this heavenly chorus is
far removed from the exaggerated ecstasies Of
some of the modern mposers, whose intention
and theory are as genuine as those of Gluck
but whose instincts have not led them into sucl
purely pro ortioned expression. The Dance Of
FAIRIES is p, werful, wild and terrific. A rush
whirl, q clangor attends the dance of the
children of night who surround the iron gates
of the region of the dead At first it is this as
pectof the composition that impresses the hearel
and it is later that the technical sol;dity, the
fine themaric work, the strong harmonies and
we'll proportional limitations are appreciat ed
70 this succeeds the chorus of blessed ghosts, a
chorus led by the flute. to which was given the
obleato part for. a soprano voice. The flute
obligato by Mr.. Carl Wehner was given with
great purity and sweetness of tone and admira-
BILE technical skill.
The succeeding uumber, "grand polonaise'
for piano, by Chopin, afforded Madame Shil
Ter, as she was unsupported by the orchestra, a
much better opportunity than did her first Sc
lection to show her command of her chosen in
strument The delicacy and frmness of bel
touch, and her broad and comprehensive style
found ample scope in the beautiful compost
ton, rich in dreamy suggestiveness, of the
great master; and her execution called forth
warm encore, to which she responded with a
grateful bow. Her hearers, contrary to tn.
custom of Portland audiences, accepted her ex'
cuse, and did not insist with their usual anG
rude pert inacity upon second rendition.
Meyerbeer's "Torcblight March," familiar
to the audience, was the closing number Of tn
programme. 1t is an effecting, striking ant
highly colored composition. The composer TOT
often chose to devote his great talent to thea
trical effect The result is admirable IN it
way, as the 'Torchlight March" attests. HI
preferred the praise of his day to the later re
ward which more consistent and sincere worl
would have assured to his eminent powers, ant
however much we may quarrel with his choic
we must admit that in his chosen line he wa
unfailing in richness and variety of effect.
To say that the concert was in all respects
great success is to express but the simple
truth. We close an insufficient notice by em
phasizing the fact that the performance Wa
admirable in programme, intention, and execu
ton.