The New York herald., 1876-12-03

Stranger" not merry and !rolcsome
drama As comedy would be pro-
bounced failure. Peter and Francis and
Charlotte II is true perform certain amusing ieats
the dramatic trapezc, but there mIrth shines
like moonlight on a ruined sepulchre; they smile
much as skull grins and II is doubtful whether their
antics not moro depressing TO the audience than
the worst moods OF The Stranger What beautiful
language clothes this greet, which resembles young
widow newly arrayed IN her second mourning dress
made in the aies, OF parsian fashions "a frank re.
lance on mind the greatest sacrifice TO
be offered by true repentance says MIS-. Haer, ana
the sympathetic Countess replies, .rhcy not truly
honor virtue who can insult tho crrng heart who
would return 10 her sanctuary" The gloomy stranger
'alhs through all the drama in similar strain and
tcts accordingly one OF his principal methods ot ex-
PRESSING his agony IS by golng without ood For cx-
ample, IN act third Francs, his servant says
sir. sir. dinner is ready
SSikAsshn want no dinner.
srla,.sm Eat il yourself
sMScis-foa are not hungry
ia,scis-Nor l.. The heart takes away all appetite.
fsAScis-I' put II by; perhaps tonight
STRANGER tsloomiiy) -perhaps
Tue "Dcad March in Saul' Is then usually performed
by The orches,ra But this Is the only instance
which the misery OF tho Strangers mind affects nis
melancholy stomach. Having declined his dinner, he
toes without MS supper .'Francis.n y he exclans,
share our supper with your irends-l need none y
ana rushes into his cottage. AS the supper yesterday
afternoon appeared uppes an Il n COM
pound resembling DuIch cheese his want OF appetltc
may be easily explained. Besides, Ao hud just been
listening to the popular song
have silent sorrow here,
!; Drea,hes no sign, it sheds tear.
But IL consumes my heart.
Such song would naturally cause a ioathing for
food and notnlne could restore the appetite 10 us
normal condition except one oi the delicate bills or
iarc which our Ingenious neiehbor tho Ereniag 2es
gram oilers daily AS KIND OF Barmecide
puulic In tins condition OF mental anguish and phys
ai starvation the stranger should have had the
ancc oil u physician and clergyman. We might rea-
.onaby have been treated 10 the regimen which re-
stored the unhappy baker in Mr. Lewis Carros recent
poem ., "rhc Hunt Alter the SnurKn The baker had
iauied and
They roused him with mullins. they reused him With ice
r,n, lney ron r"n'sd : IN him MIN mustard and cress;
They gave him coIundrsms to guess.
Had The Stranger been thus treated he might havo
Ictcd moro like intelligent bong the hu-
man race great deal OF needless suffering.
sti lhis play. with all ITS alsc sentiment has kept
the stage Tor century and has indesrucblc elements
of human interest There Is something noble ~ the
QuNoc passions OF the personages, ana the dramatic
SITUATIONS are strong and cn,hrall the attention
OF tho spectator Great actors have chosen 1t Held
Tor their genius. Mrs Halter has seen played by Mrs
Siddons, Mrs. Charles Ksmbc, Mss Cushnian and the
Stranger by John kembic, Charles Kemble James
Murdoch, and last, but not least by Mr.. Booth The
performance OF tins ragedian rich in feeling and
harmonious In development He made many bower
u elects rs in the dialogue with his friend STEIN
iort wherc ho first unbosoms his heart aud tells the
sad story Of his ruined home aud in the with
q
written Confession OF her CRIME the action ana
emphasis with which Mr.. Booth the
Tho recordl Forevcrln we're eIeclrically aturai.
Miss Cara Jennings distinguish herself by
intellectual, though not powerful, personation oi The
heroine The rest OF tho characters airly pcr-
formed. An amusing incident closed the play When
the curtain iell on tho last act, where Mrs Haller
iAnts on beholdng her children again. the audience
did not know the drama over and sat for live
inmates in The expectation OF another ac, When the
nj n m IN ri
II they had seen farce.
THEODORE THOMAS SECOND SYMPHONY CON-
CERT.
Tho audience that attended Thomas second sym
phony concert last night at siclnway Hall was the
largest OF the season. and displayed degree Of cnthu
sasm that showed entire appreciation Of the three
grand works that formed tho bill The concert COM
menced with one OF tho most mclodous and fanciiul
OF Schumann's works, "0verturc schcrzo and
nnalc." opus 81. This work, written IN 1871 came
after the Nat major symphony that headed
list OF instrumental compositions, which, in their
mastery proportions incontcstaoly tho most yau-
able and enjoyable OF Schumann's works Tho OPEN
Ing dnddne moto OF the overture is ono of those
exquisite tlo tone poems of whcn the composer has
left us such bounliiu supply in his piano works.
There dainty, delicate beauty about succeeding
allegro quite in Keeping with the Introduction. Tho
can be iound 10 interpret subtle meaning
The surprising power win which Schumann
handles an orchestra is shown the fnape
uii,gro motto rtrdcs which has also stropg
touch o. Individuality. The three movements wer,
played by the orchestra with mapchicss skill rne
next number on the programme was the inirosuc,on
10 The last part OF The "Ring OF the Nibcnngenn tho
"Twilieht OF the Gods. - itioctcrdiemmrrung). A
more arduous task could scarcely be intrused 70 any
orchestra and that OF Thomas went lar aIssi-
pa,ng The CLOUDS oil unnelhgbihty that hang the
score. The rendering OF the vorspicl was In
spects superior to that OF the rehearsal Wcdnesd
The players seemed to have mora confidence amt
some passages, which appeared obscure Il the nrst
performance were given with such precision and at
tenion - the instructions OF the composer that their
meaning became evident to al. nuciler saws ina:
Wagner 'has crushed tho hard letters OF pcriled or-
maitics III the hrm grasp o his hand femouldng the
dead metal by the burning breath hs
Genius into new shapes OF harmonious fashion.
one might say that somc OF those shapes arc
gnomc-iko in their grotcsquemess Notwithsi andnc
the absence OF tho Kindred arts OF the drama and
scenic effect which Wagner requires ior thorouoh
understanding of his music the grandeur OF his
impress themselves on every mind. There many
terrible violations OF established rules OF harmony ana
occasionally queer muterngs of the bass clarionet and
Kindred Instruments but the leading motives, refer
ring TO the characters and incidents the first
parts OF the music drama, short though they bc
individually. are set forth by master hand Thedawn
OF day acr the disappearance oi the gnomcs ropre
scnted by an overwhelming ouourst OF the orchestra
IN which every instrument seems TO have separate
language. Nine. Rudersdorn. who sang tho part of
Brunhilde, was not IN US good voice Wednesday
last, and utterly failed In the difficult task undertaken
by her The change In her voice the rehearsal
Is unaccountabie. Mr.. Bischon sang the music OF
Sicgined with Intelligence and cfect, although fire.
queEtly the orchestra seemed up like mighty
TO ovcrxhcm hun. But tor he com plote ca joy-
ment OF Wagncrs music IN the trilogy, tho conbipa-
ton OF music and poetry must be complete, OWNED
In the lines OF the Passionate Pilgrim"
IL Music and sweet Poetry acee.
As they must necds-thc sister and tho brother
one God is ooc OF both. as poets ieisn.
After the stormy measures OF Wagner 1t was posi-
tive rcef TO GUIDE into the bright sunshine OF
Beethoven. Seldom has the Fourth symphony been
enjoyed with such Keen zcst How every eve
frightened when the long drawn measures Of the
addgio heard, 10 be followed By tho
joyous allegro The beauty Of the second
revealed in It's softcs unts by the orchestra
and the allegro rirdce seemed 10 Halter IRON The
strings and reeds. The finale, splendid triumph Tor
tho orchestra, brought tins remarkable conccrl
close, Bad sent the audience away with BeethoycDs
music IN their hearts ana ears TO dream OF the
swbose existence immortal drama; the cloud
that laals carih III.