New-York tribune., 1876-03-27
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA
FIFTH SYMPHONY CONCERT.

FIFTH SYMPHONY CONCERT
| The severe storm on Saturday evening had
very little effect upon the attendance at Thomass ath
| Symphony Concert, Steinway Hall being nearly full.
even the extension at the called into use
Certainly bad weather had bad influence upon tbs
artists. for nober performance than they gave us
would be hard to imagine The following was the pro-
gramme:
l. Overture q FcrIanc B. BoarrGc Pas.cpiea ,sd'n
Miss Anna Drasdil
PART H.
Symphony No. g. "Eroica "............... Beethoven
Concert Aria Hecuba new .......... Rub nstein
Miss Anna Drasdil.
Fine Faust Wagner
Three orchestral Suites by Bach have been published
aud We are indebted to Thomas for knowledge Of
them all Ho produced the Overture, Air. and Gayotts
OF No several years ago, and the whole work includ
ing besides those three movements Bourree Clique
appeared his programmes for the first time last Sum-
mer. Suite No. 2 has seven movements and four Of
these were played Steinway Hall a year o. No 3
also contains seven movements, namely, Overture
Courante, Gavotte, Forlane, Menueto, Bourree and
Passepied Of which the rst third sixth, and seventh
selected for performance The Orchestraon Of
No WAS somewhat enriched by Mendelssohn, who
wrote new parts for the tIumpets and added clarinet
In the Gigue. No. is remarkable for the charming
flute part which reaches the dignity Of a solo. No. lis
u
music without tho aid OF tonecolorng to hi hen its
effects. The only instruments employed two haut.
ooys, bassoon and the string band and the whole
number Of performers used by Thomas on
Saturday was only thirty-four. The Overture
begins with Grave movement OF moderate
eng b. and to this succeeds charming yiyace;
both strongly marked by the old masters inmitable
combination OF majesty, simplicity and elegance Then
fres cheerful trio for the hautbOys and basoon
followed by return to the Grave movement. The
Forane Is o Venetian dance measure Of somewhat
stately character. The Bourree Is quicker dance of
Bscayan origin in common time, very strongly
cented in reality the movement Bach treats it,
sst of two Bouees the second being for the hauboys
and alone and the first repeated after It, The
Passeped whose decOrous gayety trips with gerteel CON-
posre in Gs measure has also two themes, closing wha
repetition OF tho first The performance OF this fasena
ing work a quarter-bour Of unalloyed delight
Rarely Bach have had more sympathetic and
highly flushed Interpretation. The ensemble OF the
strings perfect the expression was beautiful every
man PLAYING az IL he loved his work. and the difficult
reed tros were executed with technical precision and
purity Of TONG which We have never heard equaed by
any OF er hautboy bassoOn players. The handling
Of the In the Overture especially deser the
highest praise.
twas in the Heroic Symphony however that the or.
chestra highly distinguished itself. 1t does not
seem possible that gTander performance Of this i'm.
mortal work could be given anywhere in the world.
Spendor of tone, accuracy OF execution, and breadth OF
expression merits TO which accustomed in tire
Thomas orchestra but there higher quality in this
Interpretation for which the conductor than tho
band deserves the credit. No with soul for music
could listen to without being profoundly moved by the
awful dignity OF the work. aud feeling the influence Of
that my serious inner spirit which makes the symphonies
of Beethoven immortal aud awa:s new. Wagners
Faust Overture is far superior to all other musical IL
Illustrations of Goethcs poem that it not for the
recollection OF List might call 1t the only ever
created. The Performance this occasion was marvel
OF eloquent and sympathetic delivery, ani helped to en-
phaszc the between the and old schools OF
romantic music with all possible clearncss.
Miss Drasdl. who was in excellent voice, was heard
under circumstances peculiarly well adapted to show her
real emineuce artist. The arias by Weber and
Rubnstcn are unlike and yet they have much In COM
mon. Both depend in considerable degree upon the
orchestra, tho accompaniment having an important
share In the expression OF the poetic idea The aria from
Won weber's operetta OF g Abu Hassan Is charh!ns
ulee which has been strangely neglected in concert
looms An interesting story connected with is told by
the composers so This melody and the opening Fairy
Chorus Of "Ooeron" suddenly occurred to Won Weber
one night AS lie leaned from awndow overlookings
moont landscape He sang them to his friend, Dusch,
and forgot them before morning. But Dusch bad treas
urcd them up and took opportunity TO repeat item
one day who Won Weber sprang up III delight, ex
claiming. Yon rascal, you stole that out Of my head
where happened TO nislay IT, RuDiiStelhs Srahu
concert aria, \ poem Of Goldhanns Is In the free
poetic STYLE the music accommodating itself throughout
to the expression Of the poets thought without regard
to conventional rhythmic structure Every phrase bow
ever in the truest sense OF the word melodious ana
dramatic. IL is IIecubas lament Iion aud the mis-
fortunes her royal closing with her curse upon
the victorious Pathos and d. nifty are both ad
mrably conveyed by 1t, and Miss Dras delivered the
strong and moving strains with fine intelligence and
genuine feeling as well with technical skill