The New York herald., 1876-09-26
CENTENNIAL MUSICAL FESTIVAL
FIFTH NroHr or THOMAS GRAND coNcEnrs-
AN EVENING DEVOTED TO soLoIsTs.

FIFTH NYoHr or THOMAS GRAND coNcEnrs-
AN EVENING DEVOTED TO soLoIsTs.
PnnADxLrurA, Sept rs. 1870
The Gfth night of the grand Centennial Musical rcs
tva. introduced additional so'osts and very mo pro
grammc dversned in the most complete manner
Tho sooisis Miss Anna Drasdil, Mma Schiller
Mr.. Whitney and Herr Jacobsohn Tho Centennial
Chorus, 400 strong and Thomas full orchestra took
part In the programme, which opened with the "Fn.
gals Cavo' overture by Mondelssohn.
Tho clear, practical style OF tho great composer
whose mastery OF form only cxccllcd by Mczart is
fully shown In this overture. That wonderful facility
he possessed of outwardly expressing as in q
mirror all that moved him and the thorough
generality Of his style Is expressed fully in this
romance Of the Hebridcs. Tho freshness OF the
themes and the clear, effective manner In which they
are set forth Is positive relief 10 an car aituncd
OF late TO naught but tho music oi the new school
Tho orchestra played It admirably, as II Il was a
positive pleasure TO interpret such charming music
But stil more agreeable task awaited them The
alcgretto OF BeethOven's eighth symphony a fairy
tale conveyed in gossamcr, measures tho ,ransforma
ton ol the Titan into an Ariel 1t was played with
that exquisite expression that seems to be special
quality OF this orchestra aud II was redemandcd In
sucn an emphatic manner by tho audience that the
conductor WIN obliged 10 yield to the demand.
wasncrs '.Ccn,en nial Inauguration March" was tho
third instrumental work tho bill, and It's strring
brilliant measures rang out with wonted effect MSS
DrasdiFs rich. pure contralio voice. which has lew
equals among tho artists o tho present day. heard
IN the ncoiious arin 80 Fatimn," from Webcr's
opera, "Abu Hassan," and IN 80, Mo Fernando -
from LA Fnvora" Tho quality OF tone OF this gIo-
rous such that II matters little wnnt tho lady
sings, and when, In such selections those
tioncd. her voice finds opportunity to display ITS
chief beauties the ovcr rwhcm ing applause wnh which
she was greeted - easily understood.
Mr.. Jacobsohn, tho chef d'afaque Of Mr. Thomas
violins, played as solo romnnza by Wagner orgi-
nal;y written az piano solo, one OF series oil album
leaves arranged for tho violin by WiIhclnly II is
Itto love poem whose idyllc beauty is not marred by
any OF the vagaries OF the school. Mr. Jacobsohn
entirely enropporf with the poetry OF the romance,
beneath his tOcch II grow into proportions OF beauty
As an encore he played movement from Bach ~.
ccrto and again won unstintcd honors.
Nine. Schiller playcd Liszt's fantasia on Hungarian
acres, the samo work In which Won Bhlow made
Juror In Boston last winter II something bc-
yend her reach, although made gallsn attempt to
master it's difficulties. In such work required q
larger degrcc OF physical power than Mmc schiller
possesses. Whom power was required sho gave
tain forco that could not b. called artistic power In
OF the massive chordcd passages the wcnkncss OF
tho wrist and forearm discerniblc and the
shoulder brought INTO rcquisition thereby forcing
instead OF inducing tho I'szt requires Tor cIcc-
two Interpretation very different style than that
In which Madame schiller rs prc-emncnt Mr.. Whit
ney sang fancifu aria by Albert Iandcgger with that
apd finish that charactcrizcs such true artist
Tho Paine Hymn ani the trashy Centennial cantatns
of Dudley Buck. with the immortal "fiaelujah
Chorus" concluded the Nth night of tho festival To-
morrow evening will DO entirely devoted to Wagner.