New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-11
OPENING OF THE FAIR.
Continued from First Page.

were very ,rnfavorably situated, but many Of the
multitude who stood where fate led them Jared much
better. Gen. Grant was greeted with "Hail to the
ChiefD and Dom Pedro was to have been compi-
mepted with the Brazilian Hymn: bat our good
friend from Rio hasa way of throwing other peoples
plans out OF gear and he spoiled this project by
marching in unannounced while TIE orchestra was
IN the midst of something else.
The real interest of the celebration began when,
after the President had slipped into his scat. the
orchestra struck up the Wagner Inauguration
March, No praise which has been lavished upon
this noble composition oyerstates it's merit, and we
are greatly disappointed in the taste of our country
men il il do not soon become one of the most popu-
lar of ThOmass concert pieces Although 'he
rbythmic movement is perfectly regular and distinct
Throughout. vet on the FIRST hearing the ear unac-
customed TO analysing a composition VIII perhaps
listen for moro strongly marked swing in the ihsc'
Rpt what they want is only the skeleton 1t is really
there covered with such rich and elaborate texture
that there is possibility Of overlooking IL. we
know of no other composition iii which tine esseh.'"
ceaseless beat of the march has been colnoiheu IA
such an extraordinary manner Win 'he on"i
acteristics of the symphony. Iho orulh"y
march is merely tune of Simple structure, more OF
Ices carefully barmonzed and played over and over
epain. now loud now soft, but always tho Same
Main time But Wagner, adopting the rhythm as q
III.
developed il after the manner of Beethoven, led 1t
tbronnh ingenious mOdulatiors and harmonic
changes then taken q second theme, and Inally
third treated them separately and treated them TO-
gether.and led up by them 20 magnificent hnale'
forming climax wtjch it would be almost lnpos-
sihle for the simple march movement TO produce
under any composers hand. Thus in listening to
this Centennial March we are not reminded OF any
military music we have ever heard before, even
from Wagner's pen. There arc passages whose heaNy
and majestic movement reminds of the "Meister-
singer" and there are phrases among those lighter
portions intended as Wagner tells us, as reference
TO the beautiful women Of America which recall the
poetrv of Christian und Isolde" But il is not
copy of ANYTHING, nor a "reminiscences it Is purely
original work-perhaps of the most orglnaI
things Wagner has written since Tristan" 1t goes
without saying that the Instrumentation Is ci inc
most gorgeous description, for in the use OF the ma
terals of his orchestra Wagner is by general con-
sent one of the greatest masters who ever lIveo'
There are portions of n more delicate character
which must be heard in the concert-room before
they can he properly appreciated. speak nom
knowledge for / had the privilege of hearing 1t IN
the Academy Of Music. A great crowd OF people
will hear it tomorrow at the first concert IN
Thomas's new music hall. Every seat IN the hall
has long been sold and great many people from
NewYork have teegraphed for places either for the
first OF some following night. Readers of TIE lRIB-
UNE may remember that in reviewing the March
last month We mentioned that among the extra ln-
struments required for it The long obsolete bass
trumpet and that it was doubtful if such thing
could be found 1t may be interesting to know that
after careful search Mr. Thomas has found one.
MR. H. Paine's setting of Whittiers Centennial
Hymn was a success quite as marked IN Its way as
the Wagner March. There was only one thing thatit
l..o mule cho M, a Y.
Paine has made beautiful piece of work, and has
mt into il true religious feeling and great elevation
and dignity As it poured forth from the threats Of
the 500 ladies and gentlemen of the chorus, with
that superb orchestral accompaniment, think the
whole audence-at least all OF 1t which got near
enough to the stage ia be within the influence Of the
music at a-fclt stirring of the heart. Certainly
when it was over the Aaracter rather than the
amount of The applause accompanied as it was with
O little understandable movement IN the crowd
showed that the music had hit its mark.
Then we had Mr.. Dudley Bucks Cantata. You
have so lately published an account Of this excel
lent work that will not try to analyzc it again,
but content myself with saying that all the merits
which found in the seem still greater merits
in the performance, and that multitude OF fresh
beauties appear in the charming ami fresh orchestral
accompaniment. Mr.. Bucks work is dramatic,
but it Is simple enough for great popular OCCASION
There is not dull page III 1t. There Is not page
which does not TO be in just the night place as
a part of q well planned whole. He has III very
high degree the of writing for the voice 50 as 10
bring out its best qualities, and the analogous art
of scoring for the orchestra. The hymn with which
the Cantata opens is good illustration OF his sue
cess in one line the accompaniment to the bass solo,
admirably sung by Nr. Whitney, shows what he can
do in the other. These two parts OF the work
made the greatest impression yesterday; but when
the Cantata is heard under cover it will be found
that the middle portion has great dramatic strength
and abounds in subtetes which are lost in the open
air. Whatever may be said of orr display inside the
Exhibition buildings it must at any rate be admitted
that we have shown our guests something In the
way of music Of which we have no reason to be
ashamed.
In the Halleluiah Chorus" sung while the Com
rnissioners and other people filing into the
building Mr.. H. l.. Roosevelts noble church organ,
situated in the transept whose window opened just
over the singers heads, was employed with the
orchestra, and it was effectively used also IN Mr..
Paine's Hymn. The band $50 strong, the
nucleus of being Thomas's own men. The
chorus sang magnifccntly, and showed that 1t had
been most thoroughly trained by somebody who
understood his business. better body of sopranos
Ihaye rarely heard anywhere. J. re IL.
THE INAUGURA TON EXERCISES.