New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-07
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
THIRD SYMPHONY CONCERT.

THIRD SYMPHONY CONCERT.
The third of Thomas's symphony concerts
took place on Saturday evening The hall was hed 70
overlooking. the playing was even more than uSua"!
fne and the audience very enthusiastic Inc oilo"-
ing the bill: .
tnIn ~ mn nor for Iagnos :. Bach
70" CMessis r. HOFFMAN ". Mason, and F. DulcKenl
g. Masonic TnIer Music
g. symphony in minor Brahms
This was one of the logical and historical programmes
in which Thomas delights. From Bach and Handel 10
Brahms is Journey which covers the whole course OF
symphonic music The steps in this progression are
rather long ones yet the selections gwen apo'e WEI.
chosen with 50 much judgment that the car was nus
Offended by glarng contrasts. and Tie concert rcstsou
memory as enc harmonious festival The specimens u
Handel we're taken from three OF his orchestra
copceItos. Orr ancestors did not attach the shlIe
meaning to the word concerto that we do. NUM- ca
years ago tie term somewhat loosely aplH'" I"
a variety Of compositions which tested the pi'hclei@'
now Of a solo performer, OF many artists playing
together Bach wrote cOncerOs for TIE piano alone WHICH
do not differ essentially from the sonata. Handel lett
great number Of conceros the organ alone for the
organ with other Instruments ana FOR the oIchtsud' vi
these last the most important arc MS Twelve SI"h" COZ
ceros or cgpc0G 0rOSsi and the SIX famous ban'Ool
concertos, so called because certain prominence j
given III them to Of Iandel's fayoTite Instruments
Both sets are nearly identical with the orchestral SUITE
precursors therefore, of the modern symphony hNef
csiug discretion which Handel ana other OLD composers
often allowed themselves, Theodore Thomas mas
ricccd together three Independent movements Inc a.
visions Of each concerto are so distinct rom one "Ho'
that nothing lost by taking them ont OF Their oshh
uiaee aud az tie selections presented on Sa''luy nap
pcn TO he in closely related keys they 1T well together
Tho frs. "a a Delightful HOrnpipe, from the seventh
grand concerto, with something ponGeIos VI lis mice
ticus gayety; the second, Larsbc;lo from the hr't
Iautboy concerto. ia highly INGENIOUS accompanies
duet for the hautOoy and solo Niohh IL ""s
beautifully played by Mossls. Eilor and Brandt anI
poiute1 an excellent contract 10 the other movements;
the third yyecious allegro motto, Is the finale o! 'ie
18th H2utboy Concerto, and The strongest anu most
effective OF the three selections The hanihoy Ia ho'
treated solo instrument III ihis lho'tnie"i. lH'
tnincss of HANDLES Instrumentation Was 50 wen c"i
cealed by a smooth and spirited performance mat one
cc,d hardly realiz, the antiquity OF this fascinating
music Bach's great trplo concerto IN minor WIN
string orchestra was admirably interpreted Win h''
Richard Hoffman the first piano d We mistake not lac
had never PLAYED in Stenway llai he!ofc MI "i.'a'
Mason at the second and Mr. Ferdinand Duicheh
(whosc clear phla.ng in the last movement deserves
WORD Of sDecia remark at the third MoIarls Masonic
Funeral Music was written In 1888 for Che burial OF
one of the EserLazy family. II Is snort A"'so' con
ccived in the great masters oitiest ana most poetic
mood ard written with lis most perfect art ia It's
profound feeling its Ingenious codnte-ioiA ana US
si,erb tolc-eoorinc shows Us Mo2r IT his ganirs
The r,lc7,feon effect OF the reed haraonies, which
ru.e tie Whole composition with iucI'hlc sorrow"
,,,si,rras.illc Mozart made Use here Of the nearh
obsolete has~ot-horu. Thomas employs clarinet' ana
COMMUNICATION which make between tlc'n perfectly
satisfactory substitute The h~st part OF thc concert
closed with a phenomenal performance OF the noble
"Coroauus" overture. perfectly played that Thomas
WAS recall a after it amid sjolm oi applause
The prediction which ycaiur,d fcT weeks ago
,esrce;i the popularity OF The BRAHMS symphony has
already been fll led There DE 40 doHn nov - to
its hearty acceptance. by al Who love music aa lnc
greatest work of ITS proGused during ths genera
tgu: we have no hesitation ~ placing 1t above -,LG-
mqrn's symphonies above every symphony since
Hcctboyens last The fascinating mcod OF the sec ma
and third movements grow more and more beautiful
after rrreated hearings; the mpctdOus torrents OF hc
n,ale lose none OF their easel, but rather become
| more impressive as tie disappointment caused
! nv IN, resemblance OF The puncpal theme
/ to tle choral ucoly Of BecthoreI's Ninth
Synl;,louy wears away; yet We are confirmed IN tnc
Judgment We expressed three weeks ago, hat he obscure
and s,rDb,e and troubled first movement T. the finest o.
fine whole work Nothing could have been grand,r than
1bclpa,'s interpret alton Of this music on saturday Iii
n symphony exceptionally difficult 20 plAI-"e mtan To
p]av so that 1t can bo unIcsO1d but 1hOnass c3utep
ton OF II is As clear a crystal sprng and b men arr
I'm close sympathy with h.n and perfect in Their rfsts
The two great gr-sccHdO passage. OF Tic Lass movement
rave us The very acme Of good playing.