New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-26

|
In consequence of this arrangement Mr. Thomas VIII
leave this city about the Of October shortly alter
close Of present Gilmores Garden ana
take up his residence Cincinnati where he viii al
devote himself to the work Of organizing the ne"
| college OF music
The college will be situated stated In the hrst OF
the above letters. in the Music Han The ouiulng
contains, besides the large hail. where the FesVal
took place. smaller hall which is in every respect
fitted for OF chamber music or for snail con
certs by pupils Of the college, Besides these TWO Mans
there are number Of rooms of all sizes, situated IN d-
erent parts OF the building, most oil them 30 ia
apart persons practising taking lessons IN them
viii not interfere with each other. The building 49,
moreover, easy Of access.
SCOPE OF THE CONSERVATORY.
SO for as the purposes Of the school now marked
out Il is designed TO make it complete musical unVer
sy. The ordinary misunderstanding, piano. the theory
Of music harmony thorough bass etc, the praeoe VI
different nstruments-wil, OF course. be taught out
something more than all this is contemplated
Most important OF all, perhaps, 1t is intended 70
organize a fun orchestra of from 100 10 lou
performers, ana TO institute school for the
orchestra. The need of such school In this country
has severely felt; the great majority OF our orche
trial performers players but not musicians ana IL
will be the aim Of this school to make them MUSICIANS
There is nothing which would have more direct OF
more decided influence musical taste ana culture than
this The personnel the staff Of professors Is not yet
arranged but Mr. Thomas will have under bis hand one
or two excellent masters in Cincinnati Among these
is Mr. Otto Singer who, by his excellent work NJ the
Festivals has proved himself chorus master OF
remarkable ability; he is known as q composer
OF no small learning; he is a pupil and warm
friend OF Iiszt, and he has a firmly established
reputation as teacher OF the piano. II was
he who was selected TO compose the music OF the
" Dedication ode at the opening OF the new MUSIC
Hail last Spring, honor which his untring deVouon
in the interests OF the Musical Festivals richly melleu
The details of the organization Of the college are now
ever, entirely uncertain yet, and 1t VIII DE some e
before anything can be decided
THE ORCHESTRA.
One OF the first things which will claim Mr. Ihonas
attention is the organization OF the orchestra IL
is part of the plan of the trustees OF the coHege
TO give each Winter series OF ten or niteeh SUI
scrpton concerts Thomas goes so early TO On
cnat there is every to suppose That the course
Will begin during tins coming Winter, for which II VIII
OF course, be necessary to form an orchestra DIT
Thomas expects be accompanied by many OF the DeSt
members Of the present band, and those Of them VINO
are properly qualified will be invited 10 accept pIolrs-
soslps in the college. The officers Of the Institution
were anxious at first that Mr. Thomas should bring ms
entire orchestra this plan was abandoned because
Il would he impossible least for the present for so
large a body OF musicians living in city IKE
Cincinnati The grand orchestra which Mr.. Thomas III
tends organize in his new nome must be punt mp oy
degrees The pupils OF the college VIII pay lh IL a. s
as they quire sufficient skill
The constitution Is to be free school IN any sense
the directors are confident Of making II sclisupportmg
| almost from the start.
musical atmosphere essential 70 the full develop
men OF young musicians, is indeed such an important
aid TO study high art life Is hardly possible "th-
out it, For the creation OF such atmosphere Cncin-
natl we'll suited The place is not too large and the at
fractions are rot 90 strong as to h'ert
the minds of the students their work, and there Is
/ a large German population which IS very friendly 10
/ music.
THEODORE THOMAS'S CAREER IN NEW-YORK.
Theodore Thomas was born in the Kingdom
of Hanover in 1885, and learned the violin from his
father who was himself yiOnist and an excellent mu-
sician The family to America IN 1S45, when Theo
dore was brought forward occasionally as boy yolnst
| applying himself however, no less TO the scientific
branches OF his profession than the practice Of his IA
| vorite instrument He was still mere lad when he
olned the orchestra OF the Italian Opera aud ho was
only fifteen when Benedict HIM first violin OF the
fine orchestra which no selected TO accom-
pany Jenny Lind in her earliest American con
! certs He held the position In various opera
companies and by the time he twenty he was con-
Quoting both the Italian and German operas. An anus
ing STORY is told. by who was member Of the or
chesra at the same Time OF the way In which he hap
pened first TO conductor Of opera He was play
ing principal first violin IN an orchestra conducted by
Maurice suakosch At rehearsal one day, disapprovng
OF the tempo when srakosch took OF the move
mems (the opera was Don Giovanni" II we arc not
mistaken Thomas expressed his dissatisfaction some
what strongly Strakosch a few minutes afterwaTd.
| making some excuse to leave the orchestra asked
Thomas 10 take his place and conduct Thomas obeyed
bur conducted without leaving his own seat making the
other men follow the movements OF his bow. The I'm
proyement was markell that Thomas was thereafter
| Installed regularly in the conductors chair. Adcna
Patti when she sang here, would have no other con-
| ductor On one occasion wnen Thomas had gone TO
Philadelphia TO play In some concert Patu, not dis
covering his absence until the last moment absolutely
refused 20 sing and the opera had TO DO changed In
1855 Thomas began the sorees Of chamber music at
Dodworth Hail. vita William Mason, Mosenthal, Matzka
and Bergner and kept tor fourteen years.
without much pecuniary return perhaps, but with
ceent results artistcaly and TO the great delight OF
| the small audience which gathered monthly in
| DOdwOrth'5 old rooms. Thomas was also ? member OF
the philharmonic Society and Tor some time Its assistant
conductor n 1861 he broke of his connection with te
OPERA and began the formation ofan orchestra. For
few years the public only heard or him and then
The leader OF occasional performances popular matu6e
concerts or little affairs OF that kind. In 1864 he had
made such Roadway that he was able TO give his first
series Of symphony SOfees, at Irving Hail. In which
venture ne had the help Of Mr. L. r. Harrison, manager
who was associated with many OF the best mus cal enter
| prses Of that day. The concerts were not only
successfi II, bat Thomas persevered in them I'M
Ill the Spring Of 1862 when they were interrupted,
although they had been steadily growing in the public
favor In the Of 1885, Thomas began at Terrace
Garden Third-ave, the experiment OF open air con
certs and met with abundant In these enter
aluments as indeed the earlier Symphony Concerts
the programmes marked by very large concessions
TO the public taste for light and trivial music but fast
as the audiences could understand something better
faster almost-the character OF the programmes was
| raised In 1868 the orchestra removed TO the
| Central PARK Garden, and there the concerts
were kept up year until the close OF the Summer of
1873 In 1869 began those annual tours which have