The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-01
THE DAILY STAR
BROOKLYN LETTER.

GuTlouS CompltCaIiUus II Aoosl 1ViAtAVs-
The Beeoher Case Factor.
Special Co respondence of the Star.
BROOKLYN, N. Y, October Goth, 1879.
l was going to say that YOU of the West
nave taught us of the East to appreciate
Theodore Thomas but l check myself.
We-that is the music-loving portion of
the community-always appreciated him,
but it was not until he had gone from us
that we realized how necessary his pres
ence was to our aesthetic enjoyment And
believe, glancing back over the events
falling under the generic term of enter
tainments during the past ten years, that
our appreciation was attested to the full
extent of our purses.
am well aware that the citizens of
New York and Brooklyn should have
been public-spirted enough to have
founded a great musical college for him,
and to have placed him at its head; but
it is not everybody that understands
what true music is-such music as he
adyocates-and there We're perhaps too
few Of the thoroughly cultured to have
rails the money to put such an enter
prise on Il secure basis, especially when
the wave of great panic WAS day after
day wollowing up fortunes, and sweeping
away the harl-earned savings of years on
its rcsistless tide. But | leave the dead
past to bury its dead" in the hopes that
the to-be-born future will make amends
for past short comings. This train of
thought was suggested by the programme
of the Philharmonic Association lying
before me.
For three years now this has meant
Theodore Thomas as the conductor and
attracting spirit, and so naturally was
led to speak of him. Last year five con-
certs, each preceded by three public re-
lie rsals, were given by the Philharmonic
Society at the Academy of Music. This
year SIX concerts, each preceded by a
single reh, arsal Oh the afternoon of the
day previous to that on which the con-
cert takes place, will be given. The
dates OF the concerts are November 1Sth,
December 10th, January 20th, February
17th, March 10th, April Goth. All the
dates fail on Tuesday. The New York
Philharmonic Suciety will also have him
y, conductor and, by an understanding
with the Board of Directors OF the
Broo5Iyu Society, each rehearsal and
concert falls within the same week in
wNich he appears in thi, city, viz, No
vcmber ODD, December 3Oth, January
2lth, February 2lst, March 20th, April
zih. lie is to have larger orche ira
than heretofore, the string instruments,
understand, being increased, and be-
!ieve that pretty much the SINE music
viii be given in both cities.
have been unable to learn what the
programme is for the opening night
here, but if the above be true it can be
correctly surmistd from that for New
York, which includes 'Ridc of the
Walkyrie" and "Siegfried's DEATH" by
Wagner and the Fifth Symphony" of
Beethoven, Lat year the training of
the orchestra, and the leading in the first
two Of every set of rchearsals WIS done by
Herr Dietrich, Mr.. Thomas rignt hand
man, and very trustworthy and sincere
interpreter, bat the preliminary prepara-
ton is likely this winter to be done by
some one else, as he is said to have ac-
capted an engagement to conduct the
'rchestra of Miss Emma Abbott's Eng
ish Opera Troupe, a position which |
saw him occupy at the Park Theater
when Mis- Abbott WAS here.
1t is annees ary for me to speak to a
community who have long since in
formed Themselves of Mr.. Thomas abili-
ties, If his artistic grace and intellectual
greatness as Il conductor. Whenever he
.2ads the three thousand chairs in the
Academy IRE all occupied.
We here in b ooklyn are enthusiastic
over him, and with justice, since he has
done more than any other one, or half a
dozen persons, to elevate our musical
taste, and give us All ear for classical har-
monies. We are therefore awaiting with
undisguised esgerness the hour that shall
once more place him and his magic baton
ON the conductors box in the beautiful
temple of art in Montague street.
From music to Indians is a somewhat
abrupt transition but if abrupt, not from
my -tandpoint unnatural, since l have
only just returned from spending a socia.
BILE hour with one of the most distin
guished members of the Board of United
States Indian Commissioners, Hon. VIM
H. Lyon. He is resident of this city
and one of New York's successful mer
chants.
Just now his name is on many tongues
for within few days he narrowly es
capped being made the Republican stand
ard-bearer in the Mayoralty contest, and
in view of the dissensions that are now
racking the party in local affairs there is
regret expressed that he was not made the
nominee, since it is believed that had he
been 50 the tendency, most likely the re.
suit, would have been to unity and solid.
ify the party. Had he been nominated
the nomination would have gone to him
without self-seeking. In no sense a poli