New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-21
MUSIC-THE DRAMA.
Npv.yoPK PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

The New-York Philharmonic Society presented
last night, for the fifth concert OF the season. tne
following allurng programmes
symSnSny Midsummer sights Dream
Symphony in {, No
This was model bill, much better both IN Sc
lection and arrangement than that OF the brookNn
concert last Tuesday. The Haydn symphony which
we believe has never been played before IN new
York. 10 No. of Breitkopf and HartePs edition. ana
the fourth of the act of twelve. which Haydn COM
posed for Salomon's concerts in London. Nothing
more appropriate OF more interesting could have
been taken for the opening of such an entertain
ment as that of last night than this fresh and beau
tiful work which stands, so to speak, at
the very beginning of symphonic music Here
we see the whole plan and development of the SYM
phony laid out for us with exquisite clearnesS
and simplicity, fascinating from their very frank
ness. even apart from the intrinsic charm OF tne
themes and the elegance and precision OF the treat
ment. Strict regularity of form and polish OF de-
tail even to the slightest phrase are attained wlth
out sacrifice of strength; and perfect symmetry Is
shown to be consistent with poetic sentiment In
the hundred years that have passed since this COM
position first saw the light symphonic music has
swollen to q deep and majestic stream but we al
WAYS go back with delight to its pure and limpid
source. The work was splendidy played; the
inal and captivating finale where there is some pc
culIar work for the violins, the Interpretation ana
execution were alike remarkably fine.
In the music of Mendelssohn the nero beauty OF
outline and expression reaches its highest point.
He never felt the need of extending the domain OF
his art; he had no impulses which existing forms
were not ample to satisfy His life was ali sunshine
and flowers even the mild melancholy which
tiuges some of his compositions is rather las Dr.
Ritter well saws in one of his eetures the result OF
romautlc longing typical of his time than the ex-
terna Indication of a real sorrow. In music ne &c
tected everything that was rough or obscure lie
delighted i'll refining. softening and eurichng; his
ideas were fresh and copious, but they always came
TO him in the familiar forms. His @Sthetlc tasle
found boundless satisfaction IN polishing the old
types. not in deyising new ones The music to
Shakespeare's " Midsummer Nights Dream " Is one
of the most perfect of his creations. not only
in the grace Of its expression bat I'D the rare hdeny
of its dramatic spirit. II is poem hardly less
dainty and delicious than the fairy fancies Il Is i'll
tended 10 illustrate. The capers # the elves are
here. the mysterious beauty of moonht woods The
f1tteT of invisible wings, the rustic dance, TIE
prineely PAGEANT the meeting OF lovers, the ir'-
GRANGE Of the hawthorn-brike, tine shadows ana
VISIONS Of happy slumbeT. The overture was WTi'-
tea when Areudei ss0hn was only sixteen year ole
The other numbers were au'itu 40 = tAtci NiiV' ''
the spirit Of the drama is all IN Ire overture, so that
this wonderfully sympathetic Interpretation o.
Shakespeare is really the work OF q boy The deli
cate Treatment Of the orchestra ln the ScAerZo
and The rest of the fairy numbers. is no
longer novelty, but most of this i'll
characterization was original wli Mend ssol1, ANA
in HIS orchestral combinations be showed not only
an exquisite taste but a bold AMI fertile invention
The seven numbers performed last night repre-
seated substantially the whole work. We had
Overture, s,herzo. Intcrmezzo. c.urne, Wedding
March and the two lovely song ior soprano alto'
and female ohorUs-,he song, being interpreted BY
Miss Fanny Poak and Miss Jenni,'D ckerson, and
the fairy chorus by about twenty other ladies. The
singing if nos all good al an events adequate;
it would hardly be possible 70 give TOO much praise
to the orchestra which playel not only with rare
dehcaey and firmnes5 bat with exdeue soasibili!y,
ms if all the band felt the music and kecnly
relished it,
Prom HAYDN n792) to Schubert s2Sl is only the
mace of a generation. but what wonderful diieT-
eBce in the style of symphonic music Is shown by
the contrast between the first and last piece on the
NIGHTS programme. The construction OF tho Schu-
bert symphony is entirely regular bur certain
forrnality which always strike Ii, ln HAYDN owing
to the care Le takes to mark off his work IN sepa-
rate sections, has now disappeared AMI the SYN
phonv seems to have made an enormous advance Dr.
The direction OF strength freedom and passion
which Instrumentation at tbe s2ire time has made
a corresponding gain in richness and variety Of
coloring The spirit which had animated
the orchestra all the evening made its
most striking manifestation perhaps in
the noble performance Of thu noble work. II Is
evident that the ueu feel By anticipation The intu-
enee OF Thomas's prospective rctnrl they are more
ready to work for him than ever before and al
ready in somewhat closer sympathy with him
They Joined with the audience ~ the long applause
which greeted him when me loo the stand, and
while such an enthusiastic feeling Is cherished by
the orchestra toward its conductor can depend
7g0n good performance