New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-25

glory of the band burst FORTH and this superb piece
f ,nsic raee,yed an INTERPRETATION which will long
n. remembered The greatest merit OF the perform
ance however. was in the tact OF the conductor IL
his part not only to regulate the time, to measure
ont the force, and TO inspire the rhythm but Dy
some magnetic influence over his men he must kno"
how to accentuate every phrase, to marx the pfoper
contrasts to keep Just balance OF tones 10 ueVei-
mine when an instrument OF group OF ihsttun,
shall stand out in relief aud when 1t sha III INC
harmonic background in other words, as List e1-
presses IT, the conductor must indicate to each mem
Der of the orchestra the meaning of the role when
he has 10 fill as the work goes on. This is especially
necessary in Wagners music. where the whole sig
nIficance of a passage often depends upon lead-
ing lnotiyeD which may easily escape notlce' OF
upon the combination OF several important motives
each of which ought to receive its own share OF az
tention 1t is in quickness to feel what is needed IN
sucb cases and ability to make the orchestra DO IL
that the art of interpretation consists; aud just
here hes the secret of Thomas's success.
There are perhaps only three, or perhaps four
even of BeethoVen's symphonies that could nave
been listened to with entire satisfaction after inc
imposing orchestral effects of the " G0tterdamme-
rungn Certainly. the seventh, as we heard IL lase
night, lett nothing to be desired. The majestic
force of the strings the enthusiasm OF the players
the dignity ana cl6dIucSb VI tiiO aSouAAe' 49,
beauty of tone and precision of execution acquired
by the frequent rehearsals of the past ten days,
combined to make u splendid performance. More
than once In the course of the symphony we had oc
eason TO admire the exceptional art with which the
important phrases were thrown into relief. In the
coda of the last movement happy device was adopted
which we believe to be new. There is a remarKaDle
passage here where the violins, etc, execute var
alton Of the original theme OF the movement While
the double BASES descend by sem-tones to tier
low E, aud then have moving pedal point" on
and ID sharp during twenty bars of mighty cres-
cendo But, although Beethoven sometimes wrote
as low as for the donoe bass is the lowest note
of the instruments now employed, and on reaching
this pedal point it has consequently been the Gus
tom for the double BASES to jump to the upper &C.
tave Thomas causes them, instead of thus breaking
of the downward progression prematurely. to tune
down semi tOne-a man9uvre MOTTO be attempted
of course. except by good performers. Thus they
play the passage exactly as it was written, and the
superiority of the effect over the old method can
easily be imagined. similar plan was adopted at
a Philharmonic concert early in the season. when
the double BASES tuned down to ID natural IN Tue
overture to "Anacreon."
The concert created the greatest enthusiasm among
The crowded audience, and at the end of the Got
terdiimmerung there was extraordinary sensa-
ton, Thomas and Campanln leading each other out
several times and all the singers being recalled
with clapping and shouting.