The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-01-24
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
THE FIRST SUBSCRIPTION CONCERT

The first of the series of subscription con-
certs was given in Rossini Hall last evening
before an audience, embracing a majority OF
our best known professional and amateur mu-
sicians. The artists were Mr.. w. Ell. Sher-
Miss Margaret Bryant, mezzo-soprano, who
was accom- panied by Miss Adams.
The concert oncned with j. S. Bach's grand
organ fantasia and fugue in G minor, one of
the most attractive of the great composers
works. The boldness and grandeur of Bach's
genius has been preserved by List in his az
rangement of the fantasia together with the
irreproachable purity of harmony, the rich
ness OF meditation, and the easy, free and
flowing progression of the theme with all its
parts. So clearly and carefully were these in
terpreted by M. Sherwood that even the least
musical in.the audience (by whom Bach has
always been accounted dry and unintelligible)
could appreciate and understand them. Fol-
lowing the Bach were two movements of
Schumann's fantasia in G major, one Of that
masters most important works, and dedicated
to List. The two movements presented
were, the one a slow tcder movement, the
Bach and the ScLnmann selections was very
marked; the former so clear and Ineligible in
all its beautiful form, the latter possessing
much expression, and at times, sweetness
and tenderness that were exceedingly pleas
ing, but SO vague in its character, especially in
the first movement that we were almost IN
clined to agree with Joseph Rubensteln. Ihls
writer, in a recent criticism of Schumann
said, SIT may be question whether the late
period in life in which Schumann abandoned
the law for music was the reason he could
never thoroughly master the elements OF
musical structure, and produced the peculiar
technique we find in his fantasia; a technique
that confuses the listener with sense OF
RHYTHM so that it is difficult to select the bad
among the good. His lame finger perhaps
was responsible for this, as well as the convic--
ton of Chopln's individuality The second
movement of the fantasia, the march, was
bold and effective in parts, and in others open
to the same vaguenoSS
In the third number on the programme Mr..
Sherwood presented group Of Chopin selec-
tions, two studies a noctuf7oe and a polondise.
The first study we believe is usually called the
mourning study" because executed on the
black KEYS; the second was the OPP 10 in q
minor, for left hand only. The first OF these
possess joyousnesS Striklngly i'll contrast with
its nom de plane, and to the general character
of the authors writings. The other, as well as
the nocturne, is elegant in its nature. Proba-
bly, nothing more beautiful in conception, or
execution, than the noctu1ne has ever been
heard on the concert stage IN Portland. Its
tender pathos the delicacy OF its treatment,
showed that Mr.. Sherwood fully enters into
the composers inner nature. The potond5se,
that followed, that grand potonaise in A flat,
Op. 3d. displays those enharmonlc winnings,
those minute groups OF lnterpoiated notes
which have been said to fall down ike
colored dew upon the melodic figure" at
times it had the force and briskness as OF
squadron of cavalry advancing from the dis
lance on swift galop, at others 1t mad all the
peculiar dreamy poesy OF the master. through
out it was pervaded by the national Poilsh
spirit. This is the third time this polondtse
has been heard here lately-once before, we
believe, given by Mr.. Sherwood, and the other
occasion played by Miss O'Brlen. The Schu-
man numbers that followed the Chopin, VIZ:
a nouellette, and the "Wherefore," were again
at disadvantage, graceful in form, and pa
thetic in sentiment as they5were. The bril-
liant octave study of Kullock's was an
immensely difficult composition, but was
handled in most mastery manner. Mr..
Sherwood's efforts closed with the CZarIc
Hungarian rhapsody, No. 6, of List.
AS we said on former occasion, Mr.. Sher-
wood is pianist who gives solid satisfaction.
Not only is he master of technique, great
artist, whose left hand playing is wonderful,
but we do not find that GOODNESS some tribute
to him. Surely no one could have displayed
more expression than he in the Chopin noe
t,77ae, and, what is also remarkable, he never
slurred, his notes were clean cut, and he played
a little thing with as much art as grand
sonata
Miss Bryants singing proved a most interest
feature of the evening. She possesses fiexi-
BILE mezzo soprano of a compass of something
over two octaves, of excellent quality, and she
sings with expression and executes with facili-
ty She sang Rossini's "Pensa ala pat7t0"
very dramatically and with much clearness OF
execution, and the audience were so delighted
with her Brahms "Cradle Song they recalled
her, when she gave "Minna," songof Meyer
beers.
The matinee today will again prove rich
musical treat.
OLIVER DoUD BYRON.
Oliver Doud Byron gave q capital perform
ancs of "Across the Continent" at Portland
Theatre last evening. AS we have spoken of
the play at length when Mr.. Byron was here
before we need not recapitulate. All the
variety features gave great satisfaction This
afternoon there will be a matinee, and all
should attend
NOTES.
Alice Oates seats will be for sale Monday at
Portland Theatre.