New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-09
MUSIC AND THE/DRAMA
THE. SYMPHONY SOCIETY.

was given last night at Steinway Hall
There was large and friendly audi.
eDce there generally is, thu
efforts of DR.. Damrosch and his orchestra received
warm and ready appreciation. and Wilbelmj. who
was the solo performer of the evening, was entbu.
sastically applauded. This was the programmes:
Fourth 81 mphony. Beethoven
WYNN 0'' aspr August Whclmi. Dfo0a
Spring Fantasy Won Bronsart
Herr August wHheImi
Overture" Tannhanser". Wagner
The tone of the whole concert was thoroughIv
warm and genial. From the Fourth SYMPHONY
which shows Beethoven in one of his brightest and
most cheerful moods. to the vigorous /" Tannhau.
sern overture there was c0nspicuons
absence of anything heavy or sombre, even in the
two movements of the Bronsart Fantasy in which
the cOlors a-e darkest and where the design is to
bring out by contrast the joy and brightness of the
coming of spring. The Bruoh Concerto which is not
known here at all, is snguiarly beautiful, full
of strength and spirit, OF charming fancy
and delightfully."- pure and poetic feeling
The melody is flowing and spontaneous,
the design is NOBLE the treatment is broad and t,s
use Of the orchestra is intelligent, mastery and often
extremely effective. There is striving after effect
aud one has no feeling of strain or effort.
for the composer has something to say, something,
that is worth listening to, and after such superb
rendering of it Mr.. Wheimj gave last night, the
concerto left feeling of satisfaction which was.
oddly at variance with the impression created BY
the other novelty of the evening. Bronsarts Spring
Fantasy"
This work, which is. essentially descriptive in,
character and which belongs to the socalled
programme music" consists of five closely con-
nected movements which, they in
no wise possess the symphonic form. constitute a
sort of suite The first, The Desoation
Of Winter" opens with series Of long
drawn chords, and is throughout melancholy
and gloomy, as BELTS a picture OF dreary'
snow-clad wastes and ice-bOuDd rivers But the
general tone of sadness here and there broken by
brighter motion which herads the expected spring.
and the first movement presently into the.
secoud, bright and jubiant, The Coming Of
Spring" This is followed by Loves Dream" IN
which the lover who is personfed by the SOLO vo-
ln pOurs out the tenderness of his feelings Torn
by doubts and anxiety his spirit is Gained b. the
note, of an old German chorale, given quietly out
by the trumpet and the love motive reasserts ITSELF
only to be rudely broken in by Lies
Storms" the fourth movement Bat as every
thing must end we'll, just az it does
in the good old novels, the fifth movement,
The Hymn of Spring" comes to put every hing TO
rights and the Fantasy closes with the union of the
hymn. the chorale, and the love motive.
The work has undoubted merits 1t is
mus;canly, sOundIy though not brilliantly
scored. the themes are often graceful and taking,
the work has that of strength which comes with
the mastery of technical methods of expression,
aud 1t contains some clever though not
very original effects. The seconl move
ment is strong and spirited, The third Is pretty if
somewhat sentimental. the use of the o.. chorae
- effective, aud the last movement has much
real beauty. But all through one feels
that there is something unreal about
il. The Coming of Spring" il bright and joyfil,
II is true but IT'S brightness Ond joy might rs well
proceed from auy other cause There is nowhere IN
IT the odor of volets nor the freshness Of tie
spring breczes. nor of bursting buds and opel-
iug bossOme." as the programme had II.
We feel all along tLat Bronsart Is
not really in sympathy with nature, as Raft rs III
his In Wade " SYMPHONY, and we get the impress
sion only of clever. rather theatrical
picture. painted skilfully, but by the most
conventional methods, aud when all is done, We
have no sense of satisfaction and ony half the
sense of pleasure.
Mr.. Wihelmj's playing is as wonderful as ever
lie gave the Bruch Concerto with great
brradlh and spirit, with fte aud feel
ing. ard with superb briiliancy of exc
cuiion and that marycll0usly rich. pure toae of
which he alone seems TO have the secret.
lie was repeatedly recalled. both after the concerto
and the ciIaeonne, which he played with * r4oTdi-
nary AMI delightful ease, and after This latter
piece he gave n transcription OF FATHERS lrze
Song from The MelsteSinger." The work
oil tie orchestra better than at the last concert
and though often left much to be desired. notably
the concerto. tho performance went oil WIN
spirit and with comparative SmOoThneSs.