New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-11
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
TIE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.


TIE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.
The second concert of its fortieth season was
given by the Philharmonic Society of New-York last
night in the Academy of Music. The high ann ol
tbe Society was maintained in the character OF me
selections on the programme and their performance
by the band, and large audience filed the chanS
from parquet floor 70 highest gallery 10 give '.'i
mony of the degree of appreciation which the best
music receives here and to eo, the feast which the
Philharmonic Society always sets OUT. Inns was
the programme: ,,,.
Eptr'acte miner Rosamu zach
Concerto "I fI ro gS1 Brand, and Richard Aod
s ET 80 a %ln9T rom 9n The Flying Dutch
man '-.'-'-''----'''s rnoi Gaassi. .,,o.o,
Overture LenOrc, No. j." ------.. '--'--'''
REORGANIZATION of pieces does not seem TO be
hardened with any other purpose than TO present
fbe novelty of the evening as the central NUMBER ol
tbe scheme and to ssociate with 1t music ol q
dipnifed character sufficiently conrasted III sent-
ment and style to avoid IN not0ny. so we had ms
poetical and melodIous measures of Schubert fol-
lowed by the rigid and formal logic of Bach, and inc
sombre and desparing cries of the DHtchma" by me
overture in which, more than In any other
work. Beethoven has voiced the tn is ana
triumpbs of characters that VIII Always po
lovely to the eye OF heaitny e
ment More than this could hardly DE lo''nu
i'm the arrangement even by the most lnaglna'i'0
of mott ye-hunters Its merit, outside OF the oeay
of all the music seemed to lie chiefly III the TACT
that 1t very iDgeniously lifted the symphony INTO
inst the prominence that it needed III order to be
most effective. The preceding pieces fixed the at
tenton OF the audience the business OF the even
ing. and tuned their perceptions to the pitch re-
oui,ed for the welcome entrance OF the
svmnhonv They did not weary the hear
ers did not tax their patience, nor NIL
their minds with such serious matter rs
might embarrass the reception OF the ne" music,
Each moment was pleasure saihelen unto tsell'
and-thanks to the skill of the men who mooesuy
left their stands to submit themselves to All APP
proved test from Bachs day 10 ours OF Vohn play
er's te .hnca! skill taste and judgment-eyen the
antiouated concerto gave ont refreshing and III
MIGRATING Influence.
Rub,nsein'S new symphony was kindly II NOT
enthusiastically received. Loud demonstrations OF
onnroyal are NJ common at the Philharmonic con-
oerts however and tue fact that it was heard
throughout with the closest attention, and thdt IN
the applause which followed each movement theIe
was apparent a very correct ana dlscri i'lh"l-
ing Judgment prove that 1t has III IL
beauty which will keep for it place IN moGeIn
symphony literature. It's charm, which IS UNIQUE
one is largely due to the Russian melodies whch
form the themes of It's various movements. In Their
happy faculty which detects relationship between
melodies and cOnsOrts them so that symphony be-
comes an organic whole rather than series I'M
related pieces like the old suites where except
In isolated instances, the effect OF contrast
alone seemed TO have been consulted
The work breathes out very marked spirit Oh
melancholy, and even in the second movement
which stands IN the stead of the regulation Scherzo
there are the accents of heaviness and sorr0w-
dance time ou-h it is 1t reminded one of Dr
Ma, LeOd S characterization of Irish mus company
of emigrants dancing shpboard and CRYING
their eyes ont as they leave friends and home Inc
majority of Russian folk-sOngs are III the minor
mode aud it will be interesting contribution 10
the philosophy of music which Will some
day in the future tell why this should be
60 The influence which the symphony eXerts Is
sublued aud chastened and this lends color OF
probabiit to the belief which has been expressed,
that it was designed by Rubns,e n as memorial OF
his gratitude to the Grand Duchess Helene raw
lowna TO whose memory 1t is dedicated
In the treatment of the Slav tunes miss Rubin
STEMS characteristic blliancy of color His predi-
lection for Oriental lnxurance all know, and 1t
A. to his credit that he has been able successfully
to res!-s;n himself here where the effects
most tasy and natural to him would have
iarred with the feeling of the piece. Nevertheless
he has shown good deal of originality III the III
strumentatiOD, and has given the symphony very
marked individuality. Ii has Disappointing fea-
tures. brt they are the inevitable result OF
his employment of the popular melodies
which however striking, do not submit like perfect
svmpbony themes TO the variable treatment "eces-
sary to tie construction Of a symphony. mere arc
Zoo many waste places IN the work where the simple
listener loses the thread of discourse or finds IL not
interesting enough to follow.