New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-24
MIrSIC AND THE DRAMA.
,pooxryN PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

.S.hss,r, was in superb form, and the programme
"a. one of the most delightful ever given at one oi
tbese concerts. 1t was this:
selections from "Orpheus" .........--...-'-'."u0A
Miss Cary, chorus and orchestra
psstorai symphony
Cypey Life. " -
suftc Algerienne ..--'-'-1
ry,. selections from Orpheus" are those when
A. THOMAS arranged for the first CINCINNATI y s.i-
al that Of 1878. Gluck, like Bach, IS almost "noiy
troyrn TO rs and as is the with the works oil
.he GREAT contrapuntist though for dinereh' Iea
-. we can hardly hope TO hear them III their
;r;no, form. In Germany his operas still hou 'he
.t.ce IL is true, but long as the reign VI
ytaban opera endures in this country 'oeie Is Du'
Itt,e hone of their representation mere III III"
ahsse aelections, and III anOther eot
Ia made from re "Alceste 3" LOT INC Ni
.;nuati Festival of 1873. Mr.. Thomas has renurieu
m the same service as regards Guck that ne Oil" ia
,as,ect To Bach when he made the additohai ac'oi'
psn;rnents to his "A Stronghold sure cah'a'" anu
NJ made its performance in the concert 'i"oi" PC
BILE; and be has performed his TASK VIII" Nv 49,
s.ct and discretion. The selections cover '"c
g., air and mart of the second with ono air nom
Aha third and. a. Mr. Thomas has arranged 'h'in'
xh.v Introduce the chorus and only one 500 par"
ar, ~ 0vpsrrs which sung by Miss tarS'
,rck,s mnsc is as fresh and lovely to us to-day as
IL was hundred years ago, and when IL Is given aS
n was last night the effect that 1t produces is evil
dence enough of its lasting vitality.
Miss Cary sang the music of Orphe~ WIN eA-
rel,eut taste and abundant feeling ana gave inc
beautiful "Che fairs Senza Eurydice" with snch
seut;ment and expression that the audience h"uo
demand for it's repetition, to which Mr.. Thomas "
fused 10 acoede. The work of the chorus was a'u'i
abs. and the orchestra played the three inN'ru-
Al <s.n
and the Dance Of the Happy Spirits" magnih-
Gently.
The Aicbneer Salve Regina" which belongs to
shs latter part of the sixteenth century, is singh
lsrly interesting work. delightfully."- quaint and anti
ouateti full of strange harmones and abrupt modu-
nations and of the curious cadences III when the
sousic of that time abounds. Schumann's breezy.
nj cturesque Gypsy Life is the same that was per
formed at the recent concert given by the chorus
eairt-Ssens's now Suite Alcerienne," which he
terms " picturesque impressions OF trip TO
Algicrs' is very odd composition. carrying bizar-
rere TO its utmost limits. aud combining the pecu-
liar favor of the French school with an exaggerated
OrientaliIa which is more droll than effective. One
of the movements "Reverie du Soir," Is
alarming and the odd little Prelude is not
without beauty but the last movement is
a very commonplace French military march, and
the second "Rhapsodie haurrsque IL undcniahy
ugly and utterly absurd. IL may convey just idea
Of Moorish music, of which il seems 10 be an nita-
ton but Saint-Saens has small for inii, ting
Il on the cars of Christians.
- The performance was astonishingly good. The
band was in the happiest hu,nor and gave finished.
delicate and charmingy poetic performance OF the
Pastoral symphony. and it was excellent, too
In the Saint-Saens Suite, which il played
with great spirit and animation, and in the accom-
panin,ents 10 the " Orpheus" music aud Schumanns
"Gypsy Life But the honors of the evening un-
uuestiorably fell TO the chorus, which was largely
reinforced from New-York, and which numbered
between 400 and 500 voices. Admirable IA was
tho work OF the combined choruscs in the Bach Can
tata and the Choral SYMPHONY two months
ago. and completely as they vanquiSied the
overwhelming difficulties presented in these works
their singing last night still entire surprise
We have had no chorus here which could at all APP
proach this one in frmness, precision. hneness of
shading. responsiveness to the conductors will. and,
above ali, in elegance. Indeed, there has
been no chorus singing in this country
equal to it, except the best work at the
Cincinnati Festivals, and it is something
with which this public is entirely unfamiliar. Mr.
Thomas has given proof gh before of his power
o. q chorus master. but there has never been any so
overwhelming this Ii was rs astonishing rs IT
was clightful and those who hear this chorus sing
absolute revelation.
This SEASON has been by far the most brilliant in
the history of the Society far both its material
success and its artistic achievements concerned.
It's financial prosperity should be a matter of gen
eral satisfaction, as it is of public interest
Tor the Society is in sense private
speculation, but its earnings are used to create
fund for the advancement of art and for
the improvement of its own concerts, which has
always been administered by the directors with the
utmost wisdom and lberality. As for It's artistic
work the high standard OF excellence which has
marked the concerts in the past has this year been
maintained. and like its sister Society, the New
York Philharmonic, it has taken great
step in advance in the formation of a
chorus to cooperate with its orchestra. In
deed, the work of the two Societies this
winter has been nearly the same. The pro-
grammes have not been identical. il is true but
most Of the important works heard at the concerts
Of the one have also been given at those Of the
other. they have the same conductor, they lSve
been guided by the same policy and are animated
by the aims they have evinced earnest wish
70 cooperate with each other whenever it posi-
bic and TO the advantage of art, and they have
met with equal success in their work. There is
nothing which they have done in q long while that
has had NO direct and powerful influence their
capacity for usefulness the organization Of these
chorrses. The advantage which they would confer,
the wholesome influence that they would un-
questionsbly exert the increased power which
would he gained through them. and the value of
the class of music whose performance their exist
ence would render possible VIC pointed ont at the
Lime OF the first appearance in public of the Brooklyn
sherus lts work that occasion satisfactory.
% spite OF the short time that il had had for prac
mac, aud 1t at once took 80 strong hold on the
kat L.1. Al. Il.