Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-02-17
THE PHlLaARMOhIC.
The Concert Last svenisS-A large
sud ssIsas Aualsnos. -- b

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The Philharmonic Society gave 1t
fourth concert, Of tho eighth season
last evening, and Notwithstanding tn
disaRresable state of the weather out
side, q large audience assembled to gree
them.
| 1t IL evident, from the perform anc,
that Prof. RhOads director Of the So
ciety, together with the orchestra, hal
more than he Is able to do, aud unless {
competent leader OF the orchestra IL se
cured, they cannot greatly improve
Mr.. Rhoads is fully competent in vocal
music, but, as q leader Of an orchestra
he is at fault. He took control of the
position temporarily and entirely
against his will and desire, but he has
been kept there notwithstanding his
objections. 1t il said that Mr.. Beecher,
the violonselli would fill the place
with great credit to himself and profit
TO the club. Since the last performanc G
the society has lost three of it's best
I'D musicians, Messrs Albert, Nausteal
and Kurtz. Mr.. Albert led the first
violins, Mr.. Kurtz the second yioins
and Mr.. Naustel did splendid playing
on the double bass. The performance
last night was not fully up to the usual
standard, and several changes will
have tn be made, such as a leader OF
the orchestra, before the society can
come before an audience with concert
equal 10 some Of the leading clubs in
other cities.
There were only one or two things in
the programme deserving of much COM
ment. The "Cantata" by Gade was
we'll rendered. Mr.. Boulay's solo on
the cornet was one of the best fea-
lures of the entertainment, during
which he surprised the severest
critics. This was Mr.. Boulay s first ap-
Iearsnce In public in solo and he did
we'll; he received loud and hearty ap-
plause, which was repeated 30 fire.
queDtly that he came forward again
and played "The Old Folks at Home,'
grandly and by his rendition Of these
pieces 80 admirably he bids fair to be-
come good musician and bright fu-
ture is no doubt before him. The solo
by Mr.. Zimmerman was rendered in
fine style and was loudly encored. His
voice is low, but sweet baritone and
his style correct. He was enthusiastic
cally received and rendered his pieces,
which we've difficult, with care and pre-.
cision. Mr.. Fullmer's performance on
the piano was, as it always is, fully up
to the standard. At the conclusion of
a severe and lengthy criticism, which
appeared in the News this morning, az
prepared by their critic, who is a com
petont Judge of all the fine points OF
music, he says
Finally it is certain that ont OF the
seventy or eighty members OF che or
ganization not forty deserve to be call
ed musicians. The rest are worse than
worthless, and their absence or silence
would be the greatest improvement Of
which the society 10 susceptible at pre-
sent.
Ii the society IL to be q success the
following changes must be made in its
course The "dead wood must be
eliminated. Some tenOrs and sopranos
must be formed for the chorus. The
orchestra must be cut down 80 as TO in
clude only the good musicians, and a
professional orchestral leader must be
obtained for it.
Anybody can lead good musicians
who can lead themselves, but dead
wood" must have a master to improve
it. Lastly, the class of music must be
improved. The society has piles of good
music and lots of the members anxious
to play 1t, but it is held back by the
incompetent players who cannot play
il and whom the leaders will not tell
tn stav at home. The society il in its
Decline and unless the above reforms
are instituted there will he few more
tlutters and then the fall.