New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-18
THE BOSTON WAGYER FESTIVAL.
TIE CONCERTS OF THE LAST DAY.
A SUMMING Up OF REsULTs-FAILURE or THE LOCAL
CHORUS.

| A SUMMING Up OF REsULTs-FAILURL or THE LOCAL
CHORUS.
| FROM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUSE.l
! BOsrON, April 17.-With a matinee this after
at whieh fragments Of TIE Flying Dutohman,"
die Nesterslnser" 'PaFsiEa" and ode Walktre"
performed, and concert tonight which opened with
BeethOven miner symphony and introduced the entire
last act OF Die G0rteIalnne Rg" the Wagner Festival
TO a close. The excerpt FROM "Parsfal" the
scene between Parst;at and the Flogr Girls, which
| had already bee Il presented
The last act OF Die GOtterdammeruHg is also the last
OF the Nibelung tetrslog ard was therefore 1T
ting close the week of dramatic music II is better
adapted to Performance than many Of the
which have been presented those who heard Ia New
York and Cincinnati four years ago know. At the fest
walls IN the cities 1852 Mr. Thomas also the
death OF Sicg0tcG" and BrtphiideS immOatiOn. but
to Boston ali OF the music nee except Of course the
tremendous march The absence OF the local chorus en-
| abed Mr. Thomas TO make the end crown
| the work of the festival. Madame Materna
never falls 10 reach exalted artistic altitude In the
which is the climax the end the great
tragedy-the elimination aud resolution OF the plot
which involves all parts OF tho complex machinery OF
Morse mythology, aud which has for its theatre tho
heavens, the md the and waters under the
earth. No part Of rhe employed forces fell short in the
performance, and tho three NewYsrk singers Miss
Juch, Mrs. Hartdegen and Miss Winsnt, again
golden opinions their thrilling Interpretation Of
the music of the Rhine mikes. All OF the
artists who came from New-York have Distinguished
themselves and cannot bur commend the highest
terms the skill exercised in selecting them and their
industry and artistic earnestness which placed their
work par with that Of the noble orchestra. From
the disasters which have oyertaken the ehosters each
time that they attempted task OF the ordinary
OF chorus singing can imagine what might
have been the result the music Of the
RhtHedatsghterS and that assigned 70 the
two grosps OF FO,cer Girls had been left to local
no a has no
adequate to the task but rather would been
impossible to have brought the training to the pitch
Of perfection II it had been done here
The disappointment Occasioned by the chorus IL
keenly felt by local musicians aud is gener-
ally, and perhaps correctly, charged upon the
lack Of rehearsas with the orchestra This is oae OF the
arguments against festivals OF this character which
is only nulhfed in affairs like those at New
York and Cincinnati ample time is taken for study
under Mr. Ihomas's direction. 1t Is said that tho
exceedingly well whie rehessing with pisnoforte
psniment yet, except IN the Iannhauser" march and
the simple portions Of the Mestersnger" chorale, 10
made wohh exhibition. Perhaps II ought not to be
thsir eIciSio s 10! ee SGnon were SsAeu 10 snS
with the orchestra which served only show
that the cooperation OF the solo voices and
the band threw them into helpless confusion,
As Tor the men who sang the antphonal
OF time compelled them attempt 1t without one re-
hearsal with orchestra These the unhappy features
to rest on as IN Cincinnati aud no thorough preparation
under the conductor who in the end Is called to direct
affairs. In Cincinnati the Anal studies under Mr. Thomas
occupy 1--WE day; IN New York study has been going on
for months under Mr. Thomass eye With the superior
acoustic conditions afforded by the Metropo Opera
House In New York. and the Music Hall In Cincinnati Is
therefore easy 10 Imagine that, brilliant OF the
features OF this FESTIVAL have been, whole IL will be
collapsed by the concerts In the two cities mentioned.
NOtwl hsandDg the extraordinary interest OF Nedn9s-
days concerts the last dag OF the festival made tho
most brilliant by two circumstances. One the at
tendance, which numerous both afternoon aud
evening than at any time previous. The other the
the brilliant individual performances OF Herr Scarta
In the afternoon and Nine Materna in the evening.
Herr Scara'a triumph was won with the address from
the rst act OF De Mestersngor" In Which Po1ner prom
es the hand VI his daughter 10 the victor ia the toura
ment OF song 10 be held by the Mastersingers the
and called the greatest demonstration OF enthusiasm
which uIiil then had been Witnessed at the festival
Handclappng and excited shouts called the singer tho
stage five times and then the feeling not
worn out The had It's counterpart at the close Of
the evening Nine. Materna sang the masic with
which the Wakya goes 10 her voluntary death with the
same klndng ierv0r and magnificent defamation that
she exhibited at the festivals OF NewYork and Cincin
nat two years ago, ana with frosher voice and
intOnatlOn. II performance TO be remembered for
years and brought hundreds OF men and TO their
feet evoked tumult Of shous and futtering OF
handkerchiefs.
The festival thus came to an end with great outburss
OF enthusiasm The audience each uno numbered Al
least 1000 persons
Mr. Locke tho protector Of the scheme OF Wagner fee
uyas 10 Dc given 10y Mr. Thomas that his hrst
ure here has paid him. He has give one con-
cert more on May in the same hall Mr. Thomas ana
the orchestra started for New York little midnight
on special train so az 10 be able give the public
hearsal for the Philharmonic concert tomorrow.