New-York tribune., 1884-03-02
USIC.
BROOKLYN PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

BROOKLYN PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.
The interest of novelty IN the sixth programme
of this Society rendered on Friday afternoon and
again last night at the Academy Of Music
in Brooklyn was held by violin concerto Of
Moritz Moskowski's composition that has dill
gently been making the rounds of the German con-
cert rooms during the last few months. Two Of
the remaining three numbers were in the pro-
gramme of the last concert Of the New-YOrk Phil
harmonic Sosiety two weeks ago. The scheme was
as follows:
Symphony Minor seandinavian) Frederic NJ IT, CGwen'
Concerto for Vlohn op osn go; R6ojcs Ori1
Variations a theme By Haydn Op 90
Symphonic Poem, TassO; LoiaeH0 Hi0hyo ....AAs~'
Moskowskis concerto has been widely lntro-
duccd in Europe by NJ. Ondrcek fellow saw
and the association brings to mind how rapidly
tbe literature of German music is taking a Slav-
onic tinge Russian, Polish and Bohemian names
confront concert -goers on all hands and people
of u,usical tastes will soon have to extend theI
knowledge of orthoepy if they wish to talk about
the composers and performers, who are energetI.
calv pushing themselves into the foreground on the
Continent. In fact. are threatened with Hood
of skis" and 4" cel<s and yiches" The fact Is
not without its significance telling of the want
which the art has come to feel for something fresh,
new and vigorous in the matter OF inspiration.
scandinavian sources having been industrlOusly
worked until their charm has failed. expectation
now turns It's face toward st. Petersburg. Prague
and Moscow and if the present tendency is not
checked the people who have mastered the pronun-
citation of W:niauski and Tschai1owski, will have
to extend their efforts to Moskowski Arensk, Siloti.
Mihalovich, Dvorak, Reznicek, Ondricek and
dozen other names equally distorted as regards spell
ling It is a useful fermentation which tue intro
ductiOn of this element has started In German
music. As yet the composers mentioned 10 not
seem to have created type of art for themselves,
but have contented themselves with infusing estab
shed forms with characteristic color, and some of
the fresh energy which can sways be drawn from
the reservoir of National fOlk-tunes.
Though this new concerto is not without strong
marks of originality. feature that is bound to
command respect, we hesitate before pronouncng
it composition of the highest class. Its ideas are
bold and there Is no limit to the audacity with
which they are worked out, but the reason for the
vigorous working out is not sufficiently plain.
The ideas are not beautiful enough in themselves 10
iustlfy it, and the treatment has too much OF the
striving after strange effects TO leave one in
complacent mood for enjoyment. There are TOO
many paces in the work that are simply bizarre.
Then its restless change of key is disturbing. lts
frequent iteration of phrases IN three or four
octaves is wcarisOme, and it is difficult to find
beauty in an orchestral part so full as this OF un-
couth sounds. The slow movement opens promis-
ingy and has the merit OF dignihed theme a
melody worthy of the name though not OF the con-
venttonal cut but il falls into the mistakes that
characterIze the excessively long first movement.
Between the first and second subjects OF the Last
movement there is as sharp contrast as II one had
been written as a study III the perpetual motion
stve and the other had been designed Tor an elegao
piece. Yet 1t is more likely than either OF tho
other movements 10 give pleasure TO an audience;
The whole work is written 70 display technical
skill of the highest order, and most OF the catch
penny tricks of viOlnists brought into requsI-
tion.
We cannot avoid the convection that the grateful
acceptance of this work is as much confession OF
the poverty of the vOliniSts Tcpert0ry as the
continual playing of Mendelssohns lovely concerto
To when we have listened for so many years. let
0uite as many efforts have been made 10 enrlSh
fins repertory within the last decade as oeNtend INC
generous list of satisfactory panoforte concetos ana
among the contributors there nave Oeen SUcn eAoc
lent musicians Brahms. Brucn. Damr9sciL
Dyorak, Gade, GOetz. G0ldmark, Hitler; Joachim
Raf,, Reinecke Saint-SaGns and TschalkowSkl, 10
say nothing of the yionst composers nv ,'. SN.
men the situation should he as II is Is far subject
Tor some curious investigation and speculation
Mr. Rhodes is young artist of excellent metal
and high promise. He has not the great fund or
horsepower which the task he essayed last night
called for, and seems to be unfortunate IN having
an instrument which reslsts his best endeayors 10
draw full tone from its lower strings There mutt
be set down to his credit however, performance
worthy of praise for purity oil lht3natlon notwih,
mn for the left hand, and as highly meritorous for
the clear insight which it revealed into the inten-
tons of the composer. 81, -
given by the choice of the symphonic poem. when
received a brilliant Interpretation. IL Is among
the most obviously pleasing OF LIST eiratio % eo,
nositions for orchestra, whether or not one gives
heed TO the programme associated Win IL. iho
same musicians performed the scandinavian syhi-
phony and the Brahms variations 80 recently @ tnAs
second discussion of the merits of the performance
can be spared.