New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-06


phony Society last night at the Academy of Musio
was as follows
symphony IN J. fat Nozsrt
Cayatna, from Der Frcl'ctdtz ".......... Weber
Mrs Henschcl.
Overture "osslan "....:.....................G a'e
so,,,} F@ b mSIts Nende SIgr
tc. "sing Hegh,IIo| .;....... Henschel
Mrs Hensche.
Symphony In y minor. ................... VolkmanD
The novelty in this entertaining scheme was thu
second slmphony, which was invested with mel
anchoy interest by the recent death of its COM
poser Concerning the decease Of Robert Vo'k-
mann n number of sensational stories have been
set afoat, one Of which was copied into
The Sun yesterday from a musical journal
entitled The Key Note. 1t was, in
effect that the composer had died literally Of star
walton. Such is not the fact. and il is difficult TO
see what good end in art can be subscryed by the
dissemination Of n statement which, If II were
true, would not only be dsgraceful to our common
humanity, bat also especially humiliaung to all
artistsa art lovers. Vokmann didnotdic of star
walton, though he lived poorly enough, il must DO
confessed He died of heart disease, while dozens
Of willing hands and tie best ob,ainable medical
skill were employed in efforts to keep him alive.
He was an old man, sixty-nue, ard instead of being
enfecbed by suffering was 50 hale and hearty that
the intelligence of his death was surprise TO
his many friends in Pesth where, except
for a few brief intervals, he had lived
for forty years. lie visiting in the house Of
friend when the stroke came and fell from his char
TO the floor He lost consciousness at once, and NO
was all but extinct when he was removed to his
home lie was stricken in the afternoon and dIed
shortly before midnight. These the facts touch
ing his death, as they were published in dispatch
to ME Nee Treie P,e,se of Vienna, from Pesth, at
the time. II is hardly TO the credit o. The hey Note
that it did not get az the truth OF
matter so interesting to the musical world. For
Vokmann was ranked high among the musicians
of this generation The story of his death by
starvation doubtless grow out of his mode of life
Though he had lived so long IN Pcsth ana was ITO
lessor of Harmony and Counterpart IN the Ma
tonal Musical Academy there he was known tf
comparatively few people. He had no conhdentlal
friends and lived almost as retired as hermit III
mean dwelling, where his only human com.
panlon was an Old woman Oh 10"
keepeS for eleven years. He was retlcent,
and mOrOse never went to concerts unless his music
! formed a number on the programme, and then
! always wore q dress coat and white neCktle ID
readiness for the call upon the stage which he eX-
pected. He was devoted 10 his work like ml>er 10
his gold and on the day OF his death had laDoIed
on an extended composition five hours before visit
ing the house where he was stricken.
Eolkmann's greatest successes as composer were
won i'm the department of chamber music, to which
he was a yOiumnOus contributor OF his orchestral
compositions two symphonies, several oVerluIes
and serenade have made the tour OF the concert
rooms OF Europe. The serenadc mas frequently
been gwen BY Mr. Thomas. Although by no means
50 pretentlOus this symphony IN u minor II IA
much more OF musical inspiration III H. anu y q I's
cinatinely beautiful work. The symphony does not
take high rank. Ii is hard in instrumental treat
ment and monOtOnous IN the elaboration OF lts
themes Its claim to originality, we are
tempted to say, rests only on tins lacL
that we do not know any other, modern sym.
phOnst To whom we would have dared atulpgle
r # If had come to us unlabeled. There is sn'
gular spirit exemphfed in the designation of its
movements for the third is as little >cir;O as the
IlJrO pairticO is pathetic. 1t was brilliantly played
! by the orchestra under DR.. Damroschs sympathetic
! direction last night So also was the Mozart
! symphony and the overture, though the an;
! sGuce of the bardic harp deracted goOc
! deal from the poetcal spirit OF this composition,
! which is most truly an Ossianlc echo. II was Sald
! that Nine. Sacconi, the harpst, has suddenly 9een
taken IN. Mrs Ieuschcl sang with eXquisi ttsl-
! ing lovely voice aud rare Intelligence IN the
| cavatina {" Und Oh die WOlke'J, bat especially Ill
! the songs with pianOtOrtc accompaniment