Morning journal and courier., 1884-12-02
PHILHARMONIC CONCEPTS.


 Prospectus or The Season Of Concerts
 Conducted By Theodore Thomas.
 It is about ten years since the citizens ot New Haven have had the pleasure of listening to concerts given by Theodore Thomas matchless orchestra, and those who have not heard this great band of musicians since that time have little idea what Thcmas' orchestra of to-day is. Then MT. Thomas was con ductor of band of about fifty musicians, who, under his leadership, played orchestral programmes of mixed character.
 MT. Thomas is the pioneer in giving the orchestral works of the great masters to the American public Ten or twelve years ago he was the only man who had the courage to take his orchestra out of New York and, like the Troubadores of old, travel through the country giving the people of the smaller cit ies and towns their first chance of hearing the symphonic compositions of the great musical masters. The magnitude of this undertaking of the great conductor will be understood when the immense expense of travelling with band of fifty or sixty musi- clans, a much larger number than is put on the road by the largest theaters even in these days of nightly theater going, is taken into consideration. His bravery in continuing these concerts in the face of the scant appreciation of the musically uned- ucated public and serious financial loss is characteristic of the man. To the fact that he did continue these concerts in the face of every conceiya- ble difficulty the American public largely owes it's musical education of to-day, and MT. Thomas is now reaping tardy but all the more acceptable reward in the honor in which his name is held in every musical home in America.
 MT. Thomas work in the dark times of his early undertakings was not what it is to-day. Owing to the want of musical taste in the provincial towns he could not give pro- grammes consisting entirely of symphonies, but like true teacher he played music of various kinds so not only to instruct, but also to give enjoyment to his listeners. On his programmes then Beethoven symphony would be placed next to an operatic selection and even this lighter class of music would be re- heved by some dashing polka or galop, or one of the Strauss waltzes. Frequently, too the evenings entertainment would be varied by vocal or instrumental solo. In this way true music was placed before the people of the United States for the first time since the founding of the republic.
 It was in New York, where the musical taste of the public was equal to approaching the greatness of Mir. Thomas work, that his services were first recognized. He was made conductor of the Philharmonic society band of about 100 trained musicians, and he was able, with the trained musical audiences that attended his concerts, to give the higher works of the greatest composers
 From that period until now his time has been almost entirely given to training his magnificent orchestra in the severe works of the great masters, so during these many years, the musical public of the country have been denied the privilege of hearing his or chestra outside of the metropolis.
 At last, however, MT. Thomas has been in duced to give series of concerts outside of New York city or it's imme- diate environs. Last spring a number of gentlemen of this city organized to induce MI. Thomas and his orchestra to come to New Haven. They determined to carry out their grand idea by inducing the music-lov- ing public of the City of Films to overcome the great expense of the undertaking by sub scribing for tickets for a season of symphony concerts. They have been more than sue cessful and money enough has been raised to insure three and possibly four evenings of orchestral music, the first concert to be on the evening of December 15. It is the aim of the committee to place the sterling works of the great masters before the citizens of New Haven. The con certs will be reliable in every respect. They are not a scheme for making money organized by speculators and no one will derive any f. nancial benefit from them. Every cent re- ceived from tickets will be expended in plac- ing great musical works before the public.
 The programmes will be of a strictly sym phonic character, and for the first time New Flaw TvT1I how <1f those given by the great orchestral societies of New York, Berlin, London, Vienna, Mu- nich, Paris and other large cities. Mr Thomas has not made up his pro- gramme for any of the concerts yet, but at the first one, December 15, Beethoven's sublime Symphony in A, (No. 7, op. 92,) and violin concerto will be given with other works.
 Bcethoven's symphonies are the grandest compositions in the vast field of orchestral music. They are musical structures based on the most geometrica1 and mathematical principles and they stand in their beauty like the Gothicc athedrals of the old world cities They tower to the highest regions of poetical imagery and are still creations of most profound thought. Whoever listens to one of these masterpieces of Beethoven's is at once ushered into higher life They open the depths of the human heart, with its joys and sorrows, with all of it's fercest passions and gentlest emotions. No other composer be compared with Beethoven. He stands alone in paint ing human feelings and emotions in the wondrous colors of the grandeur of his tone poems. No pencil of Titan Raphael could l depict with more beauty the tears and joys | of human woe and human happiness than | has Beethoven in his Symphony in A. The | picture of life is perfect, and it brings the | nearer nearer to the great master than per | haps any of his other works. l
 
 concerts of the season will be placed before | the public and critical review of them will | appear in these columns. M s. |