New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-01
quired. This generosity Is somewhat grudgingiy

greater soul of the two did forget it, Lszt received
n.rI;oy with omen arms and became his true friend
and Intelligent admIror and the frehchinan toeos'
MICS THIS kindness Ia his Memories by an outrageous
abuse of the rites of hospitality. What gentleman
ever rushed from q friends table to write Tor tho
nress a description Of the entertainer in his too
generous cupsi Wagner was only beginning MS
career at this Time and l,erlioz says little about '
But these two COMPOSERS of the future had less III
common than is generally supposed. The CRITICISMS
upon German singers are precise ana ahPlo "n'
such good models of what criticism ought To Do '"a'
il pitv they refer 10 the artists of past genera
s;on. most of them unknown even by name 10 'no
readers of to day. The remarks upon the orchestras
of Franco and Germany will occasion no little sur
prise. There were very few cities of Europe. thirty
mr. tbirtv-hye years ago. where it was possible 10
orcan,ze a tolerable performance of such music as
Rerlioz came to introduce, and he was repeatedly
Obliged to strike pieces OF his programmes because
the orchcstras coud not play or the singers couIu
not sing them At festival under his own direction
in Paris with the finest orchestra of that capital,
ne writes flat he had "imprudently" included IN
the programme the Queen Nab Scherzo from the
Romeo and Juliet"
Tbi, picce is too rapid and delicate to be played
by a larle orchestra In such case ana WIN so
short bar, ii Is nearly impossible 10 kocI an 'No
instruments together They occupy 700 Iarge ~
space: and those VINO are farthcst rom .n1 oo,l-
ductor soon lag behind, since they are nnspie OK
actly to follow his rapid rhythm. frctted as wa
il never entered my head to form niue plckcu Or
chcstra, which could have grouped romnu l,o ~ ~
the middle of the stage. and so have east carrier
ont my purpose. Accordingly, after lncTcnloio
trouble we had to give up the Schcrzo. ana strikc
ont of the programme IL was on this occasion tbaI
remarked how impossible it was TO prevent the
little c,,nbas in Is fiat and + from dragging, Wncn
placed too far away from the conductor. ! ny"
stuply put them at the end OF the stage bcshc ,hc
kettle drums: and in spite of all my efforts they
were sometimes q whole bar bchindhand. since
then have ALWAYS taken care To nave thcm pcs'"o
mo- and tie difficulty has vanished.
The scherzo is undoubtedly very difficult but
large festival orchcstras under Thomas have gwen
il hero with perfect accuracy and with the most
rayishing effect. Our bands ut least one oil our
bands, execute every day music which the composer
could rarely get played by the picked orchestras oil
France and Germany. 1t is true that the style OF
his music was strange to those mon but nc ""s
present to explain the unfamiliar hndncs oil express
sion and rhythm, and his understanding OF the
capabilities and technics of the orchestra was com
plete The truth is that performers twenty or thrly
years ago were CHI less expert than they are no"
and there are many passages IN TINS DOCK WHICH
N Ike us suspect that Bcrlioz, witt all his knowi-
edge, lacked the self-possesSion ana commanding
force of good conductor
Berlioz wrote his famous arrangement of the
Rakoczy March for a concert i'll Pesth. There was
great interest over tho announcement OF the na-
tional air and some anxiety to know how the
Frcnchman would treat it
At last NJ IIorwath, chief editor Of Hungarian
PAPER being unable to restrain his curiosity any
longer, came to the publisher with whom was III
treaty about the organization of the concert, found
ont the address of the copyist VINO had Deeh COIL
missioned to write the orchestral parts from ihe
score, ran OH to this man, asked Tor my Mss, ana
carefully OK ainined them. NJ. llorwath WAS but
iii pleased with the result of his inquiry. and could
not Disguise his anxiety. ,
'a aw ns
Swell, / have my Fears
"You have marked the theme piano. and we on
tho contrary, are accustomed to hear " played J0T
dsNno"
Yes. by the Zngar Besides. is that all Never
fear; you shall have forte such as yon have never
heard in ali your life You have not read properly
rhe md must be considered i'll everything
Still. Oh the day of tho concert | felt certain
tightening in my throat when the moment came for
producing the piece After trumpet phrase based
IN the rhythm of the first bars OF tho melody, tho
theme appears. yon will remember, performed piano
by the flutes and carinets. AND accompanied pisEcdf3
by the sringed instruments. To TINS unexpected
treatment tho public listened in silence; but when,
after long cescendO fugued fragments OF the theme
reappearci, interrupted by dull beats OF the big
drum with all the effect of distant cannon. the
room began to seethe with an indescribable sound,
and when at length the orchestra burst ont IN
furious melee and hurled forth the long delayed for
and stampngs; the concentrated Jury OF all TINS
burning audience exploded in accents that shlveted
me with terror. felt as If my hair were standing
on end, and from the moment of that fatal bar had
10 bid farewell to the pcroraton of my piece, the
orchestral tempest being quite incapable OF contend
ing with the eruption OF tins Irresistible volcano:
We had to rccOmmcncc, as you may imagine; ana
the second time il was with the greatest dilhculty
that the public could contain itself two or three
moments longer than before III order to hear lew
bars OF tho cola. N. Horwath was throwing himself
about his box Ike one possessed; ! could not hep
laughing. as | threw a glance at hlin which said.
your forte :" 1t lucky thing for me that bad
placed the Rdh6cay- iadtl6 that is the hungarian
title of the piece at tho end of the concert Tor any
thing played afterward would have been entirely
lost.
was violently agitated as may be believed, after
such "A hurricane, and was wiping my face i'll little
room behind the stage, when experienced a singu-
lar rebound from tho emotion of the concert room.
1t happened in this wise. poorly dressed man.
with strangely agtated face, dropped in upon me
unawaTes in my small retreat. The moment he
caught sight Of me he flung himself upon me and
embraced with fervor; his eyes were full of
tears and with difficulty he stamnered out these
words:
"Ah, sir, sir / Hungarian poor fellow-not
speak French-un POGO Pltaliano. Forglve-ny
ecstasy. All, understood your cannon. Yes, yes
the great battle--Gorman dogs" And striking him
self great blow on the chest with his fist In my
heart here shall bear you-ah, you Frcnchman-
you rcvOlutonist-you do know how to make reyou-
tOnary music"
cannot attempt to describe the terrible excite
1t was something almost appalling; it was sublime.
1t is q curious fact that the expressions marks on
the published score do not agree with this account
of the performance; but tho story is interesting Tor
all that. At Vienna a man accosted Bcrlioz i'll a
crowded place the day after of his concerts:
"Sir" he said briskly. " you are French and am
Irish there is no national amour Jr0pre III my
opinion. and (sczlng my left hand" beg your
permission 10 grasp the hand that wrote the sym
phony OF ROMEO. You understand >hakespcarcw
t.,ttt ban.
in the hand as always write with this one"
The freshman smiled, took the right hand offered
him, pressed IL very cordially. and went Oh saying
"Oh. these Frenchmen these Frenchmen They
must laugh at everything and everybody; even at
their own admirers"
The story of the repeated and always unsuccess-