New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-10
MITSIC AND THE DRAMA.
THE SYMPHONY SOCIETY.

THE SYMPHONY SOCIETY.
11o nroOrarnIne Of the fourth concert OF the sym
,bonv society, given last evening III the AeadoWy
nj Music was not a shining monument to Dr. bam-
rosch's skill in programme construction us oniel
characteristic was contrast and 1t was weak ID INC
beginning, which was not well adapted 20 ench lam
the interest and prepare the mind for the b"''er
things of the middle and end These were tAo
pieces: .,.
Overture g" Koenig Stephan 49,. Beeth0ven
Andaute de Concert for , yi1 s3,a
Symphony "IenOre -.fal'
Concerto in G MINOR, FOR pianotorte Mendeiss'hn
Selections from 81 Die Meisterslnger ...W agher
q, Introduction to Act Ill
D, Prize Song
C. Prelude.
Two artists made their appearance as solo per-
formers and this fact may have been thought OF
sufficient importance to justify the scheme. De-
splte the merits of Miss Pinney and Mr.. Giese
however the interest In the concert centred
in the Raft symphony. 1t was the first
performance in this city of an extended work OF the
composer since his death and it called to mind how
slight had been the commotion caused by the de-
parture of a musician TO whom high degree OF
creative ability was almost universally conceded.
Telescope and the limitations of that ability are both
made manifest in this descriptive symphony anc
for choosing if under the circumstances In prefer
ence to any one of the numerous other symphonies
that have had Raft for their creator, Dr. Damrosch
Is TO be commended IL shows as well as
If not better than any other, the extraordinary
facility in handling the elements of musical com
position which was at once the most admlraoie ana
most deporable thing in Rats intellectual equip
ment This facility had it been coupled with high
idealty would undoubtedly have lifted him to the
Hottest plane occupied by creative musicians but
lacking idealty Raft sought to replace it with III
spration of a 1neaner kind. and the facility became
fatal to his fame as a composer. He adopted an
sesthetical system that was easily satisfied; that
permitted him to go to external things for his I'M
pulses that did not against the adoption OF
formula which, in such expert hands as his, insured
a work that would please the impressonable; and
he ran riot with his descriptive symphonies.
These facts were accentuated when after MS
death his last symphony was given first perform
anee. 1t is entitled Winter" aud is one of set
devoted to an attempt to delineate the seasons
unsteady The phantom horse gallops through
one of its movements as he does through the last
movement OF the " LenOre" symphony, and through
the night scene of the d" I'm Wade" This is work
ing device of dubious merit pretty hard and 1t
would never have been done by han
if he had not adopted the least
defensible of the positions with regard 10 pro-
gramme music in order that he might always lind
easily an incentive to his annual symphonic pro-
duction He wrote too easily. and hence he wrote
too much; and while the compositions of a mu-
stefan like Brahms will grow in popular appre-
citation after his death in spite of their adherence
TO principles winch are low enduring severe at
tacks, the symphonies of Raft enjoyed their great
est popularity within the early years of their exist
ence The LenOre" last night was given q spirited
reading, and that gave ample expression
70 its very obvious sentimentsi but the I'm
ish was not all that it might have been.
and there were occasional crudties of tone in ali
parts of the band that interIered with complete
enjoyment.
Mr.. Gieses playing of Molique's concert andante
showed him to be a master on the viOloncelO who
has in command tone that remains FULL sweet and
vibrant high in the positions, and is promptly re-
sponsive to a generally refined. dIgnifed and must
ciany taste In so far this is produced by the
bow it is worthy of the highest praise the customary
incessant shake of the players left hand. however
brings il TO the verge of sentImeDtality. Mr.. Giese
has no need of this morbid device 1t not in har-
mony with the manly manner in which he draws his !
bow, nor the dignity of his musical intelligence.
Miss Pinney, though artist of good stature does |
not show the same degree of musical ripeness She |
played the beautiful G-Ininor concerto with more
technical correctness than feeling, with more clear
ness than sentiment 1t is plain that has power
but il seems withheld through timidity, and her |
playing seems too much under cOnstTant. With |
the excellent schooling which she has she can ac-
compllsh more sympathetic performance if she |
will but give fTeer to her fancy
GILBERT AND SULLIVAN'S NEW OPERA. |
The most interesting feature of the musical |
week will the first performance Of Gilbert and suvan's
~Prncess Ida Castle Adamant at the Fifth Avenue
Theatre tomorrow evening The Opereta, Mr. stetson
say III his announcement viii be "embellshed with |
beautiful scenic effects and magnificent costumes" The
Distribution Of parts will be Us follows:
King Hid brand ....... Sig G. BrOcOini
Cvrit Z Commencement. Mr. W. :. Rising
FIOlaI ' -'''-} MI Chas. j. Lang
Gaua -.-.-...-.-.--- Mr.. j. II. Iyle
..-.. l.......-...-. MI NJ. Aln@leY scott
NcyuihIas 1000. .----..---- Mr. +. j. ClOuey
Princes Ida 0amas daughter. Miss cora Tanner
LAZY Blanche Miss Genevieve Reynolds
Melissa, ady Blanche's daughter Miss Hattie uolaro
SachlrlSs4 Miss EVa harrington
titJr--- graduates Mss i-lN N'eiIa44
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