New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-19
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
BROOKLYN PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

The BROOKLYN Philharmonic Society con-
cluaed its twenty-seventh last night with
cert OF an unusually interesting character, the pro-
| gramme OF which was as follows:
to Egmont" Beethoven
Mrs ' HArtdeean Miss Groe6i Max Heinrich,
Chorus and Orchestra
@rss2y n M Ms. Ss aC SP l@senss%n1a
lsas s'f sy 81 iot RaSinstein
The unfamiliar pieces In this scheme were the last
three which came after the intermisson In the first
/ tArNe had the familiar exposition Of strong and
ViSorous beauty which the past performances OF the
society have taught us TO expect. The magnificent
| normal yigor OF the overture to Egmont" was aug
mented in this instance. however by doubling OF tho
wood-wind choir the eject being particularly inspiring
In the Aceste" music straightforward manlness OF
Mr. Heinrich's singing. the loneliness OF Mrs. Hart
degans voice. the breadth Of Miss GroebPs alto
these two heard In the exquisite concluding number
borrowed by Gluek from his earlier opera Paris aud
Helen - the fine quality and finish Of the choirs work.
and the dainty of the orchestra in the pzzcato
ntcrudes of the old ballet music united In perform
of great beauty
novelty in Brooklyn Though It had been heard here
In connection with the entire at the Music Festival
conducted by DR.. Damrosch 1881 the ofertoryl
from Berliozs Messe des Morris" The piece Is strk-
ing example OF that daring which kept Berloz ever
skrting either the sublime or the ridiculous That the
absolute steal beauty of this ofertory ever put an
audience into such frenzy OF enthusiasm as Berloz
repeatedly tells II did, all who have learned 10 DO
suspicious OF Frenchmans extrayagant protesaons
are privileged to doubt Yet 1t Is easy TO imagine how
the persistence with which he holds to his design Of
making the chorus accompany the orchestra by chant
ing OF the oertory to unvarying melodc ana
rhythmlcal gure-A and fiat and dotted quarter and
eghth-with varying degrees OF decamatory intensity
and his exceeding great ingenuity developing climax
OF feeling In the instrumental part, would gradually
take hold of the imagination OF attentive listeners ana
INN
atmosphere conventional church music before one can
see appropriateness in such treatment OF SO solemn
and comprehensive prayer constitutes the ohertoy
OF the mass for dead The device 70 have had
a fascination for the composer, for In tho dramatic
symphony, Romeo and Juliet" (Which was written ater
the Requem) he to 1t in the scene OF J"i'Hs
funeral only in this instance the vocal phrase Is mono
tonic halfway through the number the instruments
take 1t and tho voices continue the fugue which tho
instruments mad rayed till then. IL nevertheless
deserved tiibute to Berozs andacty that It must %
said that the despite tho singular treatment Oh 'no
voices does become monotonous, such result bens
prevented by the marveously beautiful musical fabric
which the Instruments weave out OF the unpromn3
fugue subject and with which they enwrap ,c yoea'
part The beauty OF tone In the chorus hau nne hs
pl cation In the concluding bars OF the piece ia
composer still adhering to the melodic figure Of tne
vocal part, gives IL out In augmentation IN nslo ar
into six narts has the voices enter one the other on
the intervals OF the common chord ana tuus woA
The heroic fantasia OF Rnbinstsin was heard for the
first time II a work OF large dimensions and one 'rs
proyoes surprise, delight and disappointment IN aoous
equal proportions lts descriptive title would nave
been unnecessary had the fantasia been restricted y
one halt length aud the quantity OF It's matera
The impression produced by single hearing Is tnar
piece OF programme music In which greater pSs
Of episodes introduced than suggested Dy tno
simple definition, heroic" II contains little OF evoy
thing dance music with the rhythm accentuated oy o
might lave been borrowed III it was mott In Russia
funeral march, some agtated passages WAN ~S'S'