New-York tribune., 1885-02-17
o. Dying Gladiator" The Minstrels noid tne osAS0 Nv
Nihio's fur he of tho week.
DIR. pAMRosCH's ARTISTIC RECORD.

DIR. DAMROSCH'S ARTISTIC RECORD.
The sketch of DR.. Damrosch printed yester-
DAY touched only briefly on his ana quar-
ties ss musician In the field OF his widest usefuness
his activity almost confined to the work OF dirocuhg
the compositions of others Only comparatively Few
times did he present himself before the New-York pup
Lie as cxecutant composer. The fact that IN
these capacities, which not those with which nus
highest hopes and ambitions were associated he always
commanded respect, Is tribute to his native talent anu
scholarly attalnments His greatest ZEAL however was
devoted to the directing of large bodies oi musici''
professional or amateur and in this city, at leas" MS
strongest claim for future fame will rest upon MS WIZ
as choral orchestral and operatic conductor 1hs is ~
doubtedly as he would have chosen 70 hVe III 'i'o mr.
citation of posterity If he had been consumes io nv
knew how are the quanles "hi0H "
thoroughly good conductor III =, ,.,
Tn this department again the first place VIII oe SNon
IN his skill in the handling of amateur chorisers NO
other feature OF a musical conductors WORK exac's 81
many qualities the training OF choral society Inc
work OF the singers is voluntary aud weariSome upon
the conductor devoves the duty OF keeping up the III
terest aud en- husasm of singers while he puts them
through weeks and months of dru ugery This Is inpos
sole unless the leader is OF complete devotion 10
his art Of broad human sympathes liberal tastes ana
having the ability TO enforce discipline ana sway ~
Intelligence and emotions OF his singers All these quar-
ties Dr. Damrosch possessed in marked degree he
was Jealous believer in the modera tendency in music,
Int gaye love to the masterworks OF All
periods and schools He knew we'll. Also how to mpat
the love he felt those whom he was training IL was
his habit interlad his technical instruction with brei
exposons of the contents Of the work he had study
and to point out the purposes OF the composer when
the music was of kind which appealed powerfully to
his musical sense 1t not at all infrequent that no
worked himself into emotional exaltatlon in the de-
scrption which com itself to his hearers and
made forget all about the physical WEAKNESS whlch
from the much practising Bach's Passion Accord
ing to ST. Matthew which sung twice by the ora
toro Society," moved him to tears during rehearsal ana
the of the deep love thus manifested was again
evident the sympathetic performance which his sing
ers gave the work. There always an afectionate
feeling between him and his singers ana 10 th's was u
doubtedy due the rapid growth and steady success OF
the Oraoro Society. IT'S fortunes were so closely con-
nected with his that his death presents momentous
question to the directors ard members of the choir 1t
As no, unlikely that the organization will pass into the
artistic control OF Walter Damrosch who has played the
Accomplishments under his father since the fall of 1877
Dr. Damroschs strong emotional nature, which was a
portion Of his outfit good choral conductor was less
helpful the work of orchestral and operate conduc
for II sometimes marred the precision hrmntss ana III
teligbility OF his time-beang he frequently became
excited and manifested it much in the way that most
composers have done when they have directed thelr own
capable at times indicating the correct tempo for his
compositions. Partly because Of the Peeuarlty OF ms
beating and partly because he unable To control the
best musicians in the city prior TO TINS season MS or
concerts conducted by Mr. Thomas But they were al
ways delightful because Of the strong ana Nvid read
ings which the music received Dr. Damroscn hal a
strongly marked individuality in music, and he Impressed
It upon all that he undertook lie was capable OF great
painstaklrg and never shrked labor when II was
necessary to arrive at his artistic ann
The amount OF work done by the dead musician since
the beginning Of this season was colossal He was a
busy man before he undertook the management OF the
opera, gave up Of his positions after he was
placed the head Of affairs at the Metropolitan Opera
House. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the worK, ana coud
not be persuaded by his family and friends to delegate
Important labors to others Several tmes he has been
called on TO conduct public reh arssi OF the symphony
Society Friday afternoon at night. another
saturday afternoon ana the symphony concert
Saturday night Here was a weeks work crowded into
two days. u
Lszt inscribed his symphonic poem, Tasso. 10 DR.:
Danrosch Raft made an arrangement OF HIS festival
for panoforte and the overture Itself was
played at OF the meetings OF the United German MI
sicians which their existence and great influence 10
ldszt. These facts tell of the appreciation which DIT
Dsmrosch had conquered composer before he left
Germany. That he did not continue to write as indus
triousy after here due TO the changed
6itions in which be found himself which were not al
conducive to original production The festival
overture. composed iS65 was fifteenth numbered
sitions In this way The overture Was preceded chiefly
by and his last work in this department was also
devoted songs He spent last summer at East Hamp
L. l. where he wrote set of nursery songs for The
Century Company. His best qualities appeared in the
Bociety. and performed at otenway Hall on April
2l 1882 The cantata as its te indicates handles tns
in purely epical way. The music though unequa IN
merit poeticaly conceived and fu of tenderness and
rtoh Oriental color. Ruth and Naomi, Scrlptural
idy at the second concert Of the second sea
son OF the Oratorio Society on February ~, 1872.
sprupg from similar artistic impulse Dr. DaHrosch
was strongly impressed with the beauty OF biblical po
and it's fitness for musical treatments but nc ala not
Ike the treatment to be in the dramatic style His man
OF writing eclectic and imbued with the spirit
which he had drunk In while associated with lsZt ana
schieve independent value but will always be interest
ing products Of his intelligence taste and artistic
aims which must be taken into account whenever an az
tempt made to estimate the artistic character OF their
author.