New-York tribune., 1885-03-15
MUSIC
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY

In which the music depended for appreciation Its
companying commentary until in the last number Of the
evening the widest extravaganza practissd In the
association by the composer Of descriptive words with
instrumental music reached. The scheme was e
follows:
os:rsgrs sa;rs. 70 rasi Manfred wnns
Symphonic Tone Picture, awailonstcins -'-
Sssas'.
Part I:.Rjceli;- ia;sions ''''''''
Part fV-Marchs au SuppSice.
Part v.-SOngs dune Su6 de Sabodt
OF wagner's siegfred Idyl." in which some Of the
graceful of the melodIc phrases Of tho Nbeluns
tragedy into exquisite bit OF musical
dreaming need not stop to speak 1t s familiar from
frequent performance and last night often before
came from Mr.. Thomas and his model band with trans
porting dslicaoy In tonequay and nuance and unsur
passable finish in technical execution. Herr Rhenbers
gers work. as can be guessed from It's title, Is musical
delineation Of In the first division ofschilera
great tragic trilogy "wallensein Quito naturally s
rhythmical is that Of march and the music
gives capital expression the careless spirit OF camp
life interrupted by the sermon Of Capucn monk. Tbs
sermon is TRADE Of brutal language pep
pered with atrocious puns, and the effect upon
tho soldiers is to produce q tone Of
mock solemnty which is admirably reflected In Rhein'
bsrger's music Except an amiable diversion tho
tone-pcture has little value. but it will always fill
pretty mission when last night 1t is admitted into
scheme for the purpose Of temperng Its severity.
The pieces which preceded the symphony
though widely different In character, had thing
in common: they charmed by reason Of their simple
musical value In of the overture the sensuoui
pleasure was heightened by the obvious reflection of the
lofty although gloomy spirit Of Byrons dramatic poem
but together the three pieces realized one prin
ciple in programme music" which can now be
considered out of the field OF contrc
versy They lost nothing by their explanatory titles
nor did enjoyment of them depend upon those tties
Schumann himself enuncated the guiding axiom. Good
music nothing by inscription but II Is pad In
dcation when music needs In all OF the three In
the title gave starting point to the fancy and
made the latter more susceptible to the passing
strains The Fantastic symphony" OF Berlioz'
though wondrously vivid and Fascinating In
parts has an inartstic and slaysh dependence on III
programme. This programme, moreover,is Is one that
utterly repugnant all ideal conceptions In art Berlo1
has at great length the things which he wishet
us 10 see delneated in the music aud by that very ac
has robbed us OF one OF the most essential activities
musical enjoyment. We are to fancy that a musical
artist being In the mental psychological state which
the French call e des passions meets for the
first time a who seems to him the sum OF all hui
man excellcnces. Naturally enough perhaps his ideal
fingers In his fancy q melodic phrase which ever
afterward hsunts him. Here is poetical conceit with
| which a true poet might have done great things
| What does Berloiz dol The phrase becomes "Pidee
fxe" Of series OF soul pictures which develop into
such phantasmagoria as true artist with healthy
moral stomach normal imagination would harbor.
least of all celebrate The typical melody emerges from
the midst OF piece Of sensuay ravisihing dance music
the artist Is haunted by the face OF his love at Dau;
IL mngles its with piece OF pastoral musici
which shepherds pipes echo the peacefuiness OF the
artists soul, and the rumblings OF distant storm'
bringing gloom into the picture depict his missiVngs
and sadness So far there would be no temptation to
object 70 the composers scheme but now the eccentric
element I'm him takes possession We are asked TO fancy
that the ideal artist thinking his love not returned
tries TO kill himself with opium, but succeeds only n
throwing himself into sleep haunted by dreams He
manes that he has killed his beloved and aboutto be
witness of his execution. The Dies ira Is chaned
the passing bells toll the funeral train marches to tho
| scafold. the haunting melody floats out above the
sombre noises but is silenced when but halfuttered
| by the fall Of the axe upon the block.
| Now follows O witches revel around the dead
murderer. Berlioz had prediction for musical gro
tesaue and he lets riot He makes of device
| which with much higher purpose and in more Sig
nincant manner Liszt utilized in his Faust symphony
He parodies the typical melody and the Dues re, rings
the passing bells backwards and ends the symphony In
| foul orgy
In spite of the many evidences OF high imagnatveness
which the characteristic compositions OF Berioz adduc9
this symphony adds strength to the conviction that he
was deficient in real poetical feeling He has told us In
his Memoirs that the symphony was product OF the
enthusiasm inspired by his first reading Of Goethes
|
| the same book which is quite fantastic as this
symphony he the secret that the melody OF
the Largo is one which he set song when at twelve
years OF age wildly in love with divinity In pink
boots who caused him pangs of Jealousy by dancing
| with his uncle He was only eighteen "heh
| he composed the symphony aud the melody
| TO which he refers has SO much Oh tpe hui'ioua
Berlioz flavor that let IL pass without animad
| version but the incident throws some light upon ths
methods In treating subject which he would have us
suppose was inspired by of the literary masterpieces
| OF all time. II is Of. piece with his IAN
tastical mind which, while protesting or affecting
to be only the rues and best things In nature
| and art received its impulses from many which were
| merely shallow and superficial In the case Of this
symphony 1t would be difficult to find relationship be-
tween supposed cause aud effect unless we were 70
pass over all else in Goethes tragedy and go straight
| to the Wapurgs night scene. Fdusfs vision on the
| Brocken may have suggested the symphony, but 1t
would be shameful treatment Of the tragedy T. set
down this vision with its rampant bestality az
| the kernal OF the tragedy. In fact after
hearing this symphony the temptation
spprecSton Of great poetry which arises with every
hearing of parts of the dramatic symphony and
and we enn almost parsade ourselves that Bsroz
spneG. as Of hat ne he
aud deep emotion in the presence OF the acknowsugeu
literary masterpieces OF the world In order to secure te
sympathetic hearing for MS creations "nisn ne
they might not coupel In themselves He was eAceeu
ngIy careful his choice ofideals, ana couu count WH
nni ia on touchng the synpathes OF all cultured men
cuogzng Virgil shskespeare ana Gceee sa sars
nar,,Iiv hottled for exhibition and deep sign pctur
esa9eiy chroniced, would have oeen rro.aS rever
;1S% s91s sns:s ss:tm'"i poes 81 Without
vast deal OF beautiful muslc In Les rroycns.
So,eo no Of Juette" and La Damnati0l de Faust" IL
"a inpossble not how lamentaby short they fan
| of the originals which inspired them.
rhe Fantastic symphony must stand the future
has stood i'm the past on merits musical compost
tion s suppo deOt 10 Faust cannot help itIWhen
| u.pu M
ingeniousness OF its orchestraon, tae daring OF its
hanones the pquancy and variety OF its rhy thns ana
ha nrenl yvinness OF its charaeteristlc deIneatOn