New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-12
MDSIC-THE DRAMA.
THE SYMPHONY SOCIETY.


The svmubony Society Orchestra. under the direction
of Mr. Walter j. Damrosch performed tho latest Of
Brahms's symphonies at fe metropolitan opera House
last night and afterwsrd, aided by Miss Ida Klein, Frau
ein Francon and choir of wcmens voices drawn from
the Oratoro Society illustrated Mr. George Riddles read
ing OF portions Of shakespeares Midsummer NIGHTS
Dream by performing the splendid music which Men
dessobn composed for tire fairy comedy. The two feat
ures filed the evening and the verdict OF the public
seemed 10 be that latter the more peasurabe OF
the two
IL was novel ventura yield up the greater portion
of n concert 10 reader but Mr. Riddle managed 30 al
miraby TO hold the attention OF his hearers an divert
them agreeably and the fragments OF the play which he
read furnished 80 pretty INSIGHT into the purposes OF
the musical composer, that 1t Is pleasant
to record the fact that the experiment.
was a complete popular success Only portion OF tho
music performed comparatively unfamiliar 10 inc
public the overture, scherzo intermezzo noctrne and
wedding march, and the droll dance which ushers
the "hempen hoespuns" into the fary-haunted wood,
having figured innumerable times our concert pro-
rammes The audience, nevertheless seemed 10 derive
kee pleasure the meodramas with their charming
bits OF musical delineatiOn For our part we eouh pave
wished that all the theatrical managers and their oehes
ira conductors in the city had been compelled to attend
the entertainment and learn how musician
of fine poetical sensibiltes solved the question
OF how TO maze music effective and lovely
factor in the spoken drama. When the tendency Tor
higher order OF things takes complete possession of inc
spoken drama IA t has OF the lyric shall hope 20 see
our managers and musicians studying this score or Men
dessOhns and that OF Beethoven 10 Goethe's EgmOn.
with view purgng theatre music VI the Vuigafl'y anu
stupidity which characterize II now
For the musicians present in last nights audience te
chief business the new symphony ms might nave
been heard last had not the composer ana ms
publisher conspired keep long out OF print Ia order
that special contracts might be made IN the music
under the personal direction OF Herr Brahms When
finally the score published last spring II was 100 aie
for Amerca-our season was over We 90 not Ieei III
elined To venture final estimate on the work. even aer
fine two hearings which Mr. Damrosch has enabled Us 70
have for the that neither or the performances
pears in the printed This - the composers fourth
symphony his ninety eighth numbered work. ana ts Key
ia minor II is in respects the nlost traIspar-
| emf and easily cOmprehcnded OF his symphonic
| scores and at frs blush 1t looks easy 10 play,
| In fact, however, as Mr. Damr0sch ara MS must
pay it III than we'll Effective tempt for the frst and asi
movements not 10 be found without STUDY ana the
rhyhmca energy which is one OF It's Guar
acfeIstlcs only be impaired to an Interpretation
when the conductor well the players are teer from
the thradOm OF the printed pages than they were last
uicht Herr Brahms too. given task OF extreme
delcacy the string quintet ana ths TASK was ioe wen
performed The vOlins colorcss ana ohelrss, ana
scarcely one Of the many ingenious and most certainly
| wisely designed rhythmical figures which ne
serted themselves as they should. While wlthhoding
final Judgment however we feel bound 10 say nat to
work seems be OF extreme beauty ana lofty ptr
pose-and lovers OF the higher forms OF music may look
forward with pleasure to its performance Dy inc Fnlhdr
monte society later in the IL stessly re-
night with an improved performance, II called Out sew
pralr OF