New-York tribune., 1886-11-13
PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

The first concert of the forty fifth season OF the
Philharmonic society viii take place tonight the
preparatOry public rehearsal having been gwen yes
teraay afternoon The performance IN all re-
spects 80 admirable that injustice can be done
the society if depart from our usual custom and
xevisw the it presented at the rehearsal
instead of waiting until after the concert. AS a
matter Of fact the performance calls for no extended
niscussiOn The orchestra shows no sign OF deerlOr
ton and in respect of volume and richness OF tone
II has no rival on this side Of the Atlantic at least
There is more homOgeneity Of tone In Its WOOD WIND
choir than in that Of the Thomas orchestra, ana
greater fullness well beauty. The effect of the
music in spacious audience room OF The Metro
politan Opera House was better than at any of the
concerts that have preceded the rehearsal We doubt
whether a finer technical performance of the Leon
ore" overture No of Beethoven than that OF yester
dav has ever been heard in this city The reading
was the effective 10 which Mr Thomas has ac
customed US with. of course. the theatrical and who'll
iy unwarranted effect of approaching uumpeter
in the famous fanfares. 1t would be Interesting to
know who the originator OF this device The
passage taken from the clmacc scene in the opera
where, il the Instructions of the printed page are
obeyed the two fanfares must be sounded with equal
force and from the same spot on the stage
After the overture and Schumanns first symphony
fB-flat op 30 the rest of the concert was deNOled
70 new music scene from the third act of Ru-
bnstein's opera "Nero finely sung by Miss
Emma Juch and Mr. william Ludwig. The music Of
the scene has Rubnsteins impress 1t most unHS-
takabIy there in it some Of his moments Oh eN-
auisite beauty and equal number OF stretches OF
commonplace and reiterauon. 1t delneates the re
llgious ecstacy OF the heroine with equal If not great
or warmth than her love which she confesses IN the
scens The melodies utilized of type that is
by no means rare. though such sblhu handling as
Rubtnstens Is.
Tbe closing number Of the programme was a new
work by an unfamiliar composer-Anton Bruckners
symphony No. 7. in E-major. Bruchners name we
believe had never figured an American programme
before last season. when Mr.. Damrosch brought lot
ward symphony of his in I-minor. In It's relation
to this composer New York does not stand dlnerenty
than the majority Of the musical cities Of the old
world Bruckner has been quarrelled about in Ger
tnany for a quarter of century. but outslde OF
Vienna where he has abOred 1865 las professor
pf harmony and composition at the Conservatory ana
since 1875 as Lector for the same branches at the
University he been little heard Of He Is said to
te remarkable organlst, and III l571 carried away
the first prize at international competition OF
argan players held in London. 1t Is much easier
aimee We have heard two symphonies Of his, To teu
why he failed to set any rivers On hre than 10
explain how it comes that there are critics and some
of sound judgment, tooJ who insist ON including his
pame when they mention the great composers OF To-
day We do not wish 10 treat MUSICIAN who com
nands as much learning and Is filed with Us much
earnestness as are evident this symphony
fippantly but truth compels the assertion that 50
astounding a composition as this have never heard
NA-o--
elity here 1t Is in abundance. There is nothing under
the heavens or the earth, in the waters unoer
the earth Like unto this symphony Those who think
the thematic work In Tristan " and the Ring 0f
the Niblungp complex and labored should hear this
svmphony IL for no other reason than TO sec how in
comparison with II Wagners Is complete exempllnca-
tion Of good music defined by Galuppi In con-
Nersation with Burney hundred and sixteen years
ago" Beauty clearness and good modulaton." Every
element Of symphonic Whiting which Herr BrucAner
uses he uses in q which stamps unique char
meter ON the work is only unique, not beaut-
full lie is not satisfied with the ordinary apparatus,
but adds higher tubas to the bass tuba and thus
gets fifteen brass Instruments into hs orchestra, his
cornets being These brass instruments without
exception speak language that Is foreign to them,
but in this only initiate their fellows OF the other
choirs.
There is a vast deal Of learning III the music, and
enough Evolutionary treatment the harmony alone
u keep the analysts historians busy for twelve
month. but stI in darkness as to why they
were employed, what the goal strven for.
everything Ia a. cold problem in mathematics
II would not take much argument with this score
before us to convince that Herr BrnckAer had
reayed and extended the acoustlcian Eulers belief
that it possible 10 ngure out sonata lie revcls
an dlscOris, ami finding that a convenient way u
snake them assertIve " utilize pedal points, he
drags ,hem IN prodLgally. The symphony Is the
nr,.1uct of a pedant whose purpJ~es may become
nain n the future, but certainly outsde the ken
snd the sympathy OF the present revolutionary though
A. n. Inc music fell like lead upon the senses of
The audence and many left the hall after the second
movement.