New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-26
NUSIG.
NEW SYMPHONIC READINGS.


season yesterday afternoon and after resting wssk
(duyirs which some OF the artists Herr Nemann, -
least, will seek pleasant and pfod.arie knowledge In
visit Niagara Fs the second half Will DO entered on
Between the week JUST ended and the brat active week
to como there will DO points OF comparison when VIII
help to slucdate the artistic questions which the Gee
man enterprise has put before the American people
As Godmark began the nrst term will he besin the
second; and Wagner marked the highest Achievements
IN the first 90 will he doubtless mark the highest achieve
mont in the second. The Queen Of shsba" and
Tristan" Merlin and 6iesfried "-does not the
simple ention Of the suggest thoughts enough
do choose to think, DO not tue titles stand
for pleasures many and faref
There will be opportunities in plenty to discuss the
meaning Of all these things bus one Of the occurrences
OF last week demands attention now Between the tw
Tristan representations OF Monday and Friday. Mr.
sed gave concert Of orchestral music and tho scenes
at the extraordinary that no spoogyh
net ded for a recurrence the In matters per
tanning to the Lyric drama Mr. seidl has como
among US one who II he does moi preach 40
entirely new Rosrel OF art, OF least breaches
q gospel which 10 not hsckneyei with IN ole
gu nco and convincing power that Is new. Lass
Thursday evening IL was manifest that hundreds OF
music lovers in steInway Hall believed also that Mr..
seid is rs well prophet and with refSrmatory pur-
pesos In tho department Of instrumental music Thsrs
has been no exaggeraon In he printed accounts oil the
enthusiasm with which his music was received AZ
times tho applause almost frantic our memory OK
scenes has parallel for the wild demon
straon OF delight which greeted each of the four move
ments of tho A.rajor Symphony and tue Lisztisa
panoforte concerto There 10 o value In such recsp
ton of Mr. 6iedrs readings whcn glad to recos-
nss and applaud 1t is only the thoughtless extravs.
gance OF opinion cOnoerDina them which nenes US TO
cry truce parIey. And this "a the interest
of the cause which had such magnificent advooaoy AZ
this concert aud in order that the good that We have
lats acau,fed may be conserved.
To the close observer of musical affairs 1t was thor
oughy delightful. to the musical waters which gen.
orally aow with uneventfu placity through onr concert
rooms 80 up they were by Mr. Seiirs
baton to attend concert which was interesting NOS
novelty in tho music. but because OF freshness
and yigor 10 the performance New-York hes boosted
for years. and with right, OF being one with the BEST
cities Of the OLD World in respect OF tho excellence OF s
orchestral music But during these same years, In tho
organizations which stood for tho best In this
direction. have observed q tendency toward polish
alone which WAS working more AMI more harm 70 what
must ever be loer quality tine Of the
higher forms Of music the music of The great German
composers Whether epic or dramatic In spirit aus az
something beyond the merely peisurable and justice
not done 1t wh-n 1t Is performed simply WIN nice
balance OF the psrtswth tona quality carefully ausea
to tue requirements OF cultured ani discriminating
sepse and well CHOSEN tempt. People who feel co not
think that highest type Of beauty Is that In whca
the emotional element is al ways held IN restraint lest IL
of end aesthetic judgment. And so while We nave often
had occasion praise the PRECISION tone and decacy
OF symphonic performances, We have seldom oeen aols
to say that heart OF tie composition was LAID Dare
and III, pulsatons In tho emotional arteries OF the
listeuers made synchronous with ts tnro5A was tue
disposition do this which DIR. Dsmrosch showed that
made many OF bis concerts interesting even while thsy
sapponte and IL Is the same disposition when was
admirable i'll SIR. oeidrs reading Of the compositions In
his sohsle But le, not DO forgotten now that ten
denay tn
honsbls In one direction as tue other.
In what did Mr. seid's redlng OF the seventh sym.
pbony differ from those whicn We have hal
l. not his best achievement-that honor
he; ond all controversy belongs to the Siegfred liy-
but it furnishes tho best vantage ground for Judgment
Something is to be sad nrs on the question of tempt
The marks OF composers have never becona
STONED law and no one would oRadays atsewps
to COT wet conductor OF ign0r nee because ne disre
eared them. But they their rights an purposes
which, IN one view Of the matter. can be described as
analogous tue rights and purposes OF the descriptive
title they furnish insight iuto the mind OF the CON-
10 SER and Is their mission 10 prevent tue Interpreter
from following his own fancy into devious pains Beet
boyen believed Ia the efficacy Of the metronome though
not as crutch for tue unnaginatve nor as feter FOR
the imaginative So at least do We interpret bis rem rk
to SCHNEIDER: Gar Klein Metronome! Wer riontises
Gefuu hat prau.ht hn nlcht, und wer das NIGHT hat
dem Intzt or Mont der l.uit dOch NIT dem ganzen
Orche ter dlvon. But readers vi his letters know tas
ne tlbuted the success Of his symphony on
its Hrst performance In BerliD to tho metronomc iud
cations he had provided, and that he gave nnal
and convincing proof of his good opinion OF Mazels III
siruuent by sending uarbs choral symphony to
LenLon only eight days before his death. In three IN.
stances Mr. Srul departed widely from Beothoven's
marks tor the seventh symphony. He played The
ueyo less than twelve quarter notes to the inmate
slower the Assa presto, twenty four dottei ha
notes slower aud TIE final movement On an AVERAGE
eufy half IN
AUegreo whose Tempo u cause OF controversy
the first performance was excellent seevudei
as 1t was ny broad and dienineG reading, aud tho
infusion of great deal OF eryor into tho cimaxes ana
unusual diguity well delcaoy into tue fushetto
Nine times out OF ten the movement is played roo FAST
and tho ign Mr. sedl played it much slower tlao tho
marks and tradition show that Beethoven intended 1t to
be played tue gain in nobility over the style which
generally obfhius 50 great as to DO accounted
| virtue Those WHO sckeis for Tradition however
viii bs clad to know that sponr. who played in the
under beethoven at tue nrst performance VI
tue yDpbony whru ward conducted liked tue
Tempo at sevcntytwo quarter notes to The minute VIII 10
| Beetnpven marked It srvoutysix Mr.. seicrs tempo
was sixty four. Mr. seio also took the introduction -
the urst mo vemeut considerably slower thau Becuo-
Indication and tue trio OF the scherzo that H. lac
Assai presto. great deal slower In THIS lattsr
effect not good. Beethoven made the
Ss hs s si ge oy ee
other Instance Was to differences in Tempo uarse ihs
Minute faster than Beetnoveus marx. AGAINST tnls
there wou. be little u urge had &c succeeded In obyia
ing The difficulty wnicd embarrassed Tue majority ot
| performances OF the work. Tue movsbrut SHOWS
Beethoven OF his most bUisrrousiy playful moods
and its uythmica peculairs are pronounced ahd ieif
| an almost unique energy and vitality Jolt But " ID
difficult make the prncpal subject heard u1dor tue
| sfoysa.do cbOr OF the wind instruments Nr. seill
concciy the movement ip Hungarian spirit and ~
ing excessive onlness for the brass OF ms
band. especially tue tEuDp t.. he la1 them netaplor
cally blow of tDsir eyes AMI then sought 10
restore balance which is at hest difficult TO r~tau. Dy
vigorous siDg at the vclins and Ia one cass taca
| change phrasing. HIS method gave tho movement
won ier!u life anl energy hut cost good deal ot
| al, ...Is a
trumpets became monet omous ami wesrisoDe. II was
tue protest Of the evening agains too RADICAL
change rom ami the strongest arsn1ent Ia
favor sudying purI OF the composer In the
his aud tae character of tho APPARATUS with
watch hs v"rked. La The progress OF the mosonents sf
sodl proceeded with The at most uoedou ami worked
up number of cpaAes tlat caine with thrilling Tor O.