New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-23
MUSIO-THE DRAMA.
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

Tho New-York Philharmonic Society closed IFS forfv
sixth concert ct tho Metropolitan Otera Uouse
Saturday night with concert whose popular success
was much enhanced by the cooperation OF frau Kali
ischLehmann who sang the great air Absch.iIicher.
from Beethoven's Fldelio' and schubcrts exclusively
poetical and passionate setting Of orcchens cong at
the spinning wheel in Goethe's @Fausts Thh song
was given with the orchestral accompaniment tran
seribed by Lszt The orchestral numbers were Beet
hoyen's PASTORAL symphony Nicodos symphonic
Variations op 81 and tho overture 10 Tsnnhaeustrs
Scarcely a technical flaw discernlble throughout
tho evening and all tho music being of pleasing
character tho concert was season Of enjoyment
Beiorc tho programme proper Mr. Thomass orchestral
transcription Of Choplns Funeral March was played
In memory OF the dead president OF the society, j. w.
Drexei. After the final overture had been played
MI Thomas was called back to the stage several
times and enthusiastically cheered.
Mr.. Thomas read the symphony without any effort 70
startle tho knowing with theories 1t was sound,
sane, sensible Interpretation of what Beethoven wrote,
and lacked only little in elasticity Of tempo and
freedom OF expression Of being in all respects model
performance Beethoven, in his symphonies has lsfs
little doubt as TO the manner in which no wished them
to be played He was excellent interpreter Of his
thoughts and his marks OF expression were noted
down with scrupulous care. When tho metronome was
invented, he hailed ii with enthusiasm and urged its
Only few months before his death. he wrote q
letter to OF his publishers begging him TO wait for
the metrOnomo marks for the major mass, adding:
4" In cefhuY such things are surely Necessary.
have letter from Berlin that tho first performsfacs
of the (nimt) symphony was received With
enthusiasm, which circumstance attribute
largely to the metronome marks.' This
is only small portion Of the evidence
showing that Beethoven appreciated fully and correctly
the value of the metronome not I've have once 70
Married ths) a crutch for the unmagiuatiye. nor
fetter for the imaginative, but a guido to the
composers meaning. It Is the widest folly 10 at
tempt TO Justify a perversion Of Beethoyens music
such Mr. Sedl guilty Of at his last concert BY
arguing either that Beethoven had nothing do with
the accepted metronomo marks, that If had he did
not know his own mind when he made them. The
former proposition cannot be maintained without
exhibiting either ignorance OF amply proven facts or
fat mendacity, and is to be regretted for the sako
of Mr. Seld that he willing TO try establish
a reputation as an oracle by committing offences
against musical righteousness and good and then
advancing both propositions in his justification.
In the season brought to a close the Philharmonic
Society has benefited much from tho steady presence
in this city Of Mr. Thomas and his orchestra. There
have been complaints Of spshod performances such
as we heard in many quarters last season The So
cIey has brought forward notable list OF compost
tions but no novelties except voloncello concerto
by Victor Herbert, which substituted for air
that Herr Emil Fischer prevented from singing
by hoarseness The following is the seasons list In
full:
Composer Compositions.
Bach :, .. Suite in d major; Concerto in G.
BargIel -. Overture, Prometheus"
Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 3, and O; overture
"Leonore" No. 2; Pisnoforte Concerto
In Il Dat; Scene and air" AbscheuIicher.;
Brahms. 4. /. Symphony, No. 9, major.
ChopinThomas Funeral March.
Dvorak Symphony No. i, ID major
Haydn. /. A.. Air: Rolling In Foaming Billows.
Herbert v. f. Concerto for viooncello.
King Arnold . Symphonic prologue to "othello.'
IAsst Symphonic Poem, Fest Klsenge.'
Nicode j. L.. Symphonic Variations, op. a.
Rubinstein Concerto for Violin, op. 40.
Schubert q. ! Songs; Ungeduld." Der Wanderers
"Gretchen am Splnnrsde"
schumann -, Symphony No. 4, minor Overture,
Manfred" Songs Mondnaeht' Ich
Kann's NIGHT Fassen"
Wagner. OyePtures, Tannhaeuser" Faust
Meistersinger" siegtried IdyLs