New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-23
MUSIC -THT DRIHt.
MASTER HOFFMAN, az xHIBIrTC


MASTER HOFFMAN, az tXHIBIrION
The iudicIous friends and admirers Of Master Hot
mann were both delighted ard greved a; The extra
concert given saturday night In the metropolitan
Opcra House. Tho managers OF the lad have been
exceedingly fortunate thus far, fortunate inleed 10
an almost unparalleled degree. Tho boys phenom
email gifts were heartily and unreservedly recognized
by the musical cOnn0sseurs OF the Guy, anu tho"
praise went far toward creating popular curiosity
which has seemed only grow with tho efforts msdc
To appease IT, Whatever doubts there may baVe
been In the past to the wisdom and the g0od ia'h
shown in certain features Of tho entertainments 'hey
have been fully set aside by the downright meFit OK
the lads pianoforte playing. This merit mas NOT s"'.
can not be questioned although II has been depreeiae"
I'm a considerable degree by tho evidences OF over
work which his performances have shown since no
beran giving concerts IN Brooklyn, Boston, anu rh
adelphia Tho coming of the piccocious ooS was pr"
coded by many solemn promises that tho iears {"
pressed in England and felt here by every "ci"Hnof
~ art that his talent would be killed by an over
taxing of hts powers, as 81 much tacnt mas Ueh
killed heretofore should not be realized The promis
es were not cxacted by anybody and perhaps u Is mo-
body's business to ask their fulflmenL Inc puDlo
surely are likely to ask Il, for they seek Ohy
their own diversion in going to his concerts. In
view OF recent and especially the painful
exhibition on Sat urday night only left for those
who had hoped that tho rare git with which nature
has endowed him would DO carefully husbanded and
permitted in tho funess of time to blossom ana Orlhs
forth tho fruit which It promised, to express thcf
fear that such a cOnsummalon has been seriously
jeopardzed by tho that has been adopted with
reference to him.
Tho boy played Mendelssohns C Minor Concerto
for tho first time public, and except tho fist move
ment which is beyond his intellectual aud physical
powers and allowing for decrease In tone, "hich
IS easily racedbe to the excessive work which be has
lately been called on to perform no played IL wen,
lot so we'll as the two Beethoven Concetos, 1t -
true but with the dash and technical precision and
the nice taste which have distinguished his playing
from the beginning He had memoriIed the Concerto
AMI played ~ htut nOt~s. few weeks az" ne
addci Webers "Conccrstucck- to bis reperory
In ordinary cases this WUn,d have been suiDclchl
task to occupy a pianist during all tho tlnn that the
boy has spent In this cCUEtry. Yet, meanwhile, he
has given over thirty concerts since Nosember 20
an average of four concerts a week His playing
of tho Concerto, however, was the delightful part OK
Saturday nights concert; the painful feature was tho
ono which came later He was put forward to " CON
duct" {" P0Cnase Americaibe," which, according
to tho programme he had composed and scored for
orchestra" 1t IS only short time since II was
publicly stated that the lad had studied neither har
mony nor composition, yet suddenly he is brought
forward the composer of piece for full symphonic
orchestra, that is to say all the strings, two flutes
two oboes, two clarincts, two bassOOns four horns
two comets, three trombones, one tuba, tympani
clarincts horns and comets tranSposing instru-
ments and must be written differently than they
sound; the viola part Is written in the alto hey W
the composition We have nothing to say, "her thar
that II sounded like music and creditable enough
coming from boy. paternal censorship, look
ing tho development of a genius, however, would
probably have put 1t away as curiosity, or issued &c
anonymously for brass bands. The lad has shown
that compose 1t would not tax his powers. But
what shall We say to The assertion that a lad VINO
has had no time 10 study had written correctly
enough to pass muster for the array Of instruments
which We have specified And what or the wisdom
of submitting a highs strung, gifted boy OF eleven
years to tho nervous excitement OF appearing before
an audience. ltng timo for his Work ANA hear,
Ing the frantic plaudits of multitude who enjoyed
the performance they would an acrobatic feat in
the crcusl Nothing There IS nothing 10 De 5llh
Though the concert was an extra performance, an
nounced at late day, in addition to the three
matineeS which we're expected To end Master lioi.
MAINS present engagement, the house was crowded
and few audiences could have shown enthusiasm.
When II came to tho special points Of the programme
the applause was a. much part of tho enter ain
ment as the dCings on tho stage. OF course, every
body waited with curiosity aud some perhaps with
anxiety, the coming OF Master HOfmann I'm his latest
role Of orchestra conductor As young HOFFMAN, took
his place at the conductors stand Adoiph Neuendorf
approached him with a htlo box In his hands. AZ
master Hofnann: Before You begin TO conduct
your PoleDalse allow me TO present To you, In be-
half Of the cichesra and myself suitable baton for
the occasion. We all sincerely wish that Whenever
you MAKE use Of the same you Will kindly remember
Us tho first orchestra you have conducted IN your
The youngster took the ivory stek-which tip
ped heavily with chased gold aud Inscribed with tbs
legend " To josef llOtrnaLn. from Al NeuendOrH and
his orchestra in remembrance OF January II, l5ee:'
bowed his acbrow odements without a word
raped for alteration, and began to beat the time OF
his Polonaise Che Orchestra understood what was
meant, and the way the Audience demanded rcpett
ton was sight. Master Ioimann had To come Ous
first 10 get big bouquet almost big himself,
then somebody carried 20 him in the retiring room
wreath bound with red, white and blue ribbons, and
finally, In response to persistent recall, the boy
came back bearing his bouquet and his garland and
his Land did the Polonaise again to the saisfac-
ticn of everybody