Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-03

Language IaQeS before Lny Spelll
Why should feeling ever speak
When thou canst breathe her soul 50 well ?
Friendships balmy words may feign,
loves are cen more false than they;
OF 'tis only music's strain
Can sweetly soothe, and not betrayl
-Moore
The Theodore Thomas concert at Old City
Hall on Friday evening was rather extern
sively reviewed in Yesterdays DISPATCH,
but few words more along the same line
may not come amiss to some readers of this
column.
Although the vast majority of the votes
cast are said to have been for the second of
the three programmes published in former
issue, il was quite evident that the audience
was somewhat disappointed as the evening
progressed. The applause, while cordial,
was not up to the enthusiastic pitch striven
for by the exceptional means used in popu-
larizing the entertainment. Yesterday the
writer heard personally from a surprising
number of people-some of them entirely
outside of distinctlvely musical circles
expressing their marked dissatisfaction with
the concert.
This demonstrates the absurdity of sub
mitting to the popular vote three pro-
grammes, one of which contains all the
familiar names. The people will vote for
that one as a matter of course, simply because
they do not know the names on the others. But
it does not at all follow that they will fully en-.
joy what they have thus chosen to
hear. There are other important
considerations in programme-making-
even viewed from the standpoint
merely of giving pleasure to the less musical
listeners-than the popularity of the various
selections chosen. These other considerations
were ignored in making up that second pro-
gramme and as natural consequence it not
only vexed the truly musical listeners and DIS
heartened the performers, but 1t also failed to
satisfy the very people who had voted for it.
Be 1t recorded that a large and much the
most influential portion of musical Pittsburg
enters protest against the sad spectacle pre-
sented by such a conductor with such an or
chestra and such pianist wasting their abili-
ties upon such programme. We have too few
opportunities out this way Of hearing q per-
forming force of this caliber, and those in this
community who do stand for proper artistic
standards have too much uphill WORK to behold
the wasting Of such an opportunity with any
degree of complacency..
Sc
Unless the writer be much mistaken, fe#, IL
any. persons would agree with the views ex-
pressed above more heartily than Mr.. Thomas
witness to this assertion. 1t is GREAT pity that
in undertaking this tour he has been induced
to enter into an arrangement tending to give
the lie to all that has gone before.
His great services to the cause Of musical art
in this country must not be permitted to fade
into the background, however. because of q
single misstep. 1t will be interesting in this
connection to look over the following synopsis
OF his work. given by an Eastern journal, in
which perhaps the only omission of much i'm
pOrtance is in failing to note his conductorship
cGn-.
American Tor National) Opera Company:
Theodore Thomas, born October II, 1880, at
Esens, in Hanover, received his first musical
instruction from his father, violinist, and at
the age of made successful public appear
ance. The family came to the United States
in lS45 and young Theodore frequently ap-
Peared as solo Tloiln1st In concerts ag sew
York; in 1851 he made trip through the
Southern States. He then became one OF the
first Vtolins in concerts and operat1c perform
ances during the engagements with Jenny
conzert-meister under Arditi, also in German
and italian troupes, at times officiating as con-
ductor, until 1861, when he withdrew from the
theater In 1855 he began series Of chamber
Carl Bergman, G. Matzk2 and L. Bergner,
which continued until 1859. In 1884 MIR. Thomas
began his first series of Symphony concerts az
Irving Hall, New York, which were continued
for five seasons with uniform success. They
were resumed in 1872 at SteinwaY Hall,
and continued until 1873 During the
summer
the experiment of giving nightly concerts at
the Terrace Garden New York, removing In
1858 to larger quarters at the Central Park Gar:
den. In 1863 he made his nrst grand concert
tour through the Eastern and Western States.
In 1878 he was appointed director OF the new
College of Music at Cincinnati, which post he
occupied for several years. In the season OF
1S77-lS78 he was unanimously elected conductor
of the New York Philharmonic Society. The
concerts of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Society
have been in his charge during the seasons OF
1852, 1868 to 1870 inclusive, d iI, ana ever slnce
edly conducted the music festivals at Cincin-
natl, Chicago and New York. In 1883 ne went
from New York to San Francisco with his com-
plete orchestra and seven eminent singers, g1V.
ing on his way his concerts in all the prlnelpa
cities, notably Baltimore, Pittsburg. Chicago,
Milwaukee, st. Louis, Denver and San Fran.
cisco. Grand musical festivals were n,na Elsen ~
of important choral work. given with the ald OF
local Societies under his direction. Mr.. Tnomas
has been hard worker, and our people are IN
debted to him for his Conscientious lnterpresa-
tion of every style of composition, classical as
well as of the new school OF music"
s's
An exceedingly ausplctous opening OF tne
local musical season was made In the 1rst OF
the chamber music recitals by the Beethoven.
Quartet (Messrs. Carl Retter, Fred and 0eorg0
Toerge and Charles F. Cooper, given on Thurs
Chamber The audience was OF encouraging
size and Of the first quality-though the hour
chosen makes it next to impossible for most
would-be auditors of the masculine persuasion
to be present. The programme: -,
V0a'IGlEI %lIesro. IN xndante Rondo i1iiegro(s
ADELAIDE As6a p
cana scr:nads lFron t6s spsHi;&5; oR; RI55.,.,D
last movement oniy.J AdagiO, yiyace;
Murmuring Zephyrs, Jensen Mrs. ". B. Wolfe
ogn1ituSr oH; oS Tro5Do xdasio. Msnuets0 (zn.
dantino). Finale, Allegro.
each number possessing clear-cut individual.
ity, yet altogether forming an narmonlous
whole. The novelty was the movement from
the "Fantasie-Stuecke in Spanischer Art oy
/. Hirette-v -viardot, q composer little known,
but-iudging by this speclmen-Worth know
ing. The "Cana" (which word MI. hetter
thinks indicates slow dancer; does
exceedingly quaint Mauresque. air for
viola. . honotonous minor melody, broken
abruptly here and there by ornamental ngures
Of cuTio9sy gTaSet% ~ tb deslgs giano anu and eeIio
This Is similarly repeated by the violin and
gives way for brief space TO proad ana now
ing treatment Of a strongly contrasting
resumed and maintained to the close. Inc
serenade is of the characteristic oolero type,
with rich, swaying voluptuous melody sur
rounded by bizarre harmonles ana "arm coi0r
effects
me other numbers have all been heard
enough to need no description, though not py
any means enough to have lost interest From
the pellucid purity of the Mozart Quartet
down to the dramatic, passionate score penned
bv Mr. Retter's former master at Munich, the
attention Of the audience was kept intact. in
spite of the fact that the performance was not
in all respects as good as will be the case as the
advancing season puts more joint-praetice be-
hind the players. From men whose time must be
chiefly occupied with teaching or with mus1co-
social engagements otherwise dance tunesl.
0reat virtuosity and . perfect ensemble are
not reasonably to be expected. Various minor
deficIencies might be pointed out but the sin
ole admonition to be more careful OF plten
the other hand there are to be reckoned up
49,