New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-15
MUSIC.
Mp THOMAS,S MATINEE.

The urorramme of Mr. ThOmass fourth orchestral
matinee at Chickering Hall Yesterday was little
unduy long and entire enjoyment OF the music was
prevented by the noise made by the wOrkmen who
have been laborng for months on the fre-escspes on
the south side Of the building. Disturbances OF this
sort exceedingly annoying TO people who are
trying 10 enjoy music and many puzzled and In
dgnant look was cast yesterday in the direction Of
the sound. .
Though the list was long It was full Of variety
and beauty. II comprised a prelude, MeluSine,'
by Carl Grammar, a suite in e minor for strings,
by Arthur Foote, concerto for hute, In MAJOR by
Johann Joachim Quant; Tschaikowsky's suite, Mo-
zartanP; Mr. Thomas's brilliant and splendidy
sonorou5 transcription Of Chopin's Funeral March,
Dvorak's scherzo Caprccioso," the prelude to
Lohongrin' and an orchestral arrangement OF the
scene between Parsfal and the Flower Maldens from
wagners last lyric drama. Two of these numbers
were novelties in New-York; Mr.. Foote's suite and
the archaic concerto for flute played by the In
genious Mr. Otto oeserle Mr Foote'S suite
played at the first Of the American concerts given
by Mr. Thomas In connection with the meeting Of tho
American Music Teachers Association I'm Chicago last
July, and at that time received warm words Of
praise IN this journal. Yesterdays performance
took place under much more fas orable auspices but
the band was not in frstclass condition and the
spirited gavote, third of the four movements in which
the characteristics Of oh-nme writing are most
happily preserved sounded a little ragged in conse
utIence. The nuency OF Mr.. Foote'S writing, It's
directness and the unconstrained naturaness and
beauty Of his thoughts deserve testimonial OF ap-
probation. Compositions like this young Bostonans
suite and the overture " In the Mountains which
Mr.. Van der stucken brought forward here. enconr-
age the hope that it need not be long before America
has musical literature which Will justify feeling
OF pride IN her native talent. There were other
evidences besides the gavotte that the concert had
been hastily prepared and occasional impurities OK
information in the woodwind choir that were depor-
able. Splenddly effective, however, were the funeral
march and barring the playing Of the first horn the
fascinating schezo Of Dvorak, which, with its per-
sstently dslocaed rhythms its marvellous instru-
mental color, and its almost grotesquc humor grows
in attractiveness with each hearing
The concerto for flute had primarily an antiquarian
interest 1t Is 1875 years old, and belongs 10 tho
set of 300 or similar works which Quantz COM
posed for his royal pupil and master, Frederick tho
Great Of Prussia Ii Is work Of large dimensions.
and bears testimony TO the genuine creative
talent of its composer and the skill of the greatest Of
Prussiats monarohs who was as enthusiastic
musical amateur as he masterfu a soldier and
sagacious and cunning and viglant as statesman.
One thing MI Oesterle made plain by his performance,
namely that If Frederick ever phrased the concerto as
well as was done yesterday he was not only gifted with
most excellent musical taste, but also most capacous
lungs But the concerto was extremely Interesting for
IT'S own sake outside Of its historical associations. In
STYLE It was Old fashioned of course, yet could
not help wishing that the modern composers
for the flute would pattern after it
in several respects 1t vested the much
abused instrument with entity than the majority
of the modern composers Of flute fantasies and
fandangos have any conception Of 1t Is in three
movements, two sllegros separated by one extended
arioso of a pastoral character Throughout me work
the solo instrument Is treated seriously and beaui
fully as II It a VIOLIN Passages of mere orna
ment are rgldy eschewed and the adornments of tho
themes are restricted to mills and appogatri which
themselves TO be integral parts OF tho melodies
The accompaniment originally for quartet Of strings.
has been augmented little IN the present arrangement
and holds the attention IN no less degree than the
solo. The tutti interudes especially refreshing,
and altogether the composition deserves as much az
tentiOn would any work in the department OK
chamber music its A lively and graceful
fancy sound learning, and simple and healthy taste
are It's marked characteristics. Of Mr. Oestcrle,s
playing of it, nothing but praise be spoken 10
did equal justice TO the brilliant passages and the IN
| genuous feeling of the arioso.