The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-11
MUSIC AND DRAMA.


Last evening the New York symphony
Orchestra, Mr.. Walter Damroscb. conduc-
tor. Mr.. Anton Brodsky, concert MASTER
and numbering sixty-five musicians maze
its first appearance In Portland, 10 the
fourth Stockbridge entertainment, at City
hall. The house was densely crowded,
large parties Of musical people coming
from Augusta, Lewiston. Bath, Auburn,
WateryilIe, Biddeford and Saco, besides
our suburban towns, to swell the always
large audience that marks the Stockbridge
courses.
The New York Symphony Orchestra, as
we understand 1t, Is composed of members
of the New York Symphony Society,
picked for the purpose. judging by the
performance of last evening, they are
well drilled. well trained band. The
string band IS superb There is no ques-
tinn about that. rhe brasses also are
good. In the rendering Of the favorite
"Tannhauser overture" their ability was
especially shown. They we're powerful,
never noisy, and they were subordinated
to the general effect The wood. wind did
not strike us as quite up to the standard,
but that may be fancy on our part. Taken
as a whole, the orchestra was a surprise,
and a most agreeable surprise. II compar-
isons are made, and they are most apt 10
be, we must say that this orchestra cannot
as vet rival the Boston Symphony Orches-
ira; they cannot give the refined, thor
oughly artistic Interpretation to the great.
er compositions that are such a feature of
the Boston band AS conductor, Mr..
Damrosch has fine presence, but he does
not seem to possess that peculiar power
and magnetism over his men that marked
Gericke and Thomas, and his movements
are not particularly graceful.
Tue programme last evening embraced
quite wide scope. from Beethoven to
Grieg. The Goldmark overture"In Spring"
was full of the airiness and sur
shine OF the season, but the theme itself is
somewhat common place. The celebrated
allegretto, from Beeth0ven's Seventh
Symphony in A major. was well given.
The allegretto in A minor, opens with
long drawn chord by the wind instruments
lasting from forte to piano through two en-
measured theme of ineffable sadness. whose
every note stamps its melancholy ON the
mind. In ever increasing numbers sob
and sigh the mysterious voices till the
utmost expression OF woe Is attained
when amid the general lamentations, peals
the gently healing melody in A major as
suaging the bitter grief. followed again by
kha IL, 4o&
uslly melting into calmness and resigna
tion The Tschaikowsky theme and vari-
atoms was full Of color, and was played
with a eat spirit and earned great ceal
of applause. Two of the most delicious
numbers were the French serenade by
Burgmein, and the dainty Norwegian mel
ody by Grieg. given superbly by the string
orchestra. Wagner's mad ride of the
Valkyries fifty closed the evening.
The soloist was the celebrated ,Hekking,
and his numbers were those he has played
here before, the beautiful characteristic
| fantasia Of Servais, and the little group
of airs, one BY Bach, the Schumann ''Trau-
merep-which called forth great enthus-
iasm, and the light airy little "Popillon"
of Peppers. Mr.. Hekking's superb tones
combined with delicacy of treatment, make
him most artistic and delightful player,
and for deep and tender sentiment he is
unrivalled.
| MUGGs' LANDING.
Tonight, Saturday and Saturday matinee
the new Muggs's Landing will make its
initial appearance here, headed by Miss
Lizzie Derious Daily, Phil W. Peters. Aft
@. Pearce and other. The New York Sun
says the following Of both play and play
| ers:
All the features of the popular old
"MnRgs Landing" all the best of its old
characters have been retained, and to
these have been added new features, new
characters and more new scenery, all of
when were found last night to be decid-
ed Improvement to the play.
BARRY AND FAY.
Every one who has never seer that won
derfully ludicrous play "McKenna's Fir
tation" with Barry and Fay in the cast
should not iah to yisis lPsortlsnd theatre
- e!ldins Ufthc famous Mary Ellen
1os'er' The piece is said to have
undergone numerous changes since ,-.s
season, and has been enlivened With new
songs and dances and bright catchy music.
Tickets now on sale at the box office.
NOTES.
Signor Mascagni will visit Paris to super
intend the presentation of "Cavalleria
Rusticana" at the Opera Comique, and at
the direction of the Emperor of Germany
he has been invited TO Berlin similarly to
assist In the production of 'E'Amic0
Fri z" 10 the Imperial Opera House.
The return of Patti to her own natural,
dark hair was sensible thing The gold
en- couture was never becoming to her.
The tenor Jean de Reske has told Chi
cog0 reporter that he eats, drinks and
smokes as he pleases with no bad results.
His brother, Ed0uard de Reske, smokes
cigarettes all the time, and though the
throat specialists tell him not to persist in
the habit, no harm results He thinks
that smoking kills the microbes"
The BARBER of Bagdad," Peter Cornell
us's famous opera. which has been for
some months past In rehearsal at the Royal
College of Music, was performed, for the
| first time In England Wednesday after
noon, at the Savoy Theatre, by the stud
ents Of the college referred to. The opera
was most attractively produced under the
direction of Professor Stamford, and was
pronounced decided success Among
those present were the Princess of Wales
and her daughters. The house was packed
| from gallery to pit with crowds of the best
known artists, actors, singers and fash
lonables OF London. Every seat salable,
however, humble, had been secured in ad-
vance for this performance.