The Portland daily press., 1891-11-20
MUSIC AND Or q MA
THE KNEIsEL CONCERTS.


The first of the three subscription con-
certs by the Knelsel Quartette was given
at Kotzschmar hall last evening in the
presence of as musical an audience as is
ever assembled in Portland. 1t was an adj
mirable opportunity to test the merits of
the house for chamber concerts. and the re-
suit was highly satisfactory. The most
delicate shading was perfectly perceptible
10 the rear of the auditorium, and each
note fell upon the ear clearly aud distinct
ly.
The Quartette are playing in superb form
this season judging by last evenings per-
Torrance. The programme embraced the
Haydn Quartette In d maior-which was a
marked feature of the concert given here
by this organization before-Schumann's
Quartettein A major opus Al, the andante
from Tsehaikowsky's Quartette in d major,
aud Auer's Rhapsodie Hongroise given as
a solo for violin by Mr.. Kneisel.
The gem Of the performance was the
Tschaikowsky andante. 1t was sung, not
played. The tone of the four instruments
was SO perfectly blended. 1t was so deli
cato, the effects Of the cello we're so sur
prisiDg that the audience sat breathless un-
til the close, ana then burst into a storm Of
| applause, and would have insisted on their
encore If the musicians. by their bows for
a second response, had not politely but
firmly declined. While both the quartettes
were admirably rendered the Haydn was
| the most satisfactory, and well it should be
for old Father Haydn still holds his pre-
eminent position as a composer of
stringed quartettes, Notwithstanding the
high position more modern writers have at
tanned.
OF course Mr.. Kueiseps solo was full of
fire, and splendid exhibition o technique.
He enters thoroughly into the Hungarian
feeling just as on former occasion he
gave the rich Spanish coloriDg to SpaL-
iSh dance. He was favored with an encore
also. So admirably timed was the length
of the programme that every one left the
hall with the wish that it could have been
extended.
PORTLAND THEATRE.
The entertainment by the Thomas &
Watson Speciality Company at the theatre
was very well received. The roaring farce
"Cot No. Al" was given first, followed by
the farce "Muldoon's Second Trip"
Lillian Randall, John l.. Manning, Thos.
Q. Moya and Jean and George A. Powers.
The same company appears tonight and
Saturday.
PyGMALIoN AND GALATEA.
"As there were brave men before Aga
memnon. so there were beautiful womeu
before Cleopatra" but mythology tells us
thre was never but one Galatea. She was
beautiful even in the cold marble of Pen
telaeus, but when the gods gave her life,
and she stepped from the pedestal loving,
beauteous woman, small wonder that the
Greek sculptor fell captive to her charms.
The story CT "Pygmalion and Galatea" in
| the form of Gilbert's famous comedy, will
be told by the Players Club at City hall on
| Thanksgiving afternoon and evening.
I Tickets are selling rapidly at Chambers
| music store.
SHIP Alloy.
| j. M. Hill's Opera Company will give
"Ship Alloy" in the third Stockbridge Pop
ular November oath, with fine cast and
scenery, rich costumes, grand chorus and
orchestra. The tickets can be procured at
Stockbridge's. The Boston Herald says:
| ''Ship AhoyW comes back with about the
the same crew as that Of last season. The
| settings and costuming of the production
are finer and more attractive, and the topi-
cal songs have been carefully written up to
date. Repeated encores and rounds of ap-
plause told conclnsively the popularity of
the performance, which was In many ways
the best yet given of this "farcical nauti-
cal opera"
NOTES.
Get tickets now for the fourth Stock
bridge entertainment to be given December
10th by the New York Symphony Orches-
ira.
A new musical organization has just been
formed In Bangor and begun rehearsals: 1t
Is composed of Mr.. Oscar E. Wasgatt, first
violin; Mr.. Roland Sawyer. second violin !;
Mr.. Howard Sawyer, viola DR.. K. T. Was
gait, violoncello; Mr.. Charles Hutchings,
flute. The name of the organization has
not definitely been decided upon,. but
II Will probably be called the Mozart Quin-
tette Club.
Paderewski's first appearance in this
country was made Tuesday at the new
Music Hall, New York, in connection with
Damrosch's Orchestra. According to the
tribune the new pianist was great sue
cess. The audience was large and the en-
thusiasm unbounded. The programme in
ciuded Saint Saens's concerto, a cOncerto
Oh faderewskps own and several selec-
tions from Chopin. Paderewski's mastery
OF technique Is wonderful and he is pro-
nounced player without fault.