New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-23
MUSIC.
rur PHILHARMONIC CONCERT.

..,,niztion than the activities OF any other musical
.-snisation in the country They mean more. Iheir
elss ,s more earnestly, more consistently and more
pAsl s,lstlo Tho Philharmonic audience Is The fine
.sne ~ The clty's musical public. II Is untouched
~, frea,s OF fashion II is loyal TO the best inter
" :, All and II possesses power OF judgment entitled
e"nsc,. The relationship which exists between the
.,r and its patrons is unique ia the amusement
~. .~caed Of the city, The ordinary considerations
s,h prompt gvers and receivers are all but LETT out
,cht al these concerts. The societys purposes ana
- az IFS patrons the same, and happy dit
has brought it TO pass that perfect and cordial
r.eity characterzes the efforts devoted 10 their at
,,ent The concerts given under the auspices of
49, performers themselves, satisfy their afusuc am
sIso,s and the patrons give handsome financial re
"a sor The pleasure received.
whether or not the directors have ever formulated
,sns policy relative to their duty toward art we do
y trcw. The programmes have always reflected tie
"a, ~ the conductor, whose privilege believe II IS
rscOmmend compositions for performance. They
y. always shown conservative tendency, but have
- heen closed 10 signs OF wise progress. The
-prtatlon OF accepted masterpieces has always been
s, q, the conductor. This of course could not we'll
- otherwise Interpretation IS matter OF individual
sss,s and outside the sway Of committee.
:, has therefore happened that the concerts. While
h<nc 10 their fundamental purpose of advancing the
sn., az good music. have yet disclosed The changes
A.h the mind OF the conductor has undergone in re
rr,, n, composers purposes. A noteworthy instance
!, This species Of yadlstion offered by Mr..
TSom.s's readng of Beethoven's major symphony
ro or three wears ago. when that eminenty conserva
dee conductor was temporarily under tht influence of
.r. visionary German theorists who seemed to imagine
cha, they had been born TO set beethoven right the
snh,ect of his wishes. Happily. Mr. Thomas sub
.-,,ap;ly repented and did the works meet for re
atsnce al the last concert of the Brooklyn Philhar
ncnic sodeiy.
This incident Is recalled simply 10 account for what
,.. ~ personal equation might have been observable
"a ,se FIST concert Of the Philharmonic Society Of New
yo,x conducted by Mr.. seid last Saturday evening.
Wife we have criticised not only Mr.. Thomas. but also
Nj seA and DR. Bueow, for what we consider
upvanzatabe liberties taken with the text Of Beehov
ans seventh and eighth symphonies, not because they
xr, expressions Of individual opinion, but because
they resulted in what could be proved 10 be pervesl0ns
a. the composers purposes have never questioned
III. necessity Of such exhibition OF individuality, of
sph.civty as the Germans say to vital interpTeta
ion Of musical work OF art To rob n conductor OF
This unyIege, or, better. to abSove him from this
ds;y Is 70 reduce him 10 the level of time beating
mschlDe and 10 take the vital principle out of every
eemprafsn This privilege and this duty adhere 10
he position Of conductor. and cannot be severed from
II Without mortal injury to music.
Hs a familiar matter that many of the patrons OF
the Philharmonic socley looked forward TO the advent
o. Mr. sedl as conductor Of that body with appreen
sion. In some respects he had justified the opinion
that his tendency toward change for the sake Of
change So far as his reading OF Beethovens pastoral"
symphony last saturday evening is concerned. it must
DO said that these sppehensonS were shown t. be
utterly groundless. OF the lawlessness which The
Tribune condemned in his reading of the eighth sym
phony land also that of DR.. Won Buelow), and Mr.
Thomss's reading of the seventh there not trace.
In single instance did he NEEDLE with the composers
But justice Is not done with this recognition of
Negative virtue. Mr.. Seldi mbued the symphony
with vitality which simply superb. He made Ii
pulsste with Joyous life. II Is not simple thing to
do this, though the composer contemplated it, for, OF
all the symphonies Of Beethoven, the Pastoral by
reason OF its truthful reflection OF nature in the use OF
the simple intervals which most directly produced
by nature Is most In danger OF being accounted m0not
onous in manner and feeling. This monotony was
avoided By Mr.. seids painstaldng exposition of the
musical structure: by the nice appreciation which he
displayed OF the value of the voices Of the various In
stpmsns as producers of color effects; by his keen
sense Of tho emotional expressveness Of moduations
ana hanonies; and, 10 mention but OF many tech
meal exemphheations by his treatment Of the BASES
He Is master in the development of ciimaxes His
exuberant Imagination moves in harmonious yoke with
his reflective faculties II he produced the most start
Ling effects by the manner in which he brought into
pr,minence the climaxes OF the stoym through the
agency Of the elementary 0rcefulnes Of the brass choir
tan agency which humdrum conservatism has neg
ectedl he yet achieved his most profoundly moving
effects by The aectonstey and reventy tender treat
nent OF the essentially mclodi0us Scene by the Brook"
The composition introduced by Mr.. s,idi stands
In somewhat different case. Ordinarily 1t would
doubtless have been received without faultfndng il
not with gladness by a Philharmonic audience. Under
the peculiar circumstances OF Mr. sedrs advent II is
likely 10 cause excessive and unwise comment. THIS
because simply OF the partisan spirit engendered by
recent occurrences in musical life. There Is a
prevalent feeling that modern romantic composers.
beginning with Wagner, are noisy. Mr. seidTs belief
In the virtue OF sorority has helped to stimulate that
feeling. IN tie Two movements from Nicode's SYM
paonlc ode Das Nicer" there some peculiarly
crashes OF harmony. and very unusual en-
poymtnt of the instruments OF percussion wllch are
lot generally looked upon really musical lnstr'-
nents. But underneath the sonorcus surface Of
Modes composition there is some really marvellous
music. Tie first movement devoted less to pic
toa Illustration OF the sea than TO a delineation OF
what might be called its emotional spiritual, ele
nens coneutsts vastness, its solemnity. its I'M
Measured depth its measureless energy, its symbolism
which appeals directly 10 every poetcal mind-is
monumental example Of musical learning and q
beautiful exemplincation OF the capacity of music
% delneats both external end internal, both
material aud spiritual. things. II begins as
'orsle fugue, with sharply contrasted subjects.
THIS out into a chorale the principal
subject Of the fugue. In which the organ should
have been cOnsorted with the orchestra ana
seud have been used had II been IN tune with the
~cossta- Then begins third division, in which
tard melody. this time of descriptive character Il
Nnodaecd IN the strings, and thereafter the
wee with all is plctOrslness and all its re
ne'ans Of moods. il structuraly only splendid
ssee.nen Of polyphonc writing. In the second move
~'-a ie p0stcal purpose, though ii may at times
sTn oseured becaus, the fancy Is taken captive by
No Pictorial element, is nevertheless adhered to. a
ssSl Y nsss Instruments separated from the man
o.estrs. Aymns the subllnity of the sea In It's
1919 u we'll a. its symbolcal aspects, Ds play
80 lae solemn music to which. when the wofk is
pniHnT entire, the chorus has sung an
sp~,fopAe % the ocean. Upon this substrstum OF
saaa the orchestra, reinforced by very unusual IN
suGfental apparatus, embroiders a playful compost
~ truly symphonic ScherZo, by means OF when
" composer seeks TO delinsae the superficial pine
vulels " the seats phOsphOrescence The daring