New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-09
THE MOZART CENTENARY.
III.
MUSIC AT THE CELEBRATION.
CONCERTS OF THE VIENNA PHILHARMONIC
SOCIETY - DIRECTOR JAIN AND
MoZART'S SYMPHONIES.
FRO STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF raE TRIBUNE.


This contrast, however, was generous contributor
10 the amabity which characterized the OCCASION
In it was reflected some of the senality and the
simplicity Of the great composers nature. Ihoush
10000 persons listered lovingly and reverentialiy'
TO the REQUIEM in the Cathedral, only about 400
were privileged TO attend the festival representation
of The Marriage of Figaro which brought the
celebration to a close The $50 enjoyed rare
sensation, to which sentiment contributed quite as
much as the performance; the excluded thousands
accepted the situation with charming good humor.
Between the mass, which opened the festival, and
the opera, which brought it TO a close, were TWO
concerts by the Philharmonic Society of vienna,
under the direction of Wilhelm Jahn director oil
the Imperial Court Opera. These concerts tooK
place in the Aua Academica, plain old-fasmoned
hall, in which candles arc still depended on Tor
light when the room is used at night licre again
the seating accommodations, though three tunes
as great as those of the theatre, were inadequate
Yet the good humor Of the visitors suffered no i'm
pairment.
The environment was provincial, the concerts
metropolitan Much Of the music dated from tne
last year Of Mozarts lfe The Requiem was the
last composition in his thoughts: he dld not I'VE
to finish it, The symphonies played were those IN
G minor and major e. Jupiter') both written IN
the summer of 1853. The Bundesteed, sung
before the monument the conclusion OF the loren
light procession dates from his death year. Inc
opera lie NOzze di Figaro" was produced nVe
years before his death. Its choice for representa-
ton was doubtless due TO the fact that the stage OF
the theatre is too small 10 permit the mounting OF
Die Zauberiloetc' obviously the right choise for
the festival as a product of the composers last
year Don Giovanni was first announced by the
committee but the opera based on Beaumarchais,s
comedy was substituted for it, probably because
the centenary of Mozart's masterpiece had been
celebrated in 1897. The circumstance that the
occasion was also centennial anniversary Oh the
composition Of " Die Zaubcrfoetc' was also re-
membered in the compilation of the programme OF
the first concert in the Aula Academica on July
&c, at II a. m, oict third of which was devoted
to excerpts from the opera, which, according 10
the dictum of Beethoven, is to be set down as the
first essentially German opera.
The forces employed in the performance OF the
Requiem were chorus selected from the Cathe-
dral choir the wOmen'S choir Of the Mozarteum,
and the mems singing societies of Salzburg; the
orchestras Of the Dom Musikverein and the Mo-
zarteum; NIesdames f. Brandt-Forster, and Louise
Kaulich and Messieurs Gustave Walter and Franz
Won Rechenberg. of the Court Opera at Vienna
]. F. Hummel, director Of the Mozarteum, con-
ductcd the performance The choir numbered
200 voices and was an admirable body whose sing
ing reflected greater credit on the city than the
orchestral accompaniment, which, though salts
factory. was not remarkable. The inadeGuacy OF
the instrumental part of the performance was eX-
planned by Director Hummel on the ground of a
restriction in number compelled by the dimensions
of the choir loft He had to choose between a
ro;- tb n
chestra with small choir. Arguing correctly
enough that the Requiem was essentially a
choral composition he chose the former. lnstru-
mental music is cultivated with great assiduity
and earnestliess in the Conservatory connected
with the Mozarteum, Director Hummel COM
pelling every free student Of the pianoforte OF
violin TO take up d wind instrument In addition,
and can easily believe him when he says that 1t
was not want of orchestral players but want
of room in the gallery which invited to the only
criticism that was passed upon the artistic side
of the performance.
For the first concert in the Aula this was the
programme
Excerpts from "Die zauberaoete.'
"a 0net Rel Moennern weche Liebe Fuehlen.'
Mime. E. Brandt Forster and Josef Ritter)
(c) Air: In diesen heilgen Hallen." FRANZ vor
"a Air: Dies Bildncss st Bezaubernd schoen
Gustav Water) ,.r.....>
10 Air and chorus Oisis ind Osiris" Franz Won
Rcichenberg and SalzburGer Liedertafel) r.
Concerto for PanOfOrte In ID minor (Madane Es
sipof- Leschetizky)
symphony In q minor -,
The programme of the second concert at the
same hour on the third day Of the festival, July
string quartet, D minor Che Hcllmesberger Quar-
~ Air from Cost fantutte" Gustav walter)
Adaglo from the Quintet in Il minor. String or
Air from "Die Entfuehrung aus dem Serial. t'Tme
songs: "Das veilchen,. "vergiss Mcln Nlcht' anC
aWlegenlied.' Fraulen Frederlko Mayer)
Jupiter" Symphony.
The Vienna Philharmonic Society is generally
conducted by Hans Richter. Its members, how.
ever, are, for the greater part, also members OF
the band at the Court Opera, and consequently
familiar with the baton of Herr jain, who is as
famous an authority on the Interpretation Ot
Mozart's music as his brilliant assistant at the
Opera, Herr Richter is on the Interpretation o.
Wagner's. The band stands unrivalled in Ger
| many and Austria, and if it has peer in Europe
it can only be the orchestra which VI. LamOureuX
controls in Paris NJ. LamoureuX is wealthy
man and musical enthusiast money does not
stand in the way of his engagement of the best
specialists in orchestral playing that are 10 be
had-a fact that fully explains the marvellous
music can only be heard in its perfection in
| Vienna.
do not know how this may be have heard
many poor Mozart singers who hailed from the
Austro-E Hungarian Court Opera, but l am willing
! to believe that those who live in the social and
artistic atmosphere of Vienna for time may
acquire a sympathetic appreciation for the spirit
| of Mozart which the people of colder and more
phlegnatic north will never imbibe The divid
ing line between musical creation and recreation
| is exceedingly fne-that fact il is which makes
| il possible for an executive musician TO become
entitled to the name Of artist--and unless an in
terpreter can feel with some Of it's original potency
the influence that impelled the composer, his inter
probation will speak different dialect, If mo-
different tongue, than that native TO the com
| position / would rather find an explanation o.
the beauty of the Philharmonic Society's per
fr,no MOO of tho two svmnhonies in this relation