Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-03

last performance In Worcester June 8. She is
not ILL., nor 10 her voice impaired but she neeos
rest and prefers to withdraw from the stage
Boston Courier.
THE directors of the Madison Square Garden
Amphitheater. New York, have arranged with
Mr.. Theodore Thomas and his orchestra where
by his farewell to that city will be celebrated
in manner becoming so memorable an event.
To this end contracts have been made for
short season of performances to take place in
the Madison Square Amphitheater. beginning
Monday, July 26 and ending Saturday. August
Is So the great farewell banquet to MI.
Thomas the other evening" presided over by
Mr. George William Curtis, was not farewell
after all.
In its review of the last Boston Symphony
concert In Philadelphia. the North An1elTcGn
says of one of our festival artists: "The vocal
ist of the evening was Mrs. Walter q. Wyman,
q contralto, who captured the audience at once.
She has a voice of great Leauty and an urex-
ceptionable method, and she siAgs with the
feeling and intelligence and refinement which
bespeak the artist. Her air from Saint-Saen's
Samson and Deliia' was deeply Impressive,
and she gave three songs with pianoforte ac-
compartments, exQuisitely played py Mr'
Nikisch, by Massenet, Delibes and Ferrarl,
with extraordinary charm. 1t will be pleas
ure to hear Mrs. Wyman again."
Mr.. c. WHITNEY CooMBs who for several
years oficiated as organist and cantor at the
Anglo-American Church at Dresden. has just
returned to this country on q business trip
Before leaving Dresden he gave a well-attended
farewell concert of which the critics Of the
Saxonian capital spoke in the highest terms of
praise. Ludwig Hartman being especially en-
thusiastic about Mr.. Coombs' compositions.
Mr.. Harry B. Brockett who became an sntl-
mate friend sf Mr.. Coombs during his Dresden
studies, expects the latter to make him an ex.
tended visit here within week or two. Some
of MIR. Coombs' songs that have been sung here
by Mr.. Brockett, are quite sufficient introduc-
ton for the gifted American composer.
THE May Festival sale is progressing finely,
as it should. The Wagner night seems the
most popular, but it is impossible to give any
decisive answer to the oft-heard query, (which
night will be the best?" Each programme com.
bnes many elements of interest, from what
ever standpoint viewed. Nothing but indi-
vidual taste or fancy need guide anyone in his
or her choice out of such a variety 1t is de-
lightful to think that such musical privileges
can be offered not only to those who can af-
ford high prices for boxes and parquet seats,
but also to the great multitude who can only
afford TO pay 25 or 80 cents, but can for either
sum gain the pleasures and benefits of the
May Festival.
THE complimentary concert rendered to that
talented and deserving young soprano, Miss
Grace Miller, on the eve of her departure for
study in Germany, promises to be of excep-
tional interest. 1t will occur at Old City Hall
next Thursday evening. The Allegheny
Musical Association, under Mr.. W. A. Laf-
ferty. will lend choral dignity to the choice
programme, in which the following solosts
will also appear: Miss Grace Miller and Miss
Rosa Weber, sopranos; Miss Blanche Newcomb,
vIolinist; Miss Mamie Biechele, ocontralto; Mr..
Harry Brockett, tenor; Mr.. Charles Corcoran
and Mr.. E. II. DermItt, basses, and MIR. Theo-
dore Salmon pianist with Mr.. John A. Bell,
Mr.. H, P. Ecker and Miss Stella Bauer as ac-
companists.
THOUGH confidently expected, the formal
election last Wednesday of Anton Seidl as the
successor of Theodore Thomas in the conduct.
orship of the rime-honored New York Phil
harmonic Society is an event of real note. Tue
Tribune speaks of the election thus: "The
members of the society seem exceedingly
pleased in securing Mr.. Seidl, as indeed would
be indicated by the fact that the choice was
unanimous. Mr.. Seidl is also much gratified at
the result He said last night that he had long
regarded the Philharmonic Orchestra as the
finest in the world, without any exception, and
be was extremely glad of the opportunity now
given him to lead it. He regarded it as a we'll
nigh perfect organization. 1t has not vet been
settled definitely whether the society will con-
tinue to use the Metropolitan Opera House or
go to the new Music Hall, but the former
course is regarded as the more probable"
MAX VoGRIcH's oratorio, ''The Captivity"
was performed upon a complete scale at the
Metropolitan Opera House, New York, last
Tuesday evening" The event is of interest to
all who care to See American composers well
and especially to Pittsburgers,
who Will. In the May Festival. hear for the first \
time Mr.. Vogrich's cantata. THE Diver"
After laying stress upon the deficiency of
the text ian early poem OF Gold
smith's) in dramatic climaxes and ma
terial for contrapuntal treatment Mr..
w. j. Henderson, in the Times, proceeds
thus: The strong earnest aim of the composer
is always evinent: but the bulls eye of his
target is so blurred and indistinc1 that he can
not hit it.
There are some interesting, even lovely, bits
of writing, such as the setting for soprano of
the immortal verses before mentioned and the
exquisltely colored Oriental canzonetta. On
the whole, the attempt at Eastern tinting has
led the composer into style which closely re-
sembles that employed by Verdi in his Aida"
The nusIc allotted to the Hebrews is digniried
in movement but is deficient in character and
in harmonization. II is possible
that the work will improve on further hearing;
it is certainly worth repeating"