New-York tribune., 1891-04-23
HONORING MR.. THOMAS.
A DINNER GIVEN BY HIS FRIENDS.
,,v,Se FAREWELL IN PLEASANT WORDS

s,yING FAREWELL IN PLEASANT WORDS
GEORGE WILLIAM CURT1s's ADDRESS.
The friends OF Theodore Thomas, VINO regret that
has Welded to the woong Establishments Of Chicago,
~,s him a will We no. come back agalnS dinner in
r,nonico's last evening. That was the sentiment
:, The occasion. 1t was not a farewell dinner for
.rv expression Of farewell was modified by the hope
speedy return. The committee who made ar
mepts for the dinner stated its aim in the follow
-, card addressed to Mr.. Thomas;
The undersigned, desiring TO make some public
.,noU cment, before your departure from New
sxo-S Of their gratitude for the long, faithful and
ncsl culture in this country, and of their esteem
sT you personally, have the honor Of inviting You to
sst them AT dinner at DelmOnicos on April 22. at
sn M and they remain your friends and fellow
SSiIism SIiii.dn steinway, George William Curtis.
car CCa.InaS sS1SrS 1oStrtSSndorfer, PaTke Goodwin,
UUs,nann Soheus, Montgomery schuyler.
George William Curtis presided, and among those
,r.sent were William stenway, Psrke Goodwin the
pnv Arthur Brooks, Montgomery schuyler. Hermann
s,hans ~ StetsOn, John Mahnken, Frederic Oakes,
,.ss. selgman Andrew Carnegie, Edmund c. Stanton,
..orre william Warren. B. T. rockingham c. T.
~hrstensen, Henry X Sheldon, Frederic N. Goddard,
r,niau, Mason, J. Q. A. Ward. Thomas P. Wickes,
,rdre Charles Van Brunt, John Won Claim, George w.
cotsrl William Vigelus william s. Andrews, Gen
al z Ferrero, Carl Edelheim, Alfred Roelker, A.
pacepstecher Rudolph E. Schirmer, Rudolph Aronson,
1ames Hollyer, A. p. Ryder J. S. Inglis, William j.
henderson Frederic Cromwell Il. II. Warren. s. Lazar
+ F. Learned, J. b. Bishop, T. Monroe Davis, c.
xo-nan Fay E. Francis Hyde, Louis c. Tiffany, Charles
Hnton Brown, r.. II. Robertson, William A Potter
Augustus ST. Gaudens, T. H. French, Louis Won
psrnuth Francis DraZ, James w. M0Tlssey, james
uuneker John P. Jackson, Gustav Stein, Theodore
Toedt. Richard Ranft, George F. Meyer, Felix
Kra.mer Rafael Josefy S. B. Mills, E. A Rockwell
frederick steinway A. Neumann, K. w. Glider, Morris
TOpllnar Victor
S. Fletcher, Benno Loewy, Henry wolfsohn. Frank
/ Pommer Cou1tland Babcock, D. Blakeley, Mr.
Bachur Captain George Rhoads Captain A W. Conover
The tables were heaped with beautiful flowers ana
the principal piece in the floral decoration OF the
dinning hail. which was admirably done by F. Warren
darf was a conductors stand which stood IN the
middle OF the room in bower OF palms and ferns.
Mr. Curtis, in proposing The health OF the guest ol
the evening. made a speech whose intrinsic beauty
called forth as much hearty applause as did its personal
aIusion lie said in part:
rise to propose the health OF public beneactor-an
artist whose devotion beautiful, refining and ennoDhg
APT has greatly distinguished his and given great dis
netion to the city in which he ltveshe health OF the
central figure OF the musical lie of NewYork for genera
o and your hearts go my lips in sung Theodore
ToTnas (Choers) He has made the conductors baton an
era scepre with which he rules not only an orchestIa
INT an eYerwidenng realm OF musical taste and cultivation
In lis hand IL has become enchanters wand which has
Transformed our musical ignorance and crudity into ample
knowleage and generous appreciation ApplauseD WINE
has introduced TO the crowned and acknowledged mas
ters Of the past It has summoned and revealed the sui
sbadowv figures Of the future Musical artists have come
and gone vrtuosos Of every kind have appeared nave
charmed US and have vanished Our private accomplish
nent has advanced from the "Batte Of Prague" ana
the variations Herr to the fantasies OF Schumann
he songs Of Rubnstein the Schubert transeriptons Of
Iszt and st pushing end on like Columbus salihg
hoyopd the horizon Into the unknown seas. But through
an changes the one figure which has remained the laureate
Of the past and the herald Of the future Is Iheodore
Thomas. (Cheers)
The great works OF the great composers, the mighty
music Of the masters who have given TO their art an equal
rcnown with the kindred arts OF literature and painting
and sculptures the music OF Bach and Handel OF Mozart
and HAYDN and Becthovennames THAI IN their Knu shhe
in equal lustre with Of Raphael and Angelo ana
shakespeare-has been played continuously from year TO
vsar under Thomas's direction I'm not often sur
,ased t the Conservative in Paris the Sewandhus
in Leipzig. the music OF later dsy and OF onother
charm has been interpreted by him that after the great
Wagner afternoon at the festival Of 'S2 Nine Maeerna
said TO me that Wagner had never heard that work OF
his own so magnncenty rendered (Applause) Thomas's
whole career has been campaign Of education IL he mas
revealed 70 us fully the Beethoven whom we Knew
"a he also who first showed that there was Wagner
who might be worth knowing. lie has given TO New
York musical distinction without which no great city is
etropols and Chicago has shown the true metropolitan
instinct in securing his musical leadership IL Is because
OF the dignity OF his career It's absolute fidelity 10 heh
ideal tafal freedom IRON chaI4dudhIf '" WV
his service TO this city has been so signal puDc Dehen
and that his departure Is public misfortune
But great Interpreter OF mu5c, and such is great
conductor, wherever he goes carries MS own Welcoo
with him. is stranger that he goes TO Chiesgo
because he is not stranger, because Caoago knows
him we'll that she asks him TO come. And he does not
20 alone He t&kes with him gratitude our admir-
aon and our affection He goes wreahed and garlanded
with our cheers and hopes ami our perfect con-
Gdenoe in his speedy return cloud cheers) For
New-York only lends Theodore Thomas to Chicago
With metropolitan magnanmty she decorates with one Of
her own precious jewels her younger and successful com
petitor for the prize Of great Fair But presently she
will reclaim it it TO her crown with resher
lustre gained from her sisters coronet Therefore on
YOUR behalf, on behalf Of great multitude Of New
Workers lovers music and Of Thomas, who follow him
with psng OF farewell but with hearty godpeed say
TO him. in a language familiar to him before ne knew that
IN which 1 am speaking, Wr sagen ncht leb woh wiz
sagen nur Gott befohlen, bis auf wedersehen Long
spplause)
Mr.. Thomas, in his speech IN reply, gave some
"reminiscences of music in NewYOrk thirty or forty
|lr Curtis said that letters Of regret had been
oeiyed from Carf Schurz, Bishop Potter and Jesse
segnan hshoP roer e1 cnnsoIsfon in this
great gain to Chicago is that that unhappy community
laughtcrl, Saddled with the illlmable imposslpues
Of its Fair Qaughter, is entitled TO some compensation,
and that since Mr. Thomas is going there the rest OF
US will now for the first time have AN adequate mouve
for going West daughter and applause) -
PaTke Goodwin made happy speech, IN wnlch ne
said: If Thomas goes, who is 10 remain Ana II
Thomas remains who is to cvilize those Lake dwell
els -
Able and interesting addresses were also made by
william Steinway, ANDREW Carnegie montgomery
Schuyler. and the Rev. Arthur BROOKS. =
The directors Of thc Madison Square Garden Ampnl
theatre announce that they have arranged with Mr..
Thomas and his orchestra contracts for snort season
OF farewell performances TO take place In the Mad
ison square Garden Amphtleatre, beginning on mon
DAY, July 6, and ending on saturday, August 10
There will be weekly festivals OF Beethoven, Llszt.
Nendessoln, schubert Meyerbeer, and Wagner music'
and special nights OF ballroom compositions.