New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-14
MUSIC.
A CENTURY AFTER MOZART.

A CENTURY AFTER MOZART.
The second concert OF the Philharmonic so-,.-
which took place nt the Metropolitan Open Hons. -
Saturday night, fell within a week after A. -
dredth anniversary Of the death Of Nozait an< ~
therefore, very properly planned 10 commsmo..''
that genius The programme Of pieces was deeLsss
unconventional ard we doubt not that many Win -
ready TO concede the appropriateness Of the sen,.
underlying the celebration were yet little nonnbss
by Mr. sedps selections. Those selection. -
evidently based on another than a merely s..s
mental attitude toward great name and menor. y
music Even the anomalous performance OF .n,..-
Ing new work by Philip scharwenka 10 the No,ar's
list was In the nature Of evidence OF Mr.. $40
seriousness Of purpose and frankness OF cov,.,,1'
IL was daring thing TO DO, for criticism was bon,x -
follow upon it from all sides. The intellren, lo,
OF Mozart who, let us say as plainly rs possib,. a.
to be found chiefly among musicians who can cst,..
his music In the light OF the art Of hnndreh -
ago plus the real value Of factors that are fresra
overlooked now-these intelligent and sincere kvs, .
Mozart rghteousy aggieved at the assocjsuoo !,
u composer Of to-day, and him not one Of thu A..
rank, with their hero. Those affected persons -
arc swayed purely by sentmentality were OF cm-.
dissatisfied that the programme should contain A..
other music than Nozarts Then came the lar.
class who care little about such matters but tAss
that an application OF the rule Of proper ss.s,s,
would have consorted related genius with him vAO~
memory was sought TO be honored. There IA
degree of righteousness In all these contentious ~.
Mr.. Seidl's course had good deal TO commend N
The List Of Mozart's works was Historically ero..S
ingIy interesting and In concluding the concert v,
Philip Scharwenka's sFruehlng swogen' Mr. s.,1,
knew that he woud crafty many who w..
honest enough to admit that Mozart may beeou.
monotonous to the taste OF to-day. 1t was mer.lr
~ Init n uireda
to make the proclamation. 1t will not look well N
the annals Of the society from sentimental pon. a
view, but 1t win tell truth, and honesty Is a csS
policy In art as well as trade.
1t would have been q good thing II the sympsth.tx
and always sensible annotator Of the socley's pr>
gramme had set out more clearly and senentously Tn
evident artistic plan which Mr.. Seidl proceeded |.
arranging his Mozart list. The socslled aJupIers
symphony, as the last and from technical point a
view greatest Of Mozas symphonies. needed 70 justa
cation or COMMENT but the artistic significance q "a.
accompanied dialogue between Tamino and one OF In
priests of the Temple Of Wisdom from "Ths Nans
Fluten might probably have been dwelt upon az lhx
trating the progressive tendency of Mozart as drr
matte composer or rather asspecifcally a Composer Al
German opera. In this light, too, the buio air nom
@Die Eutfuehrung" was designed TO show him; but,
though "Die Eutfuelrung' was composed to German
words and Is full Of ingenious and dramatic chaacten
tOn its form was borrowed from the Italian opera and
1t does not stand out with such bOldness in the d
veopment of dramatic music the dialogue sccus
There the italian recitativo sccco has given way TO most
truthful and eloquent musical defamation with a,
orchestral part that comments, expounds and emotion
allies every phrase uttered, while In the magnificent r
Of sarastro. which. without reason, made 10 fobs
the dialogue there Is an exhibition Of The spirit 4
German song which when 1t finally took possession Of
operate composition dispensed with all the traditions
Of the Italian opera sera and created the German opera
1t was therefore, to show Mozart in his relation TO the
dominant operate art Of to-day, we imagine that Mr.
Seidl chose his vocal pecesto help the people Of tOdsr
TO realize that even the Mozart who sounds archaic 70
our ears was In his time forward man with .
prophetic vision. The same truth taught 10 tho
divinely beautiful Masonic Funeral music, which DE-
serves o permanent place along with the three laS
symphonies and the oyertures TO THE Magic Flute
and "The Marriage OF Figaro In the list Of MoLrt
living pieces for the concertroom. Here IS dcat
to say which TO admire the more the beauty With which
the old device OF cantus hrmus, evidently hah
on church melody In the wind choir OF the band en.
bellished with marvelously tender and expressive
counterpolnts in the strings the richness Of tho
Instrumental color to which the employment Of con-
ira bassoon lends significant quota, to say nothing o
the como d basse,to for which Mozart always had
iondness. The Masonic Funeral music may he found
in the tenth series OF Mozarts complete WORKS, as
published by Breitkopf & IIaerel The sweet loseh-
ness Of the Adaga from tie string Quintet In q minr
furnished sufficient explanation Of IS choice. no
solo parts IN the Mozart list were sung by William d
Rieger, tenor, and Emil Fischer, bass.
Mr. scharwenka's symphonic poem bore the test~
which It was submitted very creditably. In J. suie
righteousness and its general clarity Of FORM II STANDS
in sharp contrast with many OF the works OF mo
younger school OF to-day. who, Ike Mr. schsrSeaks'
have come under the sway Of Wngners Influence
Its TITLE Fruehlingswogen,' beautifully signnesat
German, has no equivalent in English. The susses-
ton in the title Is to those pulses the sweiings and
robbngs which Nature is POLITICALLY pictured 70 feel
In the period of her normal awakening. and for ms
conception the composer has found eloquent exp'ese
in the sustained yet eager song melody IN d nav
which is the second subject proper but really '1s
principal theme Of his symphonic poem. in the elsoe
ration OF a shorter theme bearing curious riythmlen
resemblance to Hans sachss cobbllng phrase IN DC
Meistersinger-), Mr.. Scharwenka is exceedingly happ
In several pages, especially In HIS suggestion Oh an
antique Scherzo, In which the dyads seem y be UP
ping IL right merily But the elaboration Of Ms loes,
falls short of his simpler and more lyric exposuon
them. The work has Just been published IN score ~"
had its first performance on this OCCASION