Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-14


| vocalization demanded by the oft-heard
"Shadow Song" from Meyerbeer's "Di-
| norah.''
Work of Our Own Popular Pianists
Two movements, the andante and presto,
of Mendelssohn's pianoforte concerto in
| G minor will be played by our own popular
pianist, Mr. Joseph H. Cuttings This, the
| earlier of Mendelssohn's two pianoforte con-
certos was, as one of his private letters calls
| it, ga thing rapidly thrown off, during his
second brief visit to Munich (returning from
the fruitful Italian journey and first per-
| formed there by himself, October H. 1881. 1t
was dedicated to Delphine Won Schauroth
the gifted pianiste with whom Mendelssohn
| was just then carrying on quite Irritation,
and for whom he had also written, while in
| Songs Without Words. Ho wever little work
| it cost him, the fluent grace of the concerto
has made it one of the most popular pieces
| in the repertoire of all pianists Mr.. Theodor
Reichmann has good opening for his known
ability as ballad-singer in the beautiful
| tender farewell song, which is the favorite
number in Victor Nessler's light, romantic
| opera, 'The Trumpeter of Sackingen,n q
work which for eight years has enjoyed the
most phenomenal popularity in Germany.
Massenet, the most prolific French opera
writer of the day, comes in again WITH two
numbers from "1e Cid y an opera which, to
quote his own words, "partakes of the style
of Mendelssohn, Auber, Donizetti and
MeyerbeeT, and represents all the chivalry
of Spain-SpaiE, with her rich colors superb
attitudes, mantillas, national dances and
strongly accented rythm." The..four move
ments of the ballet music will show these
characteristics most prominently; while the
aria, "Pleurez," sung by Mrs Rosa Linde,
has touching sweetness sure to please the
matinee audience.
The famous, thrilling terzetto from "Will-
lam Tell, !" the greatest work of Gioacchino
hn Loo -
the old-style Italian opera scool, will give
Messrs. Guile, ReichInann and Bologna a
fine opportunity to electrify the people.
Few who heard it will forget the impression
made by this trio, as sung by Mierzwinski,
Galassi and - (what was the name of the
bass2j in Mapleson's performance of the
opera here in 1888 cat the Cloister Gate"
to be sung by Miss De vere Mrs Linde and
the chorus OF women, represents q 'home-
less maiden from far away" telling her sad
story as she seeks entrance at the portal of a
convent. 1t IS by Edward Grieg, the in
"Peer Gynt" suite was so heartily received
on Tuesday evening; the same orchestral
qualities are prominent in this work. The
vocal treatment gains its effect through ex-
treme simplicity. The two solo voices main
tain the dialogue which is severely plain
but deeply affecting, up to the concluding
in,"when the womens voices Vol @ ali IL unite mite 'Hn in
strong but simply constructed chorus, beau
tifully expressing the security and peace
tnat awaits the sorely-troubled wanderer
within the cloister gate.
Outlook for the Evening.
The evening programme opens finely with
the overture to "Euryanthe," by Carl Maria
Won Weber (l7S6-1S26), next to the last and
clearly the greatest of his great operas. 1t
was first produced in 1923, at Vienna,
"Euryanthe," DR.. Philip Spita says, is Web
er's sole grand opera, both because it is
without spoken dialogue and because it is
much the fullest and longest. He meant to
put his best blood into it, and he did. From
END to end 1t is one chain of sparkling gems.
There Is no question that it is richer, more
varied. deeper, grander than all the rest of
Weber's dramatic works. Richard Wagner
once wrote that Weber's "Euryanthe'' Is an
worth more than all the opera seria of Italy,
France and Jud8." And certainly no other
work whatever had SO much influence upon
Wagner's own genius as this one. The over
ture is great favorite with concert audi
ences the world over; its manifold beauties
need no explanations; they are so clear that
he that runs may read.
The greatest complete work included in
the entire Festival scheme is, unquestion-
ably, Beethoven's imperishable c minor
symphony, to be heard this evening 1t is
the fifth of nine symphonies with which the
great composef extended the boundaries of
instrumental music to a breadth that none
of his successors have been able to exceed.
Says q writer, '"The c minor Symphony
Is not only without doubt the best known,
and therefore the most generally enjoyed, of
Beethovep's nine symphonies, but it Is prob
ably a more universal favorite than any
other work of the same class. And this not
only among amateurs who have some practi-
cal knowledge of music, but among the
large mass of persons who 60 to
hear music pour paSSe' te temps. 1t is the
work which would naturally occur to any-
one who was asked to play OF to name a
characteristic specimen of Beethoven. 1t
possesses a hold on the broad appreciative
work of its class does possess to the
same degree: 1t Is to the work itself,
to the prodigious originality of the opening
which, while it copied nothing, has itself
never been copied-to the extraordinary
force anil vigor which pervade the entire
composition, controlled in the first move
ment especially, by the sternest conciseness,
and ending in finale of truly astonishing
that the minor Symphony owes its hold on
its audience"
Touches the Deepest Feelings.
Speaking of the first four notes of the OPEN
ing movement, Beethoven said, some time
after he had finished the Symphony, $50
pocM dds SchicksdL an die Pforte (''Thus fate
knocks at the door''), and between the OPEN
ing knock, and the tremendous rush and
sweep of the Finale all the emotions which
come into play in the great conflicts of
life are depicted. 1t touches the deepest
feelings of the heart because it is human,
and because, with the Beethoven key to its |
one easily draws aside the curtain
and beholds the familiar struggle which has
been waged in every breast. Some preg-
nant sentences adapted from the pen of the |
great composer-critic, Hector Berlioz, will |
aid the popular appreciation of this master
work:
This symphony, without doubt the most famous |
of the nine, is also, in my opinion, the first in
which Beethoven gave free rein to his stupendous
imagination, and rejected all foreign aid or sup
port whatever, 1t appears to me to be the direct
and unmixed product of the genius of its author |
The forms of both melody and harmony, rhythm |
and Instrumentation, are as essentially |
new and original as they are power |
full and noble. The first allegro is devoted |
confusion of great mind in despair. One instant /:
is delrious rage venting itself in frantic cries,
the next 1t is absolute exhaustion in which the |
mind is filed with self-pty and able to utter mere
groans OF regret. Those conyulsive gasps of the |
orchestra, those cords tossed backward and for |
feebler than before like the difficult breathing of
dying man; the sudden violent outburst in |
whicn the orchestra revives as if ami |
mated with the fury Of the thunder |
bolt; the momeptary hesitation of the |
trembling mass before it falls headong in two fiery
surely style so tmpassioned this is beyond and
above anything ever before produced in instru- |
mental music. The dnddnte Is characterized by /
dignity and touching grace. The per-
and SO profoundly melancholy, produces by de- |
grees an impression on the hearers which it Is i'm
possible to describe and which is certainly more.
vivid than any impression of the kind that ever
The Scherzo is an extraordinary composition: the