Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-14
the differences between the officials and th
men have not been settled.
THE SECOND SYMPHONY.

A Varied Programme Enthusiastically Re.
| cefved-Faultless interpretations of Fine
Works Critical Review Of the Per.
formance.
An audience embracing the best elements
of the community thronged Old City Hall
from stage to gallery last night and listened
| with marked interest and appreciation tc
| the second of the Mozart Clubs series Of
festival concerts with the Boston Symphony
Orchestra. The programme was as follows
| PARTI.
| Weber: Overture 'Freischuetz.
Wagner: Romance. .Blck ich umher, Tam
Mr.. Georg Heaschel.
Saint Saens: symphonic poem. lie Roaet
| d'omphale."
| Solo for pianoforte-
tD Chopin: Nocturne, op. 8 Nc. 8.
(b) Chopin Polonaise, op. 53
(c) Rublnstein: Etude. op. %. No. 3
Mr.. Engen D'Albert
(a) Loewe: The Erl King
(b) Schumann: The Grenadiers.
Mr.. Georg Henschel.
Bach: Adagio and Gavotte. Arranged by Bach
rich for string orchestra.
PART II.
Gade: Cantata. Zion,
Mr.. Edward H. Dernitt baritone.
The Mozart Club and Boston symphony Orchestra.
Mr.. Arthur Nikisch conducted in the
first part; Mr.. James P. McCollum in the sec
ond And be 1t said at once to the credit
of the Boston players that they made no dis
tinction between the conductors, but re-
sponded as Loyalty and carefully to every
gesture of the 'Iocal chorus master" as to
their own much-prized conductor 1t is not
always thus.
This programme is much the most varied
of the three, and for that reason, no doubt
the most popularity attractive Its miscel-
lany is, however, upon high artistic plane
throughout; intrinsically worth the at
tention of any connoiseur, even though he
might have preferred to have had some
equivalents substituted for the more
familiar pieces. The comparatively light
weight of the orchestral selections was not at
all out of place in preliminary programme
followed by q massive choral canta ia. The
Bach number replaced the Tschaikowsky
movement that had been originally an
nounced, but was inadvertently omitted
from the house bills. Even this adapted
classic brought a welcome element into
the programme, otherwise wholly given
over to the romantic schools.
Schumann supplied the harmony and coun-
terpoint, and bachrich the scoring, of these
separate movements from two OF the SON
atas that Bach wrote for tho violin Solus.
The classical spirit has been admirably pre-
served, however, and the adapted works, as
played by that matchless body of strings,
were in every way worthy of the enthusias-
tic applause which obliged Mr.. Nikisch to
repeat the gavotte. 1t is a notable circum-
stance that, among all the highly-colored,
dramatic modern works on these pro-
grammes, this simple little classic, with its
square-cut form and readily grasped content
has been the only orchestral piece that the
people have demanded to hear again.
Saint-Saen's symphonic poem was CON-
parative novelty, If not altogether such. 1t
ally constructed than those works of Liszt
that first gave being and name to this form
IF form 1t can be called that
shape r has none ths apoogsi gEsne 10
passages for the strings, with which
Omphale's wheel gets gradually up to full
speed, and the same passages reversed, with
which it slowly comes to stop, saint-saens
graphically illustrates the witcheries and
allurements that brought Hercules to her
feet; the useless struggles and groanings of
the mighty hero subj ected to the distatf, and
the provoking truly feminine manner in
which the Lydian derides her captive when
he has grumblingly subsidized into silence.
That is what Saint-Saens meant by it all.
And he said it, too, as plainly as music can
talk. How plainly that is, may be inferred
from the exclamation overheard from an
elderly lady in the audience: "Ah, wasn't
that delicious! Like the music of cherubtm
and seraphm!'
Bless her dear old heart! Her enjoyment
was sjust as true and much more exquisite,
with that angelic vision, called up to her by
the music, floating before her eyes, than If
she had known it was ali about an old Greek
demi-god and royal prostitute. That in
cident contains the gist OF columns of discus
sion on programme music.
But to our mutton. Mr.. Nillisch and his
men interpreted the Salnt-Saens work, and
the "Oberon' overture also, in a faultless
manner and with rare insight into the beau
ties and meanings of each. Mr.. D'Albert
played the Chopin nocturne with delicious
poesy and abandon: the other numbers
tincluding the encore piece, Liszt's
valse caprice) we're given here by him so re-
them further than to say that they aroused
the audience to the highest pitch of enthu-
siasm. He is n supremely great pianist from
every point of view.
ia dramatist in song" Over and above his
complete vocal technique and his broad
he possesses the gift of
the emotional power that sup
plies environment and transforms q song
into miniature drama. Despite the
obstacle of a foreign tongue, the audience
felt this power and, after the Schumann
song, appauded him to the echo, compelling
him to respond with another song. Mr.. |
played his own pianoforte accom-
paniments with mastery effectiveness and |
without seeming to detract in the least from
his singing.
Exigencies of space prevent detailed re- |
view of Gade's cantata and its performance. |
The massive work, with its remarkably sus-
from the previous production by the
Mozart Club. Most OF it con- |
sists of ,straight-away forte, singing,
other. This just suited that jealous body |
Of choristers, and they made a record for |
in the matter OF sonorous, well
balanced tone and enthusiastic spirit In |
such Il work, however, it is the more neces-
,ary to. take fullest advantage of the |
few softer passages and the chief |
lie feet was that such parts were not given
softly enough. Not a single pianissinlo was
accomplished. Conductor McCollum and his |
singers will have fine opportunity in the
Elijah" tonight, to prove that they can
10 better in this important particular. Mr..
Oermitt. though not in good health, sang
he single solo, which forms an especially |
rying task for the baritone voice, with
mootn. rich tone and effective delivery.
The tender first air was very refreshing
.fter the continuously crashing choruses.
Tonight Mendeissohn's great dramatic
will be performed by the Mozart
,lub and the Boston Symphony Orchestra,
onducted by Mr.. McCollum and these prin-
ipal soloists: Mrs. Gcorg Henschel, Miss
Idelaide Foresman, Mr.. Paul Zimmerman