New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-22
PHILHARMONIC FESTIVAL.
First CONCERT OF THE >EMIC CENTENNIAL
CELEBRATION

foundation, which i, G!l out the remainder Of the
week. took place ~ the Metropolitan Opera House last
night The cold rain discouiaging incident In
two respects, upon tn, attendance and upon The quality
Of the musical given out by the instruments. but
the manifestation ~ interest In event which is Of
large importance IN the history of culture IN city was
50 warm that the effect Of both drawbacks reduced
10 a minimum. Though n numerous as the regular
audiences in -ca,on. The a,~cmbage Of listeners
large and comp '>ed of ihoe faithful ENDS q high elias,
music wlo-c have become familiar to each other
through long years of attendance on the Philharmonic
Soccty's concerts. MI were Inspired. moreover by
generous feeling toward the society which stands for
the highest that Ira, been accomplished I'm its province
in The United states. and the band. IL reclprocatine
the sentiment Played with finer spirit greater
devotion.
The music performed that heard at the first
concert given bi the society. on December . 1s42.
more appropriate significant and instructive device
for opening the festival could scarcely have been hit
upon. IT brought 10 all vital realization OF the
dignided and lofts aim OF the founders fifty year
ego. Onlr two OF the numbers sounded antlqmted
and were listened to with feelings in which
curiosity pIedominatcd They the first move
ment OF ilummcls Septe arranged for panofortc and
quartet o: strings and duet from RosSni's forgotten
opera Of "Armida.' In the former the curiosity
paired with considerable interest and delight, but
the latter furnished amusement than any thing
else II was the un,ophisticatcd Ros,lnI Of seventy
FIVE years ago, when suayc vOcaZatiOn and lovcncsS
OF tone wore locked upon by the great majority
the be al! and end.all in operate music. To hear 1t
followed ty the great for tenor fIOm "Fdelio'
was Hike awaking from dream OF the past and
finding the dramatic sunlight OF to-day dreaming
| through the windows. The rest Of the programme
il We except the final overture by Kauwoda, a
| bohemian viOlinst and composer who half
| fury ago ranked the finest post
| Beehovenan orchestra writers, might he repro
duced in the next season Of the Philharmonic
-nfiNf .Ngftff al Of
either public or reviewers for the press The com
positions were BccthOvcns symphony In minor
the great scene from "ObcTOn' beginning Ocean,
thou mighty Monster" tsung by Madame Miekcl the
overture TO the same. opera by Weber, aud the
horid air Ah che amanda" fom Mozarts >craelio.
which Madam Lehman restored to our concert
rooms in the reign of the German opera.
The incidents Of the evening were all gracious
i'll the orchestra the desks Of Frederick Rietzcl,
Frederick BcIgnc and Joseph Mo.cntial were
decorated with wrca;h,, ribbons and
flowers. in recognition Of their long sorvic,
In behalf Of the society, and when Richard
Hoffman. Richard Arnold. Max ,chwafz FrcieacL
Beig!or and H. l.. Mandy came forward to play thc
first movement Of the llummcl composition tthc other
movement being emitted 10 gain tmcj their colleague.
Of the orchestra united with the public In giving cN
preston 10 the admiration aud esteem In which they
are .cld. The orchestra. under the n>piritls dire
ton Of Conductor ~cdl. played brilliantly. Madame
Mi,hc sang the "obrr,u- air with Irresistible sweep
and luicnst,. Mr. Dippnl and Mis- d. We're hborrd
,clf-aciihcih-y through "a" arcEtc duet. daI then
gave gratifying ta-tcs Of their iruc qualtj IN the
Beethoven and Monu air, alrcady mentioned
between the two part, Of the Programme Mr. T.
Francis Hyde. president Of the -Dcct'. delivered an
addrc,, largely devoted to historical review Of the
society, maiy cou. history. The major portions Of
hi, remark, appended. lie paid tributes TO the
men whose devotion and sin had placed and kept The
society IT. lofty plane OF excellence. aud his men
ton Of the name, OF Damro,,h Theodore Thomi, and
Anton scidl called cut hearty applause ,Ii Iijdc
said In part
sourht to advertise it. love for art It's devotion to
the Interest o. AIT or 1t, Tillnene.. TO paroniIe ART
studied more and more closely II u found that here
In lis ely there han aiwANs been pubic Apptrf'lSe
Of what Is iehcot In ,inc alton Ia science ana IN she
arts. We know that In education New. York city has
founded IN 1885 and which has had an unbroken
existence to the present time. followed by the Kings
school and college .y,icn Of Tho present day: In
hie.ainle il ha, been IN ihc io3d WIN IT, a"her'
the iartc,t library ON TIE continent The nnclri,
Of the present society Library m art the National
Acadcmy ~ Design Va, founded In lao. n'aHy
! seventy years ago
80 in music orchestra, of q primitive hind. it Is
true compared with those ~ The prscnt day have
eNi-tc1 ior over 10 year. IN Ii" city Of NJ" OK
churrh,, befor" hear u their cN-t.ucc n any
other large town ln the country. shortly after t.r
beginning Of the present century there was a steady
nnA oi musician, ~ thi- city they considered IT The
! III Doiado-ihc land of FORUM f. tlern-ind - II
was, Indeed. Tor n. far bach trace by trnd
ton. 10y newspaper. by Jurisprudence. We ma ia"
lcye oi music was 81" implanted In The breast "i me
cid2Gi, ~ hi- town tina the educator, In tbs art
wcgc more thoroughly appreciated and more hsIY
,lGr.na tln ~ any %n,s coo, ' AND ,i
mot iItm mere fashion "r d'.ir ~ display. INT from
love OF TIE art when the Pllllarm 'nic roci'iy
VA. Their. c.pou.lyc 90 tho crclic-ia nn audience
Cas or lew Gcsh rom tnr ar Of In affection
nm very glad 10 state that among ON subscribers
subscriber DUNG the Who'll" my ,cl.on- 81 the sQd
Thoma, VI Mar, -. aud i have been told By him how
profound The fleet upon the audience Of the r,n
ton fwhat pebble IN music and II wa. received
With enthusiasm As Well a, with intellectual delight
m NV -, Iut a,.n tbcrn were heard Two
modern romantic ~,ho, Oac u which hnyc ALREADY
heard thi, evening The other beginning the second
paft Of programme tonight. They heard also the
choicest aria Of lccthovcn's immortal opera They
great mister u the Italian school. They we're IA
vored with the brightest conception of Ilnmmel in
chamber music. which mn,y consider The highest form
Of the art. The snccCss ~ the concert was nsantan
cons and complete due ~ aid. 10 the love Of The
art which they had heard subsequently produced for
IT. is nt to , say rsh here as thing perhan nat "a,
That fOm the first concert In i-t2 70 the end NJ the
t' an ono M Of ' concert S e eny Jason or
postponemcnt except q the lnst concert OF tho
81 the universal mourning at the death OF Trcs-
that Abraham Lincoln an event which shocked the
whole country. Nc venture t. that there f. not
In The history Of the art ~ music In this any other
country. parallel"
have spoken Of the audience being prepared
10 enjoy and appreciate the works produced a
the Philharmonic concerts by reason ~ their love
for music. bat the other hand the siiccess II
the society j. due 10 the following three things
First. the high standing OF the actual performing
members Interpreters Of the musical art second
their unsclnsh devotion 10 the work of the society
aud third. the elevated standard which has been
adOped from the first in respect OF the works 90 be
performed AZ ! said before. Ncw-York con
sldcred the RI Dorado of musicians long before the
lAetablishucrt OF the philharmonic lSoricty Va
had I'm the city AT the time Of lis foundation body
OF men who remarkably sailful and competent
as masters 81 the instruments which they had
adopted. This society has been careful Of the
| election OF It's members from time 10 Tine that
only the best shall I've received into It's fellowship:
and TO be member Of the Philharmonic society
has been In Itself certificate OF the highest merit
as cXccutan