New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-26
THE CINCINNATI FESTIVAL.
SOME ECHOES OF THAT OF 1873.
SELECTIONS FROM GLUCK's "ALCEsTE,' BEET
HovEN's HEROIC SYMPHONY AND CAN
TATA BY BECKER on THE
PROGR ANNIE.
lpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.l

Cincinnati May 95.-There were echoes OF the tnin
festival given I'm 1873 in the second concert OF tne
tenth Music Festival tonight but they were connneo
TO two numbers OF the programmed namely seieeuoh
OF scenes from Gluck's opera, Alceste' ana
peethoven's Heroic" symphony. OF the tremendous
popular enthusiasm which filed not only the city
but all the surrounding country fourteen years ago
fhere IS scarcely trace visible this week.
Then the Music Hall and the great organ were new, ana
the festival was dcdcatory one Many streets were
spanned with and hundTcis OF houses were gay
with bunting so great the interest In
the affair that the festival yielded sum
ob,ve exrepses almost as large the entire receipts
are likely to be this year. There was also difference
In the performances but OF that no one cares 70 Do
reminded: and the festival mood attunes one 70
gracousncss. ..
Mr. Thomas has evidently great fondness 1of
Glucks rcformatory opera. or all our conductors no
alone has givS It prominent place In his repertory
Il will be remembered that when he had choris III
RroolIyn seven or eight years ago, ne brought
the scenes from "Alceste" forward there iiey
are full OF noble music. but complete apprec'auol
of their vaue depends upon knowledge oi '"ef
relationship the operate style OF century anu
half ago. With such knowledge and OF the iorce'
fitness and dignity and truthfulness OF the protest lor
which the opera stands one is able to forget Its
many orcbaisms and enjoy It heartily as
# deserves but without much knowledge, II must DC
confessed that much Of 1t IS but Cavare to the gen.
eral' .
The occasions tonight on which the audi
ence was stirred into enthusiasm were nov
many, though the performance was IN
many respects admirable, and, as was
TO have been expected, the centre OF gravity OF the
nonular enthusiasm was the exceedingly pretty
dance chorus with incidental solos. and pquant
pizzicato accompaniment which Gluck transferred hto
his opera from the older ballet OF Paris ana Heieh
and which Mr.. Thomas utilities concluding numbar
Until this forenoon there considerable doubt
whether Madame Mlekc would be able to take part IN
the performance in which she sang the music allotted
To the titular heroine. She is suffering from severe at
tack OF rheumatism, ard though she sang, she
was Obliged to support herself by leaning against
chair all the evening. In spite OF so great draw
hack however. she achieved most hattenhg ui-
voumph her intensely dramatic style hnding much
favor with the people. Mr. Dppei' 100 VINO
since he left New-Yorl has acquired
Gallo accent on the last syllable OF
his severely plain German name, made splendld
IMPRESSION and established himself at once as prime
favor;e.
Tie Cincinnati people are not afraid 10
give voice TO their convictions and wheh
they like a singer they say so with cohsidefaole
emphasis. They have advanced beyond The
coldly critical, stage, commonly spoken OF In
the newspapers Of great Republic East and west.
The other solo singers were Mr.. Ludwig. who
redeemed his failure OF Tuesday far as he could
under the circumstances, by honest, Intelligent ana
generally unaffected work; Mr. Holmes. Chicago
basso. Of whom good things yet 10 be expected )
Mr. Maist a local basso; Mis- Lawson and Miss smith
The second part OF the evenings programme was de-
voted to the symphony already mentioned and short
but effective cantata By Albert Becker. In the accom-
paniment and the symphony. the finish and precision
which used 10 be expected as a matter Of course from
Mr. Thomass forces conspicuousy absent
though the body Of tone was ample and the readings
yirle without extravaganza. The cantata Is inc
composition OF the director OF the famous Domchof
Cathedral Choir in Berlin, with which Mendelssohhs
name is intimately connected in musical history II
was composed for the celebration Of the nineteen
birthday Of Kaiser wilhelm J. and preserves some OF
he traditions in sacred music due TO the
influence OF Mendelssohn. The text Is Biblical In
all parts the final chorus, which consists OF "a
sonGrous and telling setting OF the Lutheran chorao
" Nun dankct ALE Colt" with an original orchestu
accompaniment for the old melody sung In unison.
H. 4. X.