The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-15
SYMPHONY,
Splendid Performance OF the Great Bos-
ton Orchestra Last Night.

ton Orchestra Last Night.
Notwithstanding the inclement wealth
er last evening, Infantry Hall was well
filed with an enthusiastic audience to
listen to the program given by the Boston
Symphony Orchestra. IL was in many re-
spects the best of the series this season.
The so,oist of the evening was Perruc-
clio Busoni, pianist, an artist little known
here but whose European reputation WAS
fully sustained by his splendid work last
night in the LisBt concerto for piano and
orchestra. 1t is characteristic of this
great composer full of changing color.
wild aud stormy, with now and then "A
fragment Of melody for the strings which
is quickly changed to n moaning vail on
the piano. 1t is bristling with technical
difficulties which Mr.. Busoni mastered
with ease. His style is broad and free,
ana his playing sympathetic. lie was
enthusiastically recalled, again and
again. and finally responded by playing u
violin study arranged for the piano by
Liszt THIS also met with hearty ap-
plause.
The first number Ia the orchestra pro-
gram was the Beethoven S mphony, No.
?, in ID major, This work is interesting
from the fact that it seems TO be the first
indication Beethoven showed of that free
dom of musical thought aud expression
which was later on one of his strongest
CudIdCJtTlSllCS. nt ls Iull Oh Jne
Joyousness and exultation OF "A spirit at
peace with itself and the world. The
theme OF the introduction Is given out
by the 'cellos, and in the repeat the basses
softly join them fhe close OF the second
theme Is exceedingly bold, and the move
ment ends with an exultant Joy and hap
piness. The lar ghetto Is one OF the
loveliest slow movements Beethoven ever
wrote, and the finale expresses the
same happy mood that characterizes the
preceding movements. The Symphony
was given last evening with the same
deicacy, hrmness and precision which
makes the work of this orchestra so en-
joyable The fine quality OF the wind in
struments was especially noticeable.
The suite for orchestra, in ID minor,
Antonin Dvorak. director of the National
Conservatory of New York. bears the inn
print of the early surroundings of the
composer. In the pastorale movements he
very cleverly makes Use OF the oboe aud
horn To express the rustic nature of the
scene. Tue dances throughout this suite
are full of melody and feeling and writ
ten more In the character of the modern
suite.
The Weber Overture, "Euryanthe" was
delilhtfully given and brought the con-
cert to "a fitting close
Mr.. Nikisch is entitled to the thanks of
his Providence audiences for the splen-
did program he gave last night. Nothing
could be more admirable, or more ad-
mirably executed. Tue magnificent ca
pacity of the orchestra was demonstrated
in the Beethoven symphony in fashion
that no other music organization in this
country can equal or approach. The
result is due To the organization
aud the unexampled training given it by
Mr.. Nikisch no less than To the exceeding
great merit of the composition. IL is
conceivable that the symphony would be
spoiled by indifferent playing, but il is
not conceivable that the Boston Sym
phony Orchestra would so spoil IL. 1t
owes its charm more than the great
majority OF music compositions to
the fidelity and sympathy with which
the delicate expressions OF sentiment
are interpreted by the instruments, aud
IL is difficult to imagine that this artistic
effect could be heightened by any possi-
BILE combination OF executive and artistic
ability.
The fourth concert of the series will be
given "Wednesday evening, Jan. %.