New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-17
USIC.
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY

MUSIC lidil pWyIue OF inc orchestra MT
up to the usual standard for reason not to be
explained, nearly all OF the work being singulary
slipslod In respect OF precision and refinement being
sacrificed ID desire for sorority and vigor OF ex.
preston. The society does not often make itself
liable to such n criticism, and there may have been
local influences at work which will disappear To-
night under the more auspious circumstances which
always accompany the concert proper. The fact Is
nevertheless depOrabe. for the majority OF the sub
scrbers to the Friday afternoon performances do not
hear the sunday night concerts, and though they must
pcrforce forego the advantages which come from the
eayer mood lIvelier susceptibility and kecner In.
tercst naturally associated with the evening aiIaln
they are yet entitled TO the best the sccey can do
under the crcnm,tances. But NJ organization can
be expected to keep Itself keyed up 70 concertpttc
all the time ard an occasional lapse into lassiuis
may be pardoned though IL need net be wnked It
even I'm the case CT MOLE philharmonic society.
The programme contained four compositions, Of
which two were familiar to NewlOrk concertgoers one
was a novelty which had its first public American per.
ro,mance on this OCCASION and one was work which,
though given before in Ncw-lork. was yet compar
atlyely unfamiliar and derived specs measure Of In
terct from the fact that It's performance was directed
hv IFS COMPOSER This last AGtonin DvOraks
symphony in ID major, the first composition Of its
kind published by the composer but not the first In
the oder Of composition. Thr familiar works were
10
Uourdr IA fnc pure, strong composition. In which the
n,it of the old tragedy is reflected with fidelity
and cloauencc) and Petitioners panofOrte concerto
I'm G. major, played by Mr.. Fcriucio b. Busoni, Of
po,ton. This number was probably incorporated Id
the scheme In recognition CT the fact That yesterday
vos tbe one hundred ard twenty first anniversary d
Beethoven's birth. Mr.. Eusoni is young man who
took I'D a residence in Boston a few years ago, and
who as composer and player has challenged the good
IL ffo.sfn tngfa
though marred in what should bave heen its tender
and poetlcal side by striving for brilancy in tone,
was sane and sound in its appreciation Of Reethovens
music and sufficiently effective to win honest
outburst Of applause, which refused TO be sled until
be had supplemented the concerto with solo. lie
PLAYED LISTS "Campanela,' and In 1t exploited
digita facility which admirable, and which would
have carried even greater delight had it not been eo
c,aed with a tone which glitterng, but cold and
hard.
Tho new composition on the programme was set
q. four symphonic Sketches 1.-THE definition Is the
COMPOSERS own) By Paul ellison. entitled The Sea-
ellison Is a young Belgian composer, pupil Of the
,o,.orv1toire az Brussels 10 whose director Joseph
DI,,,nt the composition heard yesterday IS dedl-
cotoA The work has been performed at brussels
nnder Dupont's direction, and has created stir even
beyord professional circles. The Circumstance prob
aby due 70 the fact that though the composition Is
one which Is calculated frst OF all ID arouse ''''s
bccauso OF It's exhibition Of mastery IN the mechanics
Of musical composition. It possesses also p0p"lhr
voIno I'm its warmth Of feeling. its drecne>s clear
ness Of purpose and gorgeOusness Of color II shows,
IN a scnse n combination OF the tendencies ara
efforts which have characterized SYMPHONIC COM
uosi.Ion during the last fifty years lts four Ho'e'
monts. contrasted In tempo and ieeins os'ras =
certain amount Of appreciation OF the old symphonic
form, which some persons wouid n"Ve
us believe has fallen into de'ue'iae,
but this appreciation Is not Pefn"'ea
IN Interfere with a stronger allegiance TO the frer ana
NOR, rhap.odical form which List save currency
f., his symphonic poems Like Berlloz, in Ms ran
t,stlc" symphony ellison employs iuhdahoh'hi
melody which he introduces In each OF his movements
but unlike Beroz, he varies the expression OF tie
melody and connects it organically WITH te structure
~ nix work In this a. In o'her Ic"'uicS VI 'A'
,,,Ino bo leons on List. The melody itself can
hardly be called either striking or peau'iu'' o". III
Tho nropros OF its development, through rhythmca'
harmonic and Instrumental changes It frequently taKes
ON an expresslveness which is striking IN the extreme
The melody, moreover, Is not treated as ui'' Vu'
as a duality It is made up OF two mot'es cach Only
measure long and after IT. INTRODUCTION az the very
outset Of the work (the two motives beng epIiue"
bv rendition into an eigtbar thence il submits ID
dissection and tho two parts are thereafter trea'ea
independently until the close. when orlhgS ecuE
| r,nce OF the music OF the beginning.
This description Of VI. Gilsons ground plan and tho
tulc which he has chosen will serve to indicate tAat
HIS music Is in the frnnkest sense pr)grammauc' l-
| deed II is based upon poem, evidently written lor
M ,urnose 70 which It has been applied, By an asso-
| cie,e and fellow -rcalst, named EDDY Lewis Inns
poem is in four parts. Its first presents picture
OF sunrise at sea It's second, the merry l"N'"s u
"A logs: its third, twilight scene It's i""'l' so''
Incidentally a personal tragedy Is suggested rs VIII
/ +,a OF In.
movements which are named like the various PORTIONS
! ~ ,b. poem In the nrst there IS but one meioa'
,ubicct-the fundamental theme OF the ehure "HH'
In the second, which takes the place q ''s ooA''"
tiongl scherxo there several vigorous aun'o 'u.
one OF which Is a variation OF the first mouVe III ,D0
! third the two motises. here harnonlzea VII" Sns.i
daring and felicity. and written for instruments Win
, skill that must be- described rs rehhiAuDiV e''
| in these days OF oonsnmmate mastery III
MT hrorch ~ composiiiOn, are used chiefly 10 ue'
,,,,te tho twilight mood. while English norm anu
\ unto bola mpa. stoned converse. which he poem
identifies with the lovemaldng and parting VI '"nY'
| and his sweetheart walking on the sahuS' - '4-p
lies in the oning and the sailor Is su'hl"ol'" ~
| 4 m,u,n nj p.es,,tpen r $ up)nt m i en- VITO"
! realized in tho last movement, whose ho".i'
=, onin tho first motive here presented In ausmeii'a
lion and with all the hoaFse power oil "h'o" ''
chair Of hc orcha ira Is capable The composer Wis.,
=, ,,.o Aha hr.ss choir strengthened by almost 'he
oo,,,n,. nj az military band In this movement ,u""s
no Ieoves the employment of the additional in'''"
meuts 10 to discretion of the conductor NJ w s
climax Of the storm the slip Is supposed 10 20 w
sr,,ctlon; the storm passes oil and the ADVENT %
| now day and a calIner sea Is Indicated py rV'"' "
| the ssnye music OF the first movement
IL is. OF course. impossible TO convey AL ''.a
! the scnsuous beauty or ehouohai P0"i -.
in a verbal description OF this sort "ir p",pS os.
| toll
| ,, rnrpos.s There are many places IN the ' Gun"
po,itiou I'm which NJ. ellison goes FAR peyona ,,r ,.
VISIONARY conceptions OF the limit TO when u's'np"
music may properly be carried but Oh Tue :,
| n IS diillcult-it Is also. perhaps uN'ie0'S' -
withhold admiration for the eXuOerince oi >" 20,
fancy the audacity OF his eXpeaiehl' anu y, no,.r
| ~, A. T. tnmr,hing else than noise ~ ~ ~ an.
he introduces "reminiscences Of the sailor Act on tn
dances The sounds ARE awul III ,'n ~ ,he imagina
In, Invitation 10 VIC