The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-10-27
The Boston Symphony Concert

For the third season Mr.. Nikish mad,
his bow to PROVIDENCE audience at In
fantry Hall last evening, and certainly
there can be no doubt as to the welcome
and appreciation with which he and his
orchestra were received. Unlike mos,
conductors Mr.. Nikish has the delightful
faculty OF keeping himself in the back
ground while maintaining a subtle but
firm hold over his players. Musical
conductors, like poets, are born, not
made. Romance was the prevailing
Color scheme" Of the program last even
ing, the first numb ber being the horn O.
niously discordant Overture Fantasy.
''Ro neo and Juliet" by Tschaikowsky'
while this composition is interesting from
q professional standpoint, it's lack of
melody and peculiar phrasings must
prove 'caviare TO the general" Tschai-
kowsky certainly shows perfect famil-
iarity with the modern orchestral instru-
ments as was markedly demons trated by
his handling of the wood-wind i'm the
final movements.
How deliciously enhancing was Ber-
loz's Queen Nab scherzo from the
Romeo ct Juliette" symphony, so weirdly
eltsh was IL, one could fancy oneself
witnessing midnight revel of Titania
and her elves. The tremend Gus
technical difficulties Of this work
are such that il is rarely heard.
few orchestras daring to attempt It, but
under Mr. Nikish's skillful baton 1t was
hard TO realize that such difficulties ex-
isted. Mendelssohn in his incidental
music for "Mid-Summer Nights Dream
uses tins same text, and might 10 not be
n pleasing experiment to hear them both
In one program? certainly nothing would
better illustrate the enormous strides
which have been made in the possipii
ties of the orchestra
Schumann's Fourth Symphony i'm ID
minor. which was the final number on
the program. was really his second. and
opens with somewhat mechanically
theme for violas aud 'cellos and after n
brief development the allegro enters with
a theme used with mastery effect, despite
its unmelodious nature. There is "A sec
ond theme, more pleasing in style, al
though the first dominates this move
ment. The second movement is treated
in the style of free fantasie.
i'm which respect il is wide
departure from the established forms.
The Romanza opens with n simple
plaintive aud exquisitely refined melody
given out by the oboss aud 'cellos with
the strings pizzicoto which was delight
fully rendered, as was also the trio. I'm
the Scherzo, which was soft and dreamy.
In the fiual movement he shows one of
MS characteristic whimsicalities known
as "Schumann's short measures " Mr..
Nikish in his reading OF the symphony
took slower tempo than is customary.
aud thereby greatly added to the effect OF
the different movements.
Miss Emma Juch was the soloist of the
evening and probably no one could have
been selected who Is more of fayori a
with PROVIDENCE audiences. Miss Juch
was I'm fine form last night and sane
the grand aria from Weber's "Oberon,n
''Oceanl Thou Mighty Monster" with a
dramatic fire aud abandon which was de.
lightful She seemed at times somewh 4
overweight.d by the quantity of the full |
orchestral accompaniment.
by accident or design the "I.oreley," |
Liszt, was sung without the orchestra. j
MIR. Nikish presiding at the piano. The |
audience was apparently unconscious of |
any shortcomings and ia response 60 an |
encore, Miss Juch responded |
by singing "rhe Violet" by Mozart. one |
OF Miss Juch's many charms is her dis |
tinct enunciation ~ was demonstrated by |
this aud the preceding number. The |
next concert will be Nov. IA