New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-15
MUSIC.
BOSTON'S NEW CONDUCTOR.

ple of have felt for six months past concerns
ing the personality methods and artistic ideals OF
the new conductor of the Symphony Orchestra was
measurably gratifed by the first public rehearsal
and concert of the season. which took place on
Friday afternoon and last night. 1t Is not likely
that any other city in the world could have devel.
oped quite so profound feeling on just such sub
iect The conductor cult is phase Of social activ.
ity which fourishes only in Boston 1t Is true In.
dications Of something like 1t have appeared here
and in several other cities occasionally, but com.
plete parallel to Boston is yet to be found. In Q
sense the cult is the outgrowth OF atter-day de-
yelopment in music. Largely through the influence
of Wagner, conductors have become virtuosi They
are now hired for their skill and training as spe-
cialists: they command salaries which are beginning
to approach those of eminent singers and instru.
mentasts; naturally, also, they have TIER following
and their critics Fifty or seventy-five years ago
such things were not dreamed of. When the con-
ouctor sat at his harpsichord and took part Ia
the accompa niment when he beat time with Q
roll of paper, turning his back on the musicians.
as compelled by Difference due to august listenerss
he was a comparatively small factor in the sum OF
music-makng. The chapel masters OF kings and
mobiles were not conductors so much as they were
composers bound to provide new music for the
court hand and maintain discipline in that body
which meant to keep its members conscious OF
their duties menials in the household conduct
ing moreover, was then little else than
intoxicating. change followed The dawn
of the Romantic period, when character
istc beauty and poetical expression came
into their rights as elements In music Thls change
lifted interpretation so-called, into prominence
which. working retroactvely. has ever since sought
to find the of new wines In OLD ootties
The tendency was to some extent Dased on 'ru'n'
but the liberty which it gave the conductor has IRE
auently been strained into license, and 1t was
largely through the medium or just sucn strainins
that the conductor grew into hitherto unheard
of Importance such great importance indeed that
his dctum concerning the meaning Oh composer
often has seemed sufficient to WORK an es'oppai VI
appeal to the composer himself.
Boston contains a large number or music-ioVerA
and IL was not at all strange that the conductor
question should there take on large dimensions
Perhaps It never would have developed 70 an ao
normal size II the Symphony Orchestra concerts
especially the Friday afternoon rehearsas, mad mol
become pre-eminenty social functions. "ood iorm
has for years compelled attendance on them.
whether one is fond of music or not. or course.
persons who patronized artistic enterprises foi
wholly extraneous reasons are Douhd 10 chainp''s
the cause of the powers that be In the enterprises
Here we have the beginning OF faction WHICH
naturally finds ally in the conservative or ths
radical persons who love music and whose tastes
chance to be humored by the conductor. ms
existence of a conductors party by the same token
presupposes the existence of an opposition. for
four years the musical government OK Boston MAJ
been radical and the conservatives have been IN
/
the new regime have reduced things to a state OF
dux which we imagine, will endure for several
weeks. When the state of fixity comes again. We
imagine, further, 1t will be found that the parues
have been reconstructed 1t will not be surprising
the young Symphony rehearsal women withdraw
in force from the government and JOIN the oppose
ton. and that great many now In opposition
! from other reasons than a simple desire to bs
.agin the government shall espouse the Gauss
of the conductor.
The reasons for this belief will appear in the
course Of such a discussion of the new conductor
as was made possible by his first appearance. he
is Emil Paur until few weeks ago conductor az
! the Stadttheater in Leipsic. This theatre, by the
way is the steppng-stone by which German cone
ductors mount to American attitudes In their pro-
fesson When Anton Seidl was conductor there
Arthur Niksch was his assistant. Seidl came 70
! America and Niksch moved up When NiKiscH
received his call to Boston Paur became his sue'
cessor at Leipsc. Now Nikisch has gone to Budas
Pesth and Paur succeeds him In Boston The
newcomer is a conductor of considerapie eNpefI~
ence He has welded the baton at Casseh
Koenigsberg, and Mannheim. az well as Leipsios
Ue Il studo,ls energetic, conscientious and de<
voted to his work. fond OF the music OF the fors
ward Young composers Of to-day, Wagnerite from
conviction, and professedly pehe'er 'ias
the music of classic writers ought ~
be read in the spirit of their time. so tar az
his published creed is concerned 1t Is unopJecuoh'
able but probably his critics in Boston viii soohee
| believe his acts than his words. lie Is man OF
/ large frame and large head. his race IL co'ereo
with a typical Teutonic beard, and IN appearance
as well as bearing he realizes the German coh''c'
ton that strength goes before beauty. lie Is nov
a graceful man. and he will prove srieVous as
/ appontment to the gushing symphony persons whe
/ dotted on Mr. Nikisch by reason OF his interesting
! paor his dainty hands and his attitudes ME-
Paur is built Of homeer stuff. His beat Is heaVys
ierky and angular and the sight OF II does not heip
tn..
however, is unmistakable. 1t Is meant ior 'he
musicians not the public He beats time, ana ne
heats dynamics but he does not try with woven
PAGES and with waving arms TO suggest the emo.
tonal contents of the music to the pubic Az "
these things will be disappointing TO many oi NV
patrons OF the Public Rehearsals but II tney
serve TO divert attention from the man 10 ths
music there will be compensation IN tbau said
not encourage aifectation. He looks and acts ilH}
Il incapable of II himself; ana lh,oe f m,SicaT
i'm others Alteration is the baae oi Hus'e"
culture ...,,,. tho I'm.
tellectual is more significant ana more 'ai .sn
Mr. Paurs programme entainsd 1 nlayp 'H wba, viii
DSrs but on hGy yn sa sa S iS
to be the characteristics of his wotSs' Tschaikow.
skys serenat for strings IN major Tp Work. rk
Wagner's overture to linn Of its composers
Individuality interview, pT Pnnr dtsnelamei
s s9S,ou With a tendency attributed to Wagner
to invest some of Beethoven ssSSnbb lie outside
Se' nvroiw ,nmsicai expression. We do not know
to which compositions he refer n u Sgr
rae heen laid at Wagners door Tor which ~
was not responsible II does not ro.ow svmphony.
~ Mr. Niksch ami Mr.. Thomas dstor rs, c sns
abused Beethovens Seventh at sI',se y, ov Ruelos
the mnuet the Egh ,he S,t 40 sseSos
wort with the first movement was simple , er.
Tacism pSssioy, seeking ngoy ater Wsr:
p'l, 80 81 naiantic studies In scientnc phras.
ing They held him ea EPtnSon FOR them @ne Dr..
,i'n rtnalov's notions were eNagSeratIons
of some of Wagners suggestions uttered IN pn
o.. ar,inst an abuse In the opposite urectlon.
In each case appeal Beethovens printed page
and the canons OF beauty which had a5smsnt
Of condemnation or similar unconscious Mh mpres
must be acquitted He did not T mp"r symphony
aes did mar its beauty. but 1t was not through am