New-York tribune., 1894-10-22
MUSIC IN BOSTON.
,,p CHADwICK's NEW SYMPHONY.
,,r WORK PERFORMED BY THE SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA


,,,ou A., srAyY CORRESPONDENTS OF TnE TalBrxE.I
.o, oct 21-The musical activities of Boston
- always an interesting study to the observer
49,, New.York Not wholly because of their ex-
~ Nv, or their variety. for. in sooth despite the
sn,bonv Orchestra with its weekly public re-
S'ars.I and concert New-York hears much more
~ avery season of all kinds than Boston,
. becausc of their superior merit for one can
sor, that the average Of performance is higher
=, xeu-York than IL is in Boston. Notwithstanding
.h efforts of the superb organization which Mr..
thomson maintains. What makes an occasional
,I, for observation interesting is the difference
,oor the artistic atmospheres OF the two cities.
~ Xex-York the air surrounding musical affairs
=, .o,,contained and strictly professional The ma
,,rerv for concert-gving is periodically set
onq and II grinds its grist. now to the pleasure
:, the public and now to its displeasure; but
,,,sr before nor after a concert is there dis
".,rahle an acceeration of the communal pulse.
rh-ae or four concerts Of magnitude. employing
n1l orcbestras and skilfu leaders. might be given
- the same evening without causing commotion
,,o- among the musicians their patrons and
~ one has yet orchestral player manifest
,carn touching the artistic outcome OF a CON
-, IN which he took part. This spirit may not
- rholly lovable admirable. but it is natural
"a II finds explanation and justification at once
- ,ha large number OF orchestral players in the
and
rasve years ago. when Mr.. Thomas wanted an
,ss,ra of so men who should meet the require
,s q, his standard. he drafted less than fifty
:, hem from other cities: New-York supplied the
70, A few years ago. when Mr. Van der Stucken
ant abroad to give American concerts In Euro
.., capitals he found that New-York orchestral
,lovsrs were unique in the extent Of their ability
. ra.d nj sight 4 few weeks ago. when Mr.
,ao,e Neuendorff returned from a year spent In
wanna he reported that the Austrian capital. once
,,a centre of the worlds musical activities was
en- completely dependent on the band OF the Court
onera for hish-class instrumental music that Ru-
hnsten coming TO give concert. had to give II IN
,,a middle OF the day or get along without or
chestral accompaniment But there are close TO loo
military bands in Vienna. Helas,
That the commercial spirit among musicians is
,,a more evident in New-York than in Boston will
not appear surprising under the circumstances Bos-
ION moreover has a comparatively larger number
=, voung native musicians. and the Niennese con-
,,neent with which Mr.. Gercke recruited the Sym
nhonv Orchestra is composed of men not long
enough OH, of the conservatory. thank heaven TO
have lost their interest in all but the business side
Of their profession IT is delightful 10 note the pride
which they feel in their organization and their de-
light when they know that they have acquitted
themselves well Of their task. Among the musicians,
composers teachers and performers also there is a
more vital guild spirit in Boston than In New-fork
and the existence or the symphony OEChtsUd tHc
Handel and Haydn Society the knese and Adam
owsk ouartets. together with the generally agree
able relations which their principal members bear
toward each other. bring IL TO pass that Boston
composers find more announcement than do those
Of New-York. far, al least, as performance OF
their works goes. Works in the larger and more
serious forms nearly always on one writing
table or another in Boston. and when the result is
credtable the pubic is generally given Oppo-
.,,pi.,. - uerif Of no mn
ditions OF the Handel and Haydn Society and the
nature Of the symphony Orchestra help along this
element Of useful activity. The venerable choral So
ciety has long pursued the poliey o. varying It's
Lenten performance Of Bach's st. Matthew Pas
sion with new works by home writer's M and ,I,n the
snsons emancipation from popular whim are
boon 10 native writer's The Handel and Haydn So
ciety Will soon give hearing OF a oratorio by
j. c; ID. Parker; the orchestra has already this
son brought forward new symphony by George "
l.oefier member Of the band. are underlined FOR
6p Henry 81 Holden Hns + Yaa2fSs
Letter rs was M IS symphony with which THIS
New-York has far share OF interest for the
National Conservatory OF Music awarded II a
being the adudicator. and Mr. sedl viii play il at
iarlous places in the artistic itinerary upon which
le viii set out to-morrow. Besides, Mr. Chadwick
well known In New, York. Notwithstanding that
lis professional lines have always fallen in other
cript vas played for the first time on Friday
lfternoon and repeated last night; the baton on
,oser. II was warmly received by the public.
hough @ not with enough demonstration 10 make IT
han personal compliment intended. AS |
he newspaper reviewers; but If Il is not kindly
he circumstance will only add n little to the be-
newspapers have frequently felt in the past re-
pectng the Bostonian standard of judgment. /
oness that do not know what constitutes mus
Imply the other kind OF 'doxy"; that Is the kind
ealpel And such a conclusion is confusing when
he programmes are as varied as those OF Mr..
iydual impressions are therefore the only ones to
'hch | can give voice
ot only merited the distinction which DR.. Dvorak
nd the National Conservatory conferred upon it,
'aur gave. 1t Is a refreshing work to listen TO
ecause of It's fuency directness and freedom from
Which young writers ali over the world nowadays
wrench their intellects. Mr.. Chadwick undertook
o write symphony, not a tetralogy in tumul
uous tones; and there left some admirers Of
ssgners s. art who think the The, symphonic form
Ion. He wrote in the old spirit. too, and has
therefore, saved us from the need Of diving to the
music TO be as beautiful as possible. That is ALL
'arent vessel called the symphonic form SO we
ave work in four movements inspired by Bee;
hoyen and Brahms and rejecting reverental
tudy OF their works. especially the ID major sym
hony Of the latter. The seeker after vast and
'hadwicks music: but he will find ingenuity. and
earning. and fancy. and refined taste. and hope
Which creates thematic material that Is dignifed |
rs 1nd ductiIe' proper to symphony and plastic
Which more than mere assertion can be offered. |
There Is. ought 20 be. something like demon
ration in presentation Of the principal melodic
dement's utilized by the composer in writing a |
ymphony. Had Mr.. Apthorp's annotated pro-
,ramme. interesting always presented these |
hemes, and enabled the listeners to keep in mind |
ne material upon which the fancy of the com
loser was expending itself l imagine the enjoy |
nent OF the hearers would have been even greater
nan II was. OF course the melodies will seem |
bald enough In a writing like this after the fact;
Out they will tell more about the work TO those |
Sno sI know what symphony Is than much OF such |
me writing sentimental and venturesone |
,hnspsodists ~ indulge in for the purpose OF con
vhclng innocent readers of their exquisite artistic
ssnsibity The freshness and exuberant vitality |
~ ~ the first movement may be guessed at from the
Iacs mat after four measures Of sort of motto