New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-07
MUSICAL COMMENT
WAITER pAMRosCHs OPERA.

BOOK
DOOM .rt Of tho symphony Society last Sd'u'-
a. !, is doubly delightful /" Jo"' i'''
,xious 20 note every sign OF '.'" 49,, r,.11
g.. Good everywhere. but ospr'i""! !" - 49,,
CT e,r there were man! SUI" '9"
H'"'''' p Let that stand TO AVOID MS
pam'oS'"' WV" ,ossarv that II he said at the
'""''P"". ,,so,ssion that tho only point OF view
outset % ' 49,, Damrosch's music can correctly
'o'" &, hat OF ia PA ticabiliy ana merit
" ,,rnoses Looking at it mus We are
'' tnoI Greatly to doubt tha' Inc "'"'.
49,, ul live on the stage !" '"o
49,, NJ pamrosch made to th' auoe"ce' "o
VIM" .ho fact that circumstances ana not per-
49,. 80 Give more than a fragmentary ana I'M
ma nun nresontation Of his work. ana one that
per IN, II 10 the apprehension Of his listeners
''.'' =, .ort In so far a. he referred TO the dra-
,,,n,;c IMPOSES Of his music dependent upon
Hit and action for their complete exposition he
.s occasionally justified in his compliant; YET
Z, is doubtful II a stage representation would nave
-, the work as a whole in much better light
.or concealed what appear to be its detects CON
It, this more shall he said further on; now
T.. Il, "a he observed that Nh Damrosch, taking ad-
,o,,ore % the opportunities when kihd' gen
o,ous and fortunate dispensation OF AFFAIRS mas
,,, I'm his hands has brought forward a mus'cai
c,,,n,sitlon which challenges the hlshest respect
,r lie own sake. and com9els surprise ana ao-
..'.o, an eor the measure and maturity Of talent
vght
,~,.i,e. field Of operate composition. TINS under
s,oo1 there ought to be no misconception OF the
,,,,,,,s underlying this attempt to estimate the
exten, and value OF his achievement
,,.u.,horr.,s Scarlet Letter. is not good operate
,o,ial In the hands OF Wagner its paucity
of external incident might he concealed FOR MS
co,i,,s was great enough 10 make the passions
,,,o,.,c in the hearts OF the personages seem IKE
l~,,o atic action. as witness Tristan und Isolde.
Ilut one must be as great as Wagner to 90 TINS.
uaw;borne's romance is one long and painful
psvcholosical study. Throughout II We see the
principal characters in a twofold aspect. as the
,cadcr knows they are. and they appear TO the
q, her people Of the story. What We may call the
dramatic development of the plot is disclosed only
in the changes which take place in the personaees'
because OF the corroding sorrow. seh-torture ana
evil passion which eats al the heart OF Hester
Iirnrlesdale and Chilling worth. without the cog
nizarce OF those who are their daily companions
Not one Of the three characters contains the e!e-
lnents OF dramatic adaptability. In the hands OF
Ibret lists ike Barber and Care We might expect
10 SEQ ChngWorth transformed into spectacular
wizard a sort OF John Wellington Wells. dealer in
nagic and spells. though of a serious pattern. In
this way he might he made a stage character, as
was metamorphosed into one; but
he would have as little OF Hawthornes wronged.
wrinl led and vindictiye scholar in him as the
operatic Mephistopheles has OF Goethes Spirit
that denies
Part Of that power. not understood
Which always wills the Bad, and always works
the Good.
Chillingworth. then. might be made operate
.noush 10 suit those who have no bowels OF com
passion for literary masterpieces, but what can
Je done with Hester to tit her for the stage
And how shall Dimmesdae be transformed into
ira gic type. able TO acquire ard retain the sym
= n los q. an audiouca either without which. or
/ kindly comparison allied to them he cannot be
ndo wed with dramatic life? Mr.. Lathrop has not
nsN cred these questions with his BOOK nor MI
)amrosch with his music. Hester Is nero ana
,ero ne at in the romance, ana III seems as
the authors of the opera had thought that she
night FIJI the same place in that work; but the
most effective movement Of her exposition In the
irgt act-an act filled with austerity. gloom and
lars hness-is that in which she appears mute
ulfferer the dramatic sister OF Wagners Elsa In
similar situation. The promise OF something
et,,.r is held out by the forest scene which opens
he second act. but, however effective this may be
cld to be in itself and because OF its strong con
rasi with the first act, II cannot condone that
CT which is TOO heavily weighted with gloom in
eve al respects to bear itself with vital bnoyancy
n he stage. In representation we reel sure
Mould end without the sympathy for Hester
eing maintained which was aroused by her
fec tive il unoriginal. entrance and without even
he subject OF The Scarlet Letter Is a painful
ne the presentation Of which is only justifiable
vhe il plainly appears be "Or reproof, for cor
oct ION. for instruction IN righteousness" and 10
econcile such a purpose with art is usually given
My TO genius of the first magnitude.
Tie readers Of The Tribune are already aware
u ;he style OF Nh Ddmrosch's composition. lie
las ossayed the manner Of Wagner and in the
Instrumental part Of the score he has done this 80
vel 10 excite admiration. True there he was
clpes BY factors frankly AMI copoUsy borrowed
rom the pages % Wagner. Many an old friend
ree,ed the listeners with something Ike joyful
xubersnce from the orchestral part and the palette
( Wagner furnished many a bit Of harmonic and
lslrumental cOlorng. The mixes OF the Rhine
I'd ped out Of tne sunhecke1 coverts in the forest
:c ind Hester's hut. Il they had become dryads
II her sake: ever and anon the sinister HunG.ng
as heard mutterng IN the ear OF ChLiihg"ofth'
nd Hester the badge Of her shame on the
'fes OF Elsa washel IN inn0cgncy BIt such lhimgs
re Yenia! In nrst WORK. In HdikIy cohieSsihs
3 model dor i cannot be thought Tor moment
a nrosch has illustrated the rule when apples 20
\ creative artists at the outset Of their careers
ne fact must be noted. but it l. much more 10 the
lrpose that the young composer blended the ele-
ents OF MS composition with freedom and dar-
y quite astonishing IN IT'S exhiD.tioh OF inasteIy
here IS no sign 81 doubt or tinorousness anywhere
the work, though the moments are not lnfrequent
al the utterance is more fluent than significant
ne typical phrases "hlch ne mas CHOSEN 10 sym
l'ze the personagcs and passions OF inc play IN |
be music most % them deficient In Elasticity |
~ nearly all OF them lack that eXpressVeness |
rich Wagner knew how 10 impress upon his me |
dc elements. The greater, therefore, Is the sur /
ise that Mr.. Damrosch was able to weave them !
s ether In structure which moves steadily Tor |
ard for than hour and reflects. more or |
81 truthfully and wildly the feeling or the ora
ATTIC situation Unfortunately. there Is little var!-
y in this feeling. that In spite OF Mr.. Dam
Jsch's effort, perhaps because Of 81. there Is
et Of mOnoony In the music OF the first act. There
fine ingenuity OF Instrumentation throughout, |
oWevcr. and an amount Of daring In harmOniza-
o. which sometimes Oversteps the limits % as
elton. In cases. however. this daring II rewarded
nth complete success. In the first agOnizing scene
tween Chilng"orth and Hester, AT the close OF
1t nrst act. the orchestra and the two personages
ic "hoiiy occupied with an exposition OF the Ora
isuS ieeihg OF the moment, while the chorus. sup
osen 10 DC WoTshpplng In the nelghborlng meeting
otse, SihS me "Of Hundrcdth" in unison ana
ntnout Hstiumcntal support. The device Is That OF
% "S 1"s cAorals as cantus firmus. but Mr.. Dam
,s IA! Wonzation Of the ensemble IS such that
e.. -. 20 near Two distinct and unsymIathetic