The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-23
1 WAGNER PROGRAMME.
To Aid Seheel's Guarantee Concert
Fund.
Some Numbers That Could Not Be STYLED
Novelties = The Auditorium
Well Heated.

II any demonstration had been wanting
to show the popularity of Richard Wag-
ner's music in San Francisco it would have
been furnished by the large attendance at
the concert in aid of the Scheel concert
guarantee fund at the Auditorium last
night.
The programme was entirely made up
OF excerpts from the Bayreuth masters
works, and with scarcely an exception
they were excerpts that had been heard
many time and oft at the Auditorium.
Ii 1t is lrreverent to apply the expression
TO anything that the great Wagner wrote,
some OF them might be described as
"chestnuts, so often have they done duty
at the Auditorium this winter
1t Is not that the beautiful ''Song of the
Rhine Nymphs," from the "Dusk of the
Gods, the scenes from "The Meistersing-
ers, ETC., are loved less, but that people
would certainly love more to hear little
diversity IN the excerpts from the immortal
Rlchards operas, when programmes en-
tirely devoted to Wagner are performed.
On the other hand, the excellent render
ing given to the music, and the satisfaction
OF seeing the popular and magnetic con-
ductor back at his desk, combined to stir
up the fashionable audience to the display
OF good deal of enthusiasm. The house
was large one in spite of the rain. and a
number of the leading lights of musical
and social circles were conspicuous by their
presence.
1t is unnecessary to give a detailed de-
scriptlon OF the performance of the familiar
numbers. That has frequently been com
mented on before and the personnel of the
orchestra has not changed. There was the
same elan and brilliancy, the same finished
shading which was particularly apparent
in the overture to "Parsifal," and there was
much less tendency on the part of the
brasst to be heard above the strings than at
the beginning of the season. Everything
would have been repeated ii Scheel would
have responded, but he wisely gives no en-
couragement to the encore habit.
"Lohengrin" is certainly the most popu-
lar OF Wagner operas; people who do not
know another bar of his music can hum
the Bridesmaids Chorus" The arrange
ment of some of the best known airs from
"Lohengrin" played last night has not
been given very often at the Auditorium.
1t brought down the house, and Scheel was
forced to plunge into the funeral dirge
from "The Dusk of the Gods the new
number on the programme, in order to
avoid an encore.
AS performed, the programme stood as
follows:
Overture. The Flying Dutchman"
"Venusberg," ballet music. From "TannhauSer"
(farisan Version.)
'Song OF the Rhine Nymphs".
.....................Fro From "Gotterdaemmerung''
Scenes from ,;T6e Mestersrneers OF Nurembsrs"
(G) Introduction to the Third Act.
(6) Dance of the Apprentices.
(c) Entrance of Meistersinger
I'D Homage to Hans Sachs
segfried's Funeral Drse Gotterd aemmeFpnr,
Magic Fire Scene. .......... From Tho walkuere''
The various numbers were given with
that careful precision which has made
Scheel famous as a conductor, the piece of
the evening being the overture to "Parsi-
fal, :" called by Wagner's admirers lyrical
feast. The first on the programme is an
overture to an opera which is accepted to
be the least pretentious, but at the same
time one of the most melodious of this
authors works. 1t was charmingly rem
dered. The audience, making up in en-
thusiasm what it lacked in number, grew
somewhat excited over Scheels splendid
serving of what may be called Wagnerian
musical banquet, and applauded him to
the echo whenever he laid down his baton.
Not satisfied with honoring the leader
thus, the auditors called his band to their
feet also and rewarded the instrumental
proficiency of each in a similar manner. 1t
was sort oflove feast between the orches-
ira and the audience.
The changes in the Auditorium include
new heating appliances which conduced
greatly to the comfort of those present at
the Wagner concert. Hitherto it was nee
essary for people to go dressed as if for
sleigh ride on cold nights, otherwise they
sat and shivered throughout the per-
formance.
An earnest appeal has been issued by
John Parrott for contributions toward the
fund, which last nights concert
was to aid. 1t goes without saying that
every music-loyer in San Francisco must
hope sincerely that the enterprise will be
SUCCESS