New-York tribune., 1896-01-24
MUSIC.
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

Mr.. Paur devoted more than one-haf OF the con-
cert Of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. which was
given in the Metropolitan Opera House last night to
Mr.. r. A. MacDowell. 1t extraordinary pro-
cecdng and more than extraordinary compliment
TO the young composer. but Mr.. MacDowel is a lu-
minous figure In American music and the honor was
well bestowed. The concert began with the Pa
thetic' symphony Of TschaIkowsky and closed with
Muller-Berghaus's transcription Of Liszts second
Hungarian Rhapsody Between these pieces Mr..
MacDowe played his first panoforte concerto, and
the orchestra brought forward his second orchestral
suite which he calls Indian" and is his forty
eighth numbered work Last nights performance
was the first that the suite has had in public 1t Is
still in manuscript. but will soon be published by
Brietkopf and 1Iartel, who recently published two
other new orchestral works composed by Mr.. Mac
Dowe-two fragments" as he calls them. entitled
The Saracens" and Lovely Alda' based on the
Song Of Roland"
Mr.. MacDowell's Indian suite Is so-caled because II
is based on themes borrowed from the songs Of the
American aborignes. II Is We believe the first time
that effort has been made utilize material OF
this character in a composition In the larger forms.
and ii is pity that the was not obtainable
for careful study OF the themes and the manner Of
their As It is we are thrown upon the i'm
pressions left by single hearing and few hints
which the composer and the annotator of IN" pro-
gramme have vouchsafel. Prefixed 10 the score is
the following note:
The thematIc material of this work has been
suggested for the most part by Indian melodies.
Their occasional similarity 10 Northern European
themes seems TO the author direct testimony IN
opening theme OF No 3. for instance Is very similar
TO te, The presumably Russian one made use Of by
Rlmsky- korsakow in the third movement or his
"Aniar" symphony
To this Mr. Apthorp adds the Information that
only three or four Of the themes. which serve the
purpose OF counter-themes to the Indian melodies,
are original with Mr. MacDowel: also that the
first W ed q the by
!. H. Aidrich's Indian legend, "Mantowona, but
that IN II no attempt made to follow the Incl
dents of the poem. The third of hints. which
no matter how external they be. still useful
as starting points for the fancy Of the listener Is
IN the time ana expression designations preilxed
pccted from a musician so frankly devoted to pro-
EraInme music as Mr. MacDowell. albeit programme
chosen some suggestive sub-ttles as he did In the
case cas- Of his frs suite But he has done nothing OF
With much dignity and character: egendlike.
then Twice as fast with decsion;" the second.
almost savagey:' the fourth. 'Drgciike mourn
f,uHy' the nth Swift and light" Hidden in these
directions there lies suggestion Of contrasted
emotions which might enable one easily 10 con
OF the music, and we can but commend Mr. Mac
i)owell for thus ingenonsy avoiding a phase OF
descriptive muse which tends to degrade the art
The hearing enables to add few facts to the
festival Of the IroGuos ind dians are used; In the
theme harmonlze1 and orchestrated by Mr. Mac
Dowel. and contalning-alds! that the Wise Men o'
the Boston press must now turn and rend the com
poser,-tfc Scotch snap IN most aggres-
sipr form. In the third movement the principal
subject r. a melody which figures In the legends Of
ia" Indians OF the Atlantic coast. According to this
legend the song heard 10y the Indians, as If II
from Heaven. a few years before the advent
of the white man. II was reserved for high festl-
walls because it was u celestial origin. II H. the
melody which also figures IN the "Aniar' symphony
~ Rimsky- X lr-Iakow. ana il would not require
much OF niEht of fancy 70 construct theory Ike
limited hN MI. MacIbOVrll IN his note. name
ly that the melody may have been acquired by
fhc Indians from tn. companions Of Thornnn. This.
however scarcely explains its presence In the An
tar symphony of the Russian composer who him
-.if added To- the confusion which must prevail on
the subject hy employing Il In music designed to
Illustrate an Oriental story. rs first part might also
l lffnel hv Chinese fact which j. reluctant
lt and prdycrfily submitted 10 the mercies Of the
y oil. Mon. In the Last mov"men, tn" principal ma
feflai is drawn from wpmen's dance and war
dance of the lroquuis-
- much FOR n. facts historical and material
Tnrr- Is no time discuss the suit" freely "a II
,f,r.ft.s / H. fascinating music. exhibiting mas
f.-y ln harmOuiza'ion and Instrumentation beyond
artrfhine that can recall As American In origin.
r,. .Nc-uflng Mr MacDowrlIs symphonic
rl.rrs and !nhu"l with poetic mood OF most s!n
rllAr ani Individual character. u held is own IN
IA r,ncer' which was delightful from beginning to
.nd and which won fragrant guerdons for Mr.
P,ur especially for the mpotubus and truthfully
dramatic reading % the Tschalk lwsky symphony
Nr Mac cDowelVr merits a. q pianist have Received
auursciailf~ mention IN these columns heretofore
erI his nrsf concerto is no novelty here. He was
..If.f receive the thanks OF the public after the