New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-12
TIE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

Where there is so much TO admire there was
last night the last concert for this season OF the
philharmonic Society. It seems pity to interject
single discordant tone Of criticism into the review.
pt ,bere are obligations not only history but also
IN the masterpiece whose performance was the prin-
c,pal achievement Of the evening. which outweigh
merely sentimental considerations. IL being my
wear, since the Philharmonic performed Beethoven
choral symphony for the first time the directors ue
cided to celebrate the event with repetition. haV-
Ing no choir Of It's own. the society was compeeu 10
seek outside assistance. The services OF the Ru-
binstein and Apollo clubs both under the direction
OF w. H. Chapman were offered. for consideration.
and accepted. There would be no ground Tor COM
plant In this II the consideration had been whoiy
monetary. Unhappily, however. ambitious con-
ductors and amateur singers are not 10 De oea't
with In rational, business ways and the scheme OF
the concert the effect Of It's principal number ana
the dignity Of the occasion. all had to be marred by
the introduction OF two utterly incongruous part
songs between the prelude to Wagners faTslai
and the symphony. Far better wouid IL nave peen
for the singers II there had been less variety ana
more reverence In their conduct for. compared with
the last part-singng which the halls OF Carnegie
Hal, had resounded. their performance was sadly IN
efficient and only served to lessen the popular good
u,,n which they won by their work in the choral
mart OF Beethoven's masterpiece
But this was the lesser Of the two disturbing
features Of the evening" There being no adequate
accommodation for the singers on the stage, they
80. not brought on until after the third move
,rart of the symphony had been played. Then they
nn.red and were huddled together In two groups
aPpsns The orchestra. The wide space between mo
a Syorke ed injury to the general enec ana the IN
ep,on ~ the performance destroyed the poetioa.
phnh beethoven invented for the purpose, not
piw ~ Introducing the voices put also Oh co,,neef
ing ocni ,n he a pause after the third movement,
m. d,scordant fanfare which opens the iourn, am
~. nc ,mstnimental rectatives which f,eetho"en
IN, hd 10 bridge over the chasm Detween ms" - :.
msnts and voices. lose all thelr nsm mi ava re
mems , 70 he supposed that Mr. Seid was nSt a" nd
no' IL ~ We TIE arrangement was makesniL, anu ~
90 nnIv he excused on the GROUND na. e =. accom
Carnegie Music Hall Is not large enu m1 az large
1870 an orchestra OF ITO men anu ~ e.
chorus but If the performance Oh u Ion Of an i'm
pnp,an. event in the history OF the socaeS non q
p 4t.' ,n the names OF Beethoven nc eAPe.Se
showld have been spared to make II worthy VI WV
society and the work mat, ,,, nraise 10 be spoken
Of the performance OF the two principal nn%nee
the prorramme Mr. seidl conducted wiz, IT, ~ The
devotion and a more eloquent puDne nn,usd The
"Parsifal" music could scarcely De T i,s signi6-
symphony, too. spoke out nearly az could a more
poe:icai conception and more sensrousi nrs who
utterance have been wished for ne s"s ,s We're.
wrested with the solo parts were Mms E1ra neron
sapo. Mrs Carl Alves, W. H Rieger ana nerferm.
ance Of the excrucatingly difficult music as Gou u
reasonably be expected. Mr. Davies. who Al. new
conner from England. Is BARITONE singer w''h hr1
intelligent and eminenty satlsIylhs s;nr IN do
scarcely sufficient power In the lower register 10 9o
full Justice 10 the solo work in the symphony, he
displayed his fine. muscianly guaiilies 70 parrvs
vantage in q scene from DR.. c. Hubert n. rairS
oratoro, SAUL but II IL TO be reared INA. an md
jority Of his hearers found the composition o'' "