The San Francisco call., 1897-12-17
THE G MINOR SYMPHONY.
A Splendid Interpretation OF
Beethoven by Fritz
Scheel.
The Ladies Wore Millinery Tha
Created Quite Wagnerian
Illusion.

The Symphony Society commenced real
work at the Tiyoli yesterday with q pro-
gramme that was beautiful and in earn
est. Scheel was at his best and the band
was with him to the last man. 1t was an
afternoon Of distinguished pleasure for
the lovers of good music, and the audi.
ence - a large one gave token of
judicious enthusiasm. Some Jew strag-
eled late (and they we're promptly i'm
Lrisoned in the lobby until such time
as the music came to full stop) and many
would not observe the formality of remov-
ing their hats; but on the whole the audi
ence pore itself much better than usual
Even the hats that were almost as large
as Christmas trees and twice as handsome
were not without value by way OF suggest
ing the invisible orchestra of Beyru.h
during the playing of the Wagner pieces.
The symphony was Beethoven No. 5;
the subsidiary selections were the Tam
hauser" and the 'Euryanthe" overtures,
Slegfried's rhine Journey" from Got
ieTdamerung," and the Bacchanale from
Saint Sa MS Samson and Delilah," 1t
was a programme that demanded of the
leader vlr Uosity and scholarship, light
hand and a massive one, plastic person
ality, rugged good sense and lightning
change pulse, and ii got them all in the
playing. Had Scheel needed a reputation
in San Francisco, yes esierday afternoon
would have given ii 10 him on the spot. AL
ready the performance is one of the good
traditions OF the town.
The MODEST ork. of course was in the
symphony. Since Theodore Thomas no
one has been here who played Beethoven
as Scheel plays MIN. l have heard it said
OF Scheel that his value stops with his
perSonality-that he has the little graces
The manners OF music, in fine degree and
an affa bic temperament, but not the broad,
tranquil, reverent m nd of the musician
but ] never believ, d it. II there were not
breadth, tranquility and reverence in the
Interpretation of lhis symphony the quail
tiles do not exist.
l do not see the sense in making pro.
gramme music OF every olchestral piece.
for the programme (the stoty) is usually
TO be found IN your own mood and appre-
citation. Once Mr.. Whistler looked over
the catalogue OF a London picture show
and saw that most OF the paintings we're
described by quotations from famous
verse. After inspecting the pictures he
said: "All the poetry OF English art is in
the catalogue" But the G minor sym-
p ony has a story which it tells for itself
in tongue unmistakabIe. ANY one with
ears ana cart can understand its note of
humanity TO humanity. The work is in
contesubly human; it deals in the moods
of mankind.
There is eerie music that will suggest to
! the sensitive listener things rot of this
earth; there is music that paints land
scape- and music that paints marines and
music that pictures the confusion OF the
elements; there is the M at athemaucal prob
lie music and the music of the passions
and the music of the dance-all sorts of
music ior all sorts of people. And there is
music that epicts the abstract emotions
and am i ions oI Mortal man, and this is
to be found at its best in the minor sym-
phony. The work may well be called the
summary of life.
Schel played this symphony without
trick or pose. He was a reproach to his
detractors. He did not gTimace the huge.
humorous passages of The scherZo where
the double basses sound their deep glee
he did net descend TO banal rubato in the
warm variations in the slow movements:
he aid not make mere melodrama OF the
strife in he in rod uction, nor a musciar's
picnic Of The Joyous conclusion. Every bar
of the score that bats the path of the
vain leader with chances for exploiting
his own personal blandish ments was ie-
nored by Scheel. He played the music.
nothing more and nothing less; and this
is task for big men only.
The "Gotterdamm merung" excerp was n
test Tor the band; it is necessarily difficult
and the least slovenliness in the attack
will muddle it to nothing. 1t was given
with sorority and feeling. The Saint
Saens ballet music v as played with splen-
did rythm and sensuUusness and both the
overtures were admirable
| was pleas d o hear the ''Tannhausern
overture taken at a less runaway nnce
than when Scheei played it earlier in lhe
season. ASHTON STEVENS