New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-07

.....re. usually omitted the admirable playing OF
ne Of the INTERPRETATION is doubtless chiefly
second 10 him must be m, hame sor hsrT not on
w aSS them sing with spirit and accuracy, but aso
.usse tespis 8 SURPRISING TStsi '''' " '
The Telegraph:
Ar seial as a newcomer. may take first compii.
ns r his ns ana TaTan hapeen s that COM
aSc,er succeeds IN putting himself so auiS Bdsr ns
enecIRH S,h the familiar prelades We're given with
sdmlgabc feeling and hnesse; while u was haro 10
poiri in he opera
.eThe Standard:
concentration in unsnted terms, may be be-
..owed on the orchestra directed by Herr Seidl
spSr;oz rs; ana Herr Richter later suggested to
our EnGlsh brass instrument PLAYERS how 10 pro- pro-
on az Saturday evening the hanG never drowning the
sinecrs Some OF the details in the stage MANAGE
men, showed an Improvement on previous years,
ana the performance generally may be described as
w5r,hy OF Bayreuth.
After all. II seems more than likely that there
was a large element of personal animosity In the
demonstration against the composer. Widor ct the
fourth Of the concerts given by Mr. Nikisch and the
Berlin Phlhar monte Orchestra In Paris. The com
position which Mr.. Niksch had on the programme
was Wldor's "Conte 6'Avril." Now, Widor is one or
the most serious and solid Of French musicians,
which makes the shout with which his music was
cutie inexpllcable But it has always been difficult
10 understand the attitude Of the French toward
French music. Tho enthusiasm for Berlioz did not
break out until after the Franco-Prussian war,
WREN the necessity seems TO have been felt in some
quarters of finding some native music TO set off
against the German donlinancy Of the French con-
cert-rooms. While Berlioz alive he had to look
10 Germany for appreciation. For several years a
aborlous effort has been made by coterie TO con-
vince the world perhaps incidentally also, them
selves, that France possessed transcendent
&c MUS in Cesar Franck-who, unfortunately. Is also
dead. Evidently II was one of this coterie who
made the disturbance at the Philharmonic concert
for according to least one newspaper report the
voice that relegated Widor 20 the Folies Bergeres
continued with Play Cesar Franck! Mr.. Nikisch
had omitted Berlioz from his programmes. and also
Franck A curious feature of the adventure IS sug-
gested in the circumstance that Hermann Wolr
the manager Of the Berlin Philharmonic concerts
has said that the announcement that French music
would be played caused the receipts 10 drop severa!
thousand francs. 1t appears, Also That wnen MT
Wolf arrived in Paris with his orchestra he was
promptly summoned or invited before the Preieet
Of Police who was distressed by the fear that the
projected concerts would arouse anti-Prussian
demons tration. These fears turned out TO be
groUndless as has been reported The only prelu-
dice which found expression was against worthy
French musician. singular people. these fari-
sans IN 1851 WaSnerS 'IdnnAduseI was "i"'N"
OF the stage of the Grand Opera Now there Is no
end of enthusiasm Wagners later WORKS IN
the same house. They have put all the frehch
operas OF the Grand's reperory in the background
and the latest operate novelty is THE Flying
Datchman." with which Wagner when he first
went 10 Paris, hoped 10 introduce himself 10 the
French people. Then the libretto was approved OF.
but other music was thought 10 be necessary.
The enthusiasm of the French Wagnerites Is
known 10 all visitors 20 the Bayreuth festivals 1t
is only a few years since Siegfrled Wagner, the
poet musicians son. moved say that the
French Wagnerites were more Wagnerian than
Wagner The significance of the remark is per-
fecty plain TO al who have made observations in
Paris and Bayreuth. There be no doubt that
the tardy and slow introduction Of the Wagnerian
repertory at the Grand Opera is largely due 10 the
fear Of ii French composers that Il will be all
day with their works soon as the entire Wag-
merriam list is open to the public 1t is 10 be feared
that even NJ. Saint-Saens sacrificed little OF his
manhood and artistic honesty this apprehension
a few years ago when in the face Of his published
convictions he Joined in the cry against the admis-
sion OF Wagner 10 the repertory Of the Grand; and
II is even possible that political pretudices. IN
gcniously invoked by the friends OF Nine. Caron
had something TO do with the disaffecon expressed
by the newspapers with Nine Nordicas impersona-
ton Of Elsa !n "Iohengrin." Certain II is that 10
those familiar with the best tradition OF Wagner
the French objections the American singers
embodiment of the German ideal sounded very
strange, indeed