The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-02
SYMPHONY CONCERT.
Brilliant Audience Listened With
Unfeigned Delight.
Dv0rak's Symphony "From the New
world," Ariis ically Rendered.


Boston Symphony Orchestra in Infantry
hall last evening attracted the usual
brilliant audience of music lovers who
listened with unfeigned delight to the
following program embracing consider
able OF what is termed modern or new
music:
Antonin Dvorak. symphony No. .. in
i minor, From the New World. Op.
95.
l. Adsgio (E minor)
ALLEGRO motto (E minor)
IL Largo (D-fiat major)
III. Scherzo; Motto viyace (E minor)
Nv. Aell lgro con iuoco IL minor)
Felix Mendelsschn- Bartholdy, two
movements from Concerto for violin, In
Il minor, Op. "a
III. Andantee &C major)
III. Allegretto non troppo (E minor)
Allegro motto vivsce Il majorl
Hector sst Beriioz; VA a. Minuet ,nSI OF MILO
ths%:ps Rst%t:ps March wntn fpo hs fyRhs
of Faust" OPP. "a; Peter Tchaikovsky,
Italian Capriccio, for orchestrr, Op 40.
The beauty of the new Is tha0 it once
was ola. Perhaps this might be- applied
TO Dvorak's symphony which began the
concert. The Bohemian composer,
admitted to be the greatest now living,
when he came to this country 10 direct
the energies of the National Conservatory
of Music in New York, had something To
say about the possibilities for charactsr-
istio music In the new world, and To tho
reviewers he impaired his secret, whi5h
was to the effect that plantation melodies
OF the South were the hope OF the new
music, especially in North America.
This excited great deal OF comment
and it was pointed out that so-called
plantation melodies were not the product
OF the negro but an evolution, .ap output
Of white mans brains who blacked up TO
entertain the public with characteristicss
of the colored man in slavery days. This
was undoubtedly true and the composer
mistake was natural one because the
European, the modern composer. had
absorbed.the idea that the weird melodies
emanated from tho darkey way down
in Dixey."
Uncouth tourists, suddenly rich, from
the west, running Owe. the old country,
maintained the impression that the
people OF this country were still Indians,
and Americans abroad, who knew better,
constantly came in contact with Euro
peans who believed that the inhabitants
OF the United States were yet buffalo
hunters and strutted about In War paint
and feathers. OF course, they were on the
wrong scent
The greater composer, however. stuck
to his original idea and the symphony
was written in the summer OF is93, not
great while after he had established him
self in this country. 1t is maintained
that it's thematic material Is made up
largely of negro melodies from Southern
plantations, Dut the work doss not sug
Rest this to trained oars. There is really
no lingering recollection of Way Down
in Dixey" anti the Southern darkey is
not suggested in the symphony with any
thing like the vigor that he Is presented
in the present popular wave or coon"
song strikiDgly represented by Il Love
Yer, Ma Honey. Yes Do" and Their re
Other Coons as Warm AS You.
The symphony however, does strongly
suggest Yankee Doodle" with varia-
tions in thes6herzo movement which by
the way is the most interesting part of
the work. Dvorak went deeper in his
task than the accepted scheme Of planta-
tion melodies, commonly understood, and
produced music that would stand for any
country. Of course. it Is good music, but
il does not represent the highest type,
even considering the purpose Of the com
poser TO be original, mark he did not
attain in this symphony. In the hands of
n musical band OF the best standard, for
getting the pinnacle of art and skill at
tanned by the inatchless Boston organiza-
tion, From the New World" would
prove tiresome because of its repetition
1t may be said In passing. that anything
worthy, or unworthy for that matter, OF
place on the program presented by this
company of artists. would be interesting
and Instructive whether from tone or
visual music. The native symphony. for
so it may be called because 1t was written
in America, especially for Americans,
was superbly played by the much be-
loved orchestra and IL won it's share OF
admiration and praise from the tine and
discriminating audience
The selections from Berlioz 1.-The Dam
nation of Faust, were more familiar and
thew were rendered in tUp-notch method.
1t Is the most popular of the works by
this brilliant master and that fact stands
unquestioned at the present time IL was
first presented in Paris in 1916 and IL was
not considered n success. subsequently
its originality and beauty impresse the
world and while there may be "a few OBJ
jectors the musical verdict is that its
place has been fairly won. The impress
sive characteristic Of this work Is bright
ness against background OF darkness
and the contrast Is charming. The char
acterists were wonderfully illuminated
by the orchestra. and the dainty waltz
xUao rapdaroH af hanntifnlIv that fho