The herald., 1898-02-02
MUSIC NOTES

After q short intermisSion came the
test number of the afternoon, Beeth-
ovens first symphony, with its rich
ness of musical ideas, its exquisite SIM
plicity of treatment, in which Mr.. Ham
ilton drew his men on to their most
serious work-work which was con-
vincing in it's earnest sincerity and eff
cheney.
The magnetic prelude to "Cavalleria
Rusticana" and a really brilliant per-
formance of the William Tell over
ture finished an afternoon of keen en-
joyment to those who know the satisfy
ing delight that only a full orchestra
with its innumerable resources can
give, the richness of musical treatment
that no one instrument can possibly por-
tray.
There is much hard work before the
Los Angeles Symphony orchestra, but
the material is there and Mr.. Hamilton
and his men gave substantial evidence
yesterday of their earnestness of pur-
pose. May the Los Angeles people rea-
lize and appreciate the possibilities and
by giving their patronage do their part
toward bringing the present promise to
| future realization.
The Los Angeles symphony orchestra
made its debut yesterday afternoon In
| Music hall before an audience of several
hundred people and scored a distinct
triumph. Mr.. Harley Hamilton and his
men, having made a conscientious eff
fort in the cause of art are deserving OF
the highest commendation. Their per-
formance surpassed the most sanguine
| expectations.
The program was popular in that al
! the numbers could be understood and
enjoyed by the average musical intel
| ligence; yet it was all thoroughly high
class music. Most of it was very exact
ing, too, upon the players, and it was
because they met those exactions with
such skill that the thoughtful mind was
impressed with the fact that the ma
terial Is there and that at last the con-
ductor has found a task worthy of his
talents.
With the spirited, martial music of
Schubert's March Militaire" the pro-
gram opened. This was followed by the
mysterious music of fMendelssohns S Fin
gals Cave" overture with its elusive
motif tossed from one set of instruments
to another always weaving in and out
of the elaborate setting. Then the
dreamy Wiener Blut" waltz of Strauss
led up to Pierne's delicious little "Sere-
made" for muted strings which was so
delightfully."- played that it was re-
demanded.
OF the orchestra as a whole it may be
said with truth and sincerity that their
playing was often mastery and at all
times conscientious. The brass and
woodWind We're we'll under control: the
strings singularly compact, the bowing
free. There was in the ensemble good
balance, color, brllliance, a nicely of
shading, a delicacy and tenderness in
the piano passages, a crispness in at
tack and fine gathering of volume in
the cresendos that We're remarka BILE in
an orchestra of only thirty men.
If at their first concert and after hav-
| ing worked together so short a time
the Los Angeles Symphony orchestra
could present the program given yes
| terday whit such signal success, the flu
ture SENS rich in promise--all that is
needed is time and the encouragement
of continued and increasing patronage
on the part of the public. The really
| large audience yesterday was made up
of men as well as women, who gave in
telligent and absorbed attention to the
music and cordially demonstrative ap-
plause.