New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-06
MUSIC.
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

THE PHILHARMONlC SOClETI.
There was nothing par iiariy striking about the
orchestras performance at the sixth concert OF the
philharmonic Society last night the brilancy
.cd weight OF tone and energy OF delivery which
,.sulted from the fact that the music was of the
lind which appeals IN special measure 70 Mr.
s.drs sympa;hies We can fancy that the effects
would have been more striking had Mr.. seid been
a, perfect health lie obliged TO aosen, him
.ox from the las; private rehearsal on Thursday
nd the exertion of conducting the public rehearsal
on Friday afternoon proved to be exhausting
that he had 70 foreso his promised participation in
the Waliorf-Astoria concert In the evening Las
s,,rde was Observable In somS of his tempt hut
with Iiszt and Wagner on the programme, and
s,so a Russian composer who speaks their in7tru-
,,.ntal language Mr.. Seldl forced mind 70 triurnph
over matter and an enjoyable concert rcrultcd.
The music began With work which greatly
cver,owercd the solo features OF the concert-not A
sificult thing 10 do, considering the fact that the
solo performe- the eternally placid and laccid
Poi Plancon who had ventured into paths which
were never designed for his feet namely, the wind
ing ways of Weber and Wagner. The tempestuous
.,ng which l.ysiart sings In Weber's "Euryanthe"
"a no, for NJ. Plancon yet the farewell words
Of wagner's Wotan Both require something more
than tone and tunefulness
the novelty was the ffth symphony OF Alex
ander GlaZuunow. young Russian composer Of
whom IT is safe TO say shall hear good deal
ago since The Tribune uttered tho warming Look
on, for the Muscovite: he is threatening tho must
cal supremacy OF Gei manyl" One OF Tschakow-
skys symphonies. Manfred" which has never
been heard in New-York since. occasioned the
prophecy. which now seems to be approaching fulfil
ment At the time 80 little was known here OF the
Russian school that Rubinstein whose attitude
toward It is antipodean. thought to represent
Russian music. and Tschaikowsky seemed rude
ly forcefu that the proprety OF his procama tons
was called in question. Nov We have heard
Rimsky- Korsakow Borodine and Glazounow in
music which loudly echoes the voice Of the Rus
sian people. and fainter echoes beginning to re-
sound in pianoforte recital rooms The propa-
ganda which Mr.. Silot Is making is not very sig
nifosnt. though replete with interesting details;
nothing has been disclosed by 1t as We, which
dispute with the classic and romantic products OF
half century and moro ago IN our affections The
new evangel is weighty enough; II deals too
persstenty with trfes.
In the orchestral field the case is different. Here
TIE ingenuity ond daring characteristic Of the
Russian writer's have larger scope. and the music
receives more attention because attention Is cEa-
lsnged by the magnitude of the FORM A composer
Is In earnest when he makes up his mind 10 talk
through a symphony. or symphonic poem The
reputation OF Glazounow is that Of one OF the fore
most champions OF the Young Russians. but II the
symphony heard yesterday Is to be accepted as a
Russian school emphatically as does his master.
Rimsky- Korsakow or Borodlne Glazounow seems
10 be willing 10 make converts by persuasion.
whereas Rimsky- Korsnkow and Borodne will think
OF nothing but capture by force and arms. The
symphony does not cause wonderment IN the degree
that Rimsky- X orsakow's "Antar' and Borodine's
in minor did, for 1t is much less revolutionary In
manner as well as matter The Russian folksong
iao.n NAV be detected in OF Its themes. but II
Is not violently procamative or disturbing 10 old
fashioned notions OF the need and value Of CO.
herency sequence. symmetry and sufficency OF
thought. The idiOm Is not even so pronounced IN
character as It is in Of Tsc1 lkowskys earlier
symphonies Orental.sm has strongly tinctured
clazounow's fancy and In the Scherzo he seems 10
be barking back 70 early loves TO which he set
monument In two overtures on Greek themes. op'
and 6; q "Danse orentale' In a Characteristic
Suit, 3D. .; a "Reverie orientale, for orchestra
Cd. IA No 2: an "Orientale' in a set of pieces for
strings called "Novelettes' op L. and Rhap-
sode orientale' for orchestra. op 2s-which Mr.
Thomas has Incorporated in the repertory OF the
chicago Orchestra In his fondness Tor Orientai
melodies he s also following in the Footsteps OF ms
tea-1er, Rimsky-Korsakow. whose "schehere"aae
we have only recently enjoyed and shall soon enjoy
again.
Glarounow is like all his fellows in depending
more upon harmonization and Instrumentation 1or
the Development Of his movements than upon
th.natic workma nship. But he is a master OF the
orchestra, whether he be painting IN proao coiorS
or with new and dainty tin,s. Absolute beauty.
mobility and pregnancy of theme we could not ma
IN the svmphony and II was only the fecundy OF
the composers fancy IN the directions just men
TONED which saved some Of his themes from sound
ing commonplace and platitudinous An echo rom
I'll Trovatore" instrumental Introduction TO Fer
rando's recital Act l. Scene u tempted smiie' ar
a.s olso IN, crash and buster and bang OF the
CO.. hu, there were many moments when the
war,,est admiration was compelled by the splen-
ddly sonorous song of the band. The symphony
evoked great enthusiasm.