The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-06-09
MAINE SYMPHONY CONCERTS.
They Proved Great Musical Success at
The Jefferson,

The two concerts given by the Maine
Symphony Orchestra and large festlVal
chorus of over one hundred and nluy
voices, assisted by Mr. Gwilyn Miles oie
celebrated baritone; DIR. Il. I'd. NloAei-
son of this city, tenor, and MISS na.0io
Shaw, harpist, at The Jefferson, yesterday
afternoon and evening, drew TWO very
large and enthusiastic audiences. While
the matinee lid not crowd the mouse, the
audience was remarkable one In point
of size and quality, for there We're lew
vacant seats. At night there was jam
as was to have been expected.
Mr. W, r. Chapman, the distinguished
director. was laboring under great diff
culties. For over week he has been so
Ill that he was unable to conduct the final
rehearsals, and DR.. Wasgatt, his efficient
concert master, took that labor on to his
OWE hands, and performed it WELL AS it
was Mr. Chapman was compelled to be
seated while directing orchestra and
chorus. MIR. Chapman was so brave about
it all, and kept up his spirits and his
nerve SO we'll, that he earned the praises
Of every one. That the concerts were re-.
markably successful goes for the saying.
Everyone WAS delighted and the applause
was at times, tremendous.
The make up of the orchestra did not
differ from that Of the concert given some
time ago. There was change in the men
but not in the instruments. Seven of
yesterdays orchestra were Boston Sym
phony Orchestra men, whose skill Is
known of all men, and among them was
the celebrated De Ribos, the oboe player.
DR.. Wasgatt of Bangor was the concert
master. and better one it would be diff
cult to secure.
The stage was set with the grand
staircase for a palace scene in the back
ground. In front were the tier on tier of
ladies all In white and men in black, and
the orchestra in the foreground. The
tableau was most attractive to the audi
ence, while the latter must have been as
much so to the performers. for great
sea Of faces stretched out in front, above
and below, while the decorations of bunt-
ing emphasized the patriotic character Of
the occasion and much of the music.
The programmes were somewhat
changed. That of the afternoon began
with the lovely Vorspiel Of Wagner's
"Meistersinger. and it was beautifully
played. All the delicate shadinga came
out olearly and effectively. Mr.. Miles
then came forward, amid storm of ap.
plause and sang the three songs, "1his
Would Do "Mine own" and "Be
douin Love Song" MIR. Miles was il
good voice and was especially happy il
the latter of the three songs mentioned
which he gave with great fervor. A little
tremolo was noticed in his singing, blu
that is not unnatural when one consider
that MIR. Miles has been in great demand
throughout the season.
Miss. Hattie A. Shaw was received as
Maine girl should be in her native State
and she evidently felt the warmth of tn,
welcome. In the evening, after her ex
quisite rendering of Godefroid's "Concerl
Study" beautiful harp of white roses
and maiden hair fern was presented her
One of the great beauties of Miss Shaw
parts to everything she attempts. Sh
was encored and responded. In the after
noon after Hasselmans ''Patrol' she wa
encored and played s'Fair Harvard" witt
delightful variations.
The fifth Symphony of Beethoven, il
G minor, has been acknowledged by tn
most distinguished musical critics as tn
most perfect instrumental work o
Beethoven, and consequently the mos
splendid symphony that ever was written
1t is q tragedy in music. Nothing cal
be simpler than the leading idea of thu
allegro which consists merely of two
bars. and begins with unisonal phras
while the key in which it is written re-
mains at first mystery. Oppressed ant
harrassed with forebodings Of some dir,
catastrophe it would seem to denote on,
venting his anguish in sharp cries; bu
soon bright image appears and illumi
Mates the gloom. The theme is mos
simple, but how exquisitely does the
rhythm1cal proportion Of the secondary
and intermediate subjects unite with it
TO develope the character of the move
msnt. The phrases are all short constant.
~ changing from the wind to the stronger
Instruments. The lovely theme of the
andante con motto in A fat major-intro
duced by the violos and violins SOLO
sound like sweet voice from the spirit
land, filling the heart with consolation
and hope. But even here the dreat
shadow that doomed 80 threateningly il
the allegro bursts from out the storm
clouds and banishes the sweet form.
which hover around us. Mendelssohn sail
Of the symphony ''that it does not stir tn
feelings; it astounds one; it is grandiose. )
1t seemed as If every one of the musician
felt in their very soul the grandeur of th
music he was playing especially tina
magnificent andante. They brought OH
its beauties admirably and the audienc
was as still as if in church.
The weird "Danse Maccabre," with If
midnight bell at the commencement call
Ing to the reyels, followed by all manne
nf odd effects in Derfect accord with ~